Intertraffic 2014 attendance reaches a new level
Attendance at the 22nd Intertraffic Amsterdam, the world’s leading trade event for infrastructure, ITS traffic management, safety and parking, which concluded on 28 March, reached a new level.
Close to 800 companies from 43 countries exhibited their products and services to a worldwide audience of traffic professionals. The Smart Mobility Centre programme was more comprehensive than ever with over 100 free-to-attend activities. IntertrafficLive, a unique live stream programme straight from the exhibitio
Alaska Railroad to get Wabtec PTC
Wabtec is to supply the Alaska Railroad Corporation with positive train control (PTC) equipment and services, including computer-aided dispatch and back office systems. The systems will be installed on the railroad's 525 miles of controlled track, which are used for both freight and regularly scheduled passenger service.
Under the contracts, worth US$16.6 million, Wabtec will provide its interoperable electronic train management system (I-ETMS) equipment and installation of all PTC components for 54 loc
HTS launches next generation vehicle recognition
VRS, the next generation of vehicle recognition solutions from image processing specialists HTS includes flexible architecture with robust logic for configuration of lanes, a new line of multi megapixel high performance, true IP cameras with live video streaming , as well as a proprietary central management software with user interface and web enabled.
New traffic management solutions from Moxa
Moxa’s portfolio of solutions for intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and automatic traffic management, including industrial wired and wireless Ethernet infrastructure solutions and remote automation systems, are suitable for harsh operating environments and are compliant with ITS standards (NEMA TS2 and eMark).
Prismatic solar powered variable message signs
According to Swedish company Triplesign, its new range of variable message signs (VMS), developed for lane closure operations has a number of benefits over traditional LED VMS. Visually, the sign is like a normal static traffic sign, but appearances can be deceptive. There are actually several signs built into each unit, one for each traffic lane on a multi-lane road. Each lane can be independently operated by the traffic management system.
Dublin awarded IBM 'smart city' grant
Dublin City Council is one of 16 cities and regions around the world to be awarded an IBM grant worth US$500,000, which aims to help it use data analytics technology to solve a problem.
The IBM Smart Cities Challenge will see a team from the computer giant analyse a specified problem over a number of months, and then travel to Dublin on a pro-bono basis to try to solve that problem using technology.
Dublin City Council is already working with IBM on a smart city project analysing the use of transpo
UK rail passengers to benefit from new five-year plan
A route-by-route plan for how an ambitious five-year programme to invest US$63 billion in the UK’s railways will take shape has been unveiled. The programme, starting this week, will involve the largest modernisation of the railways since Victorian times, funding projects across the whole of the UK and building on the work that is already under way.
The five-year plan for Network Rail’s new funding period, which started on 1 April 2014, will target the busiest parts of Britain’s rail network, providing
Texas opts for Skyline LED signs
Skyline Products is to provide its LED dynamic message signs (DMS) throughout the state of Texas under a state-wide contract with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).
The DMS will display traffic messages to help keep the flow of traffic flowing and drivers aware of traffic conditions. Skyline has already installed signs throughout Texas in areas such as Dallas- Fort Worth, Houston, and El Paso.
“Skyline Products is proud to be one of the state-wide suppliers for LED Dynamic Message Sign
TRL’s road traffic safety management system to aid crash reduction in India
To help reduce the number of serious and fatal road traffic accidents occurring in their region, the Indian State of Himachal Pradesh chose iMAAP and iMAAP mobile solutions for the management of their road accident data.
Designed and developed by TRL, the UK’s Transport Research Laboratory, iMAAP is a powerful new software solution for the management, analysis and evaluation of road traffic crash data. It will provide the Himachal Pradesh Government, Police, Road Authorities and other stakeholders with
Init wins e-fare system in Oregon
In a project valued at more than US$14 million, integrated ITS and ticketing systems supplier Init is to implement a new e-fare/smart card payment system for the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) in the US.
TriMet provides bus, light rail, and commuter rail service in the Portland metro area; the new system will enable passengers to utilise contactless bank cards and mobile phones, offering more convenience and pricing equity.
The contract comprises the delivery of a
Parsons acquires Delcan
US-based transportation planning, engineering, and construction company Parsons has expanded its global transportation operations with the acquisition Delcan, an international multidisciplinary engineering, planning, management, and technology firm that provides a broad range of integrated systems and infrastructure solutions to the transportation market.
