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Inspector General: USDOT has hands full tracking stimulus funds

March 11, 2009 at 6:59 pm

(Source: Federal Computer Week)

The Transportation Department has established a special team to oversee the $48 billion it is slated to receive under the economic stimulus law, said Calvin Scovel, DOT’s inspector general. 

 

The Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery team would make sure that the department provides accountability and transparency for the massive amount of additional funding authorized by the law, Scovel said in testimony before the House Appropriations Committee’s Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee today. 

However, dealing with that large infusion of money, which must be distributed quickly and with the limited staff resources available, will force the department to limit its focus on its mission of transportation safety, Scovel said.

DOT must balance the quick distribution of funds to create jobs with significant oversight of that money and the $70 billion the department spends annually on safety and mobility projects, he said. The stimulus funds would flow through existing DOT program spending, most of which is channeled to the states in the form of grants, he added.

Click here to read the entire article. 

Watch your phone bill – AT&T plans to upgrade its fleet to “green” CNG vehicles (@ cost est. $565 million)

March 11, 2009 at 6:51 pm

 

(Source:  bizjournals.com; Photo courtesy: AndrewJ@Flickr)

AT&T Inc. announced Wednesday that it will spend more than half a billion dollars over the next 10 years on alternative-fuel vehicles.

The Dallas-based telecom giant (NYSE: ATT) will invest $565 million on about 15,000 vehicles over the next decade, including $350 million on 8,000 compressed natural gas vehicles — the largest investment in that vehicle type by an American company in history.

The remaining $215 million will be spent replacing more than 7,000 passenger cars with other fuel-efficient models.

“AT&T and other U.S. corporations have a unique opportunity to partner with the new administration as it works to lead the country out of this economic downturn,” said Randall Stephenson, chairman and chief executive officer of AT&T. “This investment is a first step on our part to help boost other industries while at the same time encouraging wider use and production of efficient vehicles and domestic fuel alternatives.”

Billing it as a way to not only go green but also create infrastructure and jobs in a flagging economy, AT&T said its spending will either create or save about 1,000 jobs each year for the next five years. Both the chassis manufacturing and the conversion to CNG will take place domestically.

Click here to read the entire article. 

Omnibus bill terminates Bush administration program to give Mexican trucks wider access to U.S. roads

March 11, 2009 at 6:35 pm

Wide access to U.S. roads granted to Mexican trucks in NAFTA would be terminated. Critics cite safety concerns, but a spokesman for the Mexican Embassy calls it ‘protectionism, plain and simple.’

(Source: LA Times)

Congress has hit the brakes on a Bush administration program to give Mexican trucks wider access to U.S. roads, putting President Obama in the middle of a politically sensitive trade dispute.

A $410-billion spending bill that passed the Senate on a voice vote Tuesday would end funding for the cross-border trucking program, one of the most contentious issues to arise out of the 1993 North American Free Trade Agreement.  The House approved the spending measure last month.
Critics of the cross-border program — including the Teamsters and lawmakers from both parties — have expressed concern about the safety of Mexican trucks.
Click here to read the entire article. 

2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics organizers unveil $157 million transportation plans

March 11, 2009 at 5:58 pm

 (Source: National Post, Canada; Photo: bensonkua@ Flickr)

Organizers for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics have unveiled their $157-million transportation plan for the event.

Parking bans on 650 blocks of Vancouver streets, street closures and a checkpoint on the Sea-to-Sky Highway are all part of the $157-million Vancouver 2010 transportation plan.

That’s the bad news.

 On the good-news side: People will have access to their homes and businesses despite venue security zones and there’ll be no Olympic-only lanes clogging the Lions Gate Bridge or the Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Bridge.

As well, construction and filming will be banned on downtown streets and transit buses will be allowed to travel in the “Olympic-traffic-only” lanes.

Vancouver 2010 unveiled its plans to ease traffic gridlock during the Winter Olympics.

But officials warn that unless people change their driving habits, roads will be over capacity for most of the working day.

Click here to read the entire article. 

Bernie’s Transportation Communications Newsletter – March 11, 2009

March 11, 2009 at 5:31 pm

Wednesday, March 11, 2009 — ISSN 1529-1057


BICYCLES

1) Attacks on Bicycle Commuters Spur Rider-Awareness Campaign

Link to story in The Seattle Times:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008838541_webcyclists10m.html

CAMERAS

2) Governor Gets Plan to Ban Red Light Cameras in Mississippi

Link to AP story:

http://www.wdam.com/Global/story.asp?S=9988021

CARTOGRAPHY

3) California Lawmaker Wants Google Maps to Blur Certain Buildings

All hospitals, schools, churches, and government buildings that appear on online maps would be blurred under proposed legislation.

