TransportGooru

Thursday, April 2, 2009 – ISSN 1529-1057

Join IBTTA in Tampa, FL and receive cutting-edge information from agencies and toll service providers around the globe on the latest in all-electronic tolling, toll traffic management, and achieving full interoperability. This is the only Summit in the world in 2009 focused on the critical topics of Open Road Tolling, All-Electronic Tolling and Interoperability and will feature more than 100 of our industry’s most experienced and knowledgeable speakers, panelists and exhibitors. What matters most is your customer’s experience driving your roads, the quality of service they receive during the payment process and your success in collecting those payments. Are your customers satisfied? Visit IBTTA’s website to view the preliminary agenda and register today! 

AVIATION

1) American Airlines Union Goes Viral Against Execs

Link to AP story:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/American-Airlines-union-goes-apf-14824283.html

2) Aircraft Could be Brought Down by DIY ‘E-Bombs’

Link to story in New Scientist:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20227026.200-aircraft-could-be-brought-down-by-diy-ebombs.html

3) EU Says Phone-Ready Planes to Double by Next Year

Link to column in The Wall Street Journal:

http://blogs.wsj.com/middleseat/2009/04/02/eu-says-phone-ready-planes-to-double-by-next-year

BICYCLES

4) Promoting the Use of Bicycles on Federal Lands

Link to report from the Western Transportation Institute:

http://www.wti.montana.edu/documents/reports/pdf/4W1303_Final_Report.pdf

CAMERAS

5) In Surprising Reversal, Maryland Senate Rejects Speed Cameras

Link to story in The Baltimore Sun:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.cameras02apr02,0,1079669.story

ELECTRONIC TOLLING

6) Toll Discounts for In-State Residents Draw Constitutional Challenge

Link to story in The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/02/us/02ezpass.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&pagewanted=all

GPS / NAVIGATION

7) TomTom Signs Deal with TrafficCast for Data for Wireless Navigation Device

Link to story in The Wall Street Journal:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123862738872480271.html

Link to news release from TrafficCast:

http://trafficcast.com/news/article/120/

PUBLIC INFORMATION / EDUCATION

8) New Jersey Warns Against Walking on Highways

Link to AP story:

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20090402_N_J__warns_against_walking_on_highways.html

RAILROADS

9) Microsoft’s Telephony Software Gains Railroad Ties

BNSF hopes software can replacing aging phone system and attract younger workers.

Link to CNET News column:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10209569-56.html

10) Latest Issue of Signal the Newsletter of ERTMS, the European Rail Traffic Management System

Link to newsletter:

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/rail/interoperability/ertms/doc/011_signal_2009_04_en.pdf

ROADWAYS

11) Rural Issues with Optimal Sensor Placement for Transportation Applications

Link to report from the Western Transportation Institute:

http://www.wti.montana.edu/documents/reports/pdf/4W1531_Final_Report.pdf

SAFETY / SECURITY

12) US to Boost Ports of Entry Along US-Mexico Border

Plan calls for high-tech inspection equipment and surveillance systems.

Link to AP story:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h7YK6qe9Xpfr4heKG3_hRDGJP6jwD97A1AF80

Link to news release from the US Department of Homeland Security:

http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/pr_1238626069590.shtm

13) Free Videos Aim to Reduce Teen Driving Fatalities

Link to story in The Wichita Eagle:

http://www.kansas.com/news/breaking/story/757969.html

14) Ad Hoc Routing for Rural Public Safety

Link to report from the Western Transportation Institute:

http://www.wti.montana.edu/documents/reports/pdf/4W1566_Final_Report.pdf

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

15) FM Stations Help Punjab Police Control Traffic

Link to story in The Indian Express:

http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/road-waves-fm-stations-help-police-control-traffic/441995/

16) Alcoa, Tennessee Named ‘Smart City’ for Transportation

Link to story in Blount Today:

http://www.blounttoday.com/news/2009/apr/02/alcoa-named-smart-city-transportation/

VEHICLES

17) Can a Speed Demon Tame Teen Drivers?

A young inventor’s gadget lets parents track kids behind the wheel.

Link to story and video in The Boston Globe:

http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2009/04/02/can_a_speed_demon_tame_teen_drivers

News Releases

1) AASHTO Launches Are We There Yet? We Can Be. America, Let’s Get Moving!

2) Dashboard Navigation System Doubles as Covert GPS Tracker: Lets Boss Sit in Passenger Seat

3) Apisphere to Provide Mobile Traffic Network with Location-Smart Messaging

Upcoming Events

National Transit Institute Transit ITS Regional Workshops – April 29-30 – Chicago & June 9-10 – Dallas

http://www.ntionline.com/CourseInfo.asp?CourseNumber=TRI-26

Today in Transportation History

1804 **205^th anniversary** – The HMS Apollo ran aground off the Portuguese coast. About 40 ships following in the convoy also were wrecked.

http://ageofsail.wordpress.com/2009/03/06/shipwreck-of-hms-apollo/  

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The Transportation Communications Newsletter is published electronically Monday through Friday. 