Delcan is a strategic addition to Parsons and signals the firm’s intent to expand its geographic footprint in transportation, one of the corporation’
Big data and GPS combine to cut emergency response times
David Crawford looks at technologies for better emergency medical service delivery. Emergency medical services (EMS) play key roles in transporting, or bringing treatment to, patients who become ill through medical emergencies or are injured in road traffic accidents (RTAs). But awareness has been rising steadily, in the US and elsewhere, of the extent to which EMS can generate their own emergencies. The most common cause is vehicles causing or becoming involved in RTAs, as a result of driving fast under pr
Plastic is fantastic for payment platform interoperability
The Sino Visitor Pass aims to promote trade between Singapore and China by making travel easier, as Jon Masters finds out. Singapore has notched up another first in transportation innovation with announcement of a dual-currency payment card in partnership with the province of Guangdong in China. From the middle of 2014, visitors to Singapore and Guangdong will be able to use a ‘Sino Visitor Pass’ to pay for use of public transportation among other things.
Plastic is fantastic for payment platform interoperability
The Sino Visitor Pass aims to promote trade between Singapore and China by making travel easier, as Jon Masters finds out. Singapore has notched up another first in transportation innovation with announcement of a dual-currency payment card in partnership with the province of Guangdong in China. From the middle of 2014, visitors to Singapore and Guangdong will be able to use a ‘Sino Visitor Pass’ to pay for use of public transportation among other things.
The great pay divide
Public acceptance is crucial for the acceptance of managed and express lanes as Jon Masters discovers. Lists of proposed highway expansion projects introducing variably priced toll lanes continue to lengthen. Managed lanes, or express lanes to some, are gaining support as a politically favourable way of adding capacity and reducing acute congestion on principal highways. In Florida, for example, the managed lanes on the 95 Express are claimed to have significantly increased average peak-time speeds on tolle
Smart transportation market worth $104.19 billion by 2019
MarketsandMarkets recently conducted a study on the Smart Transportation Market by Solutions (Ticketing Management, Parking Management, Passenger Information, Traffic Management) & Services (Cloud, Professional, Business) Global Advancements, Application Roadmaps - Forecasts and Analysis 2014-2019, which concludes that the smart transportation market is expected to grow from US$45.05 billion in 2014 to US$104.19 billion by 2019.
Congestion, emergence of cloud services, need of sustainable solutions, and
Foreign hauliers to pay HGV levy to use UK roads
Foreign hauliers will be charged to use UK roads for the first time from today, 1 April 2014 transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin has announced.
UK truck drivers working in Europe currently pay tolls and levies when delivering goods abroad, but foreign trucks operating in the UK have not been required to make a similar payment.
The HGV road user levy, which is being brought in nearly a year ahead of schedule, introduces a charge that ensures British hauliers are better able to compete with their for
UK organisations participate in EU green urban transport project
The UK’s Transport Research Laboratory (TRL), along with partners Transport and Travel Research (TTR) and several other leading UK organisations, are taking part in a 42-month innovative demonstration project which is investigating zero emission urban bus systems.
The project, known as ZeEUS, is being co-ordinated by the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) and is co-funded by the DG Mobility and Transport of the European Commission with a budget of US$31 million (US$18.6 million EU fun
Top five findings in NJDOT three-year red light camera report
Red-light safety cameras installed by American Traffic Solutions (ATS) turned in another year of positive results at intersections in New Jersey, and trends show "driver behaviour is being modified," according to the recently issued New Jersey Department of Transportation's (NJDOT) third annual analysis of the photo enforcement program. According to the report, "Further sustained analysis is needed and the Department recommends that the traffic control signal monitoring systems pilot program continue."
Leddar technology for Arduino Projects
LED-based detection technology supplier LeddarTech’s has made its innovative sensors available to the Arduino community, enabling Arduino users to easily and cost-effectively integrate detection and ranging capabilities into their projects..
The Leddar detection and ranging module can be utilised in conjunction with the Arduino platform and other shields to effortlessly add on capabilities such as object/people detection, distance measurement, object/people-counting and more. As the module is available