Authorities on high alert for Easter

Traffic authorities will be on high alert throughout the long Easter weekend, the Road Traffic Management Corporation said on Tuesday.

Acting chief executive officer of the RTMC, Collins Letsoalo, said the authorities would be stationed along the major routes and identified hazardous locations to ensure that traffic rules and regulation were obeyed.

"This on-going, hard hitting traffic enforcement is part of the clean-up for Easter and beyond. We want to make sure that people understand that road safety begins with the road user.

"We cannot continue to accept that people waiting to board public transport have a 50-50 chance of arriving safely," he said.

He said the newly established National Traffic Police Force would join hands with Gauteng traffic authorities to focus on vehicle fitness, public passenger transport vehicles, speeds too high for circumstances, alcohol enforcement and moving violations.

Read More

Namibia: Nam to Get Road Transport Management System

THE Ministry of Works and Transport is in process of introducing a self-regulatory framework similar to the South African Road Transport Management System (RTMS), the Ministry's under-secretary in the transport department, George Simataa, has said.

The RTMS was established for co-operative and co-ordinated strategic planning, regulation, facilitation and law-enforcement in respect of road traffic matters by the national, provincial and local spheres of the South African government.

"This idea emanates from a study visit to Kwazulu Natal, South Africa undertaken last year," Simataa said at the launch of the Namibia Logistics Association's (NLA) Driver Development Programme and first awards ceremony on Thursday.

Simaata said the NLA driver development programme would add value and upgrade the standard of driving in the country, as well as increasing professionalism amongst heavy vehicle and long-distance drivers.

"I trust that through the programme, drivers that successfully complete the programme would receive incentives such as salary increases to encourage others to follow suit," he said.

Simataa said his Ministry is supporting the programme for the following reasons: it supports good road-user ethics; promotes law-abiding citizenry; and has the potential to create additional jobs.

Read More

70 000 jobs in fixing roads

"S'hamba Sonke will create 70,000 jobs in the 2010/2011 financial year," said minister Sibusiso Ndebele at Durban's Inkosi Albert Luthuli convention centre.

He was speaking during the launch of the S'hamba Sonke road maintenance programme, attended by thousands of contractors, public transport associations and transport MECs from different provinces.

Ndebele said the total cost of the programme would reach R22 billion by 2014.

"Our collective success starts this financial year with an amount of R6.4 billion, the R7.5 billion next financial year and R8.2 billion in 2014," said Ndebele.

The funding would be ring-fenced for the maintenance of roads, Ndebele said.

KwaZulu-Natal would receive the biggest share and would be followed by the Eastern Cape.

"During the 2011/2012 financial year, KwaZulu-Natal will get R1.2 billion, Eastern Cape R1 billion, Mpumalanga R1 billion, Mpumalanga R1 billion, Limpopo R934 million," Ndebele said.

Gauteng would get R566 million, Free State R447 million, Western Cape R411 million, Northern Cape R308 million and North West R501 million.

Ndebele said it was important to maintain roads because most of South Africa's road network had long exceeded its design life.

He said the issue of road maintenance had successively been raised by his predecessors, saying that turning a blind eye to road maintenance would cost South Africa an arm and a leg.

Read More

Metro Atlanta Transportation Wish List Sent to State

The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) has submitted to the planning director of the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) a "wish list" of transportation projects for the Metro Atlanta region.

This is a critical step in a process that could lead to a regional penny sales tax to fund transportation.

As previously reported by Atlanta Progressive News, in 2010 the Georgia legislature passed--after years of inaction--HB 277, a plan for regional referendums to occur in 2012 on whether to assess a penny sales tax in those regions for transportation projects.

In July 2012, each of the ten special transportation districts will vote on whether to assess a penny sales tax in voters' respective districts.

Each district is responsible for creating its own transportation wish list, in cooperation with GDOT.