To subscribe send an e-mail to:  TCNL-subscribe@googlegroups.com

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TCN archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications

Questions, comments about the TCN?  Please write the editor, Bernie Wagenblast at i95berniew@aol.com.   

© 2009 Bernie Wagenblast

(Source: Associated Press via Yahoo! Finance)

Safety board says fatal accidents were up sharply in 2008 for air taxi, medical, tour flights

WASHINGTON (AP) — There was a spike last year in deaths from crashes of air medical, air taxi and tour flights, federal safety officials said Thursday.

The National Transportation Safety Board said there were 56 so-called on-demand flight accidents in which 66 people were killed in 2008. That’s the highest number of fatalities for such flights in eight years and an increase of 13 deaths over 2007. The on-demand accident rate was 1.52 accidents per 100,000 flight hours, virtually unchanged from the previous year.

The board held a public hearing earlier this year examining the safety practices of the air medical helicopter industry. Fifteen people were killed in four medical helicopter crashes in 2008.

Major U.S. airlines, however, suffered no accident fatalities in 2008 for the second consecutive year despite carrying 753 million passengers on more than 10.8 million flights, the NTSB said. Major airlines experienced 28 accidents last year, the same as 2007.

 Commuter airlines, which typically fly smaller turboprop planes, also didn’t have any accident fatalities despite making 581,000 flights last year, the board said. However, there were seven commuter airline accidents in 2008, up three from the previous year.

There were 495 people killed — one fewer than the previous year — in general aviation accidents in 2008, the board said. General aviation includes private and corporate planes.

Acting NTSB Chairman Mark Rosenker said the aviation safety record for 2008 was mixed.  Click here to access today’s press release and interesting statistical tables.

(Source: AASHTO)

Photo: Zen Skillicorn@flickr

Washington, DC – “Are we there yet? The perennial question asked by kids on a long car trip is the same one all Americans should be asking about our entire transportation network,” said John Horsley, Executive Director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). “Improving our transportation system must be a top priority for all of us since we are only investing half of what it would take to meet the needs of our nation’s growing population, demand for freight, and aging roads, bridges, and transit.”

 With the expiration date looming for the current federal transportation authorization, AASHTO has today launched a national campaign to build awareness and provide information on the critical needs of our nation’s transportation system.

Click here to explore the campaign.

(Source:  Treehugger & ManiacWorld)

We’re big advocates for all things human-powered, but we really really like to see this particular efficiency put to use for transportation. Enter with a flash “Rollerblade Man” who’s keeping all his options open by covering his entire body with a suit of wheels allowing one to travel up to 60 miles-per-hour while maintaining any position found in the Kama Sutra. Note: As always, please wear a helet if you are to attempt anything on rollerblades.  He’s wearing a helmet in the video below.

 Dr. Roadmap Column: April 2, 2009

      For Sale: 1997 Ford Crown Victoria, 110,434 miles, white roof and doors, all else black. See auction details.

           Not your normal classified ad, is it? But then, this is not your normal car; it’s an ex-police car. 

      If you’ve ever wondered what it might be like to own a genuine squad car and tool around town faking out and intimidating other motorists, a few considerations bear keeping in mind before you embark on your NYPD, Real Stories of the CHP, or Police Story fantasy. 

      First of all, perish all thoughts of piloting a look-a-like police car unless you want to get pulled over for impersonating an officer.

      “As ‘storekeeper,’ part of my job is to ensure that all hardware that identifies the car as a police unit is removed,” said Charles Alvarez of the Azusa Police Department in California. “We strip them of all the city decals. About the only thing we leave is the dual batteries, beefed up suspension and the big engine.”

Photo Courstey: Chris Sensenbach @ Flickr

      Most police departments remove and recycle the door-mounted spotlights, the rooftop light bar, the sirens and the mobile data computer (which costs about $4-5,000). Yet, it appears that you could keep the original paint job if you so choose.

      “We do not paint the doors over,” said Sgt. Doug Brown of the South Pasadena (CA) Police Department. “We definitely remove the identifying decals, but I know of no law against driving with the black-and-white paint scheme.”

      Other police departments opt to paint over the doors in the same black color as the rest of the car. But in either case, at least you gain the benefit of a car that has been outfitted for peak performance, don’t you?

      “In a lot of cases, the engine in our police cars is no different that what the average person can special order from the factory,” said Lt. Al Cheatham, of the Chino (CA) Police Department. “Yes, it is a special police package, but anyone can order it. There’s no law against it. On the other hand, most people wouldn’t like the ride; it’s too stiff.”

