Activu recruits product management lead
US video wall specialist Activu Corporation has appointed John Stark as vice president of Product Management, where he will be responsible for the company’s product management function, leading the direction and development of future vision, collaboration and mobility solutions.
Stark brings extensive control room vision product experience, with more than two decades working for companies such as Christie Digital Systems, Jupiter Systems, Barco Visual Systems, M3i Systems and Matrox.
Moving Ontario forward – major funding for transit, transportation projects
Premier of Ontario, Canada, Kathleen Wynne has announced the Ontario government's plan to build a seamless and integrated transportation network across the province, Moving Ontario Forward, to create jobs, boost productivity and help every part of Ontario grow and prosper.
The robust plan would put in place dedicated and substantial funding for public transit and transportation infrastructure. It would make nearly US$26.4 billion available over the next 10 years for investments in priority infrastructure
Imtech to divest ICT division
Technical services provider Royal Imtech takes a further step in its previously announced debt reduction program with the announcement of its intention to divest its ICT division.
As announced on 18 March 2014, Imtech continues to be focused on achieving a long term sustainable capital structure and is committed to reduce indebtedness by at least US$554 million. To realise this debt reduction, Imtech will continue to review all options.
The ICT division will be divested through an auction process in
MEPs endorse EU infrastructure upgrades for eCall
Agreement between the Council and Parliament negotiators on the deployment of EU-wide eCall, which requires member states to upgrade existing eCall receiving infrastructure by 1 October 2017 at the latest to be able to respond to calls from eCall devices in cars has been approved by MEPs.
According to text approved by the Parliament, EU member states have to install the necessary eCall answering infrastructure for the proper receipt and handling of all eCalls no later than 1 October 2017 and at least six
Flagship French motorway inaugurated
The inauguration of the French Landes A63 motorway marked the culmination of 27 months of major works carried out adjacent to traffic by the economic interest group GIE A63. The road concessionaire, Atlandes, of which Egis is a shareholder, had awarded the construction contract to GIE A63, which then hired Egis for the turnkey integration of fixed and operational equipment and an 80 per cent share of the engineering, procurement and construction management. Atlandes also awarded Egis the subsequent operati
Mobile transport information across the Finnish–Russian border
The smart transport corridor between Helsinki in Finland and St Petersburg in Russia will bring new services for passengers, car drivers and public transport. Development of the Vedia multi-service concept, led by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and Vediafi, unites newly opened mobile services that will result in smoother passenger traffic across the Finnish–Russian border and enhance passenger experience and traffic safety.
Vedia multi-service is a key element of the Finnish–Russian intelligent
UK’s latest smart motorway goes live on M6
The Midlands got a boost today with the launch of the latest stretch of smart motorway, making greater use of technology on the M6 near Birmingham, bringing improved journeys and less congestion.
Opening the hard shoulder to traffic during the busiest times between junctions 5 and 8 on the M6 will improve journey times, especially around Birmingham and marks a milestone for the Highways Agency, after several years of investment in this section of the M6. This ten mile stretch means the benefits can now b
Strong first quarter 2014 for IRD
International Road Dynamics (IRD), Canada-based intelligent transportation systems (ITS) supplier, has announced solid growth for the three months ended February 28, 2014.
Revenue increased by 32.2 per cent to $10.3 million compared to $7.8 million for the same quarter last year. Solid growth was achieved in the Company's Canada and United States and Latin America markets, while EBITDA increased to $490,090 compared to a loss of $190,359 in the first quarter of 2013. Quarter one of 2014 is the fourth con
Sydney to get second airport, major roads package
Following the announcement of the US$2.4 billion project to build a long-awaited second airport for Sydney, Australian prime minister Tony Abbott has unveiled a US$3.27 billion roads package for western Sydney to provide the infrastructure that will make the airport work.
The Commonwealth will contribute US$1.2 billion for the roads over the next four years, with total spending to increase to US$2.9 billion over eight years. New South Wales will contribute a further 20 per cent, bringing the total fundin
Australian tolling forum attracts international speakers
Tolling experts from Australia, Asia, Europe and the USA will address the National Electronic Tolling Committee Industry Forum to be held in Sydney, Australia from 27 to 29 May 2014.
More than 120 tolling industry executives from government policy makers, infrastructure providers, toll road operators, and equipment, technology and service suppliers make this the Asia Pacific region’s largest tolling conference.