Over the last couple months, cities and counties across the region have been developing their wish lists for inclusion in the regional wish list. Many county commissions worked with the city councils in those counties to present unified city-county lists, Jim Jaquish told APN. But that was not the case with Fulton County, where Atlanta and numerous other cities submitted wish lists in addition to that of the county.

Read More

Public transport workers compete in bus Olympics

The eyes of the public transportation world (or the state, at least) turn toward Volusia County this weekend, as Votran's South Daytona headquarters hosts three statewide competitions pitting bus drivers, van drivers, and mechanics against each other.

Volusia County Council member Josh Wagner tried Thursday to maneuver a 35-foot Votran hybrid bus through a modified (meaning easier) version of the road course that bus drivers from across the state will roll through Saturday during the Triple Crown Roadeo. (Thursday was media day for the event.)

The Triple Crown Roadeo is a combination of three statewide competitions -- the Paratransit Roadeo, the Fixed Route Roadeo, and a maintenance, or mechanics competition -- that are normally held in two different locations. Organizers decided to combine the events this year to cut costs.

Employees from 11 urban bus systems and 20 rural paratransit systems will take written tests, driving tests, personal appearance and vehicle maintenance tests, and compete in other events today and Saturday.

Read More

Transport company filed for permit after fatal crash

Indiana State Police investigators found the trucking company involved in a fatal cash on Interstate 70 filed for an over-sized load permit an hour after the crash. Drivers are required to have the permit with them and to have applied for it before starting any route with an over sized load.

Police said the crash happened when Poindexer Transportation's truck driver was heading east bound on I-70 and the widest part of it's 14'4" load hit a temporary concrete barrier in the construction zone. The force moved the concrete barrier several feet into the oncoming lane. When traffic on that side of the interstate tried to avoid it, six other vehicles collided.

J. Dale Dye, the driver of a small silver Suzuki, was in the second car in the chain reaction on west bound I-70. He died at the scene.

His loved one, Greg Davis, said it's been an unimaginable tragedy. Davis said Dale died senselessly when he learned that truck didn't even have the proper paperwork to be driving that wide of a load through the area.

Read More

SM Energy inks gas transportation deal with Energy Transfer

Oil and gas company SM Energy Co struck long-term service agreements with Energy Transfer Partners' Texas unit to transport and process gas produced from the Eagle Ford shale field in South Texas.

The deal comes less than a month after Energy Transfer Partners entered into a similar agreements with two producers in Texas. [ID:nL3E7EM350]

ETC Texas Pipeline has committed to transport up to 240,000 million British thermal units per day over a ten-year term, starting 2013.

"This new agreement with ETC provides additional, longer term take-away capacity for our natural gas and natural gas liquids as we continue to ramp up the development of our Eagle Ford shale assets," SM Energy Chief Executive Tony Best said.

Eagle Ford shale, whose current total production is estimated at 80,000 barrels per day, contains crude oil and natural-gas rich in liquids that can be stripped out and sold at a premium.

SM Energy, which did not disclose any financial terms, said the deal was fee based and will not require it to invest any upfront capital.

Read More

Dubai Chamber participates in 59th UITP transport exhibition

The seminar, which outlined the necessary steps to setting-up a business and examined the Chamber's role in supporting companies and promoting Dubai as an international business hub, was opened by H.E. Hisham Al Shirawi, Second Vice-Chairman, Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

In his welcoming speech, H.E Al Shirawi said that Dubai was a solid choice for businesses due to its extensive infrastructure, modern banking system as well as free zones, which allow for 100% foreign ownership and tax free earnings.

He highlighted the benefits that the city's growing public transport system is giving to the business community by allowing for ease of movement across the Emirate. He also gave a special mention to the success of Dubai Metro and congratulated the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) on their hard work to bring this project to fruition.

He said the appetite for doing business in Dubai was strong and that the Chamber had seen its new members increase by 11% in January and 8% in February, compared to the corresponding month in 2010.

The Chamber also had a stand during the exhibition that provided attendees with information about the Chamber's services and the benefits of being a member.

