Ever Wondered Why Your Car Insurance is High? This Infographic Should Help You Understand
(Source: car-insurance.com via Autoblog)
Click Image to Enlarge
Taming the Traffic! Streetfilms debuts another gem in the Moving Beyond Automobiles video series
(Source: Street Films)
This nice video from StreetFilms provides a brief overview of the concept of traffic calming and highlights some examples from cities across the country. Do check out the other videos from the Moving Beyond Automobiles series. Have you ever observed such “calming” measures in your neighborhood? Now that you have seen this, the next time you step out onto the streets you may notice a few of these measures deployed in your neighborhood. If you don’t recognize them, would you like to share with us what traffic calming features work well in your neighborhood?
FAA lowers the boom… Prompted by Cracked Fuselage on Southwest Airlines, Orders Immediate Inspections on Boeing 737s
(Sources: Washington Post, FAA, & WSJ)
The Federal Aviation Administration plans to order immediate inspections of older-model Boeing 737 jetliners that are the workhorse of domestic air travel, a precaution after a hole opened in the hull of a Southwest Airlines plane flying at 34,400.
The FAA on Monday announced (See FAA press release below) a speedy, but limited, response: It said it intends to issue an emergency safety directive calling for stepped-up structural inspections affecting about 170 of aircraft giantBoeing Co.’s workhorse 737s world-wide.
Image Courtesy: WSJ.com
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The FAA will issue an emergency directive tomorrow that will require operators of specific early Boeing 737 models to conduct initial and repetitive electromagnetic inspections for fatigue damage. This action will initially apply to a total of approximately 175 aircraft worldwide, 80 of which are U.S.-registered aircraft. Most of the aircraft in the U.S. are operated by Southwest Airlines.
“Safety is our number one priority,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Last Friday’s incident was very serious and could result in additional action depending on the outcome of the investigation.”
“The FAA has comprehensive programs in place to protect commercial aircraft from structural damage as they age,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “This action is designed to detect cracking in a specific part of the aircraft that cannot be spotted with visual inspection.”
The FAA airworthiness directive will require initial inspections using electromagnetic, or eddy-current, technology in specific areas of the aircraft fuselage on certain Boeing 737 aircraft in the -300, -400 and -500 series that have accumulated more than 30,000 flight cycles. It will then require repetitive inspections at regular intervals.
Last November, the FAA published a rule designed specifically to address widespread fatigue damage in aging aircraft. The rule requires aircraft manufacturers to establish a number of flight cycles or hours a plane can operate and be free from fatigue damage. The rule requires aircraft manufacturers to incorporate the limits into their maintenance programs.
Bad Britons? A snap shot of CO2 emissions resulting from UK Business Exhibitions
(Source: Marlerhaley via Killer Infographics & Autoblog Green)
Image Courtesy: Marler Haley, UK
On a related note, it might be worth noting that there is a already a lot of controversy surrounding the official numbers posted by the automakers versus the results from real life driving conditions in Europe. Here is a peek at the ongoing debate:
Jos Dings, director of Brussels-based Transport & Environment, told Automotive News (sub. req.) that official CO2 emissions results posted by automakers are “less and less a reflection of what we are seeing on the road.” Dings says that the amount of CO2 emitted under controlled test conditions can be up to 50 percent lower than in real-world driving, telling AN that, “We don’t want cuts on paper. We want them in reality.”
Image Courtesy: via Autoblog — CO2 emissions chart
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) System Makes Guangzhou, China a Beacon of Sustainable Development
(Source: ITDP & Streetfilms)
Cities worldwide are demonstrating innovation in transport planning by integrating bike, BRT and metro systems, with Guangzhou in China announced as winner of the 2011 Sustainable Transport Award. Guangzhou’s new world-class BRT system integrates with bike lanes, bike share and metro stations, raising the bar for all cities.
Last year the city made major strides to cut carbon emissions and reclaim space for people, opening new bus rapid transit and public bike sharing systems. It now carries 800,000 passengers a day, seamlessly connecting riders to both the metro system and the city’s new bike-share network.
Editor’s Note: It will be interesting to see how the other mega cities in Asia (New Delihi, Mumbai, Shanghai, Jakarta, etc) will adopt this successful and sustainable transportation option into the existing mix. With growing prices for petroleum products and rising congestion, the cities will be forced to explore/adopt this model sooner than later.
