TransportGooru

Wednesday, January 5, 2011 – ISSN 1529-1057

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BUSES

1) Angry Passengers Still Not Sure Why Greyhound Stranded Them

Bus stopped by bad weather in Ontario, but riders say they were abandoned with no information.

Link to article in the Calgary Herald:

http://www.calgaryherald.com/Calgary+travellers+describe+hour+ordeal+Greyhound/4061267/story.html

OTHER

2) ITS Japan News: Japanese Government Launches ‘ITS Task Force’

Link to article from ERTICO:

http://www.ertico.com/its-japan-news-japanese-government-launches-its-task-force/

ROADWAYS

3) Thieves Steal SIM Cards from Johannesburg’s Traffic Lights

Link to article in the Mail & Guardian:

http://www.mg.co.za/article/2011-01-04-thieves-steals-sim-cards-from-joburgs-traffic-lights

4) Smart Highways, Smarter Drivers

Link to article in Government Technology:

http://www.govtech.com/transportation/Smart-Highways-Smarter-Drivers.html

TELEMATICS

5) OnStar, Verizon Unveil High-Tech Ideas

Link to article in The Detroit News:

http://www.detnews.com/article/20110105/AUTO01/101050399/OnStar–Verizon-unveil-high-tech-ideas

6) Automakers Tie Mobile Networks to In-Car Systems

Link to article in The Wall Street Journal:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704405704576064080514279232.html

7) Tech Early Adoption: Fun in the Living Room, but Safe in the Car?

The new MyFord touch system’s best function may be as a warning to other car manufacturers of how not to go about innovating when it comes to high-tech dashboards.

Link to article in Fortune:

http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2011/01/05/early-adopter-fun-in-the-living-room-but-safe-in-the-car/

TRANSIT

8) California’s Big Blue Bus Receives Award for High-Tech Bus Stops

Link to article in the Santa Monica Daily Press:

http://www.smdp.com/Articles-c-2011-01-04-71042.113116-BBB-receives-award-for-high-tech-bus-stops.html

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

9) Demand Blamed for Bad Road Info in Victoria Following Flooding

Department of Main Roads and Transport traffic information phone line and Web site overloaded with users.

Link to article in The Observer:

http://www.gladstoneobserver.com.au/story/2011/01/06/call-flood-bad-road-information-racq/

News Releases

1) NTSB Issue Recommendations Dealing with Emergency Locator Transmitters in General Aviation Aircraft Following Crash Involving Senator Stevens

2) OnStar Expands Beyond GM Cars – Services Available in a Standalone Rearview Mirror

3) Hyundai Launches All-New Blue Link Telematics Platform

4) Idaho Transportation Department Introduces New ‘Dashboard’ to Track Performance

5) American Airlines Kicks Off 2011 with New Video Campaign to Welcome and Thank Customers

6) ZoomSafer Unveils New Software Service to Measure Use of Phones While Driving

7) Audiovox Launches New ‘Distracted Driver’ Safety Solutions for the Aftermarket

8) Clear Channel Radio’s Total Traffic Network: Navigating the Future with a Fresh Platform, New Partners and Additional Markets

9) Search Airport Parking Launches Park Sleep and Fly Web Site

Upcoming Events

Live Radio Interview on the Traffic Incident Management – January 6 – Sirius/XM Radio

XM channel 171/Sirius channel 147 at 9:05 am ET.  Program will focus on the challenges of the recent ice and snowstorm in New York State.

Today in Transportation History

1781 **230^th anniversary** British forces, led by Benedict Arnold, landed at Westover, Virginia prior to marching to Richmond.

http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/hiway_markers/marker.cfm?mid=4280

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

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

Monday, January 3, 2011 – ISSN 1529-1057

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AVIATION

1) American Airlines Barred from Safety Board Inquiry

Company copied data from flight recorder before turning it over.

Link to article in The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/01/us/01airline.html

Link to news release from the NTSB:

http://www.ntsb.gov/Pressrel/2010/101231.html

2) Pilot’s Radio Blooper Forces Evacuation of US Capitol

Link to article in The Sydney Morning Herald:

http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/pilots-radio-blooper-forces-evacuation-of-us-capitol-20110103-19dbj.html

3) Online Travel Site Expedia Removes American Airlines Flights

Link to story on CNN:

http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/01/02/american.expedia/

4) How Private Aviation Can Stop Wasting Millions on Advertising

Link to column in Forbes:

http://blogs.forbes.com/wheelsup/2011/01/02/how-private-aviation-can-stop-wasting-millions-on-advertising

GPS / NAVIGATION

5) UK Researchers Using Robot Head to Develop Emotional Machines

Experiments including using the robot as a GPS assistant.

