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David Crawford records an upsurge in ground travel. Express buses are powering ahead of air and rail as the US’ most-favoured form of intercity travel and major operators are investing in passenger-attracting and retaining technologies. At the same time ‘kayak’-style price comparison websites are emerging to widen rider choice. Modelled on airline industry search engines that find cheap flight deals by comparing carriers’ offers, these new websites aim to fill the same gap for a ground-travel equivalent

Pan-European, multi-modal traffic and travel information is now available, for drivers willing to pay for it. Jon Masters reports. Those able to afford a new car with all the latest options including internet connectivity can now look forward to getting detailed up-to-the-minute traffic information. They can also access multi-modal travel data, such as train times, plus weather forecasts and parking availability. Take the connected car to any Western European country and the system still works with live

Pete Goldin examines Nokia’s rationale for combining its location services, digital mapping and other capabilities under the HERE brand. While it has divested itself of its mobile phone business to Microsoft, Nokia has kept hold of its HERE business unit and brand which incorporates the company’s location services with digital mapping and other capabilities. The creation of HERE is much more than rebranding as its services are heading off the map and into the cloud. “HERE offers the first location cloud

Purpose-designed travel information apps are emerging to support the real estate market in the US – and potentially more widely – in a major diversification away from the conventional automotive and navigation device sectors. In July 2013, Washington State-based Imprev, which develops web-based marketing support aids for realtors, announced its App Generator. Claimed as an industry first, this enables property businesses to create their own branded mobile apps to give away as marketing tools to potential

Xeno, the entry-level CCTV range from Norbain, has now launched a new range of products, designed to offer simplicity to the installer and the end user. Ideally suited to smaller installations, these robust products deliver excellent performance at a market-leading price point and include infra red bullet cameras, internal and external domes, box cameras, monitors and DVRs. The company says the Xeno range has been redesigned and is ideal for the needs of a cost-conscious market, providing customers with a

Integration between OnSSI’s Ocularis video management software (VMS) platform and the Elerts software solution enables security personnel to receive immediate, actionable incident information via smartphone. On receiving an incident report, the Elerts cloud-based software matches the GPS location of that smartphone with a database of camera field of view polygons. Information is instantly sent to Ocularis, which then automatically pushes live footage from the camera closest to the incident to a command cent

Pan-European telematics provider Masternaut is now offering its customers a tachograph mobile app, an extension of its TACHOfresh web application. The app makes TACHOfresh tachograph data available for mobile devices, providing fleet managers with a tool to access vehicle and driver information via android smartphones, iPhone or iPad. For all vehicles equipped with Masternaut’s TACHOfresh ‘live’ or ‘remote’ functionality, the data generated by the digital tachograph is transmitted to the central web port

The new headlamp RFID decal from Hong Kong-based RFID provider Star Systems International has been designed for those situations where a tag cannot be used due to a windshield’s metallic content or aesthetic reasons. In the case of motorcycles or scooters, which might not have a windshield, the decal provides a solution that can be read consistently on vehicles driving at high speeds and in harsh environments. The Star Aries headlamp decal is tuned to work while affixed to a vehicle’s headlamp. It delivers

The latest multi-function inductive loop vehicle detectors from intelligent transportation systems supplier Reno A&E are designed to reliably detect all vehicles, as well as differentiating cycles from all other vehicles. The Model C-1101-B and C-1201-B two channel loop detectors are available in 170/2070, NEMA TS1/TS2, ITS and ATC cabinet configurations and provide intersection safety without sacrificing efficiency Additional passage time for bicycles can be provided by either the loop detector or the con

The latest multi-function inductive loop vehicle detectors from intelligent transportation systems supplier Reno A&E are designed to reliably detect all vehicles, as well as differentiating cycles from all other vehicles. The Model C-1101-B and C-1201-B two channel loop detectors are available in 170/2070, NEMA TS1/TS2, ITS and ATC cabinet configurations and provide intersection safety without sacrificing efficiency Additional passage time for bicycles can be provided by either the loop detector or the con

