Transportation Communications Newsletter

 Tuesday, March 3, 2009 — ISSN 1529-1057

Registration Now Open for ITS America’s 2009 Annual Meeting and Exposition

Registration for the 2009 Annual Meeting and Exposition of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) is now open. The three-day conference, held June 1-3, 2009 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland (just inside the Washington, DC metropolitan area), provides the intelligent transportation systems (ITS) industry with a forum to learn about and share insights on the latest advancements in ITS technologies.  Don’t miss this opportunity to find answers to your toughest transportation challenges, meet your legislators on Capitol Hill, see ITS solutions in action, and take home ideas for implementation, and learn from your peers. Be sure to take advantage of the early-bird registration rates which are available through March 31. Click here to register at the early bird rate or here for more information on the 2009 Annual Meeting.

AVIATION

1) Airports Court Airlines in Speed Dating Event

Link to story in The Dallas Morning News:

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/030309dnbusdfw.3c2e364.html

Link to further information from Network USA 2009:  http://www.networkusa09.com/

GPS / NAVIGATION

2) Navigon Talks Up the Role of Voice in Safe Driving

New features on navigation devices include parking information and learning motorists’ driving styles.

Link to IDG News story:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/160465/navigon_talks_up_the_role_of_voice_in_safe_driving.html

Link to news release from Navigon:

http://navigonusa.com/about/press/default.aspx?d=2009-03-02b

3) Garmin Introduces Nuvi GPSs with Pedestrian Navigation

Link to story in PC Magazine:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2342262,00.asp

Link to news release from Garmin:

http://tinyurl.com/aaz3m3

4) TomTom Keeps Up with Tech, Costs

Link to story in Forbes:

http://www.forbes.com/2009/03/03/tomtom-gps-goddijn-markets-face-0303_geneva_21.html

OTHER

5) Council Formed to Improve Access to Emergency Phone Services

The N11/8XX Essential Services Interoperability Council will promote interoperability and access to the suite of services provided through N11 and 8XX numbers.

Link to story in Government Computer News:

http://gcn.com/articles/2009/03/03/nesic-formed.aspx

6) Add-On Software Apps Make iPhone a Great Travel Partner

Link to story in USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2009-03-02-iphone-travel-apps_N.htm

PUBLIC INFORMATION / EDUCATION

7) US Stimulus Projects to Feature New Emblem

Link to story in the Washington Business Journal:

http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2009/03/02/daily42.html

ROADWAYS

8) Philippine Department of Transportation and Communications Launches Road Safety Program vs Giant Billboards

Link to story in The Daily Tribune:

http://www.tribune.net.ph/metro/20090303met2.html

SAFETY / SECURITY

9) Some Texas School Districts Seek End to Bus Evacuation Drills

Link to story in The Dallas Morning News:

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/legislature/stories/DN-schoolbus_03met.ART0.State.Edition1.4a8b2b4.html

Link to further information from the National Transportation Safety Board:

http://www.ntsb.gov/events/journalist/lessons/LL_school_bus_training.pdf

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

10) Tennessee DOT Investigates Massive Backup

Agency plans new Web site procedures to alert drivers and improved information on 511 system.

Link to story and video on WMC-TV:

http://www.wmctv.com/Global/story.asp?s=9932373

11) The View from Above: Take Mass Transit

A profile of New York City traffic reporter Tom Kaminski.

Link to story in The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/03/nyregion/03experience.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&pagewanted=all

Link to further information from WCBS-AM:

http://www.wcbs880.com/pages/2432.php?contentType=4&contentId=93014

VEHICLES

12) BMW Explores the New ‘Key’ to Payments

Carmaker hopes to use vehicle keys for purchases and other purposes.

