News

Investigations continue into the cause of the train crash approaching the Spanish city of Santiago de Compostela, but suggestions that the train was travelling too fast appear to be gaining weight. Officials say one of the train's drivers has been put under formal investigation. The president of railway firm Renfe, Julio Gomez Pomar, has said the train in the crash had no technical problems. "The train had passed an inspection that same morning. Those trains are inspected every 7,500km... Its maintenance r

The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) is offering the public a great opportunity to share its views and be a part of the development of the Department's next ITS Strategic Plan. This plan will identify the ITS-related research, development, and education areas that the USDOT will focus on for the rest of the decade. Various opportunities exist for the public to provide input, including an online feedback site.

Schneider Electric is to implement its open road tolling (ORT) solution for Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority’s (CCRMA) expansion of the Port Spur SH550 tolling project in Texas, following successful implementation of the first phase in 2011. The project will link Port Spur to US77, allowing vehicles to bypass the city of Brownsville, ultimately reducing traffic congestion in the area. It will also provide a bypass for local traffic heading to South Padre Island, allowing traffic to be rerouted fro

The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has issued an enforcement notice ordering Hertfordshire Constabulary to review its use of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras. The decision follows the ICO’s investigation into extensive use of ANPR cameras surrounding the town of Royston. The scheme, regularly referred to as ‘the ring of steel’, has effectively made it impossible for anyone to drive their car in and out of the town without a record being kept of the journey.

Ethernet could be catalyst for bringing the automotive industry a step closer to connected vehicles. The latest report from Frost and Sullivan indicates that the need to integrate multiple consumer electronic devices into the car offering connected services and maintaining brand identity has led to a situation where original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are shifting toward higher connectivity options which could power prioritised and personalised services, catering to varied consumer needs. With the parad

A new paper from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy indicates that large-scale introduction of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) into the light-duty fleet would substantially reduce U.S. oil consumption. It could also deliver important environmental benefits- specifically reduced emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) and other pollutants, but these benefits will vary with the source of the electricity used to charge the PEVs. A wealth of policies and programs are in place to support PEV adopt

German software and consulting group PTV Group has become a new member of the Future Living Logistics Lab, an innovation platform for the Australian logistics industry. Established in Sydney, Australia by National ICT Australia (NICTA) in collaboration with Fraunhofer Institute for Experimental Software Engineering and SAP, the Lab is an interactive demonstration space for cutting-edge technologies and a community of industry, research and government experts, working together to find innovative solutions to

The Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP) in South Africa, which included the addition of new lanes to most of the freeways in the province, has succeeded in reducing commuter travel times, historical data by navigation specialist TomTom showed on Tuesday. In a presentation at an Intelligent Transport Society South Africa conference, TomTom Africa sub-Saharan Africa account manager Tom Westendorp noted that the cumulative travel time between 4 pm and 7 pm on an 18 km of the N1 North had reduced from 23

The Greater Manchester Electric Vehicle (GMEV) scheme led by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) will see more than 250 charging bays across the ten Greater Manchester local authority areas switched on. The scheme will be operated by Charge Your Car, who will manage payments and access on behalf of TfGM. Charging bays to supplement the network are being provided by private sector partners, including NCP, Manchester Central, Manchester Metropolitan University, Salford University and the Intu Trafford Cen

In response to fatal school bus accidents at intersections in New Jersey and Florida last year, the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has recommended that the government should set performance standards for new safety technology that allows cars and trucks to talk to each other and then require the technology be installed in all new vehicles. Vehicles equipped with the technology can continuously communicate over wireless networks, exchanging information on location, direction and speed ten tim

Transit Consulting Network (TCNI) has been selected by the Saipan, China Commonwealth Office of Transit Authority and the Commonwealth Public Transportation Advisory Board to conduct a feasibility study into the Saipan Fixed-Flex Route and Paratransit. According to Thomas J Camacho, special assistant for public transportation and chairman of the transportation board, the study includes a comprehensive analysis of past and existing transportation systems, existing and future land use patterns, travel demand

The Spanish Road Association (AEC) has just launched its own online training platform for the road sector for Spain and the Latin American region, supported by Vial Ibero-American Institute (IVIA), which contributes to the distribution of the courses. Although fully developed in other professional fields, there was a clear demand for online training in road infrastructure. The AEC training platform provides an international focus, and aims to become a benchmark for all technicians and managers working on e

American ITS solutions provider Iteris has been selected as part of a team to operate, integrate, and provide innovative solutions for Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT) five traffic operations centres. Iteris was chosen as a sub-contractor by Serco to provide traffic operators at two of VDOT’s five traffic centres and general engineering services as requested by Serco. The centres monitor traffic conditions via cameras and other technology, allowing them to provide traveller information on road