Canadian company STI-Tassimco has developed the STS-22 to enable traffic authorities to easily synchronise all its traffic controllers. Featuring a GPS satellite time synchronisation module and a user friendly display, the device fits a standard NEMA or 170 detection chassis or can be mounted in its own one-position chassis, and updates the controller’s clock on a regular basis. The STS-22 will compensate for the clock’s temperature drifting and other variations observed in the field, keeping it accurate w

Canadian company STI-Tassimco has developed the STS-22 to enable traffic authorities to easily synchronise all its traffic controllers. Featuring a GPS satellite time synchronisation module and a user friendly display, the device fits standard a NEMA or 170 detection chassis or can be mounted in its own one-position chassis, and updates the controller’s clock on a regular basis. The STS-22 will compensate for the clock’s temperature drifting and other variations observed in the field, keeping it accurat

A partnership between UK payment and ticketing solutions provider Parkeon and Cloud Amber is about to deliver real time passenger information (RTPI) in advance of travel that the companies say is redefining the effectiveness of RTPI systems. The system developed by Parkeon and Cloud Amber enables over-the-air location tracking of buses, the deep integration with urban traffic management control (UTMC) data and two-way driver messaging. This bus-centric view means that operators are better able to manage

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) says it is providing US$50 million grant to help Haiti improve the efficiency and safety of its road transportation system and advance regional integration. The Washington-based financial institution said the overall objective of the programme is to make road transport in Haiti more efficient in order to foster economic activity, while facilitating regional and international integration and economic development. Specific objectives of the project include the reha

Volvo Group's North American subsidiary, Nova Bus, and Canada’s Societe de Transport de Montreal (STM), are to partner on an electrification project for the public transit system of Montreal. A memorandum of understanding signed by both companies includes the testing of three Nova LFSe electric buses and two charging stations in Montreal. The goal is to have the noiseless and emission-free buses operational for demonstration in the third quarter of 2015 and in regular traffic for three years, beginning

It may have one the heaviest traffic volumes in the UK but Greater London tops the safe driving table according to analysis from insurance provider Aviva’s Drive App, which uses smartphone technology to record a motorist’s driving style, covering their acceleration, braking and cornering. Data from over 3.5 million miles driven by users of the app reveals the areas with the safest drivers. Greater London, including areas such as Islington, Chelsea and Croydon takes the top spot in Aviva’s table - which i

ITS Australia has launched its international ambassador program to help promote the 23rd Intelligent Transport systems World Congress to be held 10 to 14 October in Melbourne, Australia. To be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, the ITS World Congress and its complementary exhibition are expected to attract more than 5,000 delegates to the capital that has been a regular winner of “the world’s most liveable city” title. ITS Australia Chief Executive Officer Susan Harris said the 20

Inrix XD Incidents is a breakthrough in traffic intelligence, according to the company, which says it reports more accidents, road closures and other incidents across significantly more roads in more countries and at much greater speed than ever before. Inrix XD Incidents detects accidents and road closures faster by automatically correlating real-time traffic flow data with information from nearly 400 public and private sources including media partners, departments of transportation, emergency responder

After lengthy discussions, the Pennsylvania Senate has approved a US$2.3 billion transportation funding bill to repair aging highways and bridges, and bolster mass transit across the state. The bulk of the money, US$1.65 billion, will go toward fixing bridges and roads; about US$475 million will go to mass transit systems, including metropolitan transportation authority Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). The funding will be disbursed across all transportation modes, from gravel r

Australia’s Queensland Government has revealed concept designs for what would be the world’s first double-deck bus and rail tunnel to replace the planned Cross River Rail project. The 15 metres wide, the US$4.6 billion underground bus and train (UBAT) tunnel would be capable of accommodating a double-track railway and two bus lanes with three underground combined bus-and-rail stations. In a statement outlining the UBAT programme, Premier Campbell Newman said: “The project we are announcing today deliver