Read More

Charities doubt green case for high-speed rail

The Government’s proposals for a high speed rail network will do little to reduce UK carbon emissions unless the plans are set out as part of a comprehensive, long term transport strategy for the UK, according to a group of a national charities.

A coalition of charities and lobby groups including Friends of the Earth and Civic Voice has published a charter setting out how the Government should proceed with plans for the HS2 rail network.

The charter claims that, at present, the Government’s HS2 proposals are "not part of any comprehensive long term transport strategy or nationally agreed priorities", while, in contrast, "all the other countries developing high speed rail are doing so within a national transport framework".

In particular, the charter says, this strategy should set out how transport schemes can help reduce rising carbon emissions. The document says: "High speed rail needs to be planned and justified as an element of a sustainable, near zero-carbon transport system."

Andy Atkins, executive director of Friends of the Earth said: "Carbon emissions from UK transport must be urgently cut – but the current HS2 proposals will do little, if anything, to help. The majority of planned HS2 journeys are relatively short, so the Government’s top priority should be to cut emissions from these trips. This means action to encourage greener travel and measures to reduce the need to travel for work or essential services."

And Doug Parr, policy director of Greenpeace UK, said: "Tackling transport emissions means an increase in rail capacity. High speed rail can only help if it’s in a proper policy framework which ensures people move from car and plane onto the train."

Read More

SA to spend billions on transport

Transport infrastructure development over the next few years is set to radically change the way South Africans travel, thanks to a multi-billion rand boost from the government.

Amounting to R66-billion over the next year, and rising to R80-billion by 2013/14, the improvements are set to also create numerous jobs and tourism opportunities.

The improvements will be spread across the country, with both urban and rural parts set to benefit. This comes as current transport infrastructure developments have been recognised as being world-class quality.

"Given the deep-seated historical legacy of apartheid-inspired geographical marginalisation of the majority of South Africans, and decades of underinvestment in public transport, government is going all out to ensure safe, efficient, reliable and affordable public transport," Transport Sibusiso Ndebele said on Wednesday.

Achievements

"Over the past few years, a major capital injection into transport-related infrastructure and operations has begun to produce some important results."

The second report card on infrastructure released yesterday by the South African Association of Civil Engineering states that the country's best performing infrastructure was its aviation infrastructure, which was awarded the report's only "A".

According to the report, South Africa's national road network was "good to excellent", with the SA National Roads Agency (Sanral), Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) and the National Ports Authority performing exceptionally well.

Read More

U.S. transport agency to probe discount bus safety

The National Transportation Safety Board will conduct a review of the safety system governing the discount tour bus industry in the wake of last month's deadly Bronx bus crash that killed 15 passengers, authorities announced on Sunday.

New York Senator Charles Schumer and Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez compared the bus review, expected to take six months, to one that resulted in mandatory airline safety changes after the 2009 crash of a commuter plane in Buffalo killed all 49 passengers and crew aboard.

"A broad-based investigation into the discount tour bus industry will send a wake-up call that the status quo is simply not acceptable," said Schumer, who with Velazquez requested the review after the March 12 fatal crash of a bus returning to Chinatown from a Connecticut casino.

"These passengers did not have to die in vain. (The NTSB review) will no doubt lead to greater safety standards for the thousands of passengers who use these buses every week," the Democratic senator said in a statement.

Just days after the New York crash, another Chinatown bus crashed on the New Jersey Turnpike en route to Philadelphia, killing the driver and a passenger.

Read More

Transport smartcard launched in Auckland

Bus users in Auckland will soon be able to take advantage of a new smartcard for public transport.

Auckland Transport today announced the introduction of the card as part of a phased lead-in to the full introduction of the region's first fully integrated ticketing system next year.

The launch of the "hop-on and hop-off" (Hop) smartcard follows earlier announcements on the development of an integrated system and a participation agreement between Auckland Transport, Snapper and NZ Bus on working with the new central system.

The Hop smartcard replaces Go Rider cards and will be rolled out over coming months.