Link to article and video in IEEE Spectrum:

http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/artificial-intelligence/charles-babbage-robot-head

ROADWAYS

6) Arizona DOT Plans to Take Over Logo Signs Program

Link to Capitol Media Services article:

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/arizona/article_eea669b4-146a-11e0-9df2-001cc4c002e0.html

7) Latest Issue of Nordic

Road and transport research news from the Nordic countries.

Link to magazine:

http://nordicroads.com/website/index.asp?pageID=390

TRANSIT

8) Curbs Imposed on Tobacco Items’ Ads on Gujarat Public Transport Buses

Link to IANS article:

http://www.sify.com/finance/curbs-imposed-on-tobacco-items-ads-on-gujarat-public-transport-buses-news-default-lbbtuehijeb.html

9) High-Tech Upgrades to Drive MBTA in ’11

Riders will get more apps, info.

Link to column in the Boston Herald:

http://bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/20110103high-tech_upgrades_to_drive_mbta_in_11_riders_will_get_more_apps_info/

VEHICLES

10) An Unlikely Duo’s Auto Safety Quest

A college professor and a former federal transportation official team up to seek standard installation of black boxes in cars.

Link to article in the Los Angeles Times:

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jan/01/nation/la-na-auto-safety-20110102

Link to further information from IEEE:

http://standards.ieee.org/develop/wg/MVEDR-EC.html

News Releases

1) Ford Sync Now in Three Million Vehicles; Customer Satisfaction, Use of Voice Control on Rise

2) Monterey-Salinas Transit Launches New Web Site

3) Aéroports de Paris and JCDecaux Plan Joint Venture to Leverage and Commercialize Advertising Space in Parisian Airports

4) AutoNavi to Provide Connected Navigation Services in China

Solicitation

–  Invitation to Submit an Abstract – 2011 National Rural ITS Conference

http://www.nritsconference.org/2011program.html

Upcoming Events

Institute of Transportation Engineers Technical Conference and Exhibit – April 3-6 – Lake Buena Vista, Florida

http://www.ite.org/conference/

Today in Transportation History

1936 **75^th anniversary** The Air Transport Association of America was founded.

http://www.airlines.org/About/AboutATA/Pages/History.aspx

1986 **25^th anniversary** The SkyTrain began revenue operations between Vancouver and New Westminster, British Columbia.

http://tripplanning.translink.ca/hiwire?.a=iScheduleLookupSearch&LineName=999&LineAbbr=999

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

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

Thursday, December 30, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

 
AVIATION
 
1) For Some Travelers Stranded in Airports, Relief is in 140 Characters
Link to article in The New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/30/us/30airlines.html
 
2) How Airlines Managed Through the Blizzard
Link to article on TheStreet:
http://www.thestreet.com/_yahoo/story/10957402/1/how-airlines-managed-through-the-blizzard.html
 
OTHER
 
3) Snowpocalypse? Good Thing There’s an App for That
Link to article on All Things Digital:
http://mobilized.allthingsd.com/20101227/snowpocalypse-good-thing-that-theres-an-app-for-that/
 
PARKING
 
4) Coming Soon to Seattle: Parking Rates that Go Up at Busiest Times
Link to article in The Seattle Times:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2013799522_parking30m.html
 
PUBLIC INFORMATION / EDUCATION
 
5) Ads Blast Texting and Driving
Link to article in The State:
http://www.thestate.com/2010/12/30/1624228/ads-blast-texting-and-driving.html
Link to news release from AAA Carolinas:
http://www.aaacarolinas.com/absolutenm/templates/releaseTemplate.aspx?articleid=9269
 
SAFETY / SECURITY
 
6) Ohio DOT Snow Plows May Switch to Green Light to Cut Crashes
Link to article in The Blade:
http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101230/NEWS16/12290391
Link to news release:
http://www.dot.state.oh.us/news/Pages/ODOTseeksGreenLanternHelptoProtectSnowplows.aspx
 
