Post Tagged with: "ITS"

ITS South Africa Newsletter – February 23, 2009

February 23, 2009 at 11:22 am
23 February 2009
TENDERS AND BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEMBER

There are several new tenders available. For information about tenders and business opportunities for ITS South Africa members, please click here to access the ITSSA Knowledge Management section.
ABSA PUTS THE BRAKES ON FINANCE FOR TAXIS
Absa has suspended all taxi vehicle finance approvals because of its inability to verify the authenticity of taxi operating licences after the alleged theft of 800 000 operating permits at the end of 2008. Marcel de Klerk, the managing executive of Absa Vehicle and Asset Finance, said yesterday the division had stopped approving taxi vehicle finance applications about two weeks ago after it had noticed that some operating licences were fraudulent or stolen. 

Business Report, Roy Cokayne, 20th February 2009 – Read more
TAXI STRIKE SENT A CLEAR MESSAGE – BOSSES
The impact of the three-day taxi strike on the provincial economy was an indication that a “clear message” had been sent to the government, said leaders of the National Taxi Alliance (NTA). Last week the taxi operators went on a three-day strike against the new Bus Rapid Transit system that plunged the city into chaos. 

Cape Argus, Staff Reporter, 20th February 2009 – Read more
WORRYING R186BN FUNDING GAP
Since late last year, this publication has been championing the public infrastructure programme as South Africa’s main economic stimulus opportunity. We have written over and over again that government departments and State-owned enterprises must be given the strongest possible signal that they need to continue with their previously-announced implementation schedules, and even seek to enlarge there programmes. 

Engineering News, Terence Creamer, 20th February 2009 – Read more
BRT ON THE HIGHWAY
The Lagos State Government should urgently address the reckless way and manner the drivers of Bus Rapid Transit behave on the highways. Most of them drive with reckless abandon, thereby giving other road users a tough time. They don’t slow down for other road users who may accidentally cross their way – where there are no BRT lane markings, that is. 

Punch, Felix Gabriel, 16th February 2009 – Read more
COPS OUT IN FORCE IN CAPE TOWN
As the taxi strike entered its second day on Thursday, police were out in force to prevent further violence, as commuters switched to trains and buses. Since the start of the unprotected, three-day strike against the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) system, scores of residents and bus drivers have been injured and more than 50 people arrested for malicious damage to property, attempted murder and public violence. 

Cape Times, Babalo Ndenze and Michelle Jones, 13th February 2009 – Read more
For more information visit the
ITS South Africa website at www.itssa.org. 

Click here to unsubscribe from this newsletter.
 
Read more Comments Off

2009 ITS Michigan Annual Meeting and Exhibition – May 12 & 13

February 19, 2009 at 11:01 am

The 2009 event is proving to be another great networking opportunity, informational program about ITS in Michigan and throughout the United States and forum to showcase ITS technologies in the exhibit hall.  The

2009 Annual ITS Michigan meeting and Exhibition will be held on May 12 and 13 in Novi, Michigan, and is an event you won’t want to miss. 

There will be live demonstrations on site throughout the event.

The Michigan Department of Transportation would like to personally welcome you to Exhibit and/or Attend this event.  Feel free to pass this on to anyone you wish that would benefit from exhibiting and/or attending this event.

Exhibitors: Get your registration in early to take advantage of the booth space selection.  Sponsors get first choices based on levels then first registrations get first picks etc.  Don’t delay email or fax in your registration today!

Demonstrations:  If you are interested in doing a demonstration please email me asap at                         muellerm2@michigan.gov as space is on a first come, first serve basis!

Information and Registration brochures are on www.itsmichigan.org in the green box located in the upper left corner of the webpage. 