The card will simplify how people pay for and use public transport and will make boarding faster and easier, Auckland Transport chief executive David Warburton said.

It will also be rolled out for use on NZ Bus services.

Read More

No quick repair for aging bridges

Bridges in New York and across America are well into middle age, and much like some people of that certain age, are deteriorating faster than they are being cared for.

A report issued Tuesday by the not-for-profit group Transportation for America put New York near the average nationally, with about 12 percent of the state's 17,365 bridges rated as structurally deficit. That is better than the worst, Pennsylvania, at 27 percent, but far from the best, Nevada, at 2 percent.

Deficient bridges are not deemed imminently unsafe, but require repairs or posting for reduced vehicle weights. The average bridge in the U.S. is 42 years old, and most were built to a useful life of 50 years, which can be extended through regular maintenance, or shortened by a lack of it.

Even though New York has more than 2,000 deficient bridges, the state did not make the report's list of the worst 100 U.S. counties. Also, Albany County ranked much better than the national average and was fourth among the state's 62 counties, with just 4.2 percent of its 342 bridges ranked as deficient.

Read more:

Oklahoma Department of Transportation celebrates 100 years

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation is celebrating its centennial with numerous events, including an exhibit of vintage automobiles from collections of members of the Sooner Regional Group of the Horseless Carriage Club of America.

The exhibit at the Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive, includes an 1899 Knox three-wheeler steered with a tiller, a 1903 Oldsmobile and a 1909 wooden-body Ford Model T originally owned by an Oklahoman.

Science Museum Oklahoma, 2100 NE 52, will host an ODOT Day May 13. The event will feature road-building equipment with crew members to answer questions, hands-on activities such as bridge building and using survey equipment and a liquid nitrogen experiment with road salt.

ODOT’s eight division headquarters will have open houses..

For more information, go to www.okladot.state.ok.us and click on “Celebrating 100 Years.”


Read more:

Transport and roads to be focus of first 100 days

BARRY O'FARRELL will outline the plan for his government's first 100 days in office by the middle of the week, once his cabinet has been sworn in.

However, a number of incoming ministers had met departmental heads before the vote, with work believed to be under way within the public service on some of the policies and programs outlined by the Coalition.

Yesterday the Premier-elect said a plan was being finalised, with the focus on public transport and roads.
Advertisement: Story continues below

''My biggest priority will remain transport,'' he said.

However, a Herald/Nielsen poll last week found that half of voters wanted the government to focus on the health system, against 19 per cent for transport and 17 per cent for education.

The survey also found that given a choice between maintaining the state's ''triple-A'' credit rating and ''borrowing to fund infrastructure'', 63 per cent chose funding, with just 29 per cent wanting the triple-A rating maintained.

Mr O'Farrell conceded there was pressure to fix the health system, while pointing out this is not a matter for the state government alone.

Read More

A-1 Auto Transport Website Makeover Focuses On The User Experience

A-1 Auto Transport launches their newly redesigned website to better serve their customers. The new website focuses on the user experience, is much easier to navigate and one of the best information resources on the web for those who wish to ship their car.

A-1 Auto Transport's newly redesigned website now allows their users to utilize a variety of enhanced features such as free instant online auto transport quotes, both domestic and international. The site also provides an abundance of informative links to help the user become fully knowledgeable about the auto transport industry before they ship their car.

"The auto transport industry is largely misunderstood.", said Marketing Director, Joe Webster. "Customers looking for auto transport services oftentimes don't know how to prepare their car for shipping or how to approach car shipping legal contracts. The new website has an abundance of expert information so customers can have a better understanding in the process of auto transportation, to save them both time and money."

By using A1AutoTransport.com, users can easily and efficiently research the car shipping industry as a whole, as well as compare the rates and services of multiple auto transport companies with free real time auto transport quotes.

Another amazing feature that can be found on the new innovative website is real-time satellite tracking of your vehicle. From the comfort of your home or any Wi-Fi hot spot, you can now track your car by GPS satellite throughout its entire journey.

