USA Auto Transport

Top ten monster trucks

2011-05-18T01:45:00.000-07:00

Monster trucks make everyone smile and they have been approximately in the RC world for a long time. What makes them so cool is their big size and aptitude to cover any type of terrain. We’ve been lucky sufficient to have a lot of monster trucks to choose from, even though some have come and gone. We all have our favorite monster trucks and there strength even have been a few that you don’t know about. Here’s our top 10 list of the greatest monster trucks ever to be produced. In alphabetical order, here they are.

1. HPI savage

The HPI Savage was one of the first nitro-powered monster trucks to use a twin upright plate chassis. It also uses the longest shocks ever used on a monster truck. Several versions of the truck have been available since its free and through the years it has been ready with different sizes of big-block nitro engines and brushless motors. You can find this monster truck on racetracks, pulling tracks and bashing in the backyard.

2. Kyosho USA-1 and Nitro USA-1

This wasn’t Kyosho’s first electric monster truck but absolutely its most popular. It was modeled after the full-size USA-1 Monster truck but featured self-governing suspension. There was also a nitro version that was based on a Kyosho 1/8-scale buggy chassis. The body was molded out of Lexan but used regular plastic components such as a grille, roll cage and bumpers to improve the look of the truck.

3. Losi LST

We never thought we would see a monster truck coming out of the doors of the Losi office and in true Losi fashion, it was fundamentally different from anything in the hobby shops at that time. The mammoth size of the shocks stood out on this monster truck and it was packed full of sole features such as a multi-disc slipper clutch, two-speed transmission and dense reversing transmission. This truck was also prepared with lots of wheelie-popping torque thanks to the shaft start big block engine on board. Today, Losi offers the LST in XXL form and you can even pick up a budget version of the truck called the Aftershock.

4. Tamiya Blackfoot

If you wanted a monster truck back in the mid-80s, this was the truck to get. It communal a chassis and suspension with the Tamiya Frog and an injection-molded body topped it off. Aftermarket items such as a ball differential and dogbones were accessible by a few companies to increase its durability and performance. The body is still required after today by scale guys and we have our fingers crossed that Tamiya adds this one to its re-release list.

5. Tamiya Clodbuster

At the time of its release, the Clodbuster blew everyone away with its size and awesome scale looks. It didn’t take long for hobby shops to be busy with aftermarket components for this truck. It was used to build pulling trucks, rock crawlers, race trucks and scale trucks. You can still buy the Clodbuster today, but with the Super Clodbuster label and it skin blue suspension components. One of the most popular mods for this truck is to ditch everything but the axles and convert it to a four-link suspension with lightweight chassis.

6. Tamiya Lunchbox

The Tamiya Lunchbox was the smallest monster truck in the Tamiya lineup at the time, but one of the most fun out of the box. The front used an self-governing suspension while the rear solid axle gearbox pivoted in the chassis, which helped it create lots of wheelies. This truck borrowed components from the Tamiya Hornet and its body was unusual because it was a van in its place of a pickup truck.

7. Team Associated MGT

The MGT was also a truck that we never thought we would see because Team Associated was always known for its racing vehicles. The extruded aluminum chassis stood out and it is a super strong base for the rest of the mechanism that are mounted to it. This truck can be set up with two different exhaust configurations and the engine features a shaft starter and a pull-starter to get it fired up. Today, the MGT is offered in three different forms; you can pick up the MGT 4.6, a Mini MGT which is a 1/10-scale version, and the insanely overpowered MGT 8.0. The 8.0 uses a .50 cu. in. engine, which is the biggest engine obtainable in any monster truck.

8. Traxxas Revo/E-Revo

The nitro-powered Traxxas Revo is one monster truck that stands out in every way; the monocoque chassis and inboard mounted shocks won’t be found on any other monster truck. The suspension is also the most adaptable around; you can change shock springs, shock fluid, rocker size and you have optional mounting holes for the pushrods. The electric version called the E Revo borrows the same suspension and the molded plastic chassis stores the batteries on each side and they are secluded on all sides.

9. Traxxas Stampede/Stampede 4X4

The Traxxas Stampede has been approximately longer than most of the trucks on this list and has also been the base of many projects. This high-riding 2WD monster truck can be set up for jumping, bashing or all-out speed. You were even able to pick up a nitro version of this trick truck. One popular mod to this truck was to convert it to a 4X4 and now Traxxas has answered the call and produced the Stampede 4X4, which is an all new platform with lots of tunability.

10. Traxxas T-Maxx/E-Maxx

The Traxxas T-Maxx can easily be accredited for the monster truck explosion in the early 2000s. There were nitro-powered monster trucks out there, but none could be compared to the T-Maxx. Its plush suspension, high-riding stance and power were unrivaled at the time. This truck also lead the way for RTR vehicles; it was one of the first high- performance vehicles to come out of a box. Soon after the release of the T-Maxx, Traxxas introduced the electric-powered E-Maxx. Both trucks are still obtainable today in updated forms.

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Top ten airlines in USA

2011-05-17T01:46:00.000-07:00

1.Delta Airlines

When Delta Airlines Was Founded:

Founded in 1928, and first known as Delta Air Service, Delta originally served Texas, Mississippi and Alabama.

Headquarters / Main Hub:

The main hub and headquarters of Delta Airlines is in Atlanta, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL).

2.United Airlines

Founding Year:

1926 was the year that Varney's commercial air mail service began, which was a predecessor to United Airlines. In 1931 the name United Airlines was established.

Headquarters / Main Hub:

Chicago holds the headquarters for United, with its main hub being Chicago O'Hare (ORD), and major hubs in San Francisco, Denver and Washington.

3.Southwest Airlines

Year Founded:

Southwest Airlines was founded in 1971 in Dallas, Texas

Headquarters / Main Hub:

Southwest is based in Dallas, Texas. Its main hub is Dallas Love Field Airport, as well as hubs in Las Vegas and Chicago.

4.American Airlines

Year Founded:

Founded in 1930 as American Airways, American first flew routes from Dallas to Boston, Chicago, New York and Los Angeles.

Headquarters / Main Hub of American Airlines:

Dallas, Texas is headquarters to American Airlines, and its main hub is Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), with other major hubs in Chicago and Miami.

5.US Airways

Founding Year:

In 1939, the predecessor of US Airways was established. All American Aviation Company served Ohio, and the name change to US Air came in 1979, with US Airways being the most recent name change in 1996. US Airways merged with America West in 2005.

Headquarters and Main Hub:

Currently, US Airways is headquarted in Arizona, with its main hubs being Charlotte, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Philadelphia.

6.Air Canada

Founding Year:

Founded in 1937, Air Canada was originally known as TCA - Trans Canada Airlines. Although it has been a private company since the 1980s, it was previously owned by the government as a crown corporation.

Headquarters and Main Hub:

Air Canada has its headquarters in Montreal. Its main hub is Lester Pearson International Airport in Toronto. Its other major hubs are in Montreal and Vancouver.

7.AirTran Airways

A number of low cost airlines have sprung up in North America as an alternative to mainstream, long-established airlines. As services decrease on the traditional, scheduled carriers, these low cost options seem even more attractive.

Southwest Airlines

This is the low cost airline that other airlines - both legacy carriers and other low cost airlines - often try to emulate. Southwest Airlines is not just known for great fares, but for customer service.

8.Skywest Airlines

Founding Year:

Skywest was founded in 1972.

Headquarters and Main Hub:

Skywest is based in Utah, and its main hubs are the ones for Delta, United and Midwest.

9.JetBlue

JetBlue is known as a low cost airline with a high level of customer service. With its main hub in New York, JetBlue serves the United States and much of the Caribbean. JetBlue may currently hold the 9th position, using data dating to the end of 2010, but with the merger of AirTran and Southwest Airlines, it should move up the passenger number rank soon.

10.ExpressJet

ExpressWho? ExpressJet is the surprising tenth entry on the list of biggest airlines in North America based on passenger numbers. If there is any doubt that regional airlines rule some altitudes of the North American skies, well this list shows how dominant regional carriers are.

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Top Ten Mountain Bike Trails in the USA

2011-05-16T01:51:00.000-07:00

1. Buffalo Creek Pine, CO - 14 miles

Location: Buffalo Creek Trails, Pine, Colorado

Directions: From the Denver foothills, drive west up Highway 285 past Conifer to Pine Junction. Take a left (southeast) onto County Road 126 (Pine Valley Road) and continue 5.5 miles toward the town of Pine. Take a right onto Crystal Lake Road and follow it to the parking lot.