If you have any questions about this event please feel free to contact Michele Mueller at 248-431-1443 or muellerm2@michigan.gov

Read more Comments Off

Workshop on Identifying Traveler Information Research Needs to Achieve All Roads-All Modes-All the Time

February 18, 2009 at 3:34 pm

 

Workshop on Identifying Traveler Information Research Needs to Achieve All Roads-All Modes-All the Time

April 15-17, 2009

 

The TRB Intelligent Transportation Systems Committee is sponsoring this workshop with the goal of identifying critical traveler information research and policy issues and offering recommendations towards the goal of “All Roads-All Modes-All the Time”. The workshop will bring together traveler information researchers, policy-makers, public and private-sector service providers, transport network managers, and modelers, to document current knowledge and identify research needs. The agenda (Agenda.pdf) for this event is attached at the end of this page.

This will be a gathering of national and international experts who will present, debate, and identify research needs toward the national goal of full network visibility.  The output from this workshop, its observations, insights, and recommendations, will inform the national ITS program real-time information research strategy.  This is your opportunity to listen, speak, and be heard.  

 
The plenary session speakers on Wednesday afternoon April 15 will address the current state of the practice in transit, traffic and other real-time information networks, and will be drawn from the European Union, USDOT, Caltrans, the ITS Program Advisory Committee, and from the private companies that are progressing the development and delivery of real-time information.  Following the plenary, well gather for a cocktail reception.

Workshop Organization

 

The workshop is organized into four working groups addressing (1) data collection, (2) data fusion and processing, (3) information dissemination, and (4) network impacts (described below), with panelists identifying research and evaluation gaps toward the development of seamless network visibility.  Following the presentations, the working group participants will debate the material presented, and expand the scope of the discussion as needed. In the closing session of the meeting on Friday morning, we will present the highlights of the working group discussions, both agreements and unresolved issues, and get an insider’s update on the next transportation authorization from legislative officials.

1. Real-time network data
The real-time network data panel will focus on research needs related to the gathering and collection of real-time data for traffic, transit, parking and freight.  Some of the specific topics to be addressed include assessing data coverage, data quality and data ownership/rights, and comparing different business models/approaches to collecting real-time information.  Of particular interest will be addressing the need for data collection systems to facilitate the exchange and integration of real-time data of varying levels of quality and utility.

2. Data fusion and processing
Improved real-time data fusion techniques and processing will improve the overall quality, timeliness, and usefulness of applications such as traveler information, performance monitoring, and incident response.  The most common ITS data fusion techniques perform temporal and spatial corrections to improve data correlation.  New ITS services are being developed to predict transportation conditions from inferred relationships with data, such as an ensemble model that considers weather conditions and predicts the probability of crashes based on observed road conditions and historical analyses. This panel will consider current developments and explore the opportunities for improved and standardized data fusion techniques.

3. Information dissemination
The information dissemination panel will explore three primary topics in the distribution of traveler information.  The panel will first delve into the state of existing research on traveler information distribution with the goal of identifying gaps in research and/or applications.  The second part will explore existing public and private approaches to information distribution including data quality and management and business/financial models.  The final part will explore known challenges and gaps in the production and dissemination of traveler information to customers, identifying and targeting future research efforts.

4. Network impacts
The network impacts panel will consider the effects of information (i) on individual traveler behavior, and (ii) on travel conditions and flows.  The state of knowledge in these two areas will be assessed, with reference to empirical data from deployed and operational systems as well as to results from research efforts, in order to identify knowledge gaps and suggest fruitful directions for future data collection and research.

 

 

Following panelist presentations, the working group participants will debate the material presented, and expand the scope of the discussion as needed. As an expert in the real-time traveler information enterprise, your active participation in the working groups is pivotal to the success of the workshop. Formal proceedings will document the contents of the discussions for future reference.  
 
In the closing session of the meeting on Friday morning, April 17, we will present the highlights of the working group discussions, both agreements and unresolved issues, and get an insiders update on the next transportation authorization from legislative officials.

