[TCN] Thursday, April 10, 2008

 

Transportation Communications Newsletter

 

Thursday, April 10, 2008 -- ISSN 1529-1057

---

 

GPS / NAVIGATION

 

1) TomTom and Garmin Lose Their Way

Makers of personal navigation devices are facing tough times from keen competition—namely cell phones—and a weakening economy.

Link to story in BusinessWeek:

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/apr2008/tc2008048_819969.htm?chan=rss_topEmailedStories_ssi_5

Link to financial update from TomTom:

http://investors.tomtom.com/tomtom/press/2008/2008-04-08/

 

OTHER

 

2) Arizona Governor's Office Opposed April Fool's Prank

Arizona DOT collaborated with radio station story about tolls being collected on freeways.

Link to story in The Arizona Republic:

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/04/09/20080409prank0409-ON.html

Link to story on KTAR Radio:

http://www.ktar.com/?sid=793341&nid=6

 

3) Draft ITS Program Goals and Focus Areas Posted – Comments Sought

Link to further information from the Research and Innovative Technology Administration:

http://www.its.dot.gov/program_goals/index.htm

 

PUBLIC INFORMATION / EDUCATION

 

4) Wisconsin DOT Launches Ad to Encourage Safety in Work Zones

Link to story and video on WISC-TV:

http://www.channel3000.com/news/15840872/detail.html

 

5) Orange Glow on I-75 May Spark Safe Driving

Ohio DOT lighting buildings in orange for National Work Zone Awareness Week.

Link to story in The Blade:

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080410/NEWS11/804100343

Link to news release from the Ohio Department of Transportation:

http://www.dot.state.oh.us/news/2008/04-07-08.asp

 

ROADWAYS

 

6) Washington State Says Yellow Ribbons on Freedom Bridge Near Fort Lewis Can Stay

Link to story in The News Tribune:

http://www.thenewstribune.com/front/topstories/story/331342.html

 

SAFETY / SECURITY

 

7) TSA Unveils Plan to X-Ray Cargo

Link to story in USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-04-09-Aircargo_N.htm

 

8) Nationwide Text Message Alert System Approved

Link to AP story:

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/wireless/phones/2008-04-09-nationwide-cellphone-alert_N.htm

Link to news release from the Federal Communications Commission:

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-281433A1.pdf

 

9) DC Will Centralize Security Monitoring

Most city-owned cameras, including DOT video, will be monitored around-the-clock from single location.

Link to story in The Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/09/AR2008040904048.html  (free registration required)

 

TRANSIT

 

10) Google Transit Gets Smarter and Smarter

Link to story in Wired:

http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/04/google-transi-1.html

Link to Google Transit:  http://www.google.com/transit

 

11) Transport Card Planned for Wellington, New Zealand

Link to story on Radio New Zealand:

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/latest/200804100822/29bc889b

 

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

 

12) Microsoft Introduces Tool for Avoiding Traffic Jams

Link to story in The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/10/technology/10maps.html?ex=1365566400&en=5581e55cad523f0a&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all

 

13) Inrix Offers Nationwide Traffic Alerts

Data gleaned from mobile handsets and GPS-enabled vehicles will flag congested areas all across the country.

Link to story in InformationWeek:

http://www.informationweek.com/news/personal_tech/gps/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=207100916

Link to news release from Inrix:

http://inrix.com/pressrelease.asp?ID=43

 

14) Microsoft, Traffic Jams and Inrix

Link to column in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer:

http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/venture/archives/136219.asp

News Releases

1) Kansas City's KSHB-TV Launches Free Mobile Traffic Camera Service to Help Lighten Traffic Load

2) Oregon DOT Seeking Innovative Ways to Improve Traffic Flow

3) US DOT Announces Approval of Phase II of the Integrated Vehicle-Based Safety Systems Program

 

 

Upcoming Events

Nineteenth Annual CTS Transportation Research Conference – May 20-21 – St. Paul, Minnesota

http://www.cts.umn.edu/Events/ResearchConf/index.html

 

 

Today in Transportation History

1968 **40^th anniversary** - The New Zealand interisland ferry Wahine sank in Wellington Harbor killing 51 people.

http://wairarapa.co.nz/times-age/weekly/wahine.html

 

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

 

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.   

© 2008 Bernie Wagenblast