Charging, Tolling & RUC

As transportation industry experts from around the world gather in Austin, Texas for the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association’s 82nd Annual Meeting and Exhibition, 14-17 September, infrastructure solutions firm HNTB Corporation announces the results of a new America THINKS tolling survey, including the public’s views on tolling in the State. According to the survey, close to three in four (73 per cent) Texans who regularly drive on roads or bridges with tolls are pleased with the value

As the IBTTA’s annual meeting and exhibition heads for Austin, Mitchell Beer, president of Smarter Shift, considers the role of Texas in the development of tolling strategies and technology. The State of Texas has always prided itself on being ‘larger than life’. From the sprawling geography of the state itself with its wide open skies, to its entrepreneurial ‘get-it-done’ attitude, Texas exudes an impatient restlessness that pushes businesses and public agencies to deliver faster, better results. More ofte

Brazil's São Paulo state transport agency Artesp has opened a technology centre that will oversee services provided by highways concessionaires. The information control centre uses IBM's Maximum asset management software and intelligent operations centre technology, implemented by local IT integrator and consulting firm Magna Systems. The centre will gather and integrate traffic volume and toll data control centres along 30 highways operated by 19 licensed companies as well as information captured by

Q-Free Elcom is to supply advanced transportation management systems (ATMS), including electrical installations and installation of LED light systems for a bridge over the River Danube in Eastern Europe. The contract, valued at US$1.3 million, was awarded by construction company Ratko Mitrović Niskogradnja in Belgrade and will commence immediately. “This new contract for Q-Free Elcom is a confirmation of the attractiveness of our ATMS portfolio,” comments Q-Free CEO Thomas Falck.

A petition with almost 45,000 signatures will be submitted to the European Parliament on 2 September by the Royal Dutch Touring Club (ANWB) in protest at a proposed German road toll that will fall primarily on foreign drivers. The Dutch Club is urging the European Parliament to get involved and address the question of discrimination against international motorists. The ANWB will be represented by their President, Frits van Bruggen, and the European Parliament will be represented by Dutch MEP, Wim van de

Transportation consultant D’Artgnan Consulting has been awarded major contracts in the US and Australia. In the US, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has awarded Cambria Solutions (Cambria), in conjunction with D’Artagnan Consulting and CH2M Hill (the Cambria Team) a mileage-based user fee (MBUF) study to provide information and recommendations for the purpose of piloting a MBUF concept in the state. D’Artagnan Consulting, which has experience in planning as well as implementing M

Delcan has been awarded a nearly US$1 million contract to determine the best way to provide tolling and traffic information on the much-anticipated Windsor-Detroit bridge, to be built between Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan. The Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority has hired Delcan to come up with a preliminary design for both tolling and intelligent transportation systems that will warn drivers about poor weather, traffic accidents and other congestion problems once the bridge is open. The contra

Traffic Quality Management Karl Ernst Ambrosch talks to ITS International about a new KPI-based methodology for assessing the efficacy of electronic toll collection schemes The debate over which is the ‘best’ solution for applications such as truck tolling is now years old.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation awarded Raytheon Company a US$130 million contract for an all electronic tolling system (AET). Raytheon and a team of Massachusetts-based companies will convert and replace all manual cash and electronic toll collection systems with an advanced system that will automatically toll vehicles as they pass under a gantry similar to an overhead sign. Drivers will be able to pass through the toll station at highway speeds without the need to slow down or stop. Ray

Q-Free has been awarded an order for OBU610 tags from Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) in Australia at a value of US$2.4 million, to be delivered within the second quarter of 2015. “Q-Free has supplied more than two million tags to RMS, representing an important basis for our activity in Australia. We are pleased to see the continued strength of this particular relationship and of our competitiveness in the Australian market,” comments Q-Free CEO Thomas Falck. Q-Free also reported increased revenues