Map: Buffalo Creek Trails

Best Season: Spring might be wet, summer and fall best

Camping: Lone Rock Campground (no website), 303-647-2350 or Meadows Creek

Epic Ride Length: 20 miles

Altitude: 7,000-9,000 feet

Terrain: Fast, flowing singletrack with sections of technical rock

2. Blankets Creek Bicycle Trail Woodstock, GA - 9 miles

3. Palmer Park Colorado Springs, CO - 12 miles

4. Colorado Trail Breckenridge, CO - 33 miles

5. Trail 401 Crested Butte, CO - 14 miles

6. Colorado Trail/Green Mountain Deckers, CO - 16 miles

7. Yellow River Stone Mountain, GA - 10 miles

8. Forest Of Nisene Marks & Soquel Demonstration Forest Santa Cruz, CA - 20 miles

9. Slickrock Moab, UT - 12 miles

10. Bent Creek Asheville, NC - 30 miles

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Visit these amazing mountains for a trekking trip -Book worldwide vacation rentals

Essential tips for driving truck

2011-05-16T00:10:00.000-07:00

When you decide to move your things, you should focus on how to move the things carefully from one place to another. For best moving, choose a company which satisfies your necessities in all aspects. One of the main aspect is the company provides skilled drivers. Following are the basic things to consider that each and every truck driver should know.

Turns

You will necessitate to make wider turns.

Permission

To recognize how your giant truck is and be vigilant to bridges, underpasses and coverings at gas stations, banks, hotels and drive-thrush.

Stops

Trucks require more time to stop than cars. Brake early on and don't follow closely.

Assistance Up

Don't perform it if you don't comprise to. Whenever it is needed, have someone outside the truck to show you. Unhitch whatever thing you are pulling before challenging to back up.

Get to know your truck

Make known yourself with the truck before driving it. Alter the seat and mirrors. To know the places of all controls and switches including turn signals, lights, windshield wipers and the horn. Then, go for a trial drive. You may want to initiate in an empty parking group to get a feel for how the truck switches.

Follow all traffic rules

Make use of your turn signals, use headlights, manage your speed, overtake with care and fastener your seatbelt.

Know your Coverages

Confirm you comprehend how much exposure your current insurance policy covers for truck damage, cargo damage and bodily injury. Strategies repeatedly do not cover your truck hire as they do for car rentals. It is constantly wise to shop in and around for car insurance quotes preceding to doing a cross country trip to ensure your auto insurance policy has plenty coverage for a Moving truck as well. Also allow for plenty of time, get adequate rest and reside on your toes.

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Top ten Jet Fighters in the world

2011-05-10T04:25:00.000-07:00

Number 10

F-18 E/F Super Hornet (USA)

# Maximum speed: Mach 1.8+ (1,190 mph, 1,900 km/h) at 40,000 ft (12,190 m)

# Range: 1,275 nmi (2,346 km) clean plus two AIM-9s

# Combat radius: 390 nmi (449 mi, 722 km) for interdiction mission

# Ferry range: 1,800 nmi (2,070 mi, 3,330 km)

# Service ceiling: 50,000+ ft (15,000+ m)

# Wing loading: 92.8 lb/ft² (453 kg/m²)

# Thrust/weight: 0.93

Number 9

J-10 (People’s Republic of China)

# Maximum speed: Mach 1.9 at altitude, Mach 1.2 at sea level

# g-limits: +9/-3 g (+88/-29 m/s², +290/-97 ft/s²)

# Combat radius:

* On hi-lo-hi mission: 2,540 km (1,370 nautical miles) with 4,000lb/1,814kg bombload and two air-to-air missiles

* On lo-lo-lo mission: 1,310 km (710 nautical miles with 4,000lb/1,814kg bombload and two air-to-air missiles

# Maximum range (without refueling): 3,400 km (2,113 mi) ()

# Service ceiling: 18,000 m (59,055 ft)

# Wing loading: 335 kg/m² (64 lb/ft²)

Number 8

Dassault Rafale (France)

# Maximum speed:

* High altitude: Mach 2 (1,290 knots)

* Low altitude: 1,390 km/h, 750 knots

# Range: 3,700+ km (2,000+ nmi)

# Combat radius: 1,852+ km (1,000+ nmi) on penetration mission

# Service ceiling: 16,800 m (55,000 ft)

# Rate of climb: 304.8+ m/s (1,000+ ft/s)

# Wing loading: 326 kg/m² (83 1/3 lb/ft²)

# Thrust/weight: 1.13

Number 7

F-16 E Fighting Falcon Block 60 (USA)

# Maximum speed:

* At sea level: Mach 1.2 (915 mph, 1,470 km/h)

* At altitude: Mach 2+ (1,500 mph, 2,414 km/h)

# Combat radius: 340 mi (295 nm, 550 km) on a hi-lo-hi mission with six 1,000 lb (450 kg) bombs

# Ferry range: 2,280 NM (2,620 mi, 4,220 km) with drop tanks

# Service ceiling: 60,000+ ft (18,000+ m)

# Rate of climb: 50,000 ft/min (254 m/s)

# Wing loading: approx 40 lb/ft² (430 kg/m²)

# Thrust/weight: 1.095

Number 6

Mig-35 (Russia)

# Maximum speed: Mach 2.25 (2,400 km/h, 1,491 mph) at altitude

# Range: 2,000 km (1,240 mi)

# Ferry range: 3,100 km (1,930 mi) with 3 external fuel tanks

# Service ceiling: 17,500 m (57,400 ft)

# Rate of climb: 330 m/s (65,000 ft/min)

# Thrust/weight: 1.03

Number 5

Su-27 (Russia)

# Maximum speed: Mach 2.35 (2,500 km/h, 1,550 mph) at altitude

# Range: 3,530 km (2,070 mi) at altitude; (1,340 km / 800 mi at sea level)

# Service ceiling: 18,500 m (62,523 ft)

# Rate of climb: 300 m/s (64,000 ft/min)

# Wing loading: 371 kg/m² (76 lb/ft²)

# Thrust/weight: 1.09

Number 4

F-15 C/D Eagle (USA)

# Maximum speed:

* High altitude: Mach 2.5+ (1,650+ mph, 2,660+ km/h)

* Low altitude: Mach 1.2 (900 mph, 1,450 km/h)

# Combat radius: 1,061 nmi (1,222 mi, 1,967 km) for interdiction mission

# Ferry range: 3,450 mi (3,000 nmi, 5,550 km) with conformal fuel tanks and three external fuel tanks

# Service ceiling: 65,000 ft (20,000 m)

# Rate of climb: >50,000 ft/min (254 m/s)

# Wing loading: 73.1 lb/ft² (358 kg/m²)

# Thrust/weight: 1.12 (-220), 1.30 (-229)

Number 3

Su-35 (Russia)

# Maximum speed: Mach 2.25 (2,410 km/h, 1,500 mph) at altitude

# Range: 3,600 km (1,940 nmi) ; (1,580 km, 850 nmi near ground level)

# Ferry range: 4,500 km (2,430 nmi) with external fuel tanks

# Service ceiling: 18,000 m (59,100 ft)

# Rate of climb: >280 m/s (>55,100 ft/min)

# Wing loading: 408 kg/m² (84.9 lb/ft²)

# Thrust/weight: 1.14

Number 2

Eurofighter Typhoon (U.K., Germany, Italy, Spain)

# Maximum speed:

* At altitude: Mach 2+ (2,495 km/h, 1,550 mph)

* At sea level: Mach 1.2 (1470 km/h / 913.2 mph)

* Supercruise: Mach 1.1-1.5

# Range: 2,900 km (1,840 mi)

# Combat radius:

* Ground attack, lo-lo-lo: 601 km (373 nmi)

* Ground attack, hi-lo-hi: 1,389 km (863 nmi)

* Air defence with 3-hr CAP: 185 km (115 nmi)

* Air defence with 10-min loiter: 1,389 km (863 mi)

# Ferry range: 3,790 km (2,300 mi)

# Service ceiling: 19,810 m (65,000 ft)

# Rate of climb: >315 m/s (62,000 ft/min)

# Wing loading: 307 kg/m² (63 lb/ft²)

Number 1

F-22 Raptor (USA)