 
Registration
 
The registration fee includes the meeting and associated materials, the reception on Wednesday evening and meals including full breakfast on Thursday and Friday, lunch on Thursday and all morning and afternoon breaks.  A block of rooms has been reserved at the Fairmont Newport Beach Hotel (across from the Orange County Airport).  Free airport transportation is available through the hotel.  The meeting will open at the hotel on Wednesday, and continue at the Beckman Center on Thursday and Friday.  Car pools to the Beckman Center will be arranged for participants who do not rent cars.

Be sure to register by March 6 in order to enjoy the early registration discount, and book your hotel room before March 13 to get the special discounted room rate. 

Registration Type

Early Bird Registration

(by March 6)

Advance Registration

(by March 13)

Onsite

(after March 13)
General

$295

$345

$375

 

 

Refunds will be issued, less a $50 cancellation fee, for all cancellations received in writing by March 13, 2009. No refunds will be issued thereafter.

 

 

  
 
Where
Beckman Center of the National Academies
100 Academy
Irvine, California 
Get Location Map
Click here to access the event Website for registration and to learn more about the hotel and other travel-related information.
Best regards,
Steve Shladover
ITS Committee Chair
Read more 2

ITS South Africa Newsletter – February 18, 2009

February 18, 2009 at 12:29 pm

18 February 2009

Invitation to e-Transport Conference and Exhibition
Exhibition space is selling fast and ITS companies from South Africa and abroad are invited to become sponsors and / or exhibitors at the e-Transport Conference and Exhibition The overall theme is Moving People Smartly: Transport Solutions for FIFA Soccer World Cup 2010 and beyond. It takes place on 24-25 March 2009 at the Sandton Convention Center.

The biennial e-Transport Confex is the premier ITS event to network with key decision-makers and ITS professionals and exploit business opportunities in South Africa’s booming ITS market. With a current infrastructure spend of R600 bilion, there are numerous ITS projects in the pipeline.

The mega transport projects to the value of several billion Rand transforming South Africa transport environment are attracting huge local and international interest. If you want to be part of this rapidly growing market, explore the sponsorship and exhibition opportunities to raise your profile in the South African ITS Market.

The e-Transport Conference has been accredited for Continuous Professional Development points.  The CPD number is ProvSAICEtr09/00456/09.

To view the programme, click here.

You are cordially invited to register now. Click here.

For sponsorship and exhibition packages, click here.

For the exhibition floor plan, click here.

For the stand reservation form, click here.

For general information about South Africa, click here.

International ITS Master Class – 26 March 2009
With the support of the World Road Association (PIARC), the National Roads Agency (SANRAL) and the ITS Centre of Excellence, ITS South Africa is proud to host an International ITS Master Class on Thursday 26 March as a post conference event to the e-Transport Conference, which will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday 24-25 March 2009. The venue is the Sandton Convention Centre.

With several mega transport projects underway – and more in the pipeline – international-level training is vital to better equip us with the skills and best practice examples required to raise the standard of planning, deploying, managing operations and undertaking maintenance.

The ITS Master Class will help you improve your skills with the guidance of a panel of international presenters.

The ITS Master Class has been accredited for Continuous Professional Development points.  The CPD number is ProvSAICEtr09/00455/10.

Click here to register.

Communication Applications for Transport
As ITS deployment intensifies, the need to expand and improve the communication layer becomes increasingly important Different technologies provide divergent benefits and the challenge is to find an inclusive solution. On 11 February ITS South Africa hosted a workshop in Durban on Communication Applications for the Transport Environment in cooperation with the ITS Centre of Excellence and the eThekweni Transport Authority. 70 delegates attended it.

Click here for the presentations.

Business Opportunity
An SME company based in Italy is looking for a partnership. It is a leading Italian player in the Intelligent Transport Systems market, with advanced technology products and system solutions.

Main addressed markets and applications:

  • Public Transportation: AVM/AVL, DRTs (on Demand Responsive Transportation system)
  • Fleet management: Fleet of vehicles (included the goods transportation), Containers, Vehicle “Pay-as-you-drive” insurance schemes applications
  • Satellite anti-thief systems: Self managed, Managed by Operative Center
  • Infomobility: Systems based on processed data through vehicle tracking devices, GPS based devices able to supply infomobility audio messages

The company is looking for technical and commercial partnerships suitable to value any possible existing synergy with international members of ITS National Associations.

