UK trial of electric cars proves they are greener
Experts leading a major three-year trial into the impact of electric vehicles and the role they could play in our transport systems of the future, have shown that rolling them out across our city’s roads would protect both our health and the environment. Data gathered and analysed by transport experts at the UK’s Newcastle University shows that daytime air pollution levels in our towns and cities regularly exceed the Government’s recommended 40µg m-3 (21 parts per billion) for prolonged periods, putting peo
Ticketing wins for Xerox
Public transport solutions provider Xerox has been successful in winning orders for its ticketing systems, most recently in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Chihuahua, Mexico. In Kuala Lumpur, the company will supply its Atlas contactless ticketing system and equipment to public transport operator Mass Rapid Transit Corporation for a new railway line that will cross the urban area of the city. Over the next five years, Xerox’s field teams will deploy the ticketing system, install 300 gate controllers and 200 tick
University develops rail crossing safety technology
Technology developed by Melbourne’s La Trobe University’s Centre for Technology Infusion that aims to reduce or even eliminate accidents at railway level crossings is to be trialled by the Queensland government as part of a $2 million commitment to address safety at rail crossings. The system uses GPS and dedicated short range communications (DSRC) wireless technology to establish a wireless connection between trains and vehicles approaching a railway crossing. The system is designed to detect the possibili
Asia Pacific dignitaries to see connected vehicle showcases at ITS World Congress
ITS Japan will use advances in the country’s ITS capabilities since it last hosted the event in 2004 as the basis of several showcases and sessions the forthcoming World Congress (Tokyo 14 – 18 October), the association’s president Hajime Amano told ITS International.
Global V2V penetration into new vehicles to rise by 2027
A new report from ABI research concludes that global vehicle to vehicle (V2V) penetration into new vehicles will increase from just over 10 per cent in 2018 to 70 per cent in 2027, with the EU, US, and Japan as key regions adopting V2V in the mid-term. “V2X market and regulatory dynamics vary greatly from region to region. While the US will decide whether or not to mandate V2X by the end of 2013 with implementation not expected before 2018, in Europe the Car 2 Car Communication Consortium (C2C-CC) has issue
San Francisco considers congestion charging
San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA) is considering implementing congestion charging in an effort to alleviate the rush hour gridlock in the city that it says is going to get worse in the coming decade. A congestion pricing plan from the city Transportation Authority is shortly to undergo an environmental review. Congestion charging would involve a toll for vehicles entering or leaving downtown at certain hours. Drivers would pay a fee when they drive downtown. They’d be charged automatica
New Zealand launches Bluetooth ITS trial
A trial using wireless communications technology to deliver real-time traffic information has been launched by New Zealand’s Ministry of Transport and ITS consultants AraFlow. The Co-operative Intelligent Transport Systems trial will investigate whether providing accurate real-time information about traffic conditions to participating commercial transport operators improves the productivity of freight movements. Ministry of Transport Chief Executive Martin Matthews says “We are testing whether this informat
RAC report - motorists frustrated with road taxes
According to the RAC’s 2013 Report on Motoring, the condition of the UK’s motorways and local roads, characterised by the now year-round problem of potholes, ranks as a top concern for motorists. While the cost of driving is understandably still the number one concern for nearly half (46 per cent) of Britain’s motorists, two in five (41 per cent) say maintenance of local roads and motorways is their top spending priority. In addition, 84 per cent of motorists believe their local roads are deteriorating and
Bus/toll lanes proposed for Tampa Hillsboro area
Toll and transit authorities in Tampa, Florida, are to jointly propose a first bus/toll lanes (BTL) project for the region this autumn. Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) in Florida is developing a bus/toll lane (BTL) project in partnership with Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART), the regional governments' bus service provider. BTLs are toll managed lanes added to existing expressways that are designed for express transit buses plus toll-paying vehicles in volumes capped by dynamic prici
Mayor sets out transport plan for London
Transport plans have been set out by London Mayor Boris Johnson. Crossrail 2 is at the centre of the plans, providing a link between north and south London. To prevent London falling behind other cities, it is vital that work begin in 2019 on the US$18.77 billion project. Johnson claims growth in London is a key driver of the UK economy and has called for a stable and long-term funding settlement. Johnson will commission a study into funding his infrastructure plans.