# Maximum speed:

* At altitude: Mach 2.25 (1,500 mph, 2,410 km/h)

* Supercruise: Mach 1.82 (1,220 mph, 1,963 km/h)

# Range: 1,600 nmi (1,840 mi, 2,960 km) with 2 external fuel tanks

# Combat radius: 410 nmi (471 mi, 759 km)

# Ferry range: 2,000 mi (1,738 nmi, 3,219 km)

# Service ceiling: 65,000 ft (19,812 m)

# Wing loading: 77 lb/ft² (375 kg/m²)

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u might like this : famous ships in the world

Top ten famous ships in world history

2011-05-09T00:43:00.000-07:00

10. The Santa Maria

Though less than 70 feet long and by all accounts a slow and hideous vessel, few can reject the fame the tiny Spanish boat achieved when she brought Christopher Columbus to the new world. While Columbus has acquired a bad rap of late for his cruelty as governor of Hispaniola and other little foibles he was famous for, no one can deny his extraordinary seamanship or his bravery in making the crossing not just once, but four times during his lifetime. Unfortunately, the sturdy little Santa Maria would not be making a repeat journey, as she ran aground on Christmas day, 1492, and was salvaged for her wood (which, interesting enough, went into the construction of another ship originally called La Navidad—Christmas—because the wreck occurred on Christmas Day). While the original is long gone, no fewer than four replicas of the ship have been built since, all of them capable of putting to sea. Unfortunately, none of them are precise duplicates as no records of the ship’s original construction exist, resulting in a numeral of different configurations

9. C.S.S. Hunley

This early excuse for a submarine proved to be far more unsafe to her own crews than she was to the Union Navy, but she was to start a revolution in naval engineering that ruins with us to this day. Built by the Confederates in 1863 specifically to sink Union ships then barricading Southern ports, she sank twice while being experienced, killing 13 of her crew (including her designer, H.L. Hunley) in the process. Finally ready for her first combat test, on the evening of February 17, 1864, the Hunley, which never seemed to run out of men keen to serve on her despite the generally suicidal nature of doing so, snuck up on the Union sloop Housatonic and hidden a spar torpedo in her side. Remarkably, the torpedo detonated as intended and the Housatonic sank, giving her the dubious difference of being the first ship in history to be sunk by a submarine. Tragically, the little boat didn’t make it back to dock but sank for the third and last time that evening for unknown reasons, taking her entire eight-man crew down once again. After sitting on the bottom of Charleston Harbor for the next 136 years, she was lastly located and raised in August of 2000 to great fanfare. The remarkably well potted hulk now sits in a specially designed tank awaiting conservation.

8. U.S.S. Monitor and C.S.S. Virginia (aka Merrimack)

While the hours-long battle fought between these two behemoths off Hampton Roads, Virginia in March of 1862 was relatively understated and ended in a draw, it may have been one of the most important battles in naval history in that it was the first time two ships made mainly of iron rather than wood ever engaged in battle. The Union-built Monitor—derisively called a “cheesbox on a raft” (which proved to be a fairly accurate description)—also had the division of being the first ship to possess a rotating gun turret, changing the course of naval warship design for the next century. The interesting thing about the Confederate ironclad was that it was built upon the refloated hull of the Union frigate Merrimack (hence the confusion regarding her name), which had been scuttled when Norfolk fell into the hands of the South in April of 1861. Refloated and built-in with massive iron plates, she not only proved to be impassable to cannon fire, but a dangerous weapon the South used to sink a pair of traditional wooden Union warships a day earlier. Neither ship fought again or survived the year, however; the Virginia would be blown up to prevent her from being captured in May of 1862 when Union troops retook Norfolk and the Monitor would be lost in heavy seas off Cape Hatteras on New Year’s eve of that year, taking 16 of her crew down with her. (Note: The wreck of the Monitor was located off Cape Hatteras, Virginia in 1973 and was designated a national landmark. Since then, many artifacts from the ship, including her turret, cannon, propeller, anchor, engine and some private effects of the crew—along with the remains of two of her crew—have been recovered and are now on display—minus the bodies—at the Mariners’ Museum of Newport News, Virginia.)

7. U.S.S. Constitution

Known as “Old Ironsides” due to her sturdy construction, the oldest still whole ship in America serves as a museum in Boston, Massachusetts. Still afloat after 213 years, she had an typically long service life, having remained in commission on and off between 1797 all the way to the Civil War, after which she was made a training ship and sustained sailing periodically right up to her final decommissioning in 1881. During that time she fought in two conflicts: the First Barbary War—when she battled real pirates—and the War of 1812, during which she eminent herself by defeating the British frigates HMS Guerriere and HMS Java. It was those engagements that gave her amazing of a reputation as a ship that could take on the British in a head-to-head fight, which was no small feat when one considers that the Royal Navy was the largest and most powerful in the world at the time. Her fame saved her from the wrecking yard and in 1907 she began portion as a museum ship. Old Ironsides has been restored, refurbished and otherwise rebuilt so many times, it is said her keel is the only part of the original ship that remains, the rest having being replaced numerous times over the decades. She can still get underway, however, which she proves once a year when she is towed into to Boston Harbor for her “turnaround cruise” intended to ensure she weathers evenly on both sides. She is also a still officially commissioned warship, with a sixty-man crew who are all active duty members of the United States Navy.

6. Battleship U.S.S. Missouri

Though not a participant in any major ship-to-ship sea battles, the “Mighty ‘Mo”, as she became known to her crew, had the difference of being the vessel upon which the surrender documents that ended World War Two were signed in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. But World War Two wasn’t the only action the massive 45,000 ton battleship was to sea in her lifetime; decommissioned after the war, she was reactivated and sent to fight during the Korean War, and again in 1984, when she became part of Ronald Reagan’s 600-ship fleet plan. She even saw service in the First Persian Gulf War in 1991, when she lobbed cruise missiles and 16-inch rounds from her huge guns against Iraqi targets in Kuwait. Today she sits tied up placidly at Pearl Harbor, where she serves as a museum and war memorial. Interestingly, she is moored just a few hundred yards from the wreck of the Battleship Arizona (see no. 3), making it possible to see from her decks both the place the war in progress and the place that it ended at the same time.

5. HMS Victory

No single ship serves as a better symbol for the power that was the Royal Navy during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century than does Lord Nelson’s venerable and, indeed, almost legendary, flagship. One of the major wooden warships ever built, the ship not only saw substantial action in the last decades of the eighteenth century fighting both the French and Spanish fleets, but she became the stuff of legends at the pivotal battle of Trafalgar in 1805, where Nelson was to be fatally wounded but not before besting the joint French and Spanish fleet and effectively saving England from a sea-borne invasion. Originally slated to be broken up shortly after the Napoleonic Wars ended, she was saved, the story goes, by the wife of the First Sea Lord, who, upon learning that the vessel that had served so long and nobly was to be delegated to the wrecker’s yard, broke into tears and demanded that he rescind the order. Being no fool—and perhaps in a well-advised effort at maintaining marital bliss—the man did accurately that and the ship served for the next century as a pier-side training school. Heavily restored in 1922 by the British government, she now serves as a museum in Portsmouth, England, making her one of the oldest ships still afloat in the world.

4. Battleship U.S.S. Maine

Some ships become famous not for what they did, but for what they represented. In this case, the battleship Maine (a tiny thing compared to the later behemoths that were to carry the title of battleship) became a rallying point for a nation intention on war. Anchored in the shallow waters of Havana harbor late on the evening of February 15, 1898, the ship was torn in two by a mysterious explosion and sank in a matter of minutes, killing all but 89 of her 355-man crew. Though the cause of the explosion was never resolute (some historians and naval engineers believe it may have been an accidental detonation of her magazines by a coal bin fire), it was immediately supposed to have been an intentional act of sabotage—probably by a pre-placed mine—sending the country into a war frenzy that would, in the next few months, propel the United States into a short and spectacularly successful war with Spain. While Spanish responsibility in the incident has never been proven (and would have been counter-productive to the Spanish in any case), the battle cry “Remember the Maine” would remain a popular and long-remembered one for many decades afterwards. As for the ship itself, in 1911 what was left of her was raised from the mud of Havana Harbor where she had become a hazard to navigation, towed out to the open sea, and scuttled with full military honors—a appropriate end to a ship that did so little but caused so much trouble.