Read more:

Next Step for Airport Security: Scanners for Your Shoes

The Transportation Security Administration announced this week that it’s accepting proposals for a “shoe scanner” device. It could be a way to cut down on the aggravations of airline travel while still allowing officials to check for weapons and explosives inside a terrorist’s Reeboks. The idea crashed and burned when the Department of Homeland Security first proposed it years ago.

The current push to acquire the devices kicks off on April 25, when would-be designers will have the chance to submit proposals for the scanners.

What will the next scanners look like? Will they use X-ray or millimeter wave technology? Will they be held in a TSA agent’s hand, or will you have to put your feet on some kind of scanning pedestal? We’ll have to wait until the full request is published on April 25. But a TSA spokeswoman, Sarah Horowitz, tells Danger Room that the agency “is not limiting the types of technologies that can be considered, as long as they meet TSA’s requirements, including those for safety and detection standards.”

Ever since would-be shoe bomber Richard Reid tried to blow up a transatlantic flight in December of 2001 with explosives concealed in his shoes, TSA has made airline passengers remove their shoes for X-raying, in the belief that terrorists will emulate Reid’s failed effort. Nearly 10 years later, TSA’s effort still contributes to long lines at security gates.

So, while TSA is still committed to the scanning approach to security, it wants the experience to be more convenient. It’s looking to “identify mature shoe scanning technology to support a future procurement which will eliminate the need for passengers to remove their shoes at the checkpoint,” says Horowitz.

Why “mature” tech? Because in the past, TSA has been stepped on when trying to scan shoes.

Read More

US Public Transport Could Be Hampered by Rising Gas Prices

We are, quite honestly, not sure if this story is good or bad. What we do know is that more Americans need to adopt the idea of public transportation and get away from the single car/single user way of life (yes, even with the uptick in hybrid and electric cars). However, we’re not sure that a huge surge in gas prices forcing people to use poorly structured public transport that will buckle under its increased usage is really how we wanted to see that go down. Unfortunately, one report implies that may be exactly what’s happening.

According to a report issued this month to Congress by the American Public Transportation Association (ATPA), if gas prices continue to rise, there may be problems. Already, according to the report, spiking gas prices are causing an increase in demand for public transportation across the United States. The numbers predicted, in fact, are somewhat staggering.

Read More

IATA Predicts Japan Air Transport Downturn

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) expects a “major slowdown in air travel” to Japan in the short term, but says it is too early to assess the financial impact. “The fortunes of the industry will likely not improve until the effect of a reconstruction rebound is felt in the second half of the year,” Director General and CEO Giovanni Bisignani says.

According to IATA, Japan represents 6.5% of world airline traffic and 10% of its revenues. The biggest international markets connecting with Japan are the U.S. (at an annual $10.5 billion in revenues), China ($6.5 billion), South Korea ($3.1 billion) and Taiwan ($2.1 billion). IATA estimates that the length of the current downturn “will depend critically on developments in the nuclear power situation.”

Several airlines, including Cathay Pacific and United Continental, have reported weaker demand for services to Japan. However, that trend is not seen in other regions yet. European airlines are still experiencing strong demand for Japan travel, both inbound and outbound.

The association estimates that the fuel reserves at Japanese airports will last for 10 days, although some fuel facilities have been damaged

Read More

Greek public transport workers, journalists strike

Journalists and public transport workers in the Greek capital Athens have walked off the job on a 24-hour strike to protest austerity measures.

The journalists' strike, which began at 6 a.m. (0400GMT) Thursday, pulled all television and radio news programs off the air, and news websites were not being updated. No newspapers will be printed for Friday.

In the Greek capital, workers at the city's metro, tram and trolleys walked off the job, with only public buses continuing to run. Commuters headed to work in their own cars or in taxis, snarling traffic.

Transport workers have held a series of strikes in recent months against transit reforms aimed at cutting spending and waste.

Read More