#### ![](media/image1.jpeg){width="1.5798611111111112in" height="0.5395833333333333in"}

#### 

#### *Transit Research Update --October 2008* 

# *Contents*

*To view any article listed below, use the mouse and control/click on
the title.*

SPECIAL

[Federal Transit Administration Public Transportation Trade Mission
3](#federal-transit-administration)

***FEDERAL RESEARCH IN PROGRESS\
***

[Vehicle Assist and Automation (VAA) Demonstration
4](#vehicle-assist-and-automation-vaa-demonstration)

[Alabama Trauma Care System 4](#alabama-trauma-care-system)

[Public Transportation Participation Pilot Program
4](#public-transportation-participation-pilot-program)

[Reconnecting America 5](#reconnecting-america)

FROM THE TRI RESEARCH CORNER

[Delegation from International Visitor Leadership Program
5](#delegation-from-international-visitor-leadership-program)

[Project Action International Roundtable
5](#project-action-international-roundtable)

[T-3 Webinar Advance Parking Management Projects
5](#t-3-webinar-advance-parking-management-projects)

***FEDERAL PUBLICATIONS\
***

[Assessing Impacts of Rising Fuel Prices on Rural Native Americans
6](#assessing-impacts-of-rising-fuel-prices-on-rural-native-americans)

[Employee Compensation Guidelines for Transit Providers in Rural and
Small Urban Areas, TCRP Report 127
6](#employee-compensation-guidelines-for-transit-providers-in-rural-and-small-urban-areas-tcrp-report-127)

[North American Joint Positive Train Control System Using Biometric
Authentication
6](#north-american-joint-positive-train-control-system-using-biometric-authentication)

[Operational Concept: Assessment of the State of the Practice and State
of the Art in Evacuation Transportation Management
6](#operational-concept-assessment-of-the-state-of-the-practice-and-state-of-the-art-in-evacuation-transportation-management)

[Performance Measurement, Demand Management, and Issues of Major U.S.
Cities
6](#performance-measurement-demand-management-and-issues-of-major-u.s.-cities)

[Planning & Environment Linkages Resource Implementation Guide
7](#planning-environment-linkages-resource-implementation-guide)

***\
\
\
\
NEWS AND RESOURCES***

[FTA Circular 8100.1C: Guidance for Metropolitan, State Planning, &
Research Program Grants
7](#fta-circular-8100.1c-guidance-for-metropolitan-state-planning-research-program-grants)

[FTA Rail Transit Safety Newsletter - Fall 2008
8](#fta-rail-transit-safety-newsletter---fall-2008)

[Pedestrian Safety Guide for Transit Agencies
8](#pedestrian-safety-guide-for-transit-agencies)

[Questions & Answers on the JARC, New Freedom, and Section 5310 Programs
8](#questions-answers-on-the-jarc-new-freedom-and-section-5310-programs)

[Roadway Departure Safety Website 8](#roadway-departure-safety-website)

[Transportation Planning Update: Summer 2008
8](#transportation-planning-update-summer-2008)

[Transit Watch Toolkit 9](#transit-watch-toolkit)

***\
INTERNATIONAL***

[Chinese Edition of Transit-Oriented Development
9](#chinese-edition-of-transit-oriented-development)

[Developing Countries 2007 9](#developing-countries-2007)

[Developing Countries 2008 10](#developing-countries-2008)

[Backup Power Solutions & Market 10](#backup-power-solutions-market)

[First UN Ministerial Summit on Global Road Safety
10](#first-un-ministerial-summit-on-global-road-safety)

[Impacts of Europe\'s Changing Climate
10](#impacts-of-europes-changing-climate)

[Russian Rail to Invest in Deutsche Bahn
11](#russian-rail-to-invest-in-deutsche-bahn)

[Toward Sustainable Mobility in Urban India
11](#toward-sustainable-mobility-in-urban-india)

[RESEARCH, NEWS AND INFORMATION](#research-news-information)

[Advanced Transit Association Wiki
11](#advanced-transit-association-wiki)

[BART Riders Embrace Paying with Mobile Phones \-- NFC Trial a Success
11](#bart-riders-embrace-paying-with-mobile-phones----nfc-trial-a-success)

[CSC Study Identifies Emerging Wave of Disruptive Technologies that will
Reshape Business
12](#csc-study-identifies-emerging-wave-of-disruptive-technologies-that-will-reshape-business)

[Changing Lanes 12](#__RefHeading___Toc213484646)

[Examples of Transportation Conformity Practices Website
12](#examples-of-transportation-conformity-practices-website)

[Fuel Cells: Emerging Market 2^nd^ Industry Review - 28 Jan 2009
12](#fuel-cells-emerging-market-2nd-industry-review---28-jan-2009)

[FuelCell Today Newsletter -- Informing the FuelCell Industry
13](#fuelcell-today-newsletter-informing-the-fuelcell-industry)

[National 511 Traveler Information Services Update and Usage Statistics
13](#national-511-traveler-information-services-update-and-usage-statistics)

[State Transportation Officials Set Course for Federal Program Reform
14](#state-transportation-officials-set-course-for-federal-program-reform)

[Lawsuit Claims Mapmaking Firm Owns Your Neighborhood
14](#lawsuit-claims-mapmaking-firm-owns-your-neighborhood)