      Let’s say that you still long for a car driven by the long arm of the law. You actually relish the responsive suspension of a well-built vehicle. As it turns out, so do others. Many departments remain reluctant to relinquish their “rides.”

      “We try not to get rid of any car too soon,” said Rob Pipersky, a technical services officer for the Montclair (CA) Police Department. “What we do now, especially with the Caprices, is rebuild them at 100,000 miles. Some of ours have 180,000 miles on them.”

      Pipersky went on to explain that Chevrolet Caprices represent the pinnacle of police pursuit cars. In fact, so many agencies choose to rebuild their Caprices that used parts are quickly becoming scarce. Even after their second spin through the odometer, Montclair’s finest prefers to recycle their cars.

      “Some of our old cars go on to ‘lesser duty’ such as police assistance and administration,” continues Pipersky. “At peak periods, or during emergencies, we use these lesser-duty cars to augment the regular fleet. In addition, some visit the local schools or drive around the local shopping center. These daytime assignments provide a police presence. This way we get one extra year out of the cars.”

      After the last ounce of utility gets wrung from these trusty steeds, they finally get put to pasture. However, the public can only obtain these past-their-prime cars by bidding on them.

      Three other police agencies confirmed that auction is the preferred method of dumping dilapidated cars. 

      “Most agencies have these cars declared as surplus property once their service life is over, and from there they go directly to auto auctions,” confirmed South Pasadena’s Sgt. Doug Brown. “That’s what we do because these cars are not worth enough to try and sell them privately. Any vehicle coming out of the department is so worn out that I’m not sure anyone would want one.”

      Thus, Sgt. Brown brought up the most important consideration of all when considering buying an ex-squad car.

      “Think about it: You have a car that’s been driven practically 24/7, and that has close to 100,000 of odometer miles on it,” observed Chino’s Sgt. Cheatham. “Everywhere we go, the car is usually left running. Your idle time on top of the mileage is horrendous. That’s a tired engine by the time you get done with it. The suspension is no better. You have jackrabbit starts and hard braking. The car has undoubtedly been in a couple pursuits or more. When you’re going after people, those cars bottom out at the dips in the intersections. Personally, I would not want to buy one after a police agency was done with it.”

      For anyone who remains undeterred in their quest to purchase their own personal patrol car, please don’t feel bad if you missed out on the Crown Vic’ with 110,000 miles (along with eight Caprices and twenty-one other Crown Victorias) that was sold during that particular auction. Auction sites abound on the Internet, where with a little detective work you can still ID an old forgotten workhorse of a municipal PD. 

©2009, Dr. Roadmap®

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David Rizzo, better known as Dr. Roadmap,  a Commute Management expert who writes about issues such as improving gas mileage (mpg), alternate routes, traffic congestion, ridesharing, commuting behavior and intelligent transportation systems on California’s Orange Country Register.  He is well known for his comprehensive guide ever written on off-freeway commuting in Southern California, published in 1990.  Two years later he became the first traffic reporter to offer daily alternate routes in real time over the air on one of the most popular morning radio shows in Los Angeles.  His bi-weekly columns appear exclusively for TransportGooru.  This is copyright-protected content.  Please contact Transportgooru if you like to use this article or portions of this article.  Thank you.

(Source: Streetsblog & WorldChanging)

The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has compiled a 100-page report on the experiment that covers a lot of ground, but basically describes the trial as a roaring success. A few interesting features of this report :

• Overhead is low. Because the mileage tax piggybacks on the existing gas tax collection system, it’s easy and cheap for the state to administer.
• Payment is simple. From the driver’s perspective, the mileage tax differs little from the gas tax, other than the fact that their gas station receipts contain interesting information on miles driven.
• Privacy is protected. The state only gets odometer information, not information about vehicle location.
• Evasion is difficult. Even if you tamper with the GPS receiver, you’re still going to pay the gas tax.
• Phased implementation is possible. Oregon doesn’t foresee a complete changeover to mileage taxes happening until 2040. This is a bit too slow for my taste (I really hope gas stations don’t exist in 2040), but the point is that gas taxes and mileage taxes can happily coexist as the vehicle fleet turns over.

Technically, the system worked. Just as importantly, public acceptance was high. 91% of [self-selected] test participants preferred the system to paying gas taxes.… Before the experiment began, media portrayals of the system were almost uniformly negative — and inaccurate. By the middle of 2006, media coverage ranged from neutral to positive, and were far more accurate. Citizen comment reflected this broader trend. ODOT concludes, “Effective communication can lead to public acceptance.”