3. German Battleship Bismarck

Perhaps no ship struck as much fear into the heart of the British Navy in the spring of 1941 than the huge German dreadnought Bismarck which, at 823 feet and with a top speed of 30 knots, was the largest and fastest warship then afloat. Breaking out of her Baltic haven in late May, 1941 mean on decimating the ragged and overwhelmed British merchant fleet keeping the British Isles afloat, the ship became the subject of the largest naval hunt in Royal Navy history and one that was to cost the British dearly. Engaged by the British battle cruiser HMS Hood and new battleship HMS Prince of Wales off Iceland in the early morning hours of May 24, after a brief but cruel battle the Hood exploded and sank, taking down all but three of her 1,418-man crew, and left the Prince of Wales damaged and limping for home. Damaged herself a day later by British aerial torpedoes, the wounded battleship made a run for the French coast for repairs, only to be chased down by a pair of British battleships, the Rodney and King George V, whose combined firepower lastly managed to send Hitler’s proud but battered warship to the bottom—along with all but 200 of her 2,200-man crew—after a two-hour barrage. There the infamous warship remained uninterrupted until it was located by Robert Ballard (the same man who had found the Titanic three years earlier) in 1989 and carefully examined. Even then the respected ship had a story to tell, for it appeared that in spite of the heavy damage it endured during its final battle, it was still largely intact, suggesting that she had been scuttled rather than sunk by the British after all, giving her, even in death, the last laugh.

2. Battleship U.S.S. Arizona

Few ships illicit the sort of emotion among American veterans as does the name Arizona. A World War One era battle wagon with an undistinguished career, her active life in World War Two lasted a mere fifteen minutes before she was sunk by a well-aimed Japanese bomb that ignited her forward magazine and tore her in two during the surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941. The “unlucky shot”—a one-in-million hole in one—killed 1,177 men out of her crew of 1,400—including her captain and an admiral—and left her a glowing wreck that was to burn for days.* Too badly damaged to be salvageable (she was one of only three ships sunk during the attack that was never repaired) the ship remains there to this day as a war memorial, where she is visited by factually millions of people every year. Considering how famous the ship is today, it is interesting that few Americans knew about the Arizona’s fiery fate until years later due to wartime censorship, and that she lay mainly forgotten in the shallow waters of Battleship Row for decades after the attack. It wasn’t until the 1960s that she became a symbol of American resolve and sacrifice and acquired the mystique—along with a simple but powerful memorial that straddles her remains—that she enjoys today.

1. British Luxury Liner RMS Titanic

Easily the most famous ship in history, this luxury liner was intended to showcase mankind’s technological brilliance but instead only illustrated his hubris. The largest and fastest passenger ship of its time, the British White Star liner left England on April 10, 1912 on its maiden voyage to New York, only to strike an iceberg five days later and sink. While most would envisage two hours would be plenty of time to evacuate the nearly 2,300 souls onboard, the ship had only half the lifeboats needed, dooming some 1,500 passengers and crew to a watery grave in the middle of the icy North Atlantic. The dipping sent shockwaves through the maritime community, resulting in wholesale changes in regulations mandating the number of life boats every vessel was necessary to carry and making other much needed safety improvements. Ultimately the ship’s name became synonymous with avarice, indifference, and class privilege (most of the lost having been passengers from steerage) and holds a mystique that, if anything, has only grown over time. The ship was rediscovered three miles below the surface of the North Atlantic in 1985, and has since then become the motivation for a multitude of documentaries as well as the backdrop to the most successful movie of 1999. It could truly be said that with the Titanic, humanity erudite a hard lesson that continues to pay dividends to this day.

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The Top 10 Most Fuel-Efficient Trucks 2011

2011-05-05T00:40:00.000-07:00

#1. 2011 Dodge Ram 1500 Pickup 2W

Base Price /// $20,600

The Numbers /// 20 mpg hwy, 14 mpg city, 16 mpg overall

The Tradeoff /// With one of the only V8 engines on this list, there is in fact no difference in fuel economy between the Ram 1500's lesser 215-hp V6 and either the flex-fuel 4.7L V8 or the powerhouse 5.7L Hemi V8 (good for 390 hp). Unfortunately, there's still a important gap in price, with the top V8 model starting well into the $30Ks.

#2. 2011 Honda Ridgeline Truck 4WD

Base Price /// $28,900

The Numbers /// 20 mpg why, 15 mpgcity, 17 mpg overall

The Tradeoff /// Despite its 4WD drivetrain, the Honda Ridgeline is still the least truck-like present here, but offers the most civilized ride, thanks to its Odyssey minivan platform. When we tested the Ridgeline, we found that its enjoyable highway manners were a slight consolation for its sub-par abilities as a utility or off-road truck.

#3. 2011 Dodge Dakota Pickup 2WD

Base Price /// $22,755

The Numbers /// 20 mpg hwy, 15 mpg city, 17 mpg overall

The Tradeoff /// We haven't tested the 2011 Dakota yet, but it is much the same middle-of-the-road truck that it was last year. The midsize Dodge unplanned features a 3.7L Magnum V6 as standard equipment, with a 4.7L V8 being the more enticing option, albeit one that would bang the Dakota off this list.

#4. 2011 Toyota Tundra 2WD

Base Price /// $23,935

The Numbers /// 20 mpg hwy, 16 mpg city, 18 mpg overall

The Tradeoff /// Like nearly all here, the 2011 Tundra made it into the top ten with its smallest engine and no 4WD. Luckily, the entry-level 4.0L V6 established a boost in power for 2011, now good for 270 hp and 278 lb-ft of torque.

#5. 2011 Chevrolet Colorado 2WD (GMC Canyon 2WD)

Base Price /// $17,045 ($17,045)

The Numbers /// 25 mpg hwy, 18 mpg city, 21 mpg overall

The Tradeoff /// The Chevrolet Colorado and its cousin the GMC Canyon carry over into 2011 largely unaffected, much as they have since their introduction in 2004. The base 185-hp four-cylinder engine is more powerful than its direct rivalry, but it's also larger and thirstier.

#6. 2011 Suzuki Equator 2WD

Base Price /// $17,595

The Numbers /// 23 mpg hwy, 19 mpg city, 21 mpg overall

The Tradeoff /// Like the Nissan Frontier on which it's based, the Suzuki Equator is the underdog player in the entry-level pickup truck arena, even though its 7-year/100,000-mile warranty is definitely a plus.

#7. 2011 Nissan Frontier 2WD

Base Price /// $17,750

The Numbers /// 23 mpg hwy, 19 mpg city, 21 mpg overall

The Tradeoff /// The Tennessee-built Nissan Frontier has enjoyed reasonable success since its introduction in 1997, perhaps in part thanks to its attempt at rugged "Tonka Truck" styling, and in spite of its relative lack of standard options compared to the competition.

#8. 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 15 Hybrid 2WD (GMC Sierra 15 Hybrid 2WD)

Base Price /// $38,340 ($38,710)

The Numbers /// 23 mpg hwy, 20 mpg city, 21 mpg overall

The Tradeoff /// The Silverado/Sierra duo are the only hybrids on the list, and characteristic the same two-mode hybrid transmission and cylinder-deactivation 6.0L V8 as the hybrid Tahoe/Yukon SUVs.

#9. 2011 Toyota Tacoma 2WD

Base Price /// $16,365

The Numbers /// 25 mpg hwy, 21 mpg city, 22 mpg overall

The Tradeoff /// After moving production to San Antonio last year, the biggest modify from Toyota on the 2011 Tacoma comes in the form of a price increase, although at least a/c is now one of the new standard gear features. It's still one of the most reasonable pickups out there, although its base 159-hp engine is bested by much of the competition.

#10. 2011 Ford Ranger 2WD

Base Price /// $17,935

The Numbers /// 27 mpg hwy, 22 mpg city, 24 mpg overall

The Tradeoff /// With a joint 24 mpg, the rear-wheel-drive Ranger takes first place here. Regrettably, however, the all-new (and significantly updated) 2011 Ranger that recently debuted at the Sydney Auto Show will not be seen on U.S. roads, at least not yet. We make do with a somewhat updated version of last year's Ranger.

