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 The Buzz – News You Can Use
Crash Dummies Live On in New Exhibit
The Smithsonian National Museum of American History is the new home for several of the most recognizable faces in the history of the transportation industry. Body parts from crash dummies have been donated to the museum as part of an exhibit that reflects the evolution of automobile safety from the 1920s to the present. As part of the museum's permanent exhibition about American transportation, dummies Vince and Larry will share with visitors how they revolutionized seatbelt awareness and car safety while sacrificing their bodies on a daily basis. More information about the exhibit is available at http://americanhistory.si.edu/vinceandlarry/..
Reinventing the Stop Sign
So, what if people didn't know what to do when they came to an intersection? Shel Holtz has created a tongue-in-cheek look at how corporate America would approach the issue. The video portrays the trials of a young ad agency executive faced with "clients" offering their suggestions - everything from surveys that suggest targeting women to changing the proposed red color of the "new" sign to pink, since red is "owned by the fire department." "Pink? Yes, that would fit our demographic!" Anyone who has worked on a project-by-committee will connect and laugh at the final version. Don Draper, where are you when we need you?
New Transportation Enhancements Report Published
Communities across America are using Transportation Enhancements (TE) funds from the federal government to expand travel options, strengthen the local economy, improve the quality of life, and protect the environment. A new report from the National Transportation Enhancements Clearinghouse (NTEC) documents and analyzes state spending of TE funds through the end of Fiscal Year (FY) 2009. Since its inception in 1992, the TE program has made over $9 billion available to the states. To view or download the 2010 report, "Transportation Enhancements: Summary of Nationwide Spending as of Fiscal Year 2009", go to: http://enhancements.org/download/Spending_Report/TE_Spending_Report_FY09.pdf.
A New Use for Potholes? How About to Power Your Car?
Imagine people going out of their way to run over a pothole instead of swerving around it to avoid a flat tire. This could become a reality with a new shock absorber that generates and stores a small amount of electricity when your car hits an impediment and bounces back. A traditional shock absorber turns this energy into heat; this new technology harvests the energy to use on such small tasks as running the vehicle's windshield wipers or dashboard lights. The devices, called Genshocks, could lower fuel consumption by six percent and could be used in ordinary or hybrid cars, according to a recent New York Times article. The National Science Foundation and the US Department of Energy are looking at these devices and other ways to harvest waste heat in vehicles and thus reduce reliance on foreign sources of oil. More information about Genshock technology is available at http://www.levantpower.com/technology.html.
Running on Zero Emissions: The Way of the Future?
While much of the recent automotive spotlight has focused on the rollout of the Chevy Volt, General Motors and Segway have been collaborating on the EN-V or Electric Networked-Vehicle - sort of a futuristic golf cart that could become the vehicle of choice in urban areas. Unveiled at Expo 2010 in Shanghai, China, the EN-V can carry two people at speeds of 25+ mph, with zero emissions. The big challenge is finding urban infrastructures that can support the new vehicle. Segway says it is actively looking for cities with which to partner in an effort to put these vehicles on the street by 2030. Video and more information at http://www.segway.com/en-v/.
Americans Prefer Tolls, But Avoid Paying Them If They Can
Most Americans support tolls on highways and bridges to generate transportation revenue, especially if toll options save them drive time, according to a nationwide survey conducted in late June by Kelton Research for HNTB Corp. More than eight out of ten polled said tolls should be considered project by project or as a primary source of transportation revenue. Only 16% said tolls should never be charged. When given a choice between funding new highways with tolls or an increased gas tax, or not funding new highways at all, 41% of respondents preferred tolls, 18% preferred a gas tax, while 41% said there's no need for new roads. Despite a general preference for tolls over taxes, however, 61% of respondents said they have purposefully avoided a tolled road or bridge at least once. The survey is available at http://tinyurl.com/HNTBtollpoll.
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