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US headquartered Peek Traffic Corporation has announced that its VideoTrak-IQ video-based vehicle detection system has been approved by the Texas Department of Transportation. VideoTrak-IQ combines multi-channel viewing, easy set-up and multiple individual zone settings, and offers the ability to conveniently modify the configurations of up to 26 detection zones per channel. The colour camera delivers the powerful option of lens control over the coax. Zoom and focus settings can be controlled from the Vide

A new average-speed camera, which can measure driving speeds over several kilometres, will be installed near Besançon. By late 2012, around 20 cameras will be installed in France. Similar systems exist in Italy, the UK and Netherlands. Some 13,000 to 15,000 vehicles use the portion of road near Besançon each day. During a test period, 40 speed infractions were recorded each day. Depending on the infraction, photos taken were sent to the main traffic control centre in Rennes. Local authorities claim the stre

In a bid to improve Sydney’s roads and congestion, Australia’s Federal and New South Wales governments are to jointly fund a project to equip the full length of the state’s M4 motorway with technology to improve traffic flows and ease congestion along this vital part of Sydney’s road network.The US$17 million project will provide the M4 with an electronic freeway management system consisting of variable speed and message signs, entry ramp signalling, CCTV and digital traveller information signs. Transport m

Parsons Brinckerhoff, the international engineering consultant, has been appointed to provide a broad range of specialist services to Transport for Greater Manchester under the UK authority’s new Transport Professional Services framework, to help deliver much-needed improvements to transport infrastructure across the region. Under the new four-year framework agreement, Parsons Brinckerhoff will provide a range of services including transport systems, transport planning, environmental planning and engineerin

Siemens is to upgrade over 160 traffic signal controllers across the UK’s Tyne & Wear region following the award of Government Better Bus Area (BBA) funding to the Tyne & Wear Integrated Transport Authority. The project aims to improve the reliability of journey times along 19 bus corridors and relieve congestion at nine hotspots where buses are currently regularly delayed. Siemens will upgrade and connect traffic controllers to its Remote Monitoring System (RMS) and provide the Tyne & Wear urban traffic co

Moxa has equipped Taiwan’s Hsuehshan Tunnel with its NPort 5230 device servers and EDS-508A-SS-SC Ethernet switches as part of the tunnel emergency traffic control system. The tunnel is south east Asia’s second longest road tunnel consisting of one pilot tunnel, one west-bound tunnel, and one east-bound tunnel stretching 12.9km through Hsuehshan Mountain. Emergencies occurring inside tunnels of this length can be disastrous, especially a fire-related incident. To minimise casualties during an emergency, a t

New analysis from Frost and Sullivan, Strategic Analysis of the Chinese Hybrid and Electric Transit Bus Market, finds that the total hybrid and electric transit bus sales in China are expected to reach over 12,000 units by 2018, from 3,374 units in 2011. By 2018, the hybrid and electric powertrain penetration in transit buses is anticipated to be more than 14 percent. The total transit bus sales are likely to exceed 80,000 units by 2018, cementing China's domination of the global transit bus market. This is

Swedish telematics service provider WirelessCar was selected by Sprint to be a key technology provider in the launch of their Sprint Velocity Program. As an integral part of Sprint’s ecosystem, WirelessCar helped to build and implement an end-to-end global solution targeted to the connected vehicle industry. Sprint Velocity delivers a new capability for the auto industry, encompassing the development, integration and marketing of in-vehicle communications systems. Automakers can use Sprint Velocity as a com

The European Commission has launched two Calls for Proposals under the 2012 Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) multi-annual and annual programmes, making over US1.5 billion available to finance European transport infrastructure projects in all transport modes – air, rail, road, and maritime/inland waterways – plus logistics and intelligent transport systems, in all EU Member States. Commission Vice President Siim Kallas, responsible for transport, said: "In making this considerable amount of funding a

Oregon Department of Transportation has chosen the Intelligent Mechatronic Systems (IMS) platform to enable their next generation Road Usage Charge Pilot Program (RUCPP). This key component of Oregon's Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) will be rolled out to other states in the near future. This trial is the second for IMS, with work already underway for a road charging program for a federal government in the Far East.

Toronto public transport passengers will soon be able to use a single-fare Presto card to get around on the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) or seven other municipal transit systems in Ontario. Transit and government officials say the Presto fare system will be in place throughout the entire TTC system, subway stations, buses and new streetcars, by 2016. Bob Chiarelli, Ontario’s minister of transportation and infrastructure, said Toronto transit passengers have been requesting the electronic fare system fo

Metric Parking has been successful in winning orders for their pay and display parking machines in the UK and is to supply three local authorities in the south-west of England with their popular Elite pay and display machines. Bristol City Council has ordered the machines for on-street resident parking schemes in the city, using coin operated machines which will have an alpha numeric keypad for vehicle registration entry and will be networked through the Metric ASLAN web back office system.

From 2013 electric cars and cars with four or more passengers will be allowed to use the public transport lane on Lithuanian roads. Lithuania's authorities have passed an amendment to the traffic rules, to encourage people to cooperate during the rush hours and share cars. The new road traffic rules will be updated with three road signs for electric cars. They will sign electric car charging sites, cases when road signs do not apply to electric cars, and a parking space for electric cars and other electric

A leading Chinese transportation expert has called for China to develop smart traffic technologies that are more customer-oriented, while boosting greener, safer and more efficient modern transportation in the country. "China's ITS applications should shift their focus to provide more solutions for public transportation in the next decade, and the industry should get a new stimulus by responding to the needs of the market," said Wang Xiaojing, chief engineer at the Research Institute of Highway under the Mi

Nominations reflecting world's best practice in the intelligent transport systems (ITS) industry were winners at the third ITS Australia awards presentation ceremony in Melbourne. ITS Australia President and Chair of the Awards Judging Panel Brian Negus said that the entries in Australia's awards program would perform well in any competition around the world. "After attending the ITS World Congress last month and seeing and hearing countless best practice case studies, we are confident that winners of our l