Tuesday, April 7, 2009 – ISSN 1529-1057

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Deadline Extended to April 17 for ITS America’s Student Essay Competition

The deadline to submit entries for the Student Essay Competition has been extended to April 17.  This year’s competition, one of the highlights of ITS America’s Annual Meeting, is sponsored by Southwest Research Institute.  The Student Essay Competition is designed to encourage student interest and future participation in the development of Intelligent Transportation Systems and solutions.  Three winners will be honored in conjunction with the Best of ITS Awards during an awards ceremony on Monday, June 1, 2009, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, MD – inside the Washington DC metropolitan area.  For full entry guidelines and essay topics for this competition, please click here.  If you have further questions, please contact Edgar Martinez at emartinez@itsa.org 202-21-4223.

AVIATION

1) FAA Gets High Marks for Deployment of Satellite-Based Surveillance System

Link to story in Aircraft Maintenance Technology:

http://www.amtonline.com/article/article.jsp?siteSection=1&id=7859

CAMERAS

2) Pilot Project in UK Uses Cameras in Helmets of Traffic Wardens to Record Video and Sound

Cameras to be used to resolve disputes over fines but concerns about recording private conversations.

Link to story in the Enfield Independent:

http://www.enfieldindependent.co.uk/news/4273430.Traffic_wardens_given_surveillance_powers_under_new_videocamera_scheme/

PUBLIC INFORMATION / EDUCATION

3) National Work Zone Awareness Week

Link to story and video on WTTG-TV:

http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/dc/040709_work_zone_awareness_week

Link to news release from US DOT:

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pressroom/fhwa0911.htm

4) Rhode Island DOT Enters the World of Social Networking

Link to story in The Interchange:

http://www.dot.ri.gov/documents/news/interchg/Winter2009.pdf  (page 8)

RAILROADS

5) United Transportation Union Launches Close-Call Pilot Program with NJ Transit

Link to story in Progressive Railroading:

http://www.progressiverailroading.com/news/article.asp?id=20109

Link to UTU news release: 

http://www.utu.org/worksite/detail_news.cfm?ArticleID=46622

ROADWAYS

6) West Virginia House Approves Emergency Response Bill

State department of transportation must be notified during certain emergencies.

Link to story in The Charleston Gazette:

http://www.wvgazettemail.com/News/200904063534068

7) Signs at I-75 Ramp in Atlanta Incomplete, Two Years After Fatal Bus Crash

Link to story in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

http://www.ajc.com/services/content/printedition/2009/04/06/hovramp0406.html

SAFETY / SECURITY

8) Whole-Body Scans Pass First Airport Tests

Link to story in The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/07/business/07road.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&pagewanted=all

TRANSIT

9) New York City Transit Begins to Blog the L Train

Link to story in Metro:

http://www.metro.us/us/article/2009/04/07/05/4355-82/index.xml

10) Dude, Where’s My Bus? Ask DIYcity!

Link to story in The New York Observer:

http://www.observer.com/2009/media/dude-wheres-my-bus-ask-diycity

Link to DIYcity:  http://www.diycity.org/

11) Wireless Passenger Communications System

Link to document from the Federal Railroad Administration:

http://www.fra.dot.gov/downloads/Research/rr0834.pdf

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

12) Road Weather Information System Environmental Sensor Station Siting Guide Version 2.0

Link to draft report from the Research and Innovative Technology Administration:

http://www.itsdocs.fhwa.dot.gov/JPODOCS//REPTS_TE/14447.htm

VEHICLES

13) Utah Rolls Out New ‘Share the Road’ License Plate

Link to story in The Salt Lake Tribune:

http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_12091043

News Releases

1) New Greyhound Buses Redefine Leisure Travel – Upgraded Fleet Features Wi-Fi

2) Houston TranStar Goes Twitter

Upcoming Events

APTA Rail Conference – June 14-18 – Chicago

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

Today in Transportation History

1989 **20^th anniversary** – A bus, en route from Montreal to New York, was hijacked to Ottawa.

http://www.nytimes.com/1989/04/08/world/a-bus-headed-for-new-york-is-briefly-hijacked-in-canada.html?n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/Subjects/H/Hijacking

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Questions, comments about the TCN?  Please write the editor, Bernie Wagenblast at i95berniew@aol.com.   

© 2009 Bernie Wagenblast