[Metrolink\'s New Cars are Reported to be Safest Yet
14](#metrolinks-new-cars-are-reported-to-be-safest-yet)

[MicroRail Monorail, LRT, BRT& Streetcar Alternate
14](#microrail-monorail-lrt-brt-streetcar-alternate)

[Refunds for Philadelphia Motorists Clocked Improperly by Red-Light
Cameras
15](#refunds-for-philadelphia-motorists-clocked-improperly-by-red-light-cameras)

[NOYS -- National Organization for Youth Safety Contest -Enter Contest
to Win \$10,000
15](#noys-national-organization-for-youth-safety-contest--enter-contest-to-win-10000)

===============================================================

## SPECIAL

### FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION 

**PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TRADE MISSION**

**December 3-12, 2008**

***Beijing, Shanghai / Hangzhou, Hong Kong / Macau***

Federal Transit Administration Deputy Administrator Sherry Little will
lead a trade and fact-finding mission to China from December 3-12, 2008.
The itinerary will include (a) Beijing; (b) Shanghai and Hangzhou; and
conclude with (c) Hong Kong and Macau, sites of some of the world's
fastest-developing and efficient public transportation systems.

**Beijing**: The Beijing element of the mission will include
participation in the U.S.-China Transportation Forum on December 3 which
is a key element of the U.S.-China Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED), a
mechanism for strategically managing U.S.-China economic and trade
relations. The Transportation Forum will facilitate input from the
transportation industry in identifying important transportation
infrastructure needs across all transportation modes and enable the free
flow of trade between the U.S. and China. The Beijing activities will
also include meetings with national and local Chinese public
transportation officials.

**Shanghai / Hangzhou**: In Shanghai, the Mission Team will meet with
public transportation officials to review expansion plans and
opportunities in urban and interurban rail, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and
the maglev system. The role of the private sector will be discussed and
site visits will be included. Shanghai boasts the world's only
functioning magnetic levitation train system, which travels at speeds of
more than 250 miles per hour.

In Hangzhou, the Mission Team will meet with officials and conduct field
visits to the BRT system and the Hangzhou Metro construction project
which is scheduled to open in 2011.

**Hong Kong / Macau**: In Hong Kong, meetings with officials of the
highly efficient transit system will be held to discuss transit
expansion plans and public/private partnerships along with related site
visits which are planned such as the Operations Control Center. Meetings
in Macau will focus on the Light Rapid Transit System which is under
development.

**Gold Key Service Offered**

In Shanghai and Hong Kong, the U.S. Commercial Service is offering its
Gold Key Service which is an individualized matchmaking opportunity to
connect the private sector members of the U.S. transit industry with key
Chinese government officials and transit industry leaders. Special
briefings on tips to doing business in China, the local business
environment and the US-China relationship is also explained. Additional
information on the Gold Key Service can be found at:
<http://www.buyusa.gov/china/en/gks.html>.

Please advise either Ron Boenau \[202-366-0195;
<Ronald.Boenau@dot.gov>\] or Rita Daguillard

\[202-366-0955; <Rita.Daguillard@dot.gov>\] as soon as possible if you
are interested in receiving additional information on this Mission.

## FEDERAL RESEARCH IN PROGRESS 

### Vehicle Assist and Automation (VAA) Demonstration    

*Project FTA-CA-26-7080-00. Schedule:* June 2008 - 2010

This project supports the effort of the California State Department of
Transportation (Caltrans) to demonstrate the technical merits and
feasibility of different vehicle assist and automation (VAA) technology
applications in bus revenue service, and to assessVAA costs and
benefits.  Caltrans will conduct this project in partnership with
Alameda County (AC) Transit, Lane Transit District (LTD), the University
of California Partners for Advanced Transit and Highways (PATH), and
several private sector companies. Caltrans plans to demonstrate VAA
applications of bus lateral guidance through toll booths and precision
docking at bus rapid transit (BRT) stops. These applications will use
the following VAA technologies, individually and in combination: 1)
Magnetic marker sensing, and 2) Differential Global Positioning System
(DGPS) with inertial sensors.  More Online
\[[http://rip.trb.org](http://rip.trb.org/)/\]

*FTA Project Monitor:*  Steven Mortensen, TRI    Fax:  202.366.3765 

*Email:*  \[Steven.Mortensen@dot.gov\]  

### Alabama Trauma Care System 

*Project AL-26-7261.02 Schedule: July* 2008 -- July 2009

This project supports the continuing effort of the University of Alabama
at Birmingham (UAB) to enhance and expand the activities of the Center
for Injury Sciences at UAB. The Center's initiatives contribute to the
Alabama trauma care system and to a better understanding of injury
patterns associated with motor vehicle collisions and mass casualty
incidents. The Centers 2008 activity supports development of a
comprehensive trauma system with emphasis on pre-hospital observations,
that aid in studying the integration of established motor vehicle crash
investigation activities into mass transit accident analysis as a means
to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with mass transit
casualties. Emphasis is on investigations involving bus configuration
and operations. *Performer:* University of Alabama at Birmingham

*FTA Project Monitor:* Pauline Dantignac *Fax*: 202.366.3765

*Email:* \[Pauline.Dantignac@dot.gov\]

### Public Transportation Participation Pilot Program 

The FTA is currently sponsoring applied research that will develop
innovative approaches to improving public participation in the planning
of public transportation. This research is part of the *Public
Transportation Participation Pilot Program* (PTP) authorized in
SAFETEA-LU. The results of the studies will be posted to the FTA-PTP
site \[[Planning Capacity
Website\]](http://www.fta.dot.gov/planning/programs/planning_environment_5925.html).
Applicants selected for the PTP-3 Program are the following:

1)  *Project for Public Spaces (NY) \$150K* \-- Developing a tool for
    transit agencies and MPOs to better engage the public regarding
    walking environment around transit stops.

