Automated traffic gates deployed on Auckland infrastructure project
The Victoria Park Tunnel, a significant infrastructure improvement to connect the Auckland harbour bridge to the Central Motorway in Auckland, New Zealand, has deployed a SwiftGate automated lane closure system. At the heart of the infrastructure project is an additional on-ramp built to increase the accessibility of the northbound highway lanes directly from urban downtown streets. This additional access is only available during peak hours when a movable barrier is shifted out, which meant that the ramp en
One-tenth of car accidents in France are caused by mobile telephone use
A French study cliams that nearly one-tenth of car accidents causing bodily injuries are associated with the use of mobile telephones. Compared to drivers who do not have phone conversations while driving, the risk of an accident increases threefold whether a driver is talking directly into a mobile phone or using a hands free kit. At any given moment, it is calculated that roughly six per cent of all drivers are talking on their mobile phones or hands-free kits.
Mandatory video data recorders for all cars being considered by Korea
The South Korea Times reports that a government automotive policy advisor suggested that the installation of video data recording devices in all vehicles may be mandatory in the country within a matter of a few years. Kim Pil-soo, professor of Daelim University, said discussions are already underway, led by a special government committee set up last year.
Traffic signal report card concludes strategic investments make a difference
The latest national traffic signal assessment conducted by the US National Transportation Operations Coalition (NTOC), a group of transportation associations, shows that gradual but steady progress is being made on the management and operation of traffic signals despite continued funding challenges. NTOC has released the 2012 National Traffic Signal Report Card and it scores a modest four point improvement over the 2007 result. The effort to improve the nation’s traffic signal systems is driven by benefits
Americans want more action and enforcement to improve highway safety
At a time when there is intense debate about the role of government, a majority of Americans support additional laws and want more action by government officials to improve highway safety, a new survey released yesterday by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety claims.
Redflex shareholders reject takeover bid
Redflex shareholders rejected the bid by US-based private equity firm The Carlyle Group and Australia's major investment bank Macquarie Group to take over the traffic enforcement products and services specialist. Despite the Redflex board having unanimously recommended acceptance of the offer, which was AU$2.75-a-share, valuing the company at $303.5 million, the bid remained unsuccessful.
British Columbia announces $62 million natural gas vehicle incentive programme
The Ministry of Energy and Mines in Canada’s British Columbia has announced the Greenhouse Gas Reduction regulation that advances the adoption and deployment of natural gas vehicles in BC. The regulation permits a utility to spend up to $62 million on vehicle and ferry incentives, up to $12 million on compressed natural gas (CNG) fuelling stations and up to $30.5 million on liquefied natural gas stations, for a total of $104.5 million.
Shortlist for 2011 Transport Achievement Award
The International Transport Forum at the OECD, an intergovernmental organisation for the transport sector that comprises 52 countries, has announced the projects shortlisted for its 2011 Transport Achievement Award. These awards honour transport projects that have demonstrated excellence in meeting the transport needs of their clients and 'put people first'. It is awarded by the International Transport Forum at the OECD in conjunction with the European Association for Forwarding, Transport, Logistics and Cu
Ford inflatable seat belt wins safety award
Ford's industry-exclusive rear inflatable seat belts - one of the 2011 Explorer's breakthrough safety innovations that helped nearly triple the vehicle's March sales - earned the 2011 Traffic Safety Achievement Award from the New York International Auto Show's World Traffic Safety Symposium.
Sony cameras and video analysis advance road tunnel safety in Sweden
Road tunnels are a particularly dangerous environment. Not only do fires burn more violently in enclosed environments, as happened in the 1999 Mont Blanc tunnel disaster, the low lighting and confined reaction space mean accidents are more likely to happen. Authorities must, therefore, be easily and quickly alerted to accidents, breakdowns and equipment must be working at all time.