Link to CNET News story:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10193171-93.html 

Link to video report on KUSI-TV:

http://www.kusi.com/news/goodmorning/40796132.html?video=YHI&t=a

Link to bill from California Legislature: 

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/asm/ab_0251-0300/ab_255_bill_20090211_introduced.html

MARITIME

4) Third Maritime Safety Package General Framework

Link to memo from the EU:

http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/09/105&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

ROADWAYS

5) I-19 in Arizona Losing Kilometer Signs

Link to story in The Sahuarita Sun:

http://www.sahuaritasun.com/articles/2009/03/06/breaking_news/00mileposts0308.txt

6) Roadkill GPS Navigation System to Protect Animals

Link to National Geographic News story:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/03/090311-roadkill-GPS.html

7) Signs Still Missing in Houston-Area Six Months After Ike

Link to story and video report on KHOU-TV:

http://www.khou.com/news/local/stories/khou090309_mp_signs-blown-down.219b8238.html

SAFETY / SECURITY

8) Freeway Call Boxes Going the Way of the Cassette Tape

Link to story in the Orange County Register:

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/call-boxes-county-2330660-orange-mile

9) Terrorist Watch List Hits One Million

Link to story in USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-03-10-watchlist_N.htm

10) State Officials Report Better Communication with US Department of Homeland Security

Link to story in Federal Computer Week:

http://fcw.com/articles/2009/03/11/states-see-better-communication-with-dhs.aspx

Link to further information from the National Governors Association:

http://www.nga.org/Files/pdf/0903HSASURVEY.PDF

11) Hard Lessons of Fog Tuesday from Abu Dhabi

Link to story in The National:

http://www.thenational.ae/article/20090311/PAGETHREE/53252817/1119/FOREIGN

TELEMATICS

12) Tracking Assets with Telematics

Telematics is helping contractors track and manage their equipment, but the lack of standardization frustrates managers and stands in the way of better productivity.

Link to story in Light & Medium Truck:

http://www.lmtruck.com/articles/petemplate.aspx?storyid=404

13) The Best In-Car Technology

A comparison of infotainment features offered for vehicles.

Link to story from AOL Autos:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/wayoflife/03/11/aa.best.in.car.technology/index.html

TRANSIT

14) GPS Systems Will Inform Massachusetts Commuters About Train Delays

Link to story in The Boston Globe:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/03/11/gps_systems_will_help_inform_commuters_about_train_delays/

Link to news release from the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority:

http://www.mbta.com/about_the_mbta/news_events/?id=16809&month=&year

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

15) Virginia Radio Stations Report Few Glitches with New Traffic Reports

Link to story in The Virginian-Pilot:

http://hamptonroads.com/2009/03/stations-report-few-glitches-outofstate-traffic-reports

VEHICLES

16) World’s First Open-Source Car Hits Geneva Motor Show

Link to column on CNET News:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13505_3-10193838-16.html

17) Analysis of Benefits and Costs of Roll Stability Control Systems for the Trucking Industry

Link to report from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration:

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/facts-research/research-technology/report/09-020-RP-Roll-Stability.pdf 

News Releases

1) Maritime Safety: Towards Better Prevention of Maritime Accidents in EU

2) King County and Metro Unveil New Tools for Staying in Tune with Transit Disruptions

3) Fujitsu Launches Graphics SoC for Digital Dashboards & Car Navigation

Upcoming Events

APTA 2009 Bus & Paratransit Conference & International Bus Roadeo – May 1-6 – Seattle, Washington

http://www.apta.com/conferences_calendar/seattle_shared/

Today in Transportation History

1779 **230th anniversary** – The US Congress authorized a Corps of Engineers.

http://www.usace.army.mil/History/Pages/Brief/index.html

=============================================================================================

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

Challenges Facing the Department of Transportation and Congress – The GAO’s Congressional Testimony

March 11, 2009 at 5:01 pm

(Source: GAO)

 The Department of Transportation received about $48 billion of recovery funds for investments in transportation infrastructure from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. As with other executive agencies, DOT is faced with the challenges of using these funds in ways that will aid economic recovery, making wise funding choices while spending the money quickly, and ensuring accountability for results. GAO will report to Congress bimonthly on how states and localities use the recovery funds received from DOT.

DOT and Congress will also be faced with numerous challenges as they work to reauthorize surface transportation and aviation programs.