TRANSIT
 
7) Chicago Transit Authority to Test Train Tracker in January
Link to article in Crain’s Chicago Business:
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20101230/NEWS10/101239992/cta-to-test-train-tracker-in-january
Link to news release from the CTA:
http://www.transitchicago.com/news/default.aspx?Month=&Year=&Category=2&ArticleId=2756
 
8) Technology Drives Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation
Link to article in the Delcan Herald:
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/125103/technology-drives-bmtc.html
 
TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT
 
9) Estonian Highways Board Launches a New Information System for Drivers
Link to article in The Baltic Course:
http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/transport/?doc=35525
 
10) Vail, Colorado Police Strategize to Keep I-70 Open as Snow Piles Up
Link to story and video on KUSA-TV:
http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=172403
 
11) Turning Traffic Nightmare Into Profitable Venture
Beijing company signs contract to provide traffic information services.
Link to article in Global Times:
http://business.globaltimes.cn/industries/2010-12/607067.html
Link to news release from China TransInfo:
http://goo.gl/PDKf8
 
12) Manila to Implement New Policy of Enforcing Traffic Violations Only Through Cameras
Link to article in BusinessWorld:
http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=23704
 
 
News Releases
1) FCC Considers Expanding Role of Travelers Information Stations to Broadcast Additional Public Safety and Other Information to the Public
2) New Ford Sync Destinations App Offers ‘On the Go’ Navigation; Predicts Best Departure Times
3) Global Consumer Telematics Penetration in New Cars to Reach 62%
 
 
Upcoming Events
Maritime and Navigation Risk Conference – March 30-31 – Montreal
http://www.passeportmaritime.com/en/events/mnrc2011
 
 
Today in Transportation History   
1940 **70th anniversary** The Arroyo Seco Parkway, also known as the Pasadena Freeway, was dedicated.  It was the first freeway in the urban western United States.
http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist07/sync/cpimages/file/Historic%20Arroyo%20Seco.pdf
 
======================================================================
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.     
© 2010 Bernie Wagenblast  www.bwcommunications.net

Wednesday, December 29, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

 

 
AVIATION
 
1) Stranded Fliers Get Busy Signals
Passengers have one persistent complaint: They can’t get answers from anybody at the airlines.
Link to story from ABC’s Good Morning America:
http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/airport-delays-stranded-fliers-busy-signals/story?id=12494568
Link to AP article:
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Travelers-say-airlines-apf-1323824965.html?x=0&.v=3
 
2) Self-Service Technology in Airports
Can it help improve the traveler’s experience?
Link to article in Airport Magazine:
http://issuu.com/aaae/docs/airport_magazine_1210_0111/29
 
CAMERAS
 
3) Speed Camera Details to be Published in UK
Statistics on individual cameras will show which earn the most money.
Link to article in The Telegraph:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/8227982/Speed-camera-details-to-be-published.html
 
GPS / NAVIGATION
 
4) Sequoia-Funded SatNav Gets Personal
Link to DNA article:
http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report_sequoia-funded-satnav-gets-personal_1487838
 
MARITIME
 
5) Information Ahead of Platforms
Maritime Domain Awareness requires information sharing between the US Navy and partners.
Link to article in Maritime Reporter & Engineering News:
http://www.digitalwavepublishing.com/pubs/NWM/maritimereporter/201010/?pgno=33
 
OTHER
 
6) The (New) Social Network
A look at trucking’s unexpected flirtation with social media.
Link to article in Truck News:
http://www.trucknews.com/issues/story.aspx?aid=1000398185
 
7) Drivers’ Tweets Give South African Cops Headache
Alerts provided about police roadblocks.
Link to article in The Mercury:
http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/drivers-tweets-give-cops-headache-1.1005859
Link to Twitter site: http://twitter.com/pigspotterkzn
 
TRANSIT
 
8) Former Boston T Trolley Operator Pleads Guilty in 2009 Texting Crash
Link to article in The Boston Globe:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2010/12/texting_t_drive.html?rss_id=Top+Stories
 
9) Boston T Apps: Bus Coming, Just Around the Snowbank
Link to editorial in The Boston Globe:
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2010/12/28/t_apps_bus_coming_just_around_the_snowbank/
 
TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT
 
10) Call to Ensure that Variable Road Signs in Scotland Give the Right Message
Link to article in The Courier:
http://www.thecourier.co.uk/Living/Motoring/article/9110/call-to-ensure-that-variable-road-signs-give-the-right-message.html
 
11) Issaquah, Washington Unveils Real-Time Traffic Cameras on City Routes
Link to article in the Issaquah Press:
http://www.issaquahpress.com/2010/12/28/issaquah-unveils-real-time-traffic-cameras-on-city-routes/
Link to cameras: http://www.ci.issaquah.wa.us/SectionIndex.asp?SectionID=47
 
VEHICLES
 
12) Ford to Let Parents Censor Teens’ Car Radio
Link to article in USA Today:
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2010-12-29-1Ablocked29_ST_N.htm
 
13) More Vehicle Owners Manuals Showing Up Online
Link to story and video on Central Florida News 13:
http://www.cfnews13.com/article/news/2010/december/188270/More-vehicle-owners-manuals-showing-up-online
 
14) Millions of Honda Owners Victims of Yet Another Data Breach
Link to column on All Things Digital:
http://newenterprise.allthingsd.com/20101229/millions-of-honda-owners-victims-of-yet-another-data-breach/
 
 
News Releases
1) Department of Transport in Abu Dhabi Awards Tender for Automated Bus Scheduling System
2) American Airlines Provides Business Update Following Commercial Disputes with Orbitz and Expedia
 
 
Upcoming Events
APTA TransITech Conference – March 29-31 – Miami
http://www.apta.com/mc/2011/Pages/TransITech.aspx
 
 
Today in Transportation History   
1860 **150th anniversary** The first ironclad British warship, the HMS Warrior, was launched.
http://www.hmswarrior.org/
 
======================================================================
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.     
© 2010 Bernie Wagenblast  www.bwcommunications.net

Tuesday, December 28, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

 
AVIATION
 
1) FAA Seeks Fixes to Midair Collision Warning Devices
Link to article in The Wall Street Journal:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203513204576047303349520540.html
 
GPS / NAVIGATION
 
2) Japan Uses Taiwanese Technology to Read Damaged GPS Chips
Link to CNA article:
http://focustaiwan.tw/ShowNews/WebNews_Detail.aspx?Type=aSOC&ID=201012280043
 
MARITIME
 
3) US Coast Guard Says Its Planned Use of Ultra High Frequency SONAR Won’t Harm Marine Life
Link to article in Government Security News:
http://www.gsnmagazine.com/node/22111
 
PUBLIC INFORMATION / EDUCATION
 
4) Ad Campaign Advises Drivers to Use Caution Around Bikes and Pedestrians
Link to article in The News Tribune:
http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/12/27/1479376/campaign-advises-drivers-to-use.html
 
TELEMATICS
 
5) More Consumers are Letting Insurers Monitor Their Mileage
Link to article in The New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/26/automobiles/26INSURE.html
 
6) Tele-what? Six In-Car Telematics Systems
Link to article on Autobytel:
http://www.autobytel.com/content/shared/articles/templates/index.cfm/ID/25173/article_id_int/8891
 
TRANSIT
 
7) New Nicosia Bus Service Failing Badly on the PR Front
Link to editorial in the Cyprus Mail:
http://www.cyprus-mail.com/bus/our-view-new-bus-service-failing-badly-pr-front/20101228
 
TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT
 
8) Nevada Officials: Proposed Road Operations Center Would Help Traffic Flow, Improve Emergency Response
Link to article in the Reno Gazette Journal:
http://www.rgj.com/article/20101227/NEWS/101227028/1321/news
 
 
News Releases
1) Colorado DOT Tests Trip Travel Times on I-25 in the Denver Area
2) NavFree Launches for iPhone and iPad
 
 
Upcoming Events
APTA Fare Collection Workshop – March 28-30 – Miami
http://www.apta.com/mc/2011/Pages/FareCollection.aspx
 
 
Today in Transportation History   
1960 **50th anniversary** Rebels attacked a train in the Congo which was transporting children and their mothers home from a holiday.  At least twenty passengers were killed.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A1304803
 
======================================================================
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.     
© 2010 Bernie Wagenblast www.bwcommunications.net

Monday, December 27, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

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MARITIME

1) US Coast Guard Tests New Warning System in Florida

Link to article in Florida Today:

http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/12/26/1988754/coast-guard-tests-new-warning.html

