News

InnovITS Advance, the UK research and development centre for telecommunications, automotive and electronics industries, has carried out a demonstration of capability in the area of eCall testing and certification.

South Africa’s Western Cape province has revealed plans to deploy technology – satellite trackers in all public transport vehicles, ANPR built into freeway cameras, and cameras at level crossings – in an attempt to reduce road deaths, according to a report by Independent Newspapers.

GetTaxi, which unveiled its revolutionary new way for businesses to order London black taxis earlier this year, has now launched a free consumer mobile app, enabling all smartphone users (iPhone, Android, Blackberry and Nokia) to order a taxi at the tap of a button on the mobile device or via a web interface.

UK fleet tracking expert, Tracker, has unveiled what it claims is a ground-breaking new technology that offers fleet managers the most accurate vehicle idling data available on the market. The company has patented its Transient Voltage Detection (TVD) technology and incorporated it into Tracker Fleet.

Scania has announced a major order for 121 biofuel buses from Nobina, the Nordic region’s largest passenger traffic operator of buses. This is Scania’s biggest order for gas engines to date and represents a breakthrough for the new generation of gas engines introduced by the company in the autumn of 2010.

Mazda Motor Corporation has developed a regenerative braking system for passenger cars capable of improving fuel economy by approximately 10 per cent. The new i-ELoop (intelligent energy loop) system, claimed to be the first of its kind in the world to use a capacitor, will begin to appear in Mazda vehicles from 2012.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is boosting support for public transport in the Kyrgyz Republic with a US$10.1 million sovereign loan, accompanied by a US$ 5.5 million grant from the EBRD’s Shareholder Special Fund, for the benefit of the municipally owned Bishkek Trolleybus Company.

Nexcom has announced that major US wireless carrier AT&T has certified its VTC 6110 in-vehicle computer as being compatible with the AT&T carrier network. The robust unit can be used in any truck, bus, car or other service vehicle.

The city council of Sant Cugat del Vallés in Spain last week inaugurated a revolutionary smart city project to improve the mobility, sustainability and life of the citizens of this town, which is located next to the city of Barcelona.

Transperth, a division of the Western Australia Public Transport Authority (PTA), has announced it will conduct a 12-month trial, starting early in 2012, of a system to allow their contracted bus operators to better manage and deliver services.

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) board has voted to award a contract of up to US$129.5 million to ACS Transport Solutions Group for equipment and services for the installation of a modernised fare system under its new payment technologies (NPT) programme.

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) board has voted to award a contract of up to US$129.5 million to ACS Transport Solutions Group for equipment and services for the installation of a modernised fare system under its new payment technologies (NPT) programme.

Mobility industry provider Vix has announced a commitment to support RTIG over air protocol. As part of its growing commitment towards Open Standards, the compay says this is an important step to allow ticket machines to send real time AVL updates to the Vix central systems.

C-Tran, the Vancouver, Washington public transit agency, has awarded a contract to Parsons Brinckerhoff for a transit improvement project that will consider bus rapid transit (BRT) options.

The Polish city of Krakow has issued a tender to design and build an underground car park under the Biskupi Square. The investment, to be conducted in a public-private partnership (PPP) model, is valued at over US$10.75 million. The winner will have three years to complete construction works and will be able to manage the car park for up to 30 years. Meanwhile, Krakow is planning investing in another underground car park, the Olimpijka, which is estimated to cost US$8.3 million. It is possible that the city