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Top ten High Horse Power Cars

2011-05-04T02:19:00.000-07:00

10. 2011 Bentley Continental Flying Spur (552 hp)

The 2011 Bentley Continental Flying Spur is a 4-door, 5-seat sedan, obtainable in 2 trims, ranging from the Base to the Speed. Upon introduction, the $177,600 Base is prepared with a standard 6.0L, 0-cylinder, engine that achieves 11-mpg in the city and 18-mpg on the highway. An Automatic transmission is typical. The $202,500 Speed is prepared with a standard 6.0L, 0-cylinder, engine that achieves 10-mpg in the city and 17-mpg on the highway. An Automatic broadcast is typical.

9. 2011 BMW X6 M (555 hp)

The 2011 BMW X6 M is a 4-door, 4-seat sport utility, available in 1 trim, the Base. Upon introduction, the $89,200 Base is ready with a standard 4.4L, 8-cylinder, engine that achieves 12-mpg in the city and 17-mpg on the highway. An Automatic transmission is standard. The $89,200 Base is prepared with a standard 4.4L, 8-cylinder, engine that achieves 12-mpg in the city and 17-mpg on the highway. An Automatic transmission is standard.

8. 2011 BMW X5 M (555 hp)

The 2011 BMW X5 M is a 4-door, 5-seat sport value, available in 1 trim, the Base. Upon introduction, the $85,700 Base is prepared with a standard 4.4L, 8-cylinder, engine that achieves 12-mpg in the city and 17-mpg on the highway. An Automatic transmission is standard. The $85,700 Base is ready with a standard 4.4L, 8-cylinder, engine that achieves 12-mpg in the city and 17-mpg on the highway. An Automatic transmission is normal.

7. 2011 Cadillac CTS-V (556 hp)

The 2011 Cadillac CTS-V is a 2-door, 4-seat coupe, available in 3 trims, ranging from the Coupe w/1SV to the Station Wagon. Upon introduction, the $62,165 Coupe w/1SV is prepared with a standard 6.2L, 8-cylinder, engine that achieves 14-mpg in the city and 19-mpg on the highway. A Manual transmission is standard. The $62,165 Station Wagon is equipped with a average 6.2L, 8-cylinder, engine that achieves 14-mpg in the city and 19-mpg on the highway. A Manual transmission is normal.

6. 2011 Rolls-Royce Ghost (563 hp)

The 2011 Rolls-Royce Ghost is a 4-door, 5-seat sedan, obtainable in 1 trim, the Base. Upon introduction, the $246,500 Base is ready with a standard 6.6L, 12-cylinder, engine that achieves 13-mpg in the city and 20-mpg on the highway. An Automatic transmission is standard. The $246,500 Base is prepared with a standard 6.6L, 12-cylinder, engine that achieves 13-mpg in the city and 20-mpg on the highway. An Automatic transmission is usual.

5. 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG (563 hp)

The 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG is a 2-door, 2-seat coupe, accessible in 1 trim, the Base. Upon introduction, the $183,000 Base is prepared with a standard 6.2L, 8-cylinder, engine that achieves 14-mpg in the city and 20-mpg on the highway. A Manual transmission is average. The $183,000 Base is prepared with a standard 6.2L, 8-cylinder, engine that achieves 14-mpg in the city and 20-mpg on the highway. A Manual transmission is normal.

4. 2011 Ferrari 458 Italia (570 hp)

The 2011 Ferrari 458 Italia is a 2-door, 2-seat coupe, obtainable in 1 trim, the Base. Upon introduction, the $225,325 Base is prepared with a standard 4.5L, 8-cylinder, engine that achieves 12-mpg in the city and 18-mpg on the highway. A Manual transmission is normal. The $225,325 Base is equipped with a standard 4.5L, 8-cylinder, engine that achieves 12-mpg in the city and 18-mpg on the highway. A Manual transmission is typical.

3. 2011 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano (612 hp)

The 2011 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano is a 2-door, 2-seat coupe, obtainable in 2 trims, ranging from the Base to the F1A. Upon introduction, the $310,543 Base is prepared with a standard 6.0L, 12-cylinder, engine that achieves 11-mpg in the city and 15-mpg on the highway. A Manual transmission is normal. The $320,580 F1A is equipped with a standard 6.0L, 12-cylinder, engine that achieves 11-mpg in the city and 15-mpg on the highway. A Manual transmission is usual.

2. 2011 Bentley Continental Supersports (621 hp)

The 2011 Bentley Continental Supersports is a 2-door, 2-seat coupe, obtainable in 2 trims, ranging from the Coupe to the Convertible. Upon introduction, the $267,000 Coupe is prepared with a standard 6.0L, 0-cylinder, engine that achieves 12-mpg in the city and 19-mpg on the highway. An Automatic transmission is usual. The $280,400 Convertible is equipped with a standard 6.0L, 0-cylinder, engine that achieves 12-mpg in the city and 19-mpg on the highway. An Automatic transmission is normal.

1. 2011 Bugatti Veyron (1200 hp)

The 2011 Bugatti Veyron is a 2-door, 2-seat coupe, accessible in 1 trim, the Base. Upon introduction, the $2,250,880 Base is prepared with a standard 8.0L, 0-cylinder, engine that achieves 7-mpg in the city and 15-mpg on the highway. A Manual transmission is normal. The $2,250,880 Base is ready with a standard 8.0L, 0-cylinder, engine that achieves 7-mpg in the city and 15-mpg on the highway. A Manual transmission is usual.

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Top ten bikes in india

2011-05-03T00:45:00.000-07:00

yamaha fz

yamaha r15

cbz extreme

Tvs apache rtr 180

Royal enfield thunderbird

Royal enfield bullet classic 500

Pulsar 220

Karizma zmr

Honda stunner

Honda unicorn

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2012 Honda Gold Wing Quick Ride

2011-04-29T02:44:00.000-07:00

When Honda first free the Gold Wing for the 1975 model-year they didn't really know what it was. The bike didn't have a fairing at the time and the powers-that-be at the Japanese company didn't first set out to produce what would become the world's all-time best-selling tourer some four decades later. But it didn't take long for consumers to start installing Vetter and various other aftermarket fairings, something Honda ultimately took note of in 1984 by installing factory-option fairings and hard bags. It then alert the 'Wing directly at the mega-touring sector and never looked back.

Since the opening of the GL1800 in 2001, Honda's flagship tourer has remained almost completely unchanged. That's why the update for 2012 comes with a great deal of expectation from more than a few die-hard long-distance bikers worldwide. But with the first update in 11 years being little more than a mid-life modification, will it be too little too late to keep rapidity with the likes of the all-new BMW K1600s? We shot up to Calabasas, California to find out.

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geniemove transport company

2011-04-26T04:19:00.000-07:00

Geniemove is one of the best vehicle shipping companies offering services for the people United States of America. We charge competitive prices depending upon the size of the vehicle, duration of the delivery and where it is to be shipped in. As our company is a customer oriented concern, we accept cashier cheques, personal cheques, money order and other credit cards as per the facility of customer for payment.

We are international car shipping company providing auto transport services with well trained, experienced and professional car shippers. Geniemove is a licensed, insured auto transporter covering the value of any vehicle that we transport.

People looking for best mode of transportation around the world can make use of vehicle shipping provided by geniemove.com. Guaranteed customer service is provided for competitive price consideration, so that customer ranging from top to bottom level can avail the service.

Some of the benefits offered are door-to-door services, proper pick up and drop, reasonable delivery mode, compact payment detail and flexible price payment made by all sorts of customers, best oriented customer support and even more. So, travel with us to deliver your vehicle safely to the place required.

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u might also like this : chopper bikes

American Chopper bikes

2011-04-20T02:14:00.000-07:00

related post : top ten fastest cars , top speed bikes

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Top 5 Fastest Bikes in the World

2011-04-19T02:36:00.000-07:00

5. BMW K1200S 167 mhh (268 km/h)

With enough raw power to shock even the most experienced adrenaline junky, the K 1200 S hurls you from a dead stop to sixty mph in just 2.8 seconds. Once you're over the whiplash, you'll keep climbing, topping out at speeds that run neck-and-neck with the best production motorcycles in the world.

4. Ducati 1098s 169 mph (271 km/h)

The Ducati 1098 is a 1099 cc L-twin sport bike manufactured by Ducati. It was announced on November 8, 2006 for the 2007 model year and replaces the 999. The 1098 makes a manufacturer claimed 160 horsepower, 90.4 ft-lb torque, and weighs 173kg. These figures gives the 1098 the uppermost torque-to-weight ratio of any manufacture sport bike ever made.