The Forum theme Tolling into the Future will cover infrastructure, charging, collection, e
Fujitsu and Ingenico join forces on Merseyrail ticketing
Fujitsu, in collaboration with Ingenico, has upgraded UK transport operator Merseyrail’s ticketing systems to enable contactless payment, enabling 63 Merseyrail stations across the UK to offer contactless payment in terminals and manned ticket outlets.
Merseyrail will retain the Fujitsu Star point-of-sale ticketing system which it has operated for the past nine years and Fujitsu, in conjunction with Ingenico, will provide 92 iPP320 contactless PinPads and Axis, its proprietary centralised payment proces
Iteris delivers travel information for daily TV show
Iteris has partnered with International Media Training Center’s (IMTC) television morning show CCN Sunrise to provide traveller information for the show’s traffic segment. The news show airs daily from 7am – 8am in Pasadena on channel 32, AT&T Uverse and online.
Iteris’ BlueCommute traveller information system, active since 2012 through a project supporting Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, provides real-time traffic information, incidents, weather, road construction and event informatio
TRL acquires TTR
The UK’s Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) has announced its acquisition of Transport & Travel Research Limited (TTR), making it a wholly owned subsidiary of TRL. TRL has been a minority shareholder in TTR since 2010, building a close and successful partnership between the two companies.
TTR will continue to operate as an independent organisation. TTR’s chairman, David Blackledge has stepped down from the board to take on a role as Special Advisor, while TRL's chief executive, Rob Wallis, is appointed
Glow-in-the-dark road debuts in the Netherlands
First promised in 2012, light-absorbing glow-in-the-dark road markings have finally made an appearance on a 500 metre stretch of the N329 road in the Netherlands.
Developed by artist Daan Roosegarde and Dutch civil engineering firm Heijmans, the markings use a photo-luminescent powder integrated into the road paint, absorbing light during the day and glowing for up to eight hours in the dark.
Part of Roosegarde’s vision included weather markings that become visible at certain temperatures, such as a s
ISS and MAV Systems partner on new mobile LPR camera
Image Sensing Systems (ISS) has partnered with MAV systems to release a new compact licence plate recognition (LPR) camera, the Autoscope Pn-120.
The Autoscope Pn-120 is a compact high performance LPR camera designed for mobile and special purpose applications. Compact and easy to install, the camera incorporates industry leading zoom technology, infrared pulsed LEDs within a rugged hermetically sealed enclosure.
According to both companies, when coupled with ISS’ state-of-the-art licence plate recogn
Israel awards northern line rail tender
Netivei Yisrael, the National Roads Company of Israel, has awarded the US$230 million contract for a major rail contract in Israel to a consortium of Germany’s DB Bahn Bau Gruppe and Israeli companies Shikun & Binui and Lesico.
The project comprises three new rail lines with an overall length of 100 kilometres in the north of the country, including track laying, railroad ties and rails, telecommunications and fire detection systems in tunnels. On conclusion of the work, the tracks will be transferred to
Greater Manchester gets enhanced signage
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and Swarco Traffic are working together on a scheme funded by the Department for Transport under the Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF) to provide enhanced driver information on roads around Greater Manchester.
The scheme is part of the wider LSTF initiative being undertaken by TfGM to enhance network management and provide accurate real time traveller information to the public through a wide variety of media.
Full colour matrix variable message signs (VM
Ethiopia’s first expressway nears completion
The Addis Ababa-Adama expressway in Ethiopia will be first expressway in Ethiopia and East Africa when complete and also the first toll road in the nation. It will connect the capital city Addis Ababa to Adama in Nazareth.
Construction started in April 2010 and is scheduled to be complete in April 2014. The project is estimated to cost US$612 million and when complete the expressway will be able to accommodate 15,000 vehicles per day. The project is financed through a US$350 million loan from Export-Imp
Nissan debuts smart rearview mirror
Car maker Nissan has launched its smart rearview mirror, said to be the world's first LCD monitor that helps provide clear rearward visibility unimpeded by traditional obstacles such as cargo, tall passengers, inclement weather or the design of a vehicle.
Installed in an all-new 2014 Rogue on show at the forthcoming New York International Auto Show, the smart rearview mirror allows the driver to switch between the LCD monitor and the conventional rearview mirror.
Housed within the structure of the con
Colorado DOT awards services contract to Atkins
Engineering consultancy Atkins has been awarded a contract to serve as general tolling services advisor to the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT).
Under the terms of the contract, Atkins will work with CDOT’s Office of Major Project Development (OMPD) to provide a broad spectrum of on-call advisory services in support of CDOT’s tolled lanes and managed lanes programs. Atkins will collaborate closely with several divisions of CDOT, including its toll-collection agency, known as the High Performa