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Approaching the end of its first year of activities, the European CO-GISTICS (Co-Logistics) project has revealed the reference architecture that will be used for all pilot sites and services. The architecture details the standards and policies to be used to ensure interoperability and the ability to replicate the services at a wider European level. CO-GISTICS is the first European project fully dedicated to the deployment of cooperative intelligent transport systems (C-ITS) applied to logistics. CO-GI

The legislation to allow heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) to travel at 50mph on sections of single carriageway on the A9 between Perth and Inverness in Scotland has been signed and will come into force at the same time as the average speed camera system on the route becomes operational – 28 October. The pilot, which was approved by the Scottish Parliament earlier this year, will help to improve journey times and also driver behaviour, by reducing frustration, queue lengths and journey times for HGVs. Trans

David Crawford reviews a new approach to traffic smoothing. A key objective for the Californian city of Bakersfield’s upgraded traffic operations centre (TOC), which opened in June 2014, is to help improve living conditions in a region with one of the worst air quality problems in the US. The TOC is speeding up the smoothing of traffic flows by delivering faster and better-informed traffic signal retiming and synchronisation.

Connecticut’s new administration is using smart policy and ITS solutions to bridge social divides. Andrew Bardin Williams investigates. With only 130,000 residents, New Haven can hardly be called a metropolis. Measuring less than 502km (18 square miles), the city is huddled against the coast, squeezed between two mountains (appropriately called East Rock and West Rock) that, at 111m and 213m (366ft and 700ft) respectively, can hardly be called mountains. The airport is small and has limited service, and th

Colin Sowman talks to Matthew Pencharz, the man charged with charting London’s path between catering for traveller needs, conserving ancient buildings and conforming to modern air quality standards.

Surveillance video standards organisation the HDcctv Alliance will host a technology and product Gallery at Security China 2014, in Beijing 28-31October. Companies exhibiting on the HDcctv Alliance stand at Security China 2014 include Dahua, Shany, Intersil, Semtech and Technology & Security. In the HDcctv Gallery shared by Alliance Members at Security China 2014, Dahua and Shany will demonstrate HDCVI 2.0-compliant cameras plugging and playing with a compliant DVR. Intersil and Semtech will showcas

The Netherlands’ high profile international Automotive Week, which takes place from 25 March to 1 April 2015, will highlight innovation in mobility and the development of new technology, leading concepts and the interaction between the road user, roadside and vehicle. The week’s activities will mainly be focused on national and international professionals, with events including the Automotive Congress, the opening of a new, national innovative traffic management centre and demonstrations on and around th

Thales has been awarded a US$24.7 million contract by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) for the design and construction of advanced train control technology for the new Central Subway project, a 1.7 mile extension of the existing T Line. The company will supply its field-proven SelTrac communications based train control (CBTC) technology for the project, a solution designed to improve transit options for residents in one of the city’s most densely populated neighbourhoods, provide

Q-Free has been awarded three-year US$3.8 million contract for its OBU615 tags by Sociedad Concesionaria Autopista Central in Chile, starting in January 2015. The compact OBU615 is designed to blend unobtrusively into the interior of any vehicle. New low-power technology ensures the lowest possible current draw while 5.8 GHz CEN-compliant DSRC processing. New signal discrimination technology enables an extended lifetime and immunity to radio frequency (RF) interference from the many kinds of wi-fi-enable

The new driver fatigue early warning system from Transport Support combines high-end infrared cameras, microprocessor, memory modules and an alarm system in a compact and easily dashboard-mounted unit. If the system detects the driver is fatigued - based on PERCLOS (a psycho-physiological measure of alertness) analysis - it will immediately send a warning signal, even if the driver falls asleep suddenly. If the driver continues to drive without any rest, the system will continue to send a warning signal