2)  *NYU Wagner Rudin Center (NY City) \$175K* -- Innovative public
    participation at MTA through surveys and/or focus groups of affected
    populations, interview with press people, elected officials, agency
    staff, advocacy organizations. More Online
    \[<http://www.fta.dot.gov/planning/programs/planning_environment_5925.html>\]

*FTA Contact:* Effie Stallsmith, Tel. 202.366.5653 or
\[<Effie.Stallsmith@dot.gov>\].

### Reconnecting America

*Project FTA-CA-26-1007.03 Schedule:* July 2008 -- July 2009

This amendment enables the Center for Transit-Oriented-Development (TOD)
to continue cataloging TOD best practices from around the country, to
develop guidelines and standards, and to provide technical assistance
fostering linkages between transit, land use, and economic devlopment.
The Center will also develop planning guidance, performance criteria,
models and techniques to maximize ridership through land use planning
and adjacent development. More Online
\[[http://rip.trb.org](http://rip.trb.org/)/\]

*Performer*: Reconnecting America, Oakland, California 94612

*FTA Project Monitor:* Effie Stallsmith, TPE Fax: 202.366.3765

*Email:* \[Effie.Stallsmith@dot.gov\]

## FROM THE TRI RESEARCH CORNER 

### Delegation from International Visitor Leadership Program

On October 3, a delegation from the Department of State's International
Visitor Leadership Program visited FTA. A particular focus of their
visit was on urban environmental planning issues. Staff from the Office
of Planning met with the group which is comprised of individuals from 15
different countries. FTA Contact \[Ronald.Boenau@dot.gov\]

### Project Action International Roundtable

The international roundtable meeting, done in conjunction with Easter
Seals Project Action, will bring disabled transportation consumers and
activists together from around the world to discuss the status of
transportation accessibility in their respective countries. We have
identified individuals from Finland, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand and
South Africa that we will be inviting and are looking to identify more
participants. The final outcome of the meeting will be a report that
documents the status of accessibility in each country and the shared and
different experiences of each place. The roundtable meeting will take
place on September 28-30, 2008. \[Julia.Eason@dot.gov\]

### T-3 Webinar Advance Parking Management Projects

On October 21, Charlene Wilder served as the Federal host for a T-3
Webinar that presented background information on two advanced parking
management projects.  The Research and Innovative Technology
Administration and FTA recently completed an independent evaluation of
advanced parking information systems deployed in Chicago, Illinois and
Montgomery County, Maryland.  The findings include the impact of the
systems on ridership and parking utilization, mode choice, circulation,
and customer satisfaction. More than 250 individuals registered for this
event.  Contact \[Charlene.Wilder@dot.gov\]

## FEDERAL PUBLICATIONS

### Assessing Impacts of Rising Fuel Prices on Rural Native Americans 

The Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute at North Dakota State
University has released a report that examines the impacts that rising
fuel prices have on rural Native American counties and compares these
impacts with other county, state, and national averages. Online
\[<http://www.ugpti.org/pubs/pdf/SP169.pdf/>\]

### Employee Compensation Guidelines for Transit Providers in Rural and Small Urban Areas, TCRP Report 127

*TCRP Report 127* will be of interest to local transit providers and
their governing boards. Although the Guidebook largely addresses
compensation, it also assists transit providers to recruit, hire, and
retain qualified employees. An [interactive computer
tool](http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/tcrp/tcrp_rpt_127Tool.xls),
produced as part of this project, is available Online and is designed to
allow transit managers to quickly and easily obtain compensation and
benefit data from comparable transit systems.

The primary purpose of the project was to collect and analyze current
compensation data and develop guidelines for employee compensation so
that rural and small urban transit managers have a meaningful resource
to use when making wage and benefit decisions. The project was also
designed to provide transit managers with information that can be used
to attract and retain employees in the unique environment and with the
challenges faced by rural and small urban transit managers. This
Guidebook and interactive computer tool were developed based on
information gathered from various sources, including a literature review
and previous research, a survey of transit operators, and one-on-one
interviews. Online \[<http://trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=9282>\]

### North American Joint Positive Train Control System Using Biometric Authentication

The U.S. Federal Railroad Administration released a Research Results
report that explores the reliability of the four-quadrant gate/vehicle
detection equipment as a means to assess the impact of the equipment
reliability on the proposed high-speed rail timetable. More Online
\[<http://www.fra.dot.gov/downloads/Research/rr0810.pdf>\]

### Operational Concept: Assessment of the State of the Practice and State of the Art in Evacuation Transportation Management

This document outlines a concept of operations for transportation
management during a no-notice emergency evacuation. The report
illustrates how agencies interact with each other, what information is
shared, and how transportation systems are effectively managed during
disasters. The concept of operations addresses the who, what, when,
where, why, and how of the operation of the transportation management
system during a major no-notice event or disaster requiring evacuation.
A high-level description of activities that occur during each phase of
the evacuation process is provided. Basically, this document provides an
overview of the various agencies involved, their roles and
responsibilities, the type of information exchanged between them, and
the methods by which this occurs. Online
\[<http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop08020/index.htm>\].

