Air Quality & Weather Systems

Virginia DoT faced a challenge common to many highway authorities around the world: the need, in economically challenging times, to replace ageing variable message signs reaching the end of their operational life. For some 25 years now, since the mid 80s, Virginia Department of Transportation (VDoT), has deployed variable message signs (VMS) as part of its motorist information systems. Throughout the state there are still many old 'flip-disk' signs. Some of the companies that provided these electronic messa

Iteris has signed a stock purchase agreement to acquire Meridian Environmental Technology, a privately-held company based in North Dakota.

The Texas Transportation Institute's Jerry Ullman talks about the state of the art in work zone safety in the US. Work zones are places where, perhaps more than anywhere else on the road network, mobility and safety are strongly linked. Historically, field crews and contractors wanted vehicles in work zones to be moving as slowly as possible, assuming that made conditions the safest for work crews. We are though starting to see a shift in such thinking with the realisation that excessive delays or slow-down

Telvent and IBM have announced that together they will develop smarter traffic solutions that are affordable and customised for small cities, university and government campuses and business districts. The solution can integrate and analyse data traffic control, road sensors, bus schedules, real-time GPS location and IBM's advanced analytics.

An overview of European efforts to increase disabled access to public transport, by David Crawford

Mentor Engineering has released its online passenger information system, Mentor MyRide. Developed for transit agencies, it provides passengers with various means of accessing real-time bus location, status and schedule information online using a desktop computer, smart phone or regular mobile phone.

Aftek, which is headquartered in Mumbai, India, has announced that it is now offering various transportation services under one complete framework, known as Aftek Transportation Framework (ATF). Designed for scalability and future growth, the main components of ATF are depot manager, bus tracking system, passenger information system, automatic fare collection, smartcard management and driver console unit. Being highly configurable, these components can be integrated easily with third-party devices and can a

Telvent’s Jorgen Pedersen and Tip Franklin discuss how integrated corridor management can create synergies within a multimodal transportation infrastructure, while promoting modal shift. The mantra ‘We cannot build ourselves out of congestion’ has long been stated and too often ignored. But with the economy in dire straits, funding deficits and pressure to reduce governmental spending, this is now being taken seriously by almost everyone who has an interest in the flow of traffic. By ‘everyone’ we include

Mini-BlueToad from TrafficCast is an advanced traffic monitoring technology in a small form factor that uses anonymous detection of Bluetooth signals from passing vehicles. The compact device attaches to virtually any existing roadside infrastructure and its battery powers continuous data collection for up to two weeks without a recharge. An optional mini solar panel can recharge the battery for longer studies. Data is stored on a Micro SD card, and downloaded through a simple client interface for analysis

Peter Bell, managing director of journey planning provider Trapeze Group, ponders the business models which will underpin future travel information services from a UK perspective Traditionally, journey planning websites for public transport in the UK (for example, Transport Direct, the Traveline regions or National Rail Enquiries) have been provided by the transport operators keen to increase ridership and revenues, or by public bodies who hope to encourage a modal switch to public transport by making it e