Popular Tags:

Tagged – Vandals tag a $2.3 million jet parked at Van Nuys Airport with gang graffiti

July 15, 2013 at 5:55 pm

A Learjet Model 60 was tagged by graffiti artists, in a picture posted to Twitter/KCBS/The Aviation Writer. (via News.com.au)

Wow.. A gang snuck into Van Nuys Airport in Los Angeles undetected in the early morning hours and tagged a learjet parked in the tarmac with words “flame” and R.I.P. It is estimated that the cost of fixing the plane is going to be around $110,000.. That’s some good chunk of change for the jet’s owner to undo this creative expression. The biggest question is –  How secure is the airport complex to permit something like this, which should have taken at least a couple of hours to get done? Click here to learn more.

Out for a ride! 7-foot long pet snake safely rescued after it sneaks inside a BMW Mini

July 13, 2013 at 3:43 pm

(H/T THV11.com)

A Florida woman had an unusual request when she pulled into the Vista BMW in Coconut Creek on Monday morning. Her 7-foot-long pet boa constrictor had gotten loose in her Mini Cooper, and she needed help pulling it out. And the mechanics complied. Safely rescued the animal by removing a tail light, and gently extracting it without much difficulty.  Apparently, the mechanic who did the deed seems to have Ophidiophobia (Yeah, that’s the word for fear of snakes) but he still braved himself for the task just because it was someone’s pet and he knows what it means to the owner.  Good man. Read the full story here.

Job Alert: Lead Transportation Specialist (Planner) – USDOT’s Federal Highway Administration @ Trenton, NJ

July 12, 2013 at 5:00 pm

Image courtesy: usajobs.gov

This is a planning, research, and environment team leader position within the New Jersey Division. You will lead a professional staff comprised of planners and environmental specialists. You will serve as the planning team leader and be the key staff officer to the Division Administrator for asset management planning, technical analysis, development, programming and implementation of Federal-aid projects. As the team leader,  you will be responsible for overseeing all activities in transportation planning and programming, transportation/air quality planning, research, data collection, congestion management systems, and intermodal coordination in a diversified, highly urbanized and highly populated State. You will be responsible for supervising the Division Office Planning, Research, and Environment staff in all technical and administrative matters. You will also provide leadership, coordination and authoritative advice to State, local, industry, academic and other Federal agencies and organizations concerning all functions within scope of responsibilities.

The ideal candidate for this position will be an experienced mid-career transportation or planning professional who has experience in transportation planning, asset management, research, and environment and one who would be comfortable representing the agency to state and local officials and the general public. The candidate will be a team player, a leader; and has good communications skills. This position is also good for a person who wants to be challenged, desires a Federal career and is seeking outstanding benefits.

 Duties:

  • Serves as the principal and technical authority to state, metropolitan, and rural agencies relative to securing sound planning programs for comprehensive transportation planning having a major impact on the agencies and communities (including all state, county, and municipal areas).
  • Provides technical guidance in the planning, coordination, and evaluation of the State’s research program of studies financed with Federal funds, which are carried out in-house by State researchers or through contracts with universities, consulting firms, and other government organizations.
  • Provides authoritative, administrative, and technical leadership, guidance and coordination to Division Office staff, the State and local agency officials and appropriate consultant personnel in the formulation, direction and execution of the environmental programs.  Assures compliance with Federal laws affecting the early phases of highway project development, planning, and public involvement leading to highway location and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) approvals.
  • Provides leadership and support to other disciplines in integrating transportation planning analysis and decision-making into other parts of the project development process.
  • Provides guidance and technical assistance to Division staff, and state Department of Transportation and MPO staffs on Federal planning requirements, policies, and procedures. Justifies, defends, and negotiates matters involving significant issues and major programs.
  • Serves as a team leader, and as such, sets and explains goals and plans and assigns work, develops performance standards and evaluates performance; approves hours of work, Telework arrangements and leave; signs time and attendance sheets and issues minor disciplinary actions and EAP referrals; and implements ways to improve production or increase the quality of the work directed.

Click here to learn more and to apply.