If you are interested, please click here.

ITS Canada Annual Conference
ITS South Africa members can attend ITS Canada’s Annual Conference in Edmonton at the “member rate” if they register and pay before March 6.

Full details about the Conference are available at www.itscanada.ca/edmonton2009

Member News
Q-Free
Friday 23rd of January is going down as the most successful day ever in the history of Q-Free:

  1. In the morning we signed a contract in Bangkok, Thailand to deliver a turn-key ETC/MTC system for the customer BECL. This is an existing customer of Q-Free and it is very satisfying that they are placing additional orders with us. Contract value: 60 mill NOK (7 mill EUR)
  2. At lunchtime we signed a contract in Porto, Portugal with the customer AENOR to supply a turn-key system based on free flow DSRC and Central System. Contract value: 220 mill NOK (24 mill EUR)
  3. In the evening we signed the contract to deliver the complete enforcement system on the roadside and the complete Central System in Slovakia. The installation will be used for the truck tolling project and payments will be calculated based on GPS positions. Contract value: 450 mill NOK (50 mill EUR)

This sums up to a total value of 730 mill NOK (81 mill EUR) which represents a value well above a normal year’s revenue for us. It will mean a major leap forward in the size of our company and our ability to deliver large scale projects in short time. All the three systems will be built mainly during 2009.

Osma Elevators Germany selects DigiCore’s C-track GPS / GPRS Solution
DigiCore Holdings, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange listed vehicle telematics company, recently increased it’s shareholding in it’s DigiCore Deutshland subsidiary from 50% to 100%. The group has over the last 3 years followed a policy of purchasing 100% shareholding in the offshore entities over a period in order to exploit synergies and align strategies throughout the Group.

Following the conclusion of this transaction It is exciting to announce that after two years of testing C-track in a pilot phase, Detlef Ruthemeyer, technical managing director of the family-owned enterprise Osma-Aufzuge, has decided to fully rely on C-track for his fleet’s needs. In the coming weeks, the technicians’ vehicles and all trucks will be equipped with DigiCore’s fleet management system. Click here to read more.

Kapsch: Success in France, the Czech Republic and Italy
Kapsch TrafficCom AG recently had great success in France, the Czech Republic and Italy.  In the next three years, Kapsch TrafficCom France will impelement four orders for the biggest French road operators (Vinci, APRR and Sanef Groups) and the tag issuer Axxes. In total, Kapsch will supply over half a million on board units and related accessories to France for an order value of around 10 million EUR.

“Despite our many successes in other continents, Europe has lost none of its importance for us.  To date, we have repeatedly supplied France with equipment for single lane electronic toll collection.  Kapsch TrafficCom on-board units will be in use on the most important routes in France,” Explains Erwin Toplak, Member of the Board, Kapsch TrafficCom AG.

Revenues from the toll system installed by Kapsch TrafficCom in the Czech Republic has grown with around 10% as the state has collected around 245 million EUR last year.

Development in the previous year was extremely positive with a total growth of 23 million EUR. Erwin Toplak underscores the economic importance of collecting tolls: “The income generated by our system allows the state to invest actively in the area of infrastructure.  The maintenance and improvement of highway infrastructure places enormous demands on funds, which cannot be covered by the normal budget.”

Kapsch had further success when it secured a City Access order in Italy, as the town of Cremona in Lombardy has chosen Kapsch-Busi to implement its City Access control solutions.  Kapsch-Busi will implement the order together with partner company, Famas System Spa in around eighty days.  The order is worth more than half a million euro.

“Winning the tender in Cremona secures the status of Kapsch-Busi in Northern Italy. We are also counting on good changes of winning other upcoming City Access control projects in Italy,” Explains Viktor Hatwagner, Member of the Management Board of Kapsch-Busi.