Bernie’s Transportation Communications Newsletter (TCN) – April 4, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011 – ISSN 1529-1057
On April 1, The PBSJ Corporation and its PBS&J subsidiary company will be renamed Atkins. PBSJ operates as a national business of Atkins in North America following its acquisition in October. Atkins is the world’s 11th largest design firm.
“The Atkins name is well known and highly respected through the United Kingdom and Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the Pacific and in key sectors such as energy,” states Robert J. Paulsen, former chairman and president of PBSJ Corp. and now president and regional managing director of Atkins North America. “We have maintained our focus on client service and our commitment to delivering technical excellence. Our teams are highly skilled and we are confident in our ability to augment our services by delivering Atkins’ international expertise locally through teams that understand the local requirements, practices, and culture. We continue to believe a local presence is essential to best serve many of our clients.”
AVIATION
1) Heathrow Report Highlights Crisis Management Systems Failings
Airport operator BAA is investing £50 million in improving incident management and communications systems.
Link to article in Computerworld UK:
2) Air Traffic System Update Encountered Turbulence
Link to article in The New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/02/business/02air.html
3) ITT Joins Nexa Capital in $1.5 Billion Air Control Upgrade Fund
Link to Bloomberg article:
Link to news release:
4) Research Group Defines 2050 Vision for Aviation in EU
Link to article on EurActiv:
http://www.euractiv.com/en/transport/research-group-defines-2050-vision-aviation-news-503707
CAMERAS
5) Florida DOT: I-75 Cameras Won’t be Recording
Link to article in the Bradenton Herald:
http://www.bradenton.com/2011/04/03/3083222/fdot-i-75-cameras-wont-record.html
GPS / NAVIGATION
6) LightSquared: GPS Issues Won’t Stall Launch
Link to article on Light Reading Mobile:
http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=206302
7) MTS Rolls Out First Cellphone Using GLONASS
Link to article in The Economic Times:
MARITIME
8) Fishing Vessel Monitoring System Under Test in Sri Lanka
Link to article in the Daily News:
http://www.dailynews.lk/2011/04/05/news25.asp
9) British Company Makes Device that Track Ships
Link to article from the Mail on Sunday:
10) Smaller is Better
New technologies provide a lightweight solution for the US Navy’s communications.
Link to article in the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Review:
http://www.ornl.gov/info/ornlreview/v44_1_11/article09.shtml
OTHER
11) Leaders Say Virtual Port Will Grow Economy in Northern West Virginia
Weirton Port Authority wants high-speed wireless network to connect first responders in catastrophe and to facilitate transfer of information about shipments.
Link to story on WBOY-TV:
http://www.wboy.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=97062
12) Interview with the Director of the IBM Global Rail Innovation Center
Information technology could be used to better integrate travel modes.
Link to interview and video on The Infrastructurist:
SAFETY / SECURITY
13) Unique Montana Fatality Marker Safety Program
Link to article in the Great Falls Tribune:
14) Battling Driver Distraction
Technology from iQ-Telematics could allow drivers to focus on driving when most needed.
Link to article in the Detroit Free Press:
http://www.freep.com/article/20110403/BUSINESS06/104030451/Battling-driver-distraction
15) Avoiding the Great Compromise
Protecting public safety without compromising freedom or commerce.
Link to article in the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Review:
http://www.ornl.gov/info/ornlreview/v44_1_11/article12.shtml
TRANSIT
16) Auckland Integrated Ticket Card Launched
Link to article in Computerworld:
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/auckland-integrated-ticket-card-launched
Link to news release from the NZ Transport Agency:
http://www.nzta.govt.nz/about/media/releases/1151/news.html
17) Will Mozart Help Prevent Crime?
More Portland light rail stations will get classical music under bill in Oregon legislature.
Link to AP article:
http://www.katu.com/news/local/119123129.html
TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT
18) South Dakota DOT Secretary Says Changes Made for Faster Road Updates on Web, 511
Link to AP article:
http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/news/article_cfab4420-5e62-11e0-8dba-001cc4c002e0.html
19) Pennsylvania DOT Expands Camera Coverage to Bucks County
Link to article and video in the Bucks County Courier Times:
20) Transportation and Transit Apps Slay in New York City App Contest
Link to story on Transportation Nation:
http://transportationnation.org/2011/04/04/transportation-and-transit-apps-slay-in-nyc-app-contest/
Link to additional information from the City of New York:
http://nycbigapps.com/submissions
21) Students Display Innovative Traffic Management Models
Link to article in The Times of India:
22) Twaffic
Will Twitter – and tweets about traffic – change the way we drive?