Click here to read the HTML version of the entire report.  Or download the PDF file here

[ipaper id=13181892]

GAO: As Fares Decline, FAA Trust Fund Projected to Shrink More

March 11, 2009 at 4:23 pm

AirlineTrustFund_E_20090310161108.jpg(Source:  Wall Street Journal)

Ok. Ok. So this might be a bit wonky, but we never let a good chart go to waste.

This one – which appeared in a GAO report released Tuesday – shows the declining uncommitted balance in the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, a pool of money used to help pay for services such as the Transportation Security Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration.

The trust fund grew over the years mostly from the 7.5% excise tax on tickets and the federal segment fee of $3.40 assessed on every flight. Fuel taxes and other federal fees, like the international arrivals and departure tax, go into the fund as well. As ticket prices decline and travel slows, those taxes don’t produce as much revenue, and the government has been drawing down the fund, which originally was set up to pay for future modernization of air travel. The GAO reported that the uncommitted balance in the Trust Fund has decreased since fiscal year 2001.

Click here to read the entire article.

National Transportation Operations Coalition (NTOC) Newsletter – March 11, 2009

March 11, 2009 at 3:18 pm
National Transportation Operations Coalition


Upcoming Talking Operations Web Cast: April 1

Category > Opportunity: March 11, 2009 (NTOC)

 This Talking Operations Web cast on the 95 Express project in Miami, Florida, will take place on April 1, 2009, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. EDT. The 95 Express opened in Miami-Dade County on December 5, 2008.  This project converted a single High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane into 2 variably priced express lanes. The project also enhanced and expanded Bus Rapid Transit service on I-95 from I-395 in downtown Miami to Broward Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale, reducing congestion on that heavily traveled north-south artery. Tolls will vary with level of congestion, the goal being to keep traffic in the express lanes moving at a minimum speed of 45 mph.  Registered vanpools, registered carpools of 3+, registered hybrid vehicles and motorcycles can use the lanes without paying a toll. Buses of several types can also use the lanes toll-free -Miami-Dade and Broward County express and regular transit, public school and over-the-road. Trucks of three or more axles will not be allowed to use the express lanes.

An update on the various aspects of this project will be provided. The presentation will provide information on traffic and revenue, operational statistics, toll-free registrations and lessons learned. Registration will be available later this week at http://www.ntoctalks.com/web_casts.php.

 Registration Now Open for ITS America’s 2009 Annual Meeting and Exposition

http://www.itsa.org/amregistration.html

March 11, 2009 (ITS America)

 Registration for the 2009 Annual Meeting and Exposition of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) is now open. The three-day conference, held June 1-3, 2009 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland (just inside the Washington, DC metropolitan area), provides the intelligent transportation systems (ITS) industry with a forum to learn about and share insights on the latest advancements in ITS technologies. Don’t miss this opportunity to find answers to your toughest transportation challenges, meet your legislators on Capitol Hill, see ITS solutions in action, and take home ideas for implementation, and learn from your peers. Be sure to take advantage of the early-bird registration rates which are available through March 31. Click the link above to register at the early bird rate or here for more information on the 2009 Annual Meeting.

 Register Today and Prepare for the Approaching Recovery: IBTTA’s Workshop on Managing in an Era of Changing Economic Times

http://www.ibtta.org/Events/eventdetail.cfm?ItemNumber=3613

Category > Opportunity: March 11, 2009 (IBTTA)

 Join IBTTA in San Francisco, CA on April 19-21, 2009 for power-packed educational sessions and walk away with a world of knowledge on better managing your organization today and preparing for the approaching economic recovery. Learn how global issues are affecting your organization and the toll industry, the goals and efforts of the U.S. stimulus program, how to build a cost-conscious culture and make tough decisions, how to position your agency for unique opportunities during this slowdown, solid financing strategies and more. This is one meeting you don’t want to miss! Visit IBTTA’s Web site through the link above to view the preliminary agenda, make your travel arrangements and register today!

 Position Announcements: ITS Joint Program Office

Category > Opportunity: March 11, 2009 (ITS JPO)

The following two positions within the U.S. DOT ITS Joint Program Office (JPO) are now available. The closing date is March 27, 2009. Click on the links below for more information and to apply.