### Performance Measurement, Demand Management, and Issues of Major U.S. Cities

*TRB's Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation
Research Board, No. 2046* includes 11 papers that explore travel time
reliability measures, performance measures of freeway operations,
communicating performance measures and results to citizens,
incorporating transportation demand management into the land development
process, evaluating urban parking policies, and reassessing on-street
parking.  This issue of the TRR also examines employee transportation
benefits in high transit mode share areas, compressed workweek choices,
removal of inner city freeways, how civil engineering students choose a
specialization, and a teaching laboratory for an integrated land use and
transportation course.   Online
\[<http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=9471>\]

### Planning & Environment Linkages Resource Implementation Guide

The *Planning & Environment Linkages (PEL)* *Resource Implementation
Guide* effectively explains the concepts of PEL in simple terms \--
defining PEL for the purposes of transportation planning \-- and
provides links and diagrams to help practitioners from multiple
disciplines understand how to implement PEL. This approach to
transportation decisionmaking considers environmental, community, and
economic goals early in the planning stage and carries them through
project development, design, and construction. This can lead to a
seamless decision-making process that minimizes duplication of effort,
promotes environmental stewardship, and reduces delays in project
implementation.

Please visit the PEL website for more information on this initiative and
for a link to the *Resource Implementation Guide* at
\[<http://environment.fhwa.dot.gov/integ/index.asp>\]

## NEWS & RESOURCES

### Bus Rapid Transit Policy Center Newsletter

*Transport Innovator* is a free newsletter dedicated to sharing
information about innovative, cost-effective transportation solutions
(both domestic and international). The newsletter will help keep
practitioners abreast of BRT activities and issues world-wide. The
March/April 2008 editorial, "Linking Bus Rapid Transit and Land Use,"
purports to answer the question\--Can BRT systems support
transit-oriented development and will real estate developers embrace
BRT? Other subject areas covered in this newsletter include: BRT and
Innovative Bus (Auckland, New Zealand; New York City; Lagos, Nigeria;
Brisbane, Australia; Belfast, Ireland; Chicago, Illinois; Karachi,
Pakistan; Jerusalem, Israel; California BRT; Delhi, India; Durham,
Canada; and Hanoi Vietnam), Transportation Policy, Alternative Fuels,
and Odd News. [\[Read Online\]](http://www.gobrt.org/).

*This newsletter is published by the Breakthrough Technologies
Institute, a Washington DC-based non-profit that serves as a voice for
technologies and public policy. Program areas include hydrogen fuel
cells, public transportation, and diesel emissions. To learn more about
transportation projects, please visit*
\[[www.gobrt.org](../www.gobrt.org)*\].*

### FTA Circular 8100.1C: Guidance for Metropolitan, State Planning, & Research Program Grants 

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has issued final guidance
(effective September 1, 2008) in the form of a Circular on Metropolitan
Planning and State Planning and Research Program Grants. The circular
provides program guidance and application instructions for the
metropolitan and statewide planning programs. The final circular revises
and combines into one document the contents of previous Circular 8100.1B
on the Metropolitan Planning Program and previous Circular 8200.1, on
the State Planning and Research Program. The final circular contains
information on the Consolidated Planning Grants program between the FTA
and the FHWA. This program now allows the FTA and the FHWA metropolitan
and statewide planning funds to be combined into a single consolidated
grant. The Circular has been posted at
\[<http://www.fta.dot.gov/regional_offices_8454.html>\]. For more
information you can contact Mr. Victor Austin, Community Planner at
(202) 366-2996 or \[victor.austin@dot.gov\].

### FTA Rail Transit Safety Newsletter - Fall 2008

*The FTA Rail Transit Safety Newsletter* is a technical assistance
newsletter published quarterly by the Federal Transit Administration.
The Newsletter is distributed free to members of the State Safety
Oversight Community, including FTA regional offices, state safety
oversight agencies, and rail transit agencies. This issue includes
information on FTA\'s Safety Action Plan, National Transportation Safety
Board (NTSB) recommendations and FTA response, the 3rd Annual SSO
Program Managers Workshop, the 12th Annual SSO Program Meeting, FTA\'s
CEO Safety Summit, and an update on SSO Program effective practices.
Online

\[<http://transit-safety.volpe.dot.gov/Safety/Oversight.asp>\]

### Pedestrian Safety Guide for Transit Agencies

The new *Pedestrian Safety Guide for Transit Agencies* on the Web
provides transit agency staff with an easy-to-use resource for improving
pedestrian safety. The guide includes a variety of approaches to address
common pedestrian safety issues that are likely to arise near transit
stations, bus stops, and other places where transit (bus or rail) is
operated. The guide provides references to publications, guides and
other tools to identify pedestrian safety problems. Descriptions of
engineering, education and enforcement programs that have been
effectively applied by transit agencies are included as well as
background information about pedestrian safety and access to transit.
Online **\[**<http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ped_bike/ped/index.htm>**\]**