Link to story in ContaclessNews:

http://www.contactlessnews.com/2009/03/03/bmw-explores-the-new-key-to-payments

News Releases

1) Hughes Telematics Completes Successful Testing in Europe with Its Aftermarket Solution in-Drive Device – Testing Fuels European Telematics Initiatives

2) Transite Technology Launches New Web Site and Marketing Initiatives

3) Connected Vehicle Proponents to Ask: Is It Time for Internet in Cars?

4) International Association of Fire Chiefs and SkyTerra Publish Information Paper on Communications Interoperability

5) Networks In Motion Strengthens Accuracy of Traffic Services on NAVBuilder Platform with Acquisition of TrafficGauge

 Upcoming Events

Maritime Security Forum – March 25 – New London, Connecticut

http://www.navysna.org/CGForum/Index.htm

Today in Transportation History

1879 **130^th anniversary** – The United States Geological Survey was created.

http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/c1050/

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

The Transportation Communications Newsletter is published electronically Monday through Friday. 

To subscribe send an e-mail to:  TCNL-subscribe@googlegroups.com

To unsubscribe send an e-mail to:  TCNL-unsubscribe@googlegroups.com

TCN archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications

Questions, comments about the TCN?  Please write the editor, Bernie Wagenblast ati95berniew@aol.com.   

© 2009 Bernie Wagenblast

The U.S. Department of Transportation today awarded the United We Ride/Mobility for All Americans joint demonstration grants to the following recipients:

1.  Lower Savannah Council of Governments – $680,000 grant to provide enhanced, cost-effective transportation choices for older adults, people with disabilities and low-income populations in Aiken, SC.   The Lower Savannah Council of Governments is using the funding for planning and designing an expanded human service transportation network to include more human service transportation providers and vehicle tracking abilities such as global positioning systems (GPS) and to enable customers to receive information and manage their own trips through a toll-free number and web-based applications.

2.  Camden County Workforce Investment Board – $700,000 grant to provide enhanced, cost-effective transportation choices for older adults, people with disabilities and low-income populations in Camden County, NJ.   The Camden County Workforce Investment Board is using the funding for planning and designing a transportation brokerage system supported by a comprehensive set of transportation modes, and for promoting fixed-route public transportation usage for human service clients through accessibility improvement.

3.  Paducah Area Transit System – $1.4 million grant to provide enhanced, cost-effective transportation choices for older adults, people with disabilities and low-income populations in Paducah, KY.   The Paducah Area Transit System is using the funding for the expansion of an existing call center to cover a larger geographic area and provide around-the-clock access to traveler support.  The strengthened call center will add customer-oriented features, such as automated telephone and Internet-based trip reservations and management.

The United We Ride/Mobility for All Americans joint demonstration adopts a two-phased approach.  Eight sites were selected to in 2007 participate in Phase 1, which is system planning and design.  These three Phase 1 sites are selected to move forward to system deployment, the second phase of the program. 

Funding for the demonstration is provided by the Intelligent Transportation System Joint Program Office of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration in Partnership with the Federal Transit Administration

(Source: Forbes)

Automaker’s finance unit is believed to have requested $2 billion loan from Japanese state-backed bank.

Finding it difficult to raise money in the U.S., Toyota Motor is reportedly seeking emergency funding of about 200 billion yen ($2 billion) in dollars from a governmental institution in Japan to support its U.S. auto-financing operations.

Commercial banks have been cautious to grant loans amid the credit crunch, particularly to the slumping auto industry, and Toyota (nyse: TM – news –people ) and several of its financing affiliates have had their credit ratings reduced, hurting their ability to raise money on the capital markets. As a result, Toyota Financial Services, an auto-financing unit of Toyota Motor, is turning to the Japan Bank for International Cooperation as a last resort for low-interest dollar loans, various Japanese media reported Wednesday.

In response to the global financial turmoil, the government funded an emergency JBIC program late last year to provide loans and debt guarantees to help Japanese firms finance operations overseas.

Click here to read the entire article.