Communications and Outreach Specialist, GS-301-14

Announcement No. FHWA-JPO-2009-0002: Open to current and former Federal employees with status (Qualified Government employees should apply under this announcement to ensure maximum consideration).

http://jobsearch.usajobs.gov/getjob.asp?JobID=79753233&AVSDM=2009%2D03%2D06+00%3A03%3A01&Logo=0&q=federal+highway+administration&jbf574=TD04&lid=17514&FedEmp=Y&sort=rv&vw=d&ss=0&brd=3876&FedPub=Y&caller=/agency_search.asp&SUBMIT1.x=61&SUBMIT1.y=14

Announcement No. FHWA-JPO-2009-0003: Open to all U.S. citizens

http://jobsearch.usajobs.gov/getjob.asp?JobID=79753342&AVSDM=2009%2D03%2D06+00%3A03%3A01&Logo=0&q=federal+highway+administration&jbf574=TD04&lid=17514&FedEmp=Y&sort=rv&vw=d&ss=0&brd=3876&FedPub=Y&caller=/agency_search.asp&SUBMIT1.x=61&SUBMIT1.y=14

Knowledge and Technology Transfer Program Manager, GS-301-14/15

Announcement No. FHWA.JPO-2009-0004: Open to all U.S. citizens

http://jobsearch.usajobs.gov/getjob.asp?JobID=79753887&AVSDM=2009%2D03%2D06+00%3A03%3A01&Logo=0&q=federal+highway+administration&jbf574=TD04&lid=17514&FedEmp=Y&sort=rv&vw=d&ss=0&brd=3876&FedPub=Y&caller=/agency_search.asp&SUBMIT1.x=61&SUBMIT1.y=14

Announcement No. FHWA.JPO-2009-0005: Open to current and former Federal employees with status (Qualified Government employees should apply under this announcement to ensure maximum consideration).

http://jobsearch.usajobs.gov/getjob.asp?JobID=79753929&AVSDM=2009%2D03%2D06+00%3A03%3A01&Logo=0&q=federal+highway+administration&jbf574=TD04&lid=17514&FedEmp=Y&sort=rv&vw=d&ss=0&brd=3876&FedPub=Y&caller=/agency_search.asp&SUBMIT1.x=61&SUBMIT1.y=14

Obama & Biden Visit U.S. DOT to Release Recovery Funding

http://www.transportation.org/?siteid=99

Category > Breaking News: March 11, 2009 (AASHTO)

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden joined U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood last week to address more than 500 U.S. Department of Transportation employees and to formally release $27.5 billion in funding for highway and bridge projects provided by the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act. The transportation apportionments were issued to states and other parties eight days ahead of the deadline.

“This investment in highways will create or save 150,000 jobs by the end of next year, most of them in the private sector,” Obama said at U.S. DOT headquarters in Washington. “The jobs that we’re creating are good jobs that pay more than average; jobs grinding asphalt and paving roads, filling potholes, making street signs, repairing stop lights, and replacing guardrails.”

More than 100 transportation contracts funded by recovery dollars have already been awarded, with another 200 to be awarded in upcoming weeks. These projects vary greatly from state to state.

More information about the recovery legislation and states moving quickly to begin projects is available on AASHTO’s recovery Web site through the link above. Tables showing the apportionments to both state and local transportation agencies are available from the Federal Highway Administration at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/legsregs/directives/notices/n4510705t1.htm.

ATRI Releases Analysis of 30 National Freight Bottlenecks

http://atri-online.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=96

Category > Now Available: March 11, 2009 (ATRI)

 The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) released the findings of its Freight Performance Measures Analysis of 30 Freight Bottlenecks. The research, which assesses the severity of 30 freight bottlenecks within the U.S. Interstate system, uses unique analysis methods and data to produce a severity ranking for each location. This research dovetails with the ongoing Freight Performance Measures initiative, which is sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration and managed by ATRI.

“ATRI’s report provides the first real-world analysis of the congestion that motor carriers experience every day,” said Tim Lynch, legislative affairs senior vice president for the American Trucking Associations. “ATRI’s ranking of freight bottlenecks fills a critical void in our arsenal of tools for identifying, prioritizing and addressing freight system deficiencies for the next surface transportation reauthorization.”

The ATRI analysis of 30 national bottlenecks prioritizes chokepoints on the highway system previously identified by the research community. ATRI researchers used GIS/GPS technology and truck-specific information, as well as sophisticated analysis techniques, to determine what time of day freight was affected by traffic congestion and where the results of such congestion were the most severe. A copy of the full report can be ordered from ATRI through the link above.

 2009 National Work Zone Awareness Week

http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/wz/outreach/wz_awareness.htm

Category > Breaking News: March 11, 2009 (FHWA)

The tenth annual National Work Zone Awareness week will be held April 6-10, 2009. The theme for this year is “Drive to Survive – Our Future is Riding On It!” The national kickoff for this event will be held April 7 at a location near the Boundary Channel Humpback Bridge Replacement Project between Washington, DC and Virginia. More information will be posted as it becomes available.