Kapsch products are set to be used on over 8 000km of French motorways.  In the Czech Repulic tolls are currently levied on 1 000 km of motorways and expressways, while Kapsch-Busi in Italy will be responsible for the technical operation and maintenance of the system for the next three years.

New members
Intelligent Devices is an international company with an office in Cape Town and focuses on Advanced Traffic Management Systems. They are represented by Peter Ashley. Please contact him at Telephone +27 21 552 0794. His e-mail is petera@idisa.co.za or visit their website at www.intelligentdevicesinc.com.

MaxID’s focus is on the design and development of rugged mobile terminals and the ancillary technologies for data acquisition and communications such as biometric applications, RFID, Barcode scanning, GPS positioning, and GSM/GPRS. They are represented by Mr Selwyn Jackson. Please contact him at Telephone  +27 11 234 2110 or selwyn@maxidgroup.com or visit the website at www.maxidgroup.com.

Welcome to Johannesburg-based Mncedisi Ndlovu & Sedumedi Consulting. They are represented by Mr Tebogo Moremi, Project Manager for Integrated Public Transport. You can contact him on Telephone +27 11 447 3811 or tebogo@ndlovu-sedumedi.co.za.

 
ABOUT ITS SOUTH AFRICA
The ITS South Africa ensures that ITS and related organisations are kept up to date with the technology revolution, and allows one to harness the technology and gain the benefit it offers. ITS South Africa is a membership-based organisation. It consists of government bodies and its implementation agencies, manufacturers, suppliers, users and potential users of ITS technology.

Find out more about ITS South Africa by visiting our website at www.itssa.org,
or email us at paul@itssa.org.
Click here to unsubscribe from this newsletter.
Read more Comments Off

Transportation Safety Advisory Group (TSAG) Case Studies Workshop & Webinar – March 4, 2009

February 18, 2009 at 12:02 pm

Transportation Safety Advisory Group (TSAG) Case Studies Workshop & Webinar

 When:   March 4, 2009

Time:  2:00–5:30 P.M. ET (note special time and duration)
Cost:  All T3s are free of charge

 This workshop and webinar is a unique learning opportunity offered by the Transportation Safety Advisory Group (TSAG) and the U.S. DOT ITS Program’s Talking Technology and Transportation (T3) program. Webinar participants are invited to attend remotely for any portion of the 3.5 hour workshop/webinar.  Note:  Other upcoming T3 webinars will be held at their regularly scheduled time of day: 1:00 – 2:30 PM ET.   

———————————————————-

Webinar and Registration Information:

 For more information and to register:  http://www.pcb.its.dot.gov/t3/s090304_tsag.asp

 T3 Webinars are brought to you by the ITS Professional Capacity Building, a program of the ITS Program at the U.S. Department of Transportation.  Visit the ITS PCB website for more information about T3 webinars and other ITS learning opportunities:  http://www.pcb.its.dot.gov/default.asp

 Visit the T3 archives to view presentations and to listen to audio files from earlier T3 webinars: http://www.pcb.its.dot.gov/res_t3_archive.asp

 Cut and paste links into your web browser if they fail to open the webpage.

 Please forward this announcement to colleagues who may be interested in this webinar.

——————————————————–

 Important Information for Federal T3 Webinar Participants

 Federal Desktop Core Configuration (FDCC) requirements are currently being implemented in federal agencies.  Please contact your IT staff to determine if these requirements might affect your ability to connect to T3 webinars viaMicrosoft Live Meeting from your federal PC or laptop.  Live Meeting is the net conferencing software used to connect to T3 webinars.  The following link contains information about Live Meeting and can be provided to your IT staff for further reference:  http://www.pcb.its.dot.gov/t3/info_requirements.asp

 ——————————————————-

ITS Professional Capacity Building Program

ITS Program

U.S. Department of Transportation

Contact the T3 Administrator

Read more Comments Off
1 … 8 9 10