Note: The deadline to apply is Monday, July 22, 2013 11:59PM

Infograph: Pump prices climb, but gas tax stays flat

July 9, 2013 at 6:17 pm

An awesome infograph from the George Washington University’s Face The Facts USA shows how the federal gas tax hasn’t changed in 20 years, effectively reducing road repair revenue by 35 percent. – Learn more here

Image Courtesy: Facethefactsusa.org

Crazy!!! Badass motorcyclist rescues coffee cup from rear bumper of SUV

July 9, 2013 at 5:44 pm

Not your average coffee cup rescue, for sure.. and please do not attempt this on the road. EVER! For the love of god, it is a pretty dangerous move by the motorcyclist and am glad no one got injured in the process of saving that silly cup perched on the rear bumper of an SUV..

 

Job Alert: Transportation Specialist (GS-2101-13/14) – USDOT @ Washington, DC

July 8, 2013 at 5:17 pm

Image courtesy: usajobs.gov

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is seeking a Transportation Specialist to join the Washington, DC office.  The ideal candidate will be a mid-career transportation specialist with experience in managing highway improvement projects and implementing programs and initiatives that promote transportation technologies and partnerships.Duties:The Transportation specialist will:

  • Serve as the expert and lead FHWA authority in deploying the SHRP2 suite of project management tools.
  • Serve as the technical lead/task monitor for the R09 and R10 task order for product development and implementation.
  • Develop and maintain comprehensive awareness of highway project aspects to include engineering design, construction, administration, and management.
  • Create effective relationships with senior-level FHWA stakeholders that are involved in deployment of SHRP2 project management products.

The Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2) was authorized by Congress in 2005 to address some of the most pressing concerns with regard to highway transportation. This includes the nation’s roadway safety, renewal, reliability, and capacity issues. The goal of SHRP 2 is to ensure that the most critical highway user needs are addressed, such as increasing safety, reducing congestion, minimizing disruption to users when roads are being rehabilitated, and providing new capacity that enhances neighborhoods and avoids environmental harm. SHRP 2 is also focused on producing methods and guidance, as well as technologies, designed to help agencies make the changes necessary to better serve their customers while managing the risk involved with institutional change.

NOTE: The deadline to submit application is Wednesday, July 17, 2013.

Click here to learn more and to apply

Enhanced by Zemanta

Car wash from hell?

July 8, 2013 at 8:00 am

Probably some god awful things happened at this car wash? LOL.

Source: Imgur via Reddit

USA Today: Cars that ‘talk’ to each other move a step closer (Video)

July 2, 2013 at 7:31 pm

The USA Today carried an update on the Connected Vehicle technology test program underway in Michigan.  The federally-funded program carried out by University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute explores safety gains that can be achieved using dedicated short-range communications technology to help cars communicate with one another to prevent accidents.  The video below shows how this technology works.  Also, you can read the accompanying article here.

Hitting aircraft with a laser beam can land you in jail in the U.S.A. but not in Egypt (and it looks pretty cool)

July 1, 2013 at 8:18 pm

Pointing a laser beam on an aircraft can land you in the jail if you were in the US. But that is not the case if you happen to be in the middle of in Egypt’s Tahrir Square this past weekend..  And you might even get a lot of support for doing so if that said aircraft is hovering and monitoring the swell of protesters gathered at the public square.. Here is a shot of the awesome laser-on-helicopter show via The Atlantic’s In Focus

Laser Painted Helicopter in Cairo’s Tahrir Square (image courtesy: Reuters via The Atlantic)

Another view of the laser shots from the ground (Image Courtesy: AP Photo via The Atlantic)

Ground to air perspective of the laser shots at the helicopter (image courtesy: AFP via The Atlantic)

Here is a video of the June 30, 2013 incident showing the military helicopter illuminated by green laser lights from below, as it flies above Tahrir Square while a huge crowd of protesters opposing Egyptian President Morsi shout slogans against him and Brotherhood members, in Cairo.

Infograph: NYC publishes one month report card for its popular bikeshare program

July 1, 2013 at 6:44 pm

NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s twitter account shared this awesome infograph this afternoon, detailing the stats/numbers behind the Citibike Bikesharing Program as it completed its wildly successful 1st month.  At this rate, NYC can be assured that it is a smashing success and will remain a key part of the city’s transportation infrastructure for decades to come.  Check it out the infograph below (also check out the comments in the embedded tweet below)

Image Courtesy: twitter.com/mikebloomberg

And someone just posted this “Rush hour”  pic. on twitter

New NYC Rush hour (via Instagram.com/gudphoto)