3. Aprilia RSV 1000R Mille 175mph (281 km/h)

The RSV Mille and limited-edition RSV Mille Factory are high performance V-twin motorized motorcycles made by Aprilia with a 143 HP 998 cc engine built by the Austrian company Rotax. For 2006. the RSV Mille Factory won the Maxisport group for Masterbike 2006 and overall Masterbike of the year.

2. Yamaha YZF R1 176mph (283 km/h)

The Yamaha YZF-R1 motorcycle, introduced in 1998, was the first important motorcycle in the true litre class (1,000 cc) "handling arms race" between the Japanese Big Four motorcycle manufacturers (Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha). When introduced, it took the class closer to a true racing motorcycle, and amplified the handling capabilities.

1. Honda CBR 1100XX Super Blackbird 178mph (286 km/h)

Honda CBR 1100 XX Super Blackbird is a sport-touring motorcycle built by Honda. It combines big engine power, Easy operational error-tolerance with touring comfort. The Blackbird manufacture started in 1997 and the last year of production was 2006. The Blackbird was the result of Honda's effort to build the world's fastest production motorcycle, stealing the crown from Kawasaki.

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Top Ten Fastest Cars In The World: List 2010-2011

2011-04-14T00:02:00.000-07:00

1. Bugatti Veyron: 267 mph, 0-60 in 2.5 secs. Aluminum, Narrow Angle 8 Liter W16 Engine through 1200 hp, base price is $1,700,000. Tested once more on July 10, 2010 with the new 2010 Super Sport Version, the Bugatti Veyron once again claimed its title as the fastest car in the world at 267 mph.

2. SSC Ultimate Aero: 257 mph, 0-60 in 2.7 secs. Twin-Turbo V8 Engine through 1183 hp, base price is $654,400. Experienced in March 2007 by Guinness World Records, The SSC Ultimate Aero was the greatest car in the world from March 2007 to July 2010 until recently it fell behind the Bugatti Veyron to take the #2 spot.

3. Saleen S7 Twin-Turbo: 248 mph, 0-60 in 3.2 secs. Twin Turbo All Aluminum V8 Engine with 750 hp, base price is $555,000. Smooth and bad-ass, will make you want to demonstrate it off non-stop.

4. Koenigsegg CCX: 245 mph, 0-60 in 3.2 secs. 90 Degree V8 Engine 806 hp, base price is $545,568. Made in Sweden, it is aiming firm to be the fastest car in the world, but it has a long way to go to exceed the Bugatti and the Ultimate Aero.

5. McLaren F1: 240 mph, 0-60 in 3.2 secs. BMW S70/2 60 Degree V12 Engine with 627 hp, base price is $970,000. Ensure out the doors, they looks like bat wings, maybe Batman need to order one and paints it black

6. Ferrari Enzo: 217 mph, 0-60 in 3.4 secs. F140 Aluminum V12 Engine by 660 hp, base price is $670,000. Only 399 ever shaped, the price goes up every time someone crashes.

7. Jaguar XJ220: 217 mph, 0-60 in 3.8 secs. Twin Turbo V6 Engine by 542 hp, base price was $650,000. Made in 1992, this car still got what it takes to create the list.

8. Pagani Zonda F: 215 mph, 0-60 in 3.5 secs. Mercedes Benz M180 V12 Engine with 650 hp, base price is $667,321. Through a V12 motor, this baby can do much better.

9. Lamborghini Murcielago LP640: 211 mph, 0-60 in 3.3 secs. V12 Engine with 640 hp, base price is $430,000. Nice piece of art, the design is very surrounding and smooth.

10. Porsche Carrera GT: 205 mph, 0-60 in 3.9 secs. Aluminum, 68 Degree, Water Cooled V10 Engine with 612 hp, base price is $440,000. The most influential and most luxurious Porsche nearly made the list as #10.

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motorsports, vacation rentals

How to get the best from vehicle transporters?

2010-10-14T10:06:00.000-07:00

For customers very particular about the safety of the car transport, there are many possibilities in today’s auto shipping industry. For moving a standard passenger car, you need to investigate different auto transport options available. People usually prefer open multi car transport method as it is the most economical and popular way of car delivery. Everyday cars are usually moved in this manner.

If you are opting for open trailer transport method, your vehicle would be conveyed on an eight or ten carrier, the same kind of trucks which are used to deliver new cars. The trucks are 75 to 80 feet long and are about 13 feet high. Owing to their large size, the trucks are usually difficult to move and are limited to major roads that are free of low hanging trees and low clearance bridges. So if you are opting for door to door delivery, you need to make sure that the destination and pick up points are accessible by the trailers. Usually the car transporters would opt for door to door delivery only if the roads are wide.

You may not be familiar with some terms being used by the vehicle transporters. By pick up window, the transporter refers to the time surrounding the pickup date. For example, some transporters have a 14 day window which means they would pick your car anywhere between seven days before and seven days after the pickup date they have mentioned. If you are going for lower priced carriers, the pickup date would not be mentioned in the moving quote. The benefit with such carriers is that the price would be outstanding. But the downside is that the car would be shipped only in four to five weeks.

You need to ensure the authenticity of the vehicle transport company by asking for proof of their federal license and insurance requirements. Be aware of companies who do not carry the federal; license, bond or insurance requirements. Even though such car delivery companies would move your car for a low fee, you vehicle may not be protected against theft or damage. Always opt for car transporters who would provide the total cost of the shipping will be right up front. Thus you can avoid any hidden costs that may arise during the transit like extra road insurance or fuel surcharge. These factors should be considered while you shop around for an inexpensive car delivery service. As you receive car moving quotes from the auto transport companies, you need to be prepared with information like origin of pick up destination, departure date, size and type of cars, door to door delivery or terminal to terminal delivery etc.

Usually people prefer terminal to terminal transport as it is always cheaper. Additional costs would be incurred for moving vintage or luxury cars. If the vehicle transporters fail to deliver your car on the agreed upon dates, they will reimburse you some amount of cash per day towards the rental of an automobile. With more and more auto transport companies entering the market, there are more chances of getting a competitive moving quote and you can also be assured about the safety of the vehicle.

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Get rid of concerns regarding motorcycle shipping

2010-09-29T08:04:00.000-07:00

Are you wondering how to choose the right motorbike transport company? For people moving to a new area and need their motorcycle shipped to a new location, this would be most perplexing task. There are many motor transporters that you can choose from. However there is no guarantee that they will take care of your bike the way you really wanted them to. Here comes the need to select a reliable motorcycle delivery company.

There are many options open to you while you are searching for a company that would deliver motorbikes safely at the new destination. You can look in the cities directory and call the motorbike transporters that ate listed. If you are not able to find a reliable company in your vicinity, you can browse online and find a company that would meet your requirements. You can also seek advice from your friends who ride bikes. They may know of an auto transport company that they trust with their vehicles and may also have taken services from them. This is also good to protect yourself from any company that has a bad reputation. You friends can give advice on which all shipping companies to stay away from. Reputation of a company is essentially obtained through word of mouth. Every customer would want their vehicle to be treated with respect and the services should be worth the money they pay.

Once you have come across a reputed vehicle transport company, you would like to ask a few questions before you eventually hire them. You would definitely need to find out how well the company will treat your motorcycle during the transit. Also you need get some ideas on how to prepare your vehicle prior to shipping. The first thing to done while prepping the vehicle us to drain the fluids. It can lead to dangerous consequences if the motorcycle being shipped is fueled up and has oil and water in it. Sometimes the company would take the task of draining the fluids. However you need to clarify this with them if that would be covered in the shipping cost.

Usually vehicles are transported after they are crated. Check with the company if they would do crating or the bikes are transported without any packaging. If they are not planning to pack the motorcycle, it is better to go for a different shipping company. This is because it is not wise to ship without crating as the bike can be exposed to many damages if they are not tightly and securely packed. Looking for insurance is really important as this would be a guarantee that the company would pay for the damages if something occurs during the transport. Check if the company is fully insured including driver and also it has enough insurance to cover the full cost of your motorcycle in case of unexpected turn of events.

One fact about the motorcycle transporters is that only a few companies would deliver the vehicle exactly on the date that has been written on the report. Most of the time they will e delayed and you need to prepare for such delays.