OTHER

2) New Delhi Autorickshaws Fail to Meet Deadline for Installation of GPS

Link to Press Trust of India article:

http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4741060

PEDESTRIANS

3) Disney Tackles a Major Theme Park Problem: Lines

Link to article in The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/28/business/media/28disney.html

ROADWAYS

4) Railroad Close Call Reporting System Wins Praise

Link to article in Occupational Health & Safety:

http://ohsonline.com/articles/2010/12/27/railroad-close-call-reporting-system-wins-praise.aspx

SAFETY / SECURITY

5) Technology Stepped Up to Curb Reckless Driving in South Africa

Link to story on Eyewitness News:

http://www.eyewitnessnews.co.za/articleprog.aspx?id=55763

6) TSA Status Site Tells Whether Your Airport Actually Uses Their Body Scanners

Link to article on Lifehacker:

http://lifehacker.com/5718830/tsa-status-reports-on-whether-your-airport-is-actually-using-their-body-scanners

7) AT&T Video Shows Texting and Driving Don’t Mix

Link to article in The New York Times:

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/27/video-shows-that-texting-and-driving-dont-mix/

Link to video: http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=2964

TELEMATICS

8) Nissan Leaf’s Carwings Keeps You Up to Speed, Puts You in Efficiency Race

Link to blog on AutoblogGreen:

http://green.autoblog.com/2010/12/23/nissan-leaf-carwings-efficiency/

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

9) Pakistan Motorway Police Introduce Free SMS Information Service

Link to article in The News:

http://www.thenews.com.pk/NewsDetail.aspx?ID=8066

10) Bahrain Plans Intelligent Transportation System

Link to article on TradeArabia:

http://www.tradearabia.com/news/STN_191014.html

11) Inside Look at Arizona DOT’s Traffic Operations Center

Link to story on KNXV-TV:

http://www.abc15.com/dpp/traffic/traffic_alerts/inside-adot’s-traffic-operations-center

News Releases

1) Iteris to Acquire Meridian Environmental Technologies

Upcoming Events

Mobile and Transit Payments Summit – February 15-18 – Salt Lake City

http://www.smartcardalliance.org/pages/activities-next-conference

Today in Transportation History

1985 **25^th anniversary** Terrorists killed 19 people at the Vienna and Rome airports.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/27/newsid_2545000/2545949.stm

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

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.

© 2010 Bernie Wagenblast  www.bwcommunications.net

(Source: Engadget)

This new documentary, produced by AT&T, one of the leading telecom services provider in the US, strings together a set of  stories told by accident victims and their  families and friends.  The documentary, at times high on the emotional quotient, offers a compelling message to any/all drivers, let alone the teenagers, to hang up their cellphones while operating the motor vehicles.  There is no blood or gory mess splashed across the windshield but the stories along with the photos of mangled metal and shattered lives is quite riveting.  Kudos to AT&T and other public and private agencies who have been actively engaged in promoting awareness among teens about the dangers of texting while driving.

Related articles

• AT&T releases dramatic anti-texting while driving documentary (engadget.com)
• AT&T Releases anti text-driving documentary (techburgh.com)
• AT&T Mini Documentary on Dangers of Text Messaging and Driving (laughingsquid.com)

(Source: 9to5Mac via Gizmodo)

Here comes a crazy holiday story from Texas, but this one has a good ending .  Thanks to Apple’s “Find My iPhone” tracking technology, the crooks were nailed and the stolen (and badly damaged) vehicle was retrieved by the cops.  Here is the story in the words of the victim who lost his Land Rover to the crooks on Christmas.

Pretty amazing Christmas Story! Early this morning my 2005 Land Rover was stolen from the Marriott in Wichita Falls TX. The local police put me on hold, transferred me around and did nothing. My iPhone was in the car in between the seats and turned on. I tracked it using MobileMe Find My Phone to HWY 287 on the way to Decatur. When they exited the highway and headed on a Farm road for Justin TX a few miles away, I contacted the Justin Police and with the help of a very savvy operator we pinpointed the car at a Sonic. While I was on the phone with her, she said the officer sees your car and is going to make the arrest. A few minutes later she frantically calls me to start tracking the car again. The officer had handcuffed the suspects, sat one down on the curb while putting the other in the back seat. When he got back, the guy had Houdini’d the cuffs from behind his back to the front, fought with the officer and jumped in my car, dragged him and ran over him. I followed the car on the iPhone and directed the Highway Patrol to where he was – high speed chase ending with him flipping the Land Rover several times. The policeman is going to be fine – he is at the hospital with multiple bruises etc. The screenshot is where the car thieves ran over the policeman and escaped. I am just so thankful the policeman was not seriously hurt – I could care less about the car or the crook.