Transportation Communications Newsletter

 Monday, March 2, 2009 — ISSN 1529-1057

Register Today and Prepare for the Approaching Recovery: IBTTA’s Workshop on Managing in an Era of Changing Economic Times, April 19-21, 2009 in San Francisco, CA 

Join IBTTA in San Francisco for power-packed educational sessions and walk away with a world of knowledge on better managing your organization today and preparing for the approaching economic recovery. Learn how global issues are affecting your organization and the toll industry, the goals and efforts of the U.S. stimulus program, how to build a cost-conscious culture and make tough decisions, how to position your agency for unique opportunities during this slowdown, solid financing strategies and more. This is one meeting you don’t want to miss! Visit IBTTA’s website to view the preliminary agenda, make your travel arrangements and register today!

AVIATION

1) Southwest Airlines Criticized for Promotion of Magazine’s Swimsuit Edition

Link to McClatchy Newspapers story:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/02/southwest-airlines-sports-illustrated-swimsuit

BUSES

2) High-End Buses to Make Bid for Lexus Commuters

Link to story in the San Francisco Chronicle:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/03/01/MNOQ166F3C.DTL&type=business&tsp=1

3) Chicago Transit Authority Bus-Tracking Site to Add Service-Delay Alerts

Link to story on Chicago Breaking News:

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/03/cta-bus-bustracker-delay-alert-service-change.html

CAMERAS

4) Arizona Photo Radar Citations Can be Prosecuted Criminally

Link to story in Government Technology:

http://www.govtech.com/gt/articles/624281

5) AAA Alerts Drivers to Arizona Speed Cameras

Link to story in USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-03-01-speedcameras_N.htm

GPS / NAVIGATION

6) GPS Gadgets a Big Distraction for Male Drivers, Survey Finds

Link to AAP story:

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25131239-12377,00.html

OTHER

7) Articles from Most Recent Issue of Texas Transportation Researcher

 –  Pay Attention! Enhancing Visibility to Improve Safety on Houston’s ‘Red Line’

http://tti.tamu.edu/publications/researcher/newsletter.htm?vol=44&issue=4&article=3&year=2008

 –  School Zones as Safety Zones: Helping Motorists Reduce Speed Near Schools

http://tti.tamu.edu/publications/researcher/newsletter.htm?vol=44&issue=4&article=6&year=2008

 –  Walk, Bike and be Counted: Automated Sensors are Watching Out for You

http://tti.tamu.edu/publications/researcher/newsletter.htm?vol=44&issue=4&article=9&year=2008

PARKING

8) A Los Angeles Parking Ambassador

Curbing motorists’ anger and confusion, traffic cop William Hartsfield has helped ease LA’s switch from meters to pay stations.

Link to story in the Los Angeles Times:

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-parking-meters2-2009mar02%2C0%2C1423549.story

RAILROADS

9) Los Angeles Metrolink’s Commitment to Safety Reforms Comes Under Scrutiny

Link to story in the Los Angeles Times:

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-metrolink-crash-redlights-2009mar02,0,2760811.story

10) Keeping the IT Trains Running

An interview with Ed Trainor, CIO of Amtrak.

Link to interview in CIO Insight:

http://www.cioinsight.com/c/a/Expert-Voices/Keeping-the-IT-Trains-Running/

ROADWAYS

11) Take the Virtual Road to the Super-Datacenter

Link to story in Traffic Technology International:

http://www.traffictechnologytoday.com/industry-blogs.php?BlogID=163

SAFETY / SECURITY

12) Canadian Trucking Alliance: Border Security Programs Need Coordination

Link to story in Today’s Trucking:

http://www.todaystrucking.com/news.cfm?intDocID=21289&login=i95berniew%40aol%2Ecom&datalogin=%269A6%3BNX%241%0A

13) Technology Promises Speedier US-Mexico Border Crossing

Link to AP story:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iAVfE6A6Xae1RECw0u3OAGbMfEywD96K7EHO0

14) Orange County, California, May be Successful Model for Interoperable Communications Systems

Link to article in Emergency Management:

http://www.govtech.com/em/596643

15) Crisis Communication

Texas agencies maximized Web power before and after Hurricane Ike.

