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MDOT V2I technology testing ‘a success’
June 27, 2016
The US Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) recently teamed up to test vehicle to infrastructure communications technology for Army vehicles along I-69. According to MDOT, the testing, which was the first step to eventual autonomous operations of Army line-haul convoys and included direct communications between Army trucks and roadside units deployed by MDOT, was a success. Messaging that is low in latency and
Canada's first high-occupancy toll lanes to open September 2016
June 27, 2016
Ontario is launching Canada's first high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes on 15 September as part of a pilot project on the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) between Trafalgar Road in Oakville and Guelph Line in Burlington to help manage congestion and add another option for travellers. Existing high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes on the highway will be designated as HOT lanes. As part of the pilot, Ontario is issuing a Request for Information seeking innovative technologies that can be used to support tolling, complia
Atkins to aid transformation of Colorado’s transportation system
June 27, 2016
UK-based design, engineering and project management consultancy Atkins is to assist the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) in transforming the state’s aging transportation system into one of the safest and most reliable in the US. CDOT has selected the company to provide program support for the RoadX Program, its commitment to rapid and aggressive implementation of innovative technology to revolutionise the state’s transportation system within the next ten years. CDOT is investing US$20 m
Elimination of electric vehicle systems
June 24, 2016
According to IDTechEx Research reports, Power Electronics for Electric Vehicles 2016-2026, Mild Hybrid 48V Vehicles 2016-2031 and Structural Electronics 2015-2025: Applications, Technologies, Forecasts”, el4ctric vehicles (EVs)have a cost challenge: hybrids have complexity problems meaning reliability and space issues. Extra power electronic units arrive for tasks such as a vehicle-to-grid, vehicle-to-house and inductive charging. Many more will be added in future such as regeneration modules - thermoelect
ISS appoints new executive chairman
June 24, 2016
Image Sensing Systems (ISS) has appointed Andrew T. Berger as executive chairman of the Board of Directors. In this capacity Berger will have all the duties of the Chairman and, in addition, his duties will include leading the company’s officers and management in the day-to-day operations of the company. Berger is the managing member of AB Value Management, which serves as the General Partner of AB Value Partners. He has nearly two decades of experience in investment analysis, investment management and
WSP/Parsons Brinckerhoff to collaborate with Go Travel Solutions on major sustainable travel project
June 24, 2016
WSP/Parsons Brinckerhoff has commissioned specialist sustainable transport consultancy, Go Travel Solutions, to support their delivery of a new Go Smarter Business Network in areas of North East England. The Go Smarter Business Network has been developed to meet the transport needs of businesses across the North East Combined Authority (NECA) area and help encourage employees to adopt a greener commute to work. The Network will be focused around four facilitated meetings per year where members can h
APT Skidata creates new teams to support growth
June 24, 2016
UK parking technology company APT Skidata, a joint-venture of Swarco and Skidata in Austria, has expanded its senior management and created a new Customer Care Department and a Professional Services Department to further improve the communication and effectiveness of all teams dealing with its UK-wide customer base. Combining APT Skidata’s Service Help Desk and Technical Support, the new Customer Care Department is headed by Helen Hunt, a former sales service manager at Schneider Electric where she led a
Tampa toll authority awards back office contract
June 24, 2016
The Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) has awarded ETAN Industries a contract to provide back-office support for its toll-account operations. Under the three-year contract, ETAN will assume account management responsibilities for THEA's unpaid toll by plate accounts including customer service, notification, dispute resolution and payment processing. Dallas-based ETAN will open a call centre in Tampa and provide staff for satellite customer service locations in the community. In support of THE
ATS study finds decrease in school bus passing citations
June 24, 2016
According to American Traffic Solutions' (ATS) results from the latest review of its CrossingGuard School Bus Stop Arm Safety Camera Programs show the automated enforcement systems continue to deter drivers who might otherwise illegally pass a stopped school bus and put children in danger. The analysis found that 99 per cent of drivers who received one ticket for passing a school bus with its stop arm extended did not receive a second. Additionally, ATS found a nearly 40 per cent decrease in the number o
Green light for traffic signal performance
June 24, 2016
A revamp of traffic light maintenance is helping to reduce congestion, save money and improve safety on Greater Manchester’s roads, according to the latest figures from Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), which is responsible for all 2,400 traffic signals across the region. These show that the number of incidents of traffic signal failure has steadily declined over the past three years. Between July 2015 and April 2016, there was an average of 413 signal fault faults per month. This is 24 per cent
Columbus wins US Smart City Challenge
June 24, 2016
Columbus, Ohio has been selected as the winner of the US Department of Transportation's (US DOT) Smart City Challenge. As winner of the Challenge, Columbus will receive up to US$40 million from US DOT and up to US$10 million from Vulcan to supplement the US$90 million that the city has already raised from other private partners to carry out its plan. The Smart City Challenge generated a significant amount of excitement and interest amongst cities. US DOT received seventy-eight applications in total – on
Britain ‘may be out of Europe but it's not out of business’ says FTA
June 24, 2016
Following the UK vote to leave the European Union, with votes of 52 per cent for Leave and 48 per cent for Remain, Patrick Flaherty, chief executive – UK & Ireland, AECOM, said the country faces a period of change and uncertainty and business must play a stabilising role. “A positive, long-term focus on the future is required despite a referendum result that we and many businesses did not want,” he commented. The Freight Transport Association (FTA) says coming out of union risks new costs, restrictions a
Battery vehicle ‘now viable for very long distances’
June 23, 2016
The Tesla 3 gets nearly double the range of the Nissan Leaf by using nearly double the amount of battery but engineers are using a multitude of work rounds to do better: aerodynamics, light-weighting even including structural electronics where dumb structure is replaced by supercapacitors or solid state batteries. Add more efficient motors and powertrain, says Dr Peter Harrop, chairman of IDTechEx Research in its report Industrial and Commercial Electric Vehicles on Land 2016-2026. He goes on to say that
New partners for USDOT Smart City Challenge
June 23, 2016
US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx has announced two new partners in the US Department of Transportation (USDOT)’s Smart City Challenge, DC Solar Solutions and Continental Automotive. In addition to offering US$1.5 million in mobile solar products to the winning city, mobile solar technology manufacturer DC Solar Solutions will assist all seven finalist cities in building strategies for electric vehicle charging infrastructure to encourage and facilitate the adoption of electric vehicles by individ
Boost for roads and infrastructure in New South Wales budget
June 23, 2016
New South Wales infrastructure and services have received a boost in the 2016-17 budget. The government is investing US$15.3 billion (AU$20.2billion) in recurrent and capital funding, an increase of US$2.8 billion (AU$3.7 billion) on 2015-16. It is also providing significant funding for priority projects, including US$2.2 billion (AU$2.9 billion) for WestConnex, the largest transport project in Australia linking Sydney’s west and south-west with the CBD, the Airport and Port Botany. It will also provide