Link to column in Slate:
http://www.slate.com/id/2290169/
23) Supporters Ought to Make Business Case for ITS Legislation
Link to editorial in the Livingston Daily:
News Releases
1) Monroe County, New York Traffic Cameras Now Streaming Live Online
2) Crewmember Identity Verification Program to Begin Testing
3) Tennessee DOT Introduces SmartWay Mobile
4) Ascendent ID Announces Smallest Tag for Automatic Vehicle Identification
Solicitation
– Request for Proposals – Deployment of a Transit Vehicle Arrival Information System – City of Pasadena, California
http://vendors.planetbids.com/Pasadena/biddtl.cfm?BidNo=1303&Status=Bidding
Upcoming Events
Transit ITS Regional Workshop – May 17-18 – Columbia, South Carolina
http://www.ntionline.com/sectioninfo.asp?section_number=TRI-26-051711SC1
Today in Transportation History
1581 **430th anniversary** Francis Drake is knighted for his circumnavigation of the world.
http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2007/04/dayintech_0404
======================================================================
The Transportation Communications Newsletter is published electronically Monday through Friday.
To subscribe (for free) or unsubscribe, please contact me at bernie@bwcommunications.net.
TCN archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications
Become a TCN fan on Facebook!
Questions, comments about the TCN? Please write the editor, Bernie Wagenblast at bernie@bwcommunications.net.
© 2011 Bernie Wagenblast www.bwcommunications.net
Just when you thought you heard it all… Montana Politician Says DUI Laws are destroying a way of life
(Source: Think Progress)
As Montana’s legislators are debating this week on a series of bills related to Driving Under the Influence (DUI) laws, including one that wants to count older DUI offenses against a defendant in sentencing, this gem of an argument was made by a legislator arguing against the bills. How responsible!
Earlier this week, Republican Rep. Alan Hale took to the floor of the Montana legislature to slam these bills. The legislator — who actually runs a bar in Basin, Montana — declared that the new DUI laws are harming small businesses and destroying a way of life:
HALE: These DUI laws are not doing our small businesses in our state any good at all. They are destroying them. They are destroying a way of life that has been in Montana for years and years.
Editor’s note: Was he really thinking before uttering these words? I suspect a DUI (Delivering Under Influence) here. Come on, Rep. Hale. You can’t be advocating for your community’s well being only from an economic perspective.
Bernie’s Transportation Communications Newsletter (TCN) – April 1, 2011
Thursday, March 31, 2011 – ISSN 1529-1057
GPS / NAVIGATION
1) Pentagon, US DOT Slam LightSquared Network Plan
Link to IDG News article
SAFETY / SECURITY
2) Distracted Driving: ‘Deadly Epidemic’ or Storm in a Teacup?
Link to story on MSNBC:
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/42338592/ns/business-autos/
TELEMATICS
3) Why Telematics is the Answer to Distracted Driving
Link to commentary in Telematics Update:
http://social.telematicsupdate.com/content/why-telematics-answer-distracted-driving
TRANSIT
4) New South Wales E-ticketing to Start with Ferries, Trains
Link to ZDNet Australia article:
http://www.zdnet.com.au/nsw-e-ticketing-to-start-with-ferries-trains-339312307.htm
TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT
5) Transport Scotland to Build Traffic Control Center
Link to article in the Edinburgh Evening News:
http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/Traffic-control-site-en-route.6743512.jp
6) Carnegie Mellon University, Cranberry, Pennsylvania to Team on Traffic Data, Technology
Link to article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11090/1135859-54.stm
VEHICLES
7) NTSB Chief: Technology Could Prevent Bus Accidents
Link to AP article:
8) Airbiquity: ‘Connectivity is Quickly Becoming Standard’
An interview about the connected vehicle experience.