NADO Launches New Rural Transportation Newsletter

http://newsmanager.commpartners.com/nadort/issues/2007-02-28/

Category > Now Available: March 11, 2009 (NADO)

Click on the link above to view the inaugural issue of the National Association of Development Organizations’ (NADO) new Rural Transportation Newsletter.

Upcoming ITE Webinars

Category > Opportunity: March 11, 2009 (ITE)

The Institute of Transportation Engineers is offering the following upcoming Webinars:

Operational and Safety Effects of Geometric Design Web Seminar

http://www.ite.org/education/webinars_FTE.asp#OSEGD

Background: The purpose of this module is to provide the audience with an overview of the primary geometric design principles necessary to develop safe and efficient roadway and intersection designs. At the conclusion of the module, participants should be able to:

1) Define functional classification of roadway systems.

2) Understand the relationship between geometric design controls and criteria and the safety and operation efficiency of the facility.

3) Understand the key elements of geometric design.

4) Describe traditional and non-traditional intersection designs and intersection layout techniques.

5) Recognize the safety impacts and tradeoffs of alternative geometric designs.

Date: Tuesday, March 17

Credit: 1.5 PDH/.2 IACET CEU

Time: 3:00-4:30 p.m. Eastern

Intended Audience: Traffic engineers, transportation engineers, consultants, recent graduates, and professionals new to the field or professionals looking for a refresher course

Traffic Operations Analysis Web Seminar

http://www.ite.org/education/webinars_FTE.asp#TOE

Background: The purpose of this module is to provide the audience with an understanding of the basic concepts and principles of traffic operations analysis to provide for safe and efficient movement of people and goods.At the conclusion of the module, participants should be able to:

1) Understand traffic flow theory concepts and the relationships between speed, flow and density in uninterrupted flow.

2) Understand and be able to apply concepts of highway capacity analysis and level of service analysis for freeways and signalized intersections.

3) Understand basic principles of traffic signal phasing and timing and their effect on traffic safety and efficiency at intersections and in street networks.

4) Calculate appropriate timing of traffic signal phase change intervals and pedestrian intervals.

5) Understand concepts of speed zoning and be able to apply traffic engineering principles to determination of appropriate speed limits.

Date: Wednesday, March 18

Credit: 1.5 PDH/.2 IACET CEU

Time: 3:00-4:30 p.m. Eastern

Intended Audience: Traffic engineers, transportation engineers, consultants, recent graduates, and professionals new to the field or professionals looking for a refresher course.

Desire a weekend in Ankara? Turkey’s unveils its first high-speed train this Friday

March 11, 2009 at 3:04 pm

 

(Source: Treehugger;  Photo viaSakarya54.net)

Excerpts from Tree Hugger report:

Americans aren’t the only ones newly enamored of high-speed rail. Turkey’s first fast train makes its official debut this week, but railway officials are already envisioning anetwork spanning the country, which has been woefully under-served by train routes of any kind. (Though Turkey’s long-haul bus system puts Greyhound to shame.)

 

That first fast line, between the capital city, Ankara, and Eskişehir, about 210 kilometers away, will have its coming-out party on Friday. Test runs show it should cut the travel time between the two cities from 180 minutes to 70 or 80 minutes. The train will make eight round-trips a day, carrying up to 419 passengers and will include a business section with power outlets to charge laptops, eight cafeterias, and LCD screens for watching TV at each seat.

Click here to read the entire article. 

 

Fading future of California’s hydrogen highway

March 11, 2009 at 2:43 pm

  (Source: New York Times, Greenwire via Autobloggreen) 

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger loves things that start with H, like Hummers and California’s Hydrogen Highway. Well, he used to anyway. We know about the Governator’s move away from gas-guzzling Hummers and towards greener transportation options. A recent article in the New York Times (and in WIRED a year ago) show that Arnold’s dream of a statewide network of 150-200 H2fueling stations is slowly fading as well. 
Soon after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) took office in 2003, he set in motion a campaign promise to build, by 2010, a “hydrogen highway” composed of 150 to 200 fueling stations spaced every 20 miles along California’s major highways.

Schwarzenegger’s “Vision 2010” plan promised that every California motorist would have access to hydrogen fuel by the end of the decade. He has since repeatedly mentioned the highway in a standard stump speech on his environmental accomplishments.

But the program has fallen short of expectations. With less than 10 months until the end of the decade, 24 hydrogen fueling stations are operating in California, most of them near Los Angeles.

The vision of a hydrogen infrastructure, with fueling stations dotting the interstates, has not materialized, partly because the eager governor may have set unrealistic targets.

Gerhard Achtelik, manager of the hydrogen highway program at the Air Resources Board, admitted in an interview that the state would not hit its 150-station goal by 2010.

Click here or here to read more.