High hopes for Detroit streetcar system
Detroit, the historic home of the US automotive industry, is to get a new streetcar rail system to help drive the economic revival of Motor City. M-1 Rail, the organisation overseeing the US$140 million project, has been pursuing an aggressive timetable toward a late 2015 service launch. “We are now jumping out of the gate,” says Heather Carmona, M-1 Rail’s chief administrative officer. Final design could be completed by mid-August and, depending on when the necessary permits are secured, construction coul
Trimble acquires Actronic Technologies
Trimble has extended its Connected Site portfolio with the acquisition of Actronic Holdings of Auckland, New Zealand, a leading provider of weighing technology and payload information systems for construction, aggregates, mining and waste markets. Actronic Technologies’ Loadrite weighing system for wheel loaders, excavators, conveyors and waste collection vehicles adds weight to Trimble’s Connected Site portfolio by adding weight as an element of information collected at the machine. This extended capabilit
EDI project Tech Info aids technicians in the field
Traffic signal technicians can now scan the QR codes on
Project Tech Info utilises QR code scanner apps on Smartphones and tablet computers to retrieve and review product information on the product out in the field. Users will be directed to the EDI product menu for that model, with a list of available information and documents for the technician to view.
EETS-enabled toll service for Ireland
Ireland’s National Roads Authority (NRA) has awarded French tolling technology supplier Sanef its the contract to integrate and operate the Information Exchange Agent (IE interoperability hub in Ireland for the next five years, with an option for additional years. Sanef its will deploy its FastToll Interop solution, enabling customers to use any road and any Irish toll system with a single tag and a single invoice, making the NRA the first authority in Europe to provide a European Electronic Toll Service (E
Taiwan opts for Jenoptik enforcement systems
Taiwan is to move to non-invasive enforcement technology, with the award to Jenoptik Traffic Solution Division of a contract to supply fixed speed enforcement systems. The new contract includes the supply of MultaRadar S580 non-invasive speed enforcement systems with a high resolution digital Robot SmartCamera. Jenoptik is also installing its Swiss Federal Office of Metrology and Accreditation (METAS) approved non-invasive red light enforcement systems. The system, based on the latest multiple target tracki
V2V technology extends to motorcycles
As part of the US Safety Pilot Model Deployment, the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) has partnered with two motorcycle manufacturers, Honda and BMW to launch a motorcycle study using vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications technology from Cohda Wireless to determine how cars, trucks, buses and motorcycles interact. Two tasks, motorcycle communications feasibility testing and motorcycle to vehicle performance testing, will be conducted as a proof of concept for incorporating
GE Capital Fleet Services expands suite of safety products
GE Capital Fleet Services has concluded an agreement with Mobileye that will give GE’s truck fleet customers access to the Mobileye collision avoidance system. The only National Highway Traffic Safety Administration-compliant system, Mobileye enhances driver safety, helps to reduce the risk of collisions and helps improve Compliance, Safety and Accountability (CSA) scores. Mobileye notifies drivers of potential accidents by alerting them to impending collisions with cars, trucks, motorcyclists, bicyclists a
Vaisala launches road weather technology seminar series
Finnish environmental and industrial measurement specialist Vaisala is teaming up with some of its partner agencies to launch a series of webinars for 2013. Each seminar is free to attend and starts at 10:00 am Central Time, US and Canada, 3:00 pm British Summer Time. Topics and dates: 27 June 2013: Winter performance measurements ; 8 August 2013: Planning for the storm
CMOS cameras used to create video pedestrian crossing
The city of Cologne, Germany has installed two CMOS-camera based video pedestrian light systems that will recognise waiting pedestrians and extend the green phase if there are still people crossing after the standard time allocation. The system, implemented by Siemens, uses two Flir cameras. The safe walk camera observes the waiting area. A stereo camera with two CMOS 1/3-inch mono sensors and 3 mm lenses is mounted 3.5 metres above the ground to cover an area of 12 sq m. This camera is set to recognise on
Cubic payment application software achieves PCI-DSS certification
The latest version of Cubic Transportation’s Cubic Payment Application (CPA 3.0) has been successfully validated according to PA-DSS v2.0 by the PCI Security Standards Council, and is listed as acceptable for new deployments on the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI-DSS) website. CPA 3.0 is designed to provide optimum performance for securely processing legacy closed-loop payments, such as agency issued transit smartcards, as well as emerging forms of payment including bank-issued contactles