### Questions & Answers on the JARC, New Freedom, and Section 5310 Programs

This Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Web page attempts to provide
answers to questions regarding Elderly Individuals & Individuals with
Disabilities (Section 5310), JARC & New Freedom Programs. It was last
updated October 16, 2008. Online
\[<http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/Updated_Q_and_A10-16-08.doc>\]

### Roadway Departure Safety Website

The U.S. Federal Highway Administration has created a website that
includes information and guidance designed to lead to safer roads and
roadsides.  According to the website, of the 43,443 people killed on the
nation\'s highways in 2007, more than 24,000 died when their vehicle
left its lane and crashed.  In some cases the vehicle crossed the
centerline and was involved in a head-on crash or opposite direction
sideswipe. In others, the vehicle encroached onto the shoulder and
beyond to rollover or impact one or more natural or man-made objects,
such as utility poles, bridge walls, embankments, guardrails, parked
vehicles, or trees. Online
\[<http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/roadway_dept/>\]

### Transportation Planning Update: Summer 2008

The U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has released the latest
issue of its quarterly newsletter designed to provide information to the
transportation planning community.  Articles are written and submitted
by FHWA and U.S. Federal Transit Administration staff to promote the
sharing of ideas, highlight good practices, and inform on current
events. This edition contains articles on "Transit"\--

Read More Online
\[<http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/resourcecenter/teams/planning/tpu16.pdf>\]

### Transit Watch Toolkit 

Launched in 2003, Transit Watch is a nationwide public awareness
outreach campaign that encourages the active participation of transit
passengers and employees in maintaining a safe transit environment. A
toolkit was created that enabled transit officials to customize the
materials and select the campaign and accompanying visuals that would
most effectively address each transit community.

Significant enhancements were made to the original Transit Watch
toolkit, including messages pertaining to unattended bags, evacuation
procedures, translation of the original Transit Watch materials into
Spanish, and the development of a \"Five Step Strategy\" for use in
enhancing communication with State and Local Citizen Corps Councils More
Online
\[<http://transit-safety.volpe.dot.gov/Publications/order/singledoc.asp?docid=357>\]

*Also Available:* downloadable CD of the Transit Watch toolkit, and
**papercopies** of the *Enhanced 2006 Transit Watch Toolkits.*

## INTERNATIONAL 

### Chinese Edition of Transit-Oriented Development

The article, "Chinese Edition of Transit-Oriented Development," is
located on pages 120-127, in the *Transportation Research Record No.
2038, titled Developing Countries 2007.* Transit-oriented development
(TOD) is a strategy to integrate transit and land use by focusing
development around a transit station. TOD principles are gaining
popularity worldwide in the global effort toward sustainable
transportation. This paper attempts to answer two questions: Why do
Chinese cities need TODs? How can TOD principles developed in the U.S.
context be put into operation in urban China? It is emphasized that for
sustainable transit, TOD should be applied as a composite policy
combining land use, transportation, and transit finance. More Online
\[<http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?ID=8958>\]

### Developing Countries 2007

TRB's Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation
Research Board, No. 2038 includes 21 papers that explore housing policy
impact on transportation

infrastructure in Chinese cities; the impact of public transportation\'s
past on its future in Bogota, Colombia; urban traffic infractions in
Kuwait; pedestrian behavior at unsignalized midblock crosswalks in
Beijing, China; improving road safety in China; mobility and travel
patterns in Chennai, India; and commute mode choice in a developing
country.  This issue of the TRR also examines electric two-wheelers in
China; projection of Chinese motor vehicle growth; land and
transportation development in China; seat belt use effect on road
accidents in Thailand; pedestrian crossings in Trinidad and Tobago;
vehicle ownership modeling in Thailand; freeway speed difference impact
on traffic safety in China; and rail transit and residential land use
and property prices in Bangkok, Thailand.  In addition, this TRR
examines transit-oriented development in China; household income, travel
behavior, location, and accessibility in two different developing
contexts; commute trip chaining in Shangyu, China; traffic crash
characteristics on freeways in China; vehicle activity patterns and
emissions in Pune, India; and modeling bus lane priorities in a
motorcycle environment. Read More Online

\[<http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_browse.asp?id=25>\]

### Developing Countries 2008

Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research
Board, No. 2048 includes 9 papers that explore sustainable mobility;
competition in and for the public transportation market; rail transit
impacts on land use; multicriteria fuzzy methodology for feasibility
study of transport projects; and the effects of attitudes, and
socioeconomic and travel characteristics on stated route diversion. 
This issue of the TRR also examines walking behavior and pedestrian flow
on different types of walking facilities, operating speeds of bicycles
and electric bicycles, exposure of motorcycles at signalized
intersections, and helmet effectiveness in reducing the severity of head
injuries.  [\[More\]](http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=9522)
Online \[<http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_browse.asp?id=25>\]