Click here to read blogger Adam Stein’s take on this subject at WorldChanging.com.  For those interested here is the final report in PDF form. 

LA Transportation Blog – Headlines for Wednesday April 1, 2009

• 6th Street Study Expands List of Considered Design Options BlogDowntown
• AC Transit riders’ claim of funding bias tossed San Francisco Chronicle
• Air Board Fines Big Blue Bus Santa Monica Surf/Lookout News
• Artists Asked to Make “Gateway” to San Gabriel Valley CurbedLA
• Best Practices in Transit Service Planning  Transportation Research Board
• Big Blue Bus hit with hefty fine Santa Monica Daily Press
• Bob Hope Airport to kick off new valet service today Daily News
• California Bond Sale Could Revive Public Works New York Times
• California steps up its hydrogen plans GasWorld
• Capturing the Value of Transit – New report by Center for Transit-Oriented Development released Reconnecting America
• Commercial Truck and Bus Safety Synthesis Program: A Status Report 2009 Transportation Research Board
• Connecting California: Key Public Transportation Projects and Their Benefits for the Golden State Transportation Research Board
• Curitiba’s BRT: Inspired Bus Rapid Transit Around the World StreetFilms
• Curitiba’s Bus Rapid Transit: 2.3 Million Passengers a Day Alternative Energy Newswire
• EPA Needs to Improve Its Efforts to Reduce Air Emissions at U.S. Ports Transportation Research Board
• Financing Transportation Infrastructure in California Transportation Research Board
• From Long Beach to Pasadena, It Would be One Train Ride LAist
• Gas station owners rebel against pollution rules Los Angeles Times
• Get Ready for Another Set of ‘Subway to the Sea’ Public Meetings LAist
• Logistics may be first to recover from recession Whittier Daily News
• Metro Brings Back Online Chats: Chat This Friday with Carolyn Flowers StreetsBlogLA
• New 37-Mile Hiking Trail to Open on Catalina Island LAist
• Poticha Tells Senate US Needs Transformative Transportation Bill – RA CEO says bill should link transportation to housing, climate change, energy security, green jobs, affordability, equity, health Reconnecting America
• Public Transportation’s Role in Addressing Global Climate Change Transportation Research Board
• Review of Liability and Indemnity Provisions Associated with Commuter Rail Agreements Transportation Research Board
• SANBAG transit plan likely to be delayed again Press Enterprise
• SF MTA Board Will Be Asked to Declare Fiscal Emergency StreetsBlogSF
• Streetcar Economics – Michael Powell explains why he’s become “evangelical” about streetcars Reconnecting America
• Students, Professors Activists Call for Grade-Separated Connector StreetsBlogLA
• Transportation’s Role in Emergency Evacuation and Reentry Transportation Research Board
• Westside transit forum scheduled at MAK Center Los Angeles Times/LA Now

(Source: New York Times)

China wants to raise its annual production capacity to 500,000 hybrid or all-electric cars and buses by the end of 2011, from 2,100 last year, government officials and Chinese auto executives said. By comparison, CSM Worldwide, a consulting firm that does forecasts for automakers, predicts that Japan and South Korea together will be producing 1.1 million hybrid or all-electric light vehicles by then and North America will be making 267,000.

TIANJIN, China — Chinese leaders have adopted a plan aimed at turning the country into one of the leading producers of hybrid and all-electric vehicles within three years, and making it the world leader in electric cars and buses after that.

Premier Wen Jiabao highlighted the importance of electric cars two years ago with his unlikely choice to become minister of science and technology: Wan Gang, a Shanghai-born former Audi auto engineer in Germany who later became the chief scientist for the Chinese government’s research panel on electric vehicles.

Beyond manufacturing, taxi fleets and local government agencies in 13 Chinese cities are being offered subsidies of up to $8,800 for each hybrid or all-electric vehicle they purchase. The state electricity grid has been ordered to set up electric car charging stations in Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin.

(Source: TreeHugger); Video: YouTube)

 Yesterday President Obama told Chrysler and GM that it is time to shape up or ship out. He also said he supports a program that would pay people to trade in older cars for newer, more fuel efficient vehicles. Europe has successfully tried this, but could it work here and would it be good for the planet? 

Speaking about a so called “cash for clunkers” program, Obama said:

Here is an analysis from a News portal on what it could mean for consumers.

(Source: Green, Inc. – New York Times via AutoBlogGreen )

An article on AutoBlogGreen says:  “Court disaster.” “Catastrophic.” “In their infancy.” These are logical statements for someone who represents the Saudi oil industry, but it sure sounds like someone is working hard to dial down expectations for anything that threatens the dominance of oil. 

Thanks to AutoBlogGreen for pointing to a video on OPEC’s website featuring Mr. Naimi’s speech (starting at minute 9 in the video).