(Source: Al Jazeera News)

This above video was a part of an Al Jazeera news story of migrants experiencing violent deaths in the hands of drug cartels during their journey northwards towards United States from their homelands in South America.  We in the western world often read stories over the years about this tough journey of migrants, who often pay thousands of dollars for their smugglers/handlers and risk their lives while traveling through what’s one of the worst, violence-ridden narco corridors in the entire world. For the first time, I had an opportunity to visually experience this monumental struggle of life and death experienced by the migrants through a recent movie, Sin Nombre by Cary Joji Fukunaga. It was a very painful portrayal of migrant life and the dangers these people face making the trek northwards, while dodging the brutal world of narcotics smugglers.  This above video story from Al Jazeera is not much different than what is shown on the movie, but the only difference here is there are no actors in real life and no-retakes if something were to go wrong.  Here is a trailer of Sin Nombre, that gives you a candid window into the difficult life of a migrant on the road, making it not just a journey in search of a decent livelihood, but also one where he/she often risks life riding those deadly rails.

Thursday, December 23, 2010 – ISSN 1529-1057

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AVIATION

1) ‘New United’ Settles on Technology Systems

Link to article in Air Transport World:

http://atwonline.com/airline-finance-data/news/new-united-settles-technology-systems-1222

2) Expedia Hides American Airlines Airfares in Support of Orbitz

Link to Bloomberg article:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-23/expedia-hides-american-airlines-fares-in-support-of-travel-website-orbitz.html

OTHER

3) ITS and Urban Mobility

Link to paper from ERTICO:

http://www.ertico.com/assets/i-Mobility-network/Thematic-Papers/1-Thematic-paper-Urban-Mobility.pdf

PARKING

4) New Streetline App Gives Los Angeles Drivers Real-Time Data on Available Parking

Link to article on TechCrunch:

http://techcrunch.com/2010/12/22/streetline-green-app-launch

PEDESTRIANS

5) Chirping Crosswalk Changes Its Tune

Some Canadian cities updating signals with four descending musical notes because chirping sounds too much like northern cardinal.

Link to article in the National Post:

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/Chirping+crosswalk+changes+tune/4017613/story.html

SAFETY / SECURITY

6) Pilot Punished for YouTube Video

Video shows what pilot says are serious flaws in airport security.

Link to story and video on KXTV-TV:

http://www.news10.net/news/article.aspx?storyid=113529&provider=top&catid=188

TELEMATICS

7) Mercedes to Launch New Telematics Platform with Internet Access

Link to article on Telematics News:

http://telematicsnews.info/2010/12/22/mercedes-to-launch-new-telematics-platform-with-internet-access_d1221/

Link to article in Automobilwoche:

http://www.automobilwoche.de/article/20101222/REPOSITORY/101229989/1060/mercedes-bringt-in-c-klasse-erstmals-internet-ins-auto (in German)

TOURISM

8) With Travel App, No One Knows You’re a Tourist

Link to AP article:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=132288490

Link to further information from Fodor’s:

http://www.fodors.com/mobile-apps/iphone/

TRANSIT

9) Transport for London Calls for Faster NFC SIM Cards

Link to article in NFC Times:

http://www.nfctimes.com/news/transport-london-calls-faster-nfc-sims

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

10) Keeping Traffic Flowing

A profile of Ron Boodhoo, operations manager of Georgia’s Transportation Management Center.

Link to article in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

http://www.ajc.com/business/atlanta-nightside-keeping-traffic-786524.html

Upcoming Events

North American International Auto Show – January 10-23 – Detroit

http://www.naias.com/

Today in Transportation History

1900 **110^th anniversary** Reginald Fessenden transmitted on Cobb Island, Maryland what is believed to have been the first voice transmission by radio.

http://www.americanheritage.com/articles/magazine/it/2001/1/2001_1_40_print.shtml

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© 2010 Bernie Wagenblast  www.bwcommunications.net