### Backup Power Solutions & Market 

Fuel cells offer a number of significant advantages over conventional
batteries and diesel generators for backup power solutions. These
include: greater reliability over a wide range of operating conditions;
lower maintenance costs; longer operating life; reduced size, weight,
installation footprint; and positive environmental impacts. These
advantages make fuel cell technology ideal for telecommunications backup
applications. Ballard has partnered with Dantherm Power A/S of Denmark
to provide complete backup power solutions to telecommunications
providers. Ballard is also working with Plug Power to develop backup
power solutions for the U.S. Department of Defense\'s \'Continuity of
Operations (COOP)\' initiative. [Click
here](http://www.ballard.com/files/Videos/Chapter_2_Backup_Power.wmv) to watch
a video showcasing fuel cell adoption in the wireless telecom backup
power market. More Online
\[<http://www.ballard.com/Backup_Power_Fuel_Cells/Application_Overview.htm>\]

### First UN Ministerial Summit on Global Road Safety 

The United Nations General Assembly has today approved the first ever
global UN Conference on road safety, in an effort to reduce the rapidly
growing death toll on the world's roads. The UN Conference, with
participation at Ministerial level, will be held in the Russian
Federation in 2009. The decision by the UN General Assembly marks a
major victory for the *Make Roads Safe* campaign, which has advocated
for such a governmental meeting. During the General Assembly session, it
was brought to their attention that road deaths are now the number one
killer of young people aged 10-24 worldwide. Overall, each year more
than1.2 million people are killed and 50 million injured. The latest
forecasts show that unless action is taken, more than twenty million
lives could be lost from 2000-2015, with a doubling of the annual death
rate by 2030. More Online
\[<http://www.makeroadssafe.org/news/na/index.html>\]

### Impacts of Europe\'s Changing Climate

The European Environmental Agency has released a report that explores
the impacts of Europe\'s changing climate, including an increased risk
of floods and droughts; losses of biodiversity; threats to human health;
and damage to economic sectors such as energy, transport, forestry,
agriculture, and tourism.  Earlier this year, TRB released Special
Report 290: The Potential Impacts of Climate Change on U.S.
Transportation, which explores the consequences of climate change for
U.S. transportation infrastructure and operations. Online
\[<http://reports.eea.europa.eu/eea_report_2008_4/en/>\]

### Russian Rail to Invest in Deutsche Bahn

The intention of Russian Railways (RZD) to inject capital into Deutsche
Bahn (DB) following the partial DB privatization is everything but
secret. Vladimir Iakounine showed his interest as soon as the
privatization was announced. In an interview to Herald Tribune, he
stated that RZD would like to own about 5% of the DB's capital. From his
viewpoint, this venture is a way to reinforce partnerships between both
companies which already collaborate on several projects. More
specifically, the DB and RZD work together to move freight trains from
China to Hamburg. Also, the DB had shown interests when the Moscow-Saint
Petersburg line construction started and Siemens had even provided RZD
with some high-speed trains. Both rail companies have also worked in
collaboration on various cross-border schemes. More Online
\[<http://en.transport-expertise.org/index.php/2008/10/13/russian-rail-to-invest-in-deutsche-bahn/>\]

### Toward Sustainable Mobility in Urban India 

*Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research
Board,*

*Volume 2048 / 2008, Pages 1-7*. Little attention was paid to the
problem of rapid growth in the number of personal motor vehicles in
Indian cities until 2005. By the second half of 2006, the situation
changed\--public transport became the focus of attention in most large
and medium-size cities. This paper looks at the national initiatives
that helped direct attention to public transportation improvements,
namely---adoption of a national urban transport policy along with the
launching of a national urban renewal mission with a sizable commitment
of funds. These were supplemented by a series of well-conceived and
planned initiatives, led by the national government, to generate
widespread awareness of urban mobility problems and how they could be
successfully addressed. The results were visible within 18 months, by
which time several cities had already formulated plans for improving
public transport and the first incremental phase of India\'s first bus
rapid transit system had become operational. Online
\[<http://trb.metapress.com/content/j701374567705735/?p=c302950593924d5cbc0b1ad15dfc5854&pi=0>\]

## RESEARCH, NEWS & INFORMATION

### Advanced Transit Association Wiki

Advanced Transit Association (ATRA) Wiki is an ongoing effort to catalog
and define the world of advanced transit\--the ideas, the achievements
and the people behind them.

Advanced transit is defined as any significant improvement over the
commonly available means of transit. Advanced transit includes
components, systems or policies and combinations, whose application have
the potential of improving the (1) energy efficiency, (2) environmental
performance, and (3) public benefits of the public-private
transportation system. The focus is on moving people as well as goods
movement systems. More Online \[<http://tinyurl.com/4z9ydo>\]. See also

[Innovative Transportation
Technologies](http://faculty.washington.edu/jbs/itrans)\]

### BART Riders Embrace Paying with Mobile Phones \-- NFC Trial a Success

OAKLAND, Calif., Oct 06, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) \-- Earlier this year a
select group of San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART)
riders took part in a first-in-the-nation trial to pay for their fares
and food, receive discounts, and check account balances using their new
mobile phone containing a contactless chip that enables transactions
without a traditional plastic card. BART, First Data and ViVOtech today
released the results of the trial conducted in the San Francisco area
from Jan. 28 to May 30, 2008, which demonstrate high use when both
transit fare and retail payments are combined in the same phone. [\[Read
More
Online\]](http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/bart-riders-embrace-paying-mobile/story.aspx?guid={4B9F378C-3C96-45FD-B2B9-8BE49539F8CB}&dist=hppr)