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Understanding the benefits of courier services

2010-09-23T12:25:00.000-07:00

Courier service has become an inevitable part of today’s life since people are constantly sending things from one place to another; whether big or small. Basically the courier service is an organization that provides specialized delivery of packages, money, documents or information. What makes courier service different from any other alternative method of transporting documents is that they ensure faster delivery of goods. Thus many modern world services rely on them. The courier services have become a keystone of enterprise in the modern age of international business so much that they have outdid the performance of internet and fax machines in certain areas.

The courier services vary greatly in terms of services they provide and also how they provide it. Most of the courier companies operate by receiving calls to schedule a pick up and obtain delivery information. They would provide confirmation of delivery if asked for and then get the package on an agreed upon timeframe. The courier services make use of delivery bikes or motor cycles to deliver smaller packages and offer faster services by avoiding traffic hassles in large cities. On the other hand, small cars or vans are used to deliver packages in larger areas.

The United Parcel Service (UPS) is the largest courier service in the world which delivers more than 12 million packages globally every day. Other well known global examples of the courier service are Federal Express (FedEx) and DHL, both having their roots in the early 1970s. Each courier company controls sizable portions of the market even though they are not nearly as large as UPS. FedEx is particularly well respected for its overnight courier service which was first of its kind. Earlier DHL was focusing on specific roots but now they grew to encompass the Europe and the Middle East.

The small and cheap courier services focus mainly on cities exclusively. Such type of courier service particularly delivers smaller packages and documents that are needed to be transported from one location to another as fast as possible. Since the delivery areas are within certain areas, the couriers in such cheap courier service companies would ride bicycle or motorcycle in order to achieve the shortest turnaround times from pickup to delivery. Recently with more sophisticated technologies like computer dispatched systems and GPS the courier service industry is having a tough competition.

There is yet another type of courier service that utilizes the extra baggage allotment of airline passengers to transport documents quickly and easily. The service is hassle free which is done through the Customs Office of the country. In exchange for the use of passenger’s baggage space, the courier service offer greatly discounted fares on commercial tickets to foreign location. All the requisite paper work would be provided to the passenger whom they must simply deliver to the Customs agent at the receiving end. Many traditional uses of courier services have been replaced by the technological advancements. However there still exists a constant need to transport physical goods and documents over both short and long distances as quickly as possible.

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Car transport; steps to do before pickup

2010-09-13T13:07:00.000-07:00

Once you have hired a professional car transporter, certain preparations should be done before your vehicle is being shipped. You may be transporting your car in enclosed or open trailers, but still it is important to wash your vehicle thoroughly. By doing so, you will be able to notice any chips, dings or scratches on the vehicle accurately. There may be many personal items in the car and for the safety of such items, it is better to remove them. Moreover, the vehicle transport company would not be licensed to legally carry the personal items on board. The personal items on the car would not be covered under the insurance too.

Most of the vehicles would be equipped with the burglar alarm and it is impossible to be well versed in all of the alarm systems available today. People handling the car delivery may not want to waste their time disabling the alarm if it goes off during the transit. So better shut off or disable the alarm before the automobile is transported. The weight of the car can be reduced if the gas tank is kept low. The auto transport company would appreciate it if the gas tank is kept in between 1/8th to 1/4th of a tank.

It is always wise to secure or remove the loose parts or specialty items from your car like the spoilers, fog light, ground effects etc. The wide mirrors should be folded back and lowered. Also remember to remove or retract the antenna if possible. Ship the convertibles with the top and secured properly if possible. If air or moisture enters, it can cause damage. Hence seal any holes or open seams in the top and make it air tight. Sometimes you may not be able to raise the tops; then you should attempt to cover it with a secure fitting tarp which is capable of resisting high winds.

The battery should be charged and the tires should have proper inflation before the car is transported. The fluids on the vehicle should be checked and do let the car delivery people know if there are any leaks. If your car has oil leakage especially brake or transmission fluid leakage, make sure that your vehicle is not on the top part of a two deck carrier. Thus you can prevent the leaks from falling on the vehicle below. You are the one who is most acquainted with your car. So you need to let the auto transport company people know of any operational problems or steps necessary to start, stop or drive the vehicle on and of the trailer.

Before the vehicle transporters pick up your vehicle, make a complete report of any pre existing damage that your vehicle may have. This would help to ensure that any claims of vehicle damage are accurate and enforceable. You can even go to the extent of taking photos of the car before it is shipped. This can be considered as proof of the car’s condition prior to shipping.

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Vehicle transportation and its benefits

2010-09-13T13:03:00.000-07:00

Automobile transportation has been established as a large and thriving industry which includes motorcycle delivery as well as car shipping. There would be many options available depending upon your budget. Even though moving is a costly and stressful process people prefer it over the sale of the car and purchase of another at the new location. Seeking the help of car transporters would save you time and money. You can reduce part of the hassle and anxiety of moving by arranging car delivery at the new destination.

While planning for car shipping, you need to get started by contacting reputable car shipping companies and ask for quotes and estimations regarding the cost of shipping your car. There are many companies that provide cost effective auto transport services. The final cost of car delivery would be influenced by many factors. The transportation pricing can be directly affected by factors like the type, model, size and weight of the car. In addition, the cost of shipping insurance which is necessary to purchase for shipping the car can also have an influence on the car delivery price. The final cost can be drastically influenced by the distance to your destination and also if it is a domestic or international shipment. Some car transporters even change the shipping rates according to the season. This is because differing weather conditions may have an effect on the transportation process.

If you think that there are many constraints related to the automobile shipping, then consider the following benefits before landing upon a decision. The cost of shipping a car may be expensive at the time but it can save money in long run. You may be moving to a new place where the cost of living would be higher than the current status. Hence it may not be a nice idea to sell your car and purchase a new one at that time. This becomes more sensible when you own an older vehicle that may not be so expensive and you don’t want to buy a new one immediately. Also there would be stress and time involved when you are planning for car sale. This can be avoided if you are transporting the vehicle.

How much ever you do the research, it is important to be attentive and vigil while signing the contract with any car transporter. Make sure to get all agreements in writing when dealing with the companies. Pickup and delivery time estimates, shipping estimates and insurance policies should be carefully signed as documents. The condition of the automobile would be clearly stated in the bill of lading which would be provided by the company at the time of pickup. Make sure to read and agree with the terms and conditions before signing it. If you take all these precautions, you would be able to make an effective claim if any damages happen to your car during the transit.

It is important to do proper research and planning before entitling the transport job to any company. Companies can be booked in advance and this avoids the last minute hassle. Make sure to arrange the transport at least two to three weeks prior to the move.

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How to make car transport an easy ride

2010-09-13T13:00:00.000-07:00

A moving is not just packing and moving all your household things alone. You would probably own one or more automobiles that need to be transported to the new place. The situation is more sober if you are a multiple vehicle owner or plan to travel by air to the new destination. So what will happen to your car and motorcycle? You cannot rely upon the traditional moving company that you have assigned to pack and move your personal items as they may not be handling auto transport. But the moving companies may arrange for car delivery for your convenience. However it is always better to rely on professional car transporters specializing in car as well as motorcycle delivery.

There are a number of terms and conditions that come into the scene while you are signing a deal of vehicle transport. Even though the contents differ with each company, you need to be diligent in selecting and understanding the conditions before signing a contract with the car transporters. There are many options in shipping a car just as in moving household goods. Generally the cost would be influenced by the level of services that you require. Before making any decisions, you need to know the basics of car shipping.

The shipping methods and services are common in all the companies even though there would be slight changes in the features they offer. If you are having a classic or expensive car, it would be better to transport it through enclosed trailer. This would protect the vehicle from being damaged by rocks, weather etc. As it includes extra care and typical arrangements, this method would be a bit above the mark. There are some companies who would concentrate on transporting classic and vintage cars alone. However the most common method of transportation is the open trailer in which the cars are delivered in the same way as in delivering new cars. This would be less expensive and economical.

If you are taking full service from the vehicle transporters, you may need to pay some extra bucks. This means there would be guarantees for pickup and delivery usually from door to door. If the company fails to deliver or pickup the vehicle on the mentioned time, it would rebate a portion of the fees like in a rental car for every day it is late. On the other hand you can also take the economy option if you are not very strict about the time of the car delivery. Since the price is low, your vehicle would only be transported when space becomes available after covering the vehicle of higher paying customers. This means the time-line can be anything from a few days to a few days when your car would be finally transported. This is may not be the best choice if you are having only one car to be transported. However for people with multiple cars or having access to another car in the new place, the economy would be the best suited option.