Link to interview in Telematics Update:
9) Vehicle-to-Infrastructure Communication System Helps Drivers Navigate Work Zones
Link to article in Research E-News:
http://www.cts.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchENews/2011/03/index.html#workzones
News Releases
1) Inrix Partners with Viasuisse for Next Generation Traffic Information Services
2) Tennessee DOT Unveils New Railroad Crossing Safety Campaign
3) New York MTA Says Novel Forms of Advertising Continue to be Introduced on Transit Systems
4) Comments on Crash Data Guidelines Sought by Governors Highway Safety Association
5) New BNSF Mobile Applications Extend Customer Shipment Management to Smartphones
6) Ford Begins Building One of the World’s First Digital Child Crash Dummies
Upcoming Events
International Transport Forum – May 25-27 – Leipzig, Germany
http://www.internationaltransportforum.org/2011/
Today in Transportation History
1921 **90th anniversary** The Australian Air Force was formed.
1961 **50th anniversary** The West Cork Railway in Ireland officially closed.
http://www.coppeenheritage.com/local-heritage/west-cork-railway
======================================================================
The Transportation Communications Newsletter is published electronically Monday through Friday.
To subscribe (for free) or unsubscribe, please contact me at bernie@bwcommunications.net.
TCN archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications
Become a TCN fan on Facebook!
Questions, comments about the TCN? Please write the editor, Bernie Wagenblast at bernie@bwcommunications.net.
© 2011 Bernie Wagenblast www.bwcommunications.net
Internship Alert: 2011 SUMMER INTERNSHIP – Eno Transportation Foundation @ Washington, DC
The Eno Transportation Foundation (Eno) in Washington, D.C., is offering a summer 2011 internship opportunity beginning in May or June. This is a great opportunity to learn about the transportation industry and gain valuable experience and contacts. The candidate selected will assist Eno staff with our leadership development programs, public policy forums, and publications. In addition, the successful candidate will research key public policy issues, including current legislation in the U.S. Congress.
Candidate Qualifications
Candidates should have a strong interest in transportation policy. Because Eno has a small staff, interns are expected to take on a variety of tasks to support the overall organization.
What is the Eno Transportation Foundation?
We are a nonprofit operating foundation recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) organization. The Foundation’s programs cover all modes of transportation, public and private sectors, and carriers as well as passengers and shippers. To enhance its effectiveness, the Foundation often conducts its activities in partnership with others in government, industry, or academia. The Foundation engages in three primary activities:
• It conducts policy forums with transportation leaders to discuss emerging issues and to assist in building the understanding needed to address them effectively.
• It tailors leadership development programs to prepare public- and private-sector professionals with the skills needed to understand and manage our most pressing transportation issues.
• It publishes research materials on transportation and the challenges the sector faces.
Salary
Interns will be paid a stipend of $2,000 per month toward their living expenses and/or to reimburse the cost of credit hours earned by the internship.
How to Apply
Please send resume and cover letter to lrobertson@enotrans.com by April 22, 2011.
Event Alert – Bike Seminar: Policy to Practice: Planning for Bicycles (Free): Approved for 2.0 AICP CM Credits
Where: Arlington Transportation Partners, 1501 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1100, Arlington, VA 22209
2 blocks from the Rosslyn Metro station.
When: 4:00-6:00 pm on May 4, 2011
Please join us for Happy Hour at The Continental after the session.
Approved for 2.0 AICP CM Credits
Free and open to the public, RSVP required
RSVP to Sonali Soneji preferably by email: sonalisoneji2@gmail.com or call: 703-867-6042
Bicycling as a mode for commuting and recreation has made great strides in recent years in the Washington metro area. Three speakers will discuss: Policy Development; Implementation and Infrastructure provision; and Marketing and Community Outreach. The session will conclude with a demonstration of a Capital Bikeshare bike station in Rosslyn.
Jim Sebastian will discuss integration of bicycle infrastructure with urban planning and development, and innovative bike lane design. Mr. Sebastian is a Supervisory Transportation Planner at the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), Washington D.C., where he manages the Bicycle, Pedestrian and Transportation Demand Management Programs.
Paul DeMaio will speak about planning and launching of Capital Bikeshare, including how station locations were determined, the RFP process for the program, and expansion plans. He will also touch on the history of bikesharing and different models for provision of service. Paul DeMaio is the founder of MetroBike LLC, a company that assists organizations in implementing bike-sharing programs, and writes The Bike-sharing Blog, an international news resource about the field.
Chris Eatough will discuss increasing bicycle use for transportation through encouragement and education of the community, as well as the activities and structure of BikeArlington and the impact of the program. Chris Eatough, program manager for BikeArlington, has an engineering background and was a professional endurance mountain bike racer, winning six 24-hour solo world titles and five US 24-hour national championships. He also has extensive experience as a mountain bike coach and product tester.