IRD wins WIM sorter system contract
International Road Dynamics (IRD) has received a contract valued at approximately US$1.22 million from Canada's Prince Edward Island Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal (PEI DTIR). The contract is for the supply, installation, and maintenance of a mainline weigh-in-motion (WIM) sorter system, and will complement the weigh station operation located 1 km east bound of the Confederation Bridge. Installation is scheduled for completion by the end of June 2011.
Nissan Leaf gets top safety rating from Euro NCAP
Euro NCAP (the European New Car Assessment Programme) has awarded the 100% electric Nissan Leaf the highest five star car safety rating following its performance in the independent organisation's stringent crash tests. It is the first electric vehicle ever to earn this distinction.
Will volatile fuel prices increase use of public transport? Or not?
A day after ITS International published details of a report from The Mobility Collaborative - $4 per gallon gas won't alter driving behaviour, claims national study - the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and Building America's Future (BAF) has released a study which draws the opposite conclusion and predicts that record numbers of Americans will turn to public transportation as a cost-cutting measure in the face of volatile gas prices.
It’s showtime!
The wait is almost over. In just a few days time, the 22nd ITS America Annual Meeting and Exposition opens at the Gaylord National Hotel & Convention Center, Maryland, just outside of Washington, DC, and delegates are in for a real treat. The importance of this event cannot be overstated. Located just across the Potomac River, the Annual Meeting is bringing the case for ITS directly to legislators on the federal, state and local levels. It will capitalize on the momentum generated by the 18th World Congress
Free online tool calculates benefits of navigation systems
Navteq has launched a free online tool which calculates the potential savings delivered by using navigation systems. The service has been designed to cover both private and professional drivers and can be used, for example, by fleet managers to estimate the impact in relation to a group of vehicles or by car dealerships and PND manufacturers to demonstrate the savings to consumers at the point of sale.
GarretCom appoints new general manager
GarrettCom, a provider of premium industrial networking products for specialty and stressed applications, has named Lee House as general in charge of all aspects of GarrettCom, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Belden. House, who joined the company in 2008 as VP of engineering, most recently served as GarrettCom's executive VP and CTO, where he has been instrumental in leading the development of the company's next generation line of switches, routers, and software products. He was a member of the joint transitio
Xerox makes transportation simple
To many, Xerox is nothing more than the ‘copy company’. For those who know better, they are now the largest provider of transportation services to governments around the world. Xerox is appearing in all sorts of unexpected places after their acquisition of Affiliated Computer Services (ACS) in 2010 and dropping the ACS name earlier this year. To help establish the company as a key player in the intelligent transportation world, Xerox chairman and CEO Ursula Burns will be the featured speaker at the 2012 ITS
Mobileye to be standard option on Nissan Teana in China
Mobileye has announced that Nissan showrooms in China will propose Nissan's Teana model (sold as Nissan Maxima in North America) will be equipped with ‘Eagle Eye’, Mobileye’s C2-270 collision prevention system. Buick, Cadillac and Acura showrooms already offer Mobileye C2 as an optional accessory in showrooms in South China; however Nissan says it will be the first to offer a particular model with Mobileye as standard safety fit all over China.
Xerox makes transportation simple
To many, Xerox is nothing more than the ‘copy company’. For those who know better, they are now the largest provider of transportation services to governments around the world. Xerox is appearing in all sorts of unexpected places after their acquisition of Affiliated Computer Services (ACS) in 2010 and dropping the ACS name earlier this year. To help establish the company as a key player in the intelligent transportation world, Xerox chairman and CEO Ursula Burns will be the featured speaker at the 2012 ITS
Europe agrees on polluter-pays principle for truck tolls
EU Member States will in future have the right to apply the polluter-pays principle when setting road tolls on trucks and lorries. They will be able to levy charges for external costs and vary tariffs in order to ease congestion during peak hours and to encourage fleet renewal. Earmarking of revenues for transport infrastructure was the key point of an informal deal reached on Monday evening between Parliament and Council representatives on the revised Eurovignette directive.