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May 29, 2013
Speed cameras have ‘changed the way people in Montgomery County drive’
According to police in Montgomery County, Maryland, the speed camera program the county started in 2009 has made roads safer and reduced speeding in a way no other tool could. “What we’ve seen is something that’s changed driver behavior like nothing else has in the history of law enforcement,” Captain Paul Starks, a police spokesperson, told County Cable Montgomery. Starks said the number of citations from speed cameras is on a steady decline, proof that the program is working and not merely a revenue strat
May 29, 2013
Cubic unveils new virtual ticketing office
According to Cubic Transportation Systems, its newly-launched NextAgent is a radical new concept in transport ticketing using high-speed video links that enable passengers to interact with ticketing staff in real time, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. A hybrid of ticket office, call centre and ticket vending machine, NextAgent enables transit operators to respond to a number of significant trends in ticketing, including a preference from some passengers for the regular or occasional option of purchasing tic
May 29, 2013
Thales to modernise Egyptian railways signalling systems
In a contract valued at over US$141 million with Egyptian National Railways, Thales is to modernise the signalling systems on the Cairo-Alexandria corridor. The Cairo-Alexandria railway line is approximately 208 km long and is currently the busiest section of the Egyptian Railways network, carrying more than 25 million passengers per year. The turnkey contract includes design, supply, construction, phasing, commissioning and maintenance services. It covers the modernisation of the signalling as well as the
May 28, 2013
Global Summit of Transport Ministers calls for better transport funding
Ministers from the 54 member countries of the International Transport Forum are calling for more investment in strategic transport infrastructure and services. In a joint Declaration on Funding Transport agreed during their 2013 Summit in Leipzig, Germany, ministers stated that funding transport is a major challenge for transport policy today. The demand for mobility through high-quality transport networks and services is growing fast. They say transport infrastructure is much more than asphalt, concrete or
May 28, 2013
FTA launches cycle-friendly HGV sat-nav
As part of its continuing efforts to raises safety standards in the logistics industry, the UK’s Freight Transport Association (FTA) launched what it says is the world’s first satellite navigation system incorporating an HGV Cyclist Alert system. Currently only available in London, the Pro Nav 420’s HGV Cyclist Alert warns the truck driver when approaching a section of road that has been designated by Transport for London (TfL) as a “HGV/Cyclist convergence area”, such as junctions where large numbers of HG
May 28, 2013
MassDOT uses Bluetooth to provide real-time information on signs
Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has deployed forty-eight message signs along the Massachusetts Turnpike, Route 3 on the South Shore and the Mid-Cape highway, which will use information from Bluetooth enabled devices to display real time traffic information. The signs will operate seven days a week from 5am to 10pm and will be updated every three minutes with new information. A unique identifier and a time stamp is created when a Bluetooth enabled device, such a cell phone in a car, pass
May 28, 2013
Thales delivers smart ticketing in Auckland
Following the successful roll-out of Thales’s ticketing systems across Auckland, New Zealand’s train and ferry networks, the company has been selected by Auckland Transport to extend its ticketing solution to the city’s bus network. Six months into operation, the interoperable and multimodal transport smart card of Auckland’s smart card, At Hop, developed by Thales, is working successfully. At Hop went live for train commuters across forty-two stations in October 2012 and one month later was extended to in
May 28, 2013
Kapsch completes successful trial of EETS
Kapsch TrafficCom has completed a successful trial of European Electronic Toll Service (EETS) in Poland and demonstrated its capacities to a group of the key European toll providers. This demonstration is the first time that all the EETS standards, including the standards for the on-board unit (OBU), security, the system architecture and the back office, from the European Commission’s own EETS Application Guide, have been implemented in a single system and work seamlessly.
May 24, 2013
Britain's first Bio-LNG filling station launched
The UK's first open access Bio-LNG filling station, built by Gasrec , has been launched, marking the start of a nationwide investment in infrastructure seeking the ultimate prize of wiping out nearly two-thirds of the nation's heavy goods vehicle (HGV) emissions. Gasrec's ground-breaking new facility in Daventry is the first of its kind. It will lead to significant cuts in pollution and fuel costs; allow gas-powered or dual-fuel trucks to use Bio-LNG; and will operate in a similar way to a traditional petr
May 24, 2013
Seminar urges the use of smart road technologies in Oman
The recent Smart Road Technologies seminar in Oman discussed the development of transportation systems, not just the construction of new roads or infrastructure renovation, but also the use of information technology to link elements within the road system - vehicles, roads, traffic lights, message signs, among others – using intelligent technology to enable them to communicate with each other via wireless technologies. The seminar was held as part of the Digital Nation series of seminars organised by Knowle
May 24, 2013
Japanese airport wins transport achievement award
The International Transport Forum’s (ITF) global summit of Transport Ministers has recognised Osaka’s New Kansai International Airport Company (NKIAC) for its model of funding key transport infrastructure, with the award of its 2013 Transport Achievement Award. Established by the Japanese government in 2012, NKIAC integrated the operation of Osaka’s two major air hubs, Kansai International Airport (KIX) and Osaka International Airport (ITM). Under this new structure, funding for a dedicated low-cost carrier
May 24, 2013
New Mexico installs its first adaptive signal system
Work has begun on a US$343,000 project to install the first adaptive signal control system in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, to improve traffic flow along Alameda Boulevard, which has one of the highest traffic flows in the county. The system is a designated set of traffic signals that effectively communicate with each other and adapt to the traffic flow, reducing the frequency of red lights when traffic volume is high to improve overall traffic flow. County commissioner Lonnie Talbert said: “Up to 50,000 v
May 24, 2013
Sensys awarded new Swedish procurement contract
Following the award in April of the contract for traffic safety cameras by the Swedish Transport Administration, Sensys Traffic has received a further procurement award decision from the Administration for new roadside cabinets for traffic safety cameras. The overall value of the contract cannot be currently quantified. The cabinets are to replace existing units, as well as for the future expansion of traffic safety cameras installed across the Swedish road network. Sensys' tender was the only one that fulf
May 23, 2013
Uruguay launches first ''zero emissions'' electric buses
Uruguay transit companies BUQUEBUS and CTS Auto have partnered with Chinese vehicle manufacturer, BYD to provide the first twelve metre rapid transit bus powered only by electricity in Uruguay and the region. The BYD electric bus integrates several technologies including two in-wheel electric motors capable of a cruising speed over 88 km/h and what it said to be the first of its kind, an environmentally-friendly iron-phosphate battery. This drive system provides a range of over 250 km (155 miles) – nearly t
May 23, 2013
PIE to consult on EU-wide ITS directive
Data, mapping and routing specialist PIE has been invited to Brussels to provide expert opinion on an Intelligent Transport System (ITS) Directive being conducted by the European Commission. CEO Freddie Talberg will join an elite panel of industry experts in Brussels, Belgium on 27th May 2013 to discuss the provision of EU-wide real-time traffic information services (RTTI) to explore how the harmonised delivery of road data throughout Europe could be effectively implemented. Discussions will explore technol