Link to story in Texas Technology:

http://www.govtech.com/tt/585985

TRANSIT

16) London Transport Lacked Snow Emergency Plan

Link to story on Sky News:

http://tinyurl.com/dapw5d

Link to report from the London Assembly Transport Committee:

http://www.london.gov.uk/assembly/reports/transport/snow-report-0309.pdf

17) South Koreans May Lose Subway Mobile TV as Broadcasters Face Cash Crisis

Link to mocoNews story:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/27/AR2009022701707.html

Upcoming Events

Fourth Joint Military/Civilian Conference on Intelligent Vehicle Technology Transfer (IVTT) – April 1-2 – Gaithersburg, Maryland

http://www.intelligent-vehicle.com/index.php/conference

Today in Transportation History

1949 **60^th anniversary** – The first non-stop round-the-world flight was completed on a Boeing B-50A, the Lucky Lady II.

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=2634

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

The Transportation Communications Newsletter is published electronically Monday through Friday. 

To subscribe send an e-mail to:  TCNL-subscribe@googlegroups.com

To unsubscribe send an e-mail to:  TCNL-unsubscribe@googlegroups.com

TCN archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications

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

© 2009 Bernie Wagenblast

(Source: Creamer Media’s Engineering News)

All of Durban’s public transport projects, which are being funded by the national government to the tune of R1,2-billion, will be completed by the first quarter of 2010,Carlos Esteves, deputy head of the Road System Management for eThekwini, said ast week. 

The city aims to promote public transport over private transport to make the city more accessible and to ease movement around the city centre for commuters and pedestrians. 

Projects on target for 2010 include additional dedicated public transport lanes, an inner city distribution system, park and ride facilities using existing car parks and buses, upgrades to major intersections, a freeway management system, a closed-circuit television road monitoring system and a traffic call centre. 

Durban’s King Shaka International Airport is expected to start operating in May 2010, just in time for the FIFA World Cup, and a shuttle service will be provided for passengers between the airport and a central transport hub in the city.

(Source:  CondeNast Portfolio.com)

Turbo-prop planes and regional jets are a crucial part of the airlines’ route strategies and are often the only way a business traveler can easily get to a destination, but road warriors hate flying them.

“I HATE THOSE TINY OLD RJS,” one otherwise rational business traveler I know shouted in his email. “NOBODY SHOULD FLY THEM. THEY’RE NOT SAFE.”

No matter that the aircraft involved in Flight 3407’s fiery end six miles from Buffalo Niagara International Airport was not an “RJ,” industry shorthand for regional jet. (It was a Q400, a twin-engine turboprop plane manufactured by Bombardier of Canada.) No matter that the 74-seat Q400 isn’t particularly tiny. (At 107 feet long with a 93-foot wingspan, it is about the size of several early versions of Boeing’s workhorse B737 jet and 20 feet longer than Bombardier’s 50-seat regional jet.) And no matter that the Q400 isn’t old. (The Q400 series didn’t enter service until 2000 and the plane that crashed in Buffalo was less than a year old.)

Safe? That is most definitely in the eye of the beholder—and most business travelers eye commuter airlines with extreme trepidation. They don’t like flying them. They don’t like that the commuter lines wrap themselves in the colors and livery of the major airlines. And they are convinced, rightly or wrongly, that commuter carriers simply aren’t as safe as the major airlines they mimic.

Clich here to read the entire article.

Transportation Communications Newsletter

The Fourth Joint Military/Civilian Conference on Intelligent Vehicle Technology Transfer (IVTT) is sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA); and it is supported by the Department of Transportation Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office (DOT ITS JPO), the Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC), the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI); the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America); and it is hosted by the Intelligent Systems Division of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (ISD NIST).