### CSC Study Identifies Emerging Wave of Disruptive Technologies that will Reshape Business 

FALLS CHURCH, Va., Oct. 22 \-- CSC (NYSE: CSC) today announced that a
wave of disruptive technologies is reshaping industry, triggering new
business models and altering consumer and employee behaviors, according
to a report issued by CSC's Leading Edge Forum (LEF). The report
identifies seven "digital disruptions" that 21st century businesses must
understand to position themselves for success in an emerging economy
that places value predominantly in the production, enhancement and
sharing of information and cultural content. These disruptions represent
the next phase in the information revolution precipitated by the launch
of the Internet toward the end of the 20th century. They will stimulate
the formation of new industries, extend the tremendous gains in
productivity brought about by the Internet and challenge existing
social, economic, political and cultural norms. More Online

\[<http://pr-usa.net/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=139612>\]

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc213484646 .anchor}**Changing Lanes**\
![](media/image2.png){width="1.0416666666666666e-2in"
height="0.20833333333333334in"}Pressure is mounting on cities to create
transport ecosystems. Steering the change are automakers, led by the
world's third-largest car company. Speaking in Michigan, William Clay
'Bill' Ford Jr, Executive Chairman of the \$172 billion Ford Motor
Company and great grandson of Henry Ford is reported to have said: 

 

*"As a mobility integrator, Ford will work with governments, city
administrations, and public and private stakeholders to design and
implement hub networks in metro cities."  We are going to be in the
transportation business, and it's going to look very different 20, 30 or
50 years from now.  People don't have to own vehicles. They just need to
get from point A to point B, and we will help them do that."*

 

Full article:
\[<http://business.outlookindia.com/inner.aspx?articleid=1872&editionid=49&catgid=3&subcatgid=891>\]

*New Mobility* - The 'networks' that Bill Ford is banking on comprise
numerous hubs, with each being a transfer point where multiple mobility
options and services come together. It deploys technology to link
diverse transportation systems---rail, bus, metro, feeder systems, car
sharing, bike sharing---into an organic whole, and extends flexible,
seamless, door-to-door trips, for the rich and the poor. (Read [Stepping
on the
pedal](http://www.outlookbusiness.com/inner.aspx?editionid=49&articleid=1874&catgid=3&subcatgid=894))

### Examples of Transportation Conformity Practices Website 

The purpose of the Transportation Conformity Practices Website is to
serve as a user-friendly searchable repository of examples of
transportation conformity documents and processes that could be
replicated in other areas of the country. [\[More
Online\]](http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/conformity/practices/index.cfm).

### Fuel Cells: Emerging Market 2^nd^ Industry Review - 28 Jan 2009 

Location: Tribeca Grand Hotel, New York

*Fuel Cell Today*, the leading organization for market based
intelligence on the fuel cell industry, is launching its *2nd annual
Industry Review on 28th January 2009*.

Each year the Review focuses on a specific area of interest, with the
2009 Industry Review concentrating on emerging markets. An emerging
market is a non-traditional region or country which could see
significant fuel cell diffusion and uptake within the next five years.
These include India, Latin America and the Middle East. More Online

\[[http://www.fuelcelltoday.com//events/event/2009-01/Fuel-Cells\--Emerging-Markets](http://www.fuelcelltoday.com/events/event/2009-01/Fuel-Cells--Emerging-Markets)\]

### FuelCell Today Newsletter -- Informing the FuelCell Industry 

*FuelCell Today* fortnightly newsletter is a twice-monthly online guide
to the latest news and information from the fuel cell community. The
newsletter contains summaries and analysis of recent market
developments, technological breakthroughs and new applications, and
provides a concise account of the current state of the world of fuel
cells.

Online \[<http://www.fuelcelltoday.com/online/newsletters>\]

*October 22 issue* focuses on the expansion in the *telecom backup power
market in India*. India signed an agreement with some companies that
could see up to 30,000 5kW fuel cell systems delivered by March 2013.
The minimum order is for 10,000 systems in 2009 and 2010. India is
considered a prime early market for *telecoms backup power*. In
addition, the October 22 edition has a special section on (1) the *US
presidential candidates\' energy and environmental policy proposals,*
along with news about (2) *American Public Transportation Association's
(APTA)* fuel cell bus presentations in conjunction with APTA annual bus
meeting. APTA featured some new approaches to fuel cells for transit \--
namely, smaller buses (under 12 metres) and hybrid drive trains where
the fuel cell is used as a range extender or APU. For an electronic copy
of this newsletter Contact
\[[mailto:admin@transport-expertise.org](mailto:admin@transport-expertise.org)\]
or [TRI Research](mailto:marina.drancsak@dot.gov)

### National 511 Traveler Information Services Update and Usage Statistics 

511 is the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) designated
nationwide three-digit telephone number for traveler information.
Established in 1999, information provided by 511 services varies widely
both by provider (ranging from state DOTs to local transportation and
transit agencies) and by information provided (from traffic delays and
weather to transit and tourism information). The *National 511 Traveler
Information Service* is under the guidance of the \[[National 511
Deployment Coalition](http://www.deploy511.org/coalition.html)\].

 

The Coalition tracks nationwide 511 usage statistics. For the month of
*August 2008,* the usage statistics for 511 traveler information
telephone services in North America reported to the 511 Deployment
Coalition are as follows:

**2,077,571  Total Calls**

-   Over 117 million calls in nationwide since inception.