Nexcom said its VTC 7200 series invehicle computer is ideal for use on public transits, law enforcement and handling/transportation of dangerous or valuable items and features servergrade functionality to handle applications including remote video streaming, licenseplate recognition, fleet telematics and in-vehicle infotainment. The unit can decode multiple video streams to help drivers monitor their vehicle’s surroundings and interior from multiple angles with the videos and information stored lo

Antaira Technologies has expanded its industrial PoE networking infrastructure family with the LNP-0702G-SFP (48~55VDC) and LNP-0702G-SFP-24 (12~36VDC) 7-port industrial PoE+ gigabit unmanaged Ethernet switches. Each unit is designed with five gigabit Ethernet ports that are IEEE 802.3at compliant (PoE+) on ports 1-4 (data and power output maximum 30W/port) and are compatible with IEEE 802.3 af PoE. The unit has two fibre dual rate (100/1000) SFP slots. The series support MDI/MDI-X functions and 9

UK developer of surveillance and security solutions, MEL Secure Systems, has launched a new high power, long range periscope camera for tactical surveillance operations in a wide range of security and maritime applications. Supplied with a precision 1,500mm 100x zoom lens, it will deliver evidential quality facial and numberplate recognition at distances up to one kilometre or view the activities of people at up to three kilometres. With Pelco-D telemetry RS485 compatibility, the camera has full PT

London taxi cab driver has come up with the idea of a flashing wristband as a way to improve the safety of cycling commuters. The wristband, called the Indic8or, has been developed by Modern Safety Solutions and provides a high visibility and driver-familiar indication device that closely resembles directional indicators on motor vehicles. The Indic8or patented design is a wrist-mounted device, utilising four ultra-bright LEDs, which automatically start flashing when the wearer raises their arm, ensuring

Tolling agencies from six US states have committed to start using the Alliance for Toll Interoperability’s (ATI’s) hub service. These include the Central Texas Mobility Authority, the Northwest Parkway in Colorado as well as members of the California Toll Operators Committee and agencies in three other – currently unnamed states. ATI members capturing details of vehicles using their toll roads that are not registered on their own system can send details to the hub. The alliance holds registration plate a

Transportation professionals have always made the safety of drivers, other road users and pedestrians their top priority with congestion and other considerations further down the wish list. Now, however, it is not enough to prevent motorists, cyclists and pedestrians being injured in traffic accidents as it appears transport professionals’ responsibilities must go much wider – to the public in general. The OECD has calculated that road traffic related air pollution kills more than three million people per y

Engineering group Parsons, in a joint venture with Acumen (APJV), has been selected to provide general engineering services (GES) to the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) over the next five years. The APJV team, composed of 11 sub-consultants, will deliver top-flight services in an array of technical disciplines, including architectural, civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, and systems project work. The team’s selection sends a clear signal to the community that BART is committed

The California Supreme Court decided last week not to consider an appeal of a case brought by opponents of the state’s $68 billion bullet train project, paving the way for the project to go ahead. Opponents had questioned whether the California High-Speed Rail Authority was complying with the terms of the ballot measure that funded the project. The appellate court agreed there are legitimate legal concerns about whether the “high-speed rail project the California High-Speed Rail Authority seeks to bui

The South East Queensland government, Australia, is set to roll out real time travel information across South East Queensland from next month. Announcing the new technology, Transport and Main Roads Minister, Scott Emerson, said: “This new technology is all part of our strong plan for a brighter future to improve public transport for Queenslanders and boost the local economy. Real-time technology enables passengers to know exactly where their bus is in the morning which could mean enough time for an extr

Florida’s Department of Transportation (FDOT) has taken action against would-be wrong-way drivers at 15 interchanges on the state’s turnpike system, with a US$400,000 pilot project designed to detect, alert and potentially deter them. The project includes enhanced LED wrong-way roadway signs on the ramps and electronic vehicle detection equipment that are designed to quickly notify law enforcement and authorities. It is intended to study the effectiveness of these traffic safety devices that are currentl