-   511 service was available to over 128 million Americans (47%) and
    almost 1 million Canadians (3%).

-   43 active 511 Traveler Information Services, as of August 31, 2008,
    operating in 33 states and two provinces are available to the
    traveling public.

-   30 Active Co-branded 511 Websites as of August 31, 2008

*Deploy511.org* is a repository of information for the 511 deployment
community designed to help users develop, launch, publicize, maintain,
evaluate, and improve their 511 system. Information and resources are
available on this site \[<http://www.deploy511.org/>\]

### State Transportation Officials Set Course for Federal Program Reform

AASHTO Press Release. Friday, October 24, 2008. State transportation
officials called for major reforms, accountability, and increased
federal funding for the nation's transportation programs as Congress
considers authorization legislation in coming year.

Meeting in Hartford, Connecticut on Monday, the American Association of
State Highway and Transportation Officials approved a slate of
recommendations for next

year's authorization of federal highway and transit programs.

 

Among the goals called for in AASHTO's new transportation agenda are:

• Increasing funding for congestion relief projects and metro areas;

• Improving highway connections and transit access for rural America;

• Doubling transit ridership to 20 billion by 2030, and 50 billion by
2050;

• Trimming 6-12 months from project delivery time by expanding state
environmental responsibilities and integrating planning;

• Dedicating federal funding for a fast and reliable intercity passenger
rail network;

• Reducing highway traffic fatalities by half in two decades; and

• Moving as swiftly as practical from current funding methods to a
distance-based user fee. Online
\[<http://news.transportation.org/press_release.aspx?Action=ViewNews&NewsID=197>\]

### Lawsuit Claims Mapmaking Firm Owns Your Neighborhood

A mathematician who pioneered a fractal-based urban-mapping technique is
embroiled in a copyright battle that raises legal questions about
whether a company can claim ownership of the definition of
neighborhoods: their specific locations and boundaries. The dispute
highlights a growing movement to quantify the amorphous tendrils
connecting communities. Story Online
\[<http://www.wired.com/politics/law/news/2008/10/neighborhood>\]

### Metrolink\'s New Cars are Reported to be Safest Yet

CALIFORNIA - What difference, if any, they would have made in the deadly
Chatsworth accident will never be known, but Metrolink is scheduled to
start receiving next year the "safest commuter rail cars in the nation."
The train cab and trailer cars - 117 of them - cost more than \$230
million. A prototype car will arrive in May for a three-month
evaluation. The first production cars will come in August. Made by Rotem
USA Corp., a division of Hyundai Motors Group in South Korea, the
railcars include the latest \"crash energy management\" technology
developed over a decade of study by the U.S. Department of
Transportation. They were picked by Metrolink after the January 2005
crash in Glendale that killed 11. Cars are built with a crush zone to
absorb the force of a crash and protect occupied areas of the train.
More Online
\[<http://www.masstransitmag.com/publication/article.jsp?siteSection=3&id=7152>\]

### MicroRail Monorail, LRT, BRT& Streetcar Alternate

*Practical & affordable alternate*! Latest presentation by MegaRail -
*Low Cost, Low Risk, Low Tech*
\[<http://faculty.washington.edu/jbs/itrans/>\]

***MicroRail*™ Dualmode *CarTram*™**

**Near-term Freeway Congestion Relief**

![](media/image3.png){width="4.677777777777778in"
height="2.4166666666666665in"}

-   Compact cars with passengers move at constant 65-mph speed

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Cars drive on and off to side roads at stops at the same time

### Refunds for Philadelphia Motorists Clocked Improperly by Red-Light Cameras

Philadelphia Inquirer, 10-11-08. The Philadelphia Parking Authority will
give \$100 refunds to 4,390 motorists ticketed this year, because its
red-light cameras were a little too quick on the draw. Seven months
after discovering that cameras along Roosevelt Boulevard and elsewhere
were suffering from \"premature activation\" - but failing to determine
the depth of the problem - the authority yesterday announced that it
would wipe out the tickets at a cost to the agency of \$440,000. More
Online
\[<http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20081011_Refunds_for_Phila__motorists_clocked_improperly_by_red-light_cameras_1.html>\]

### NOYS -- National Organization for Youth Safety Contest -Enter Contest to Win \$10,000

**C**ar crashes are the No. 1 killer of teens, and the holidays are a
deadly time for teen drivers.

-   Make some NOYS and enter for a chance to win \$10,000, meet and
    perform in front of a celebrity judge at the Mall of America, and
    maybe even help save some lives this holiday season*!\
    *

-   Just visit [Holiday
    Holla](http://www.keepthedrive.com/HolidayHolla.aspx) and submit a
    video of yourself (and up to two friends) performing a holiday carol
    using your own funny or compelling lyrics about smart driving.

Create some fun lifesaving carol lyrics, grab your video camera, make
some [**Holiday Holla!**](http://www.keepthedrive.com/HolidayHolla.aspx)
*Deadline is, Nov. 2, 2008 5:00 p.m. CT.* 

ENCOURAGE your friends to enter too, because the more we \"holla\" about
smart driving; the more lives we\'ll hopefully save! Go Online
\[<http://www.noys.org/>\]