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Courier services; how they work

2010-09-13T12:52:00.000-07:00

A myriad of businesses and organizations like doctors, lawyers, automotive repair shops and other offices make use of the courier services. It is indeed a profitable business to open a courier service firm and can be lucrative if all of the vehicles are kept in good shape and prices are kept in line. The service provides should also maintain the balance between gas prices and maintenance costs.

There are a variety of ways in which the couriers may vary and usually it is the service they provided that distinguishes one from the other. There would also be differences in the way they provide the services. Most of the companies operate by receiving calls to schedule pickup and delivery information. The packages would be then delivered to the destined location on an agreed upon time frame. If needed, they would even provide a confirmation of the delivery. In large cities, motorbikes are used for delivery the packages at destined locations on time since it offers faster service by avoiding traffic hassles. For reaching larger areas, small cars or vans are being used.

While dealing with most of the business firms, the service providers might have an account with them or may have business like on the spot for a onetime delivery. Usually the business firms that use the services regularly indulge in setting up an account with the couriers. The billing would be done after settling the month’s services based on the terms of the contract signed between the two entities. This is somewhat beneficial and convenient for both the parties.

Most of the companies would employ a minimum of three to four drivers. When a call comes in, the next available driver would be assigned the job without any delay. If all the drivers are on duty, the dispatcher would inform the business or the client about the situation and informs about the time when the first driver becomes available. The dispatcher then has to find out which driver is closest to being done with his current job and assign him for the new delivery immediately.

If the company is not fully fledged, they may sometimes hire employees who drive their own vehicles. Here the courier service company is not responsible for the vehicle maintenance but they would provide the employee with transportation allowances and for the vehicle’s service. Here, the independent couriers who are usually contract workers are always responsible for the maintenance of the vehicle and gas. However the allowances that they obtain would cover all these expenses and the company can be charged for everything extra.

The courier service can be set up in any of the above mentioned ways possible. But what matters in the end is the satisfaction of the customers owing to the timely and careful delivery. It can become a very marginable business if the company stays on top of employees and vehicle maintenance. Overhead pay can be managed by the money received for the business. The left over sum would automatically contribute to the capital account.

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Benefits of Auto Moving

2010-09-13T08:08:00.000-07:00

If you are going to move or relocate your own vehicle from a one place to other place, you have to consider about the moving services from an auto moving company. Seeking the services from auto moving companies is better than just traveling with own vehicle.

One of the advantages of the auto movers is that, you do not have to drive from one place to other place by yourself. Also you don’t have to make your self tired when moving from a Point A to a Point B and also don’t need to stress your self by doing the job yourself.

In case, if you need to transport your vehicle that is not moving, you can seek the services from an auto shipping company. Moving on your own vehicle may even cost you more amount and it is recommended to choose an auto moving company that provides you the most reliable, efficient and least-expense service.

If you choose the service of auto movers, you do not have to worry about your vehicles being damaged because auto moving companies have insurance that will cover the safety of your vehicles.

Finally if you choose to seek the service from an auto moving companies, you would save up on fuel cost. Auto moving companies will provide you a free evaluation on how much you will pay out for transporting your vehicles.

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Obama Proposes $50B for Transportation

2010-09-09T12:25:00.000-07:00

President Barack Obama Monday opened discussion of the next six-year transportation reauthorization bill with a proposal to establish an infrastructure bank and spend $50 billion to help fund work on the highways, railroads and airports.

The president’s proposal included money to rebuild 150,000 miles of roads, construct and maintain 4,000 miles of rail and overhaul 150 miles of runways, a White House statement said.

Obama also is asking Congress to extend permanently and expand a research-and-development tax credit for the businesses, costing about $100 billion over a decade, Bloomberg News said.

The highway plan includes the establishment of a government-run ‘infrastructure bank’ to authorize and fund the programs. The bank would act as a clearinghouse for project approvals.

The White House did not offer a price tag for the full measure or say how many jobs it would create, but if Congress just reauthorized the expired transportation bill, the new measure would cost about $350 billion over the next six years, the New York Times reported Tuesday.

The House Appropriations Committee’s transportation panel in July rejected an earlier request by Obama for $4 billion to create an infrastructure bank to finance new projects, Bloomberg said.

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World’s fastest cars: a 2009 top 10

2009-12-08T23:25:00.001-08:00

10.Gemballa Porsche Carrera

9.Lamborghini Murcielago

8.Spyker C8 Double 12

7.Jaguar XJ220

6.Ferrari Enzo

5.Mclaren F1

4.Saleen Twin

3.Koenigsegg CCX

2.Bugatti Veyron

1.SSC Ultimate Aero TT

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New drone to scour U.S. coast for smugglers

2009-12-08T23:04:00.000-08:00

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Federal border police will soon launch an unmanned surveillance aircraft with marine radar to patrol the coastline for drug smuggling boats, authorities said on Monday.

The remote-controlled plane acquired by the Customs and Border Protection agency is an adapted and unarmed version of the Predator drones built by California-based General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc and flown by the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan.Customs spokesman Juan Munoz-Torres said the new drone, able to stay aloft for up to 20 hours, will be used to scour the Pacific, Caribbean and Gulf coasts for drug smugglers.

The aircraft that we received today .gives us the ability to go after the drug traffickers in transit and source zones, Munoz-Torres told Reuters after a public unveiling in Southern California.

The agency, charged with securing the U.S. border, already has five Predator B drones in operation. Three patrol the U.S.-Mexican border and two based in North Dakota are at work along the Canadian border.

AAA Test of Older Drivers Goes Online

2009-12-08T23:00:00.000-08:00

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, a nonprofit research and educational organization, said Tuesday that it was making its computer program that assesses the ability of older drivers available free online.The program, Roadwise Review, is designed to help older drivers test their abilities through exercises that measure eight physical and mental areas that can predict crash risk, like memory, visual processing speed, leg strength, and head and neck flexibility.

Roadwise Review was originally released nearly five years ago by AAA as a computer program and distributed through its network of clubs. Some clubs gave the program away, others charged up to $15.We havent made any substantive changes, Peter Kissinger, president and chief executive of the AAA Foundation, said of the online version. It’s free and easier to use. In the original version, for example, exercises had to be done sequentially. The new version allows users to pick sections as desired.

The program allows users to check their driving skills at home. The online version automatically uninstalls itself after use, but allows users to save results. No personal data or scores are reported, so results remain confidential.

Safety Technologies - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

2009-11-17T22:26:00.000-08:00

Safety is at the heart of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) mission. Working together with the trucking industry, FMCSA envisions a future of smart technologies that support the expanding role of the trucking industry to safety, security, and efficiently transport the nation's goods and products.

FMCSA has developed a series of product guides to assist carriers, drivers, fleet managers, and other interested individuals to learn more about available safety and security systems.

Decision Factors for Technology Choices

The following decision factors are critical for making, using, and buying technologies in the commercial motor vehicle industry;

Return on Investment for the Purchaser: Sustains commercial success of technologies purchased and used by carriers.

Initial Cost: Affects early deployment, since a high initial purchase cost makes it difficult for a carrier to raise the needed capital to buy technologies.

Demonstrated Effectiveness to Improve Safety, Security, and Efficiency of Operations: Represents the major benefits that offset the costs of technologies.

System Reliability and Maintainability: Provides the results and usability of technologies for carriers and manufacturers (original equipment manufacturers and vendors).

Driver Acceptance: Ensures that drivers are receptive to technologies that are user-friendly and effective in improving safety and security.

Market Image: Involves using state-of-the-art technologies to improve a carrier's image by designating a company as progressive and concerned about the safety and security of their drivers and loads.

Market Demand: Depends on awareness of the technology along with acceptance and belief in its value, which is particularly important to manufacturers introducing a new product.

In-cab Technology Interface Integration: Minimizes cost, distraction, and human errors while using the technology.

Investment Required for Research and Development of New Technology: Includes concerns of original equipment manufacturers and vendors about the risks inherent with new developments.

Liability: Influences carriers, drivers, and manufacturers, particularly relating to the data stored by certain technologies and its use.

U.S. Department of Transportation Releases New Action Plan to Address Motorcoach Safety Issues

2009-11-17T22:15:00.000-08:00

The U.S. Department of Transportation today released its Motorcoach Safety Action Plan which lays out concrete steps for improving motorcoach safety across the board. The action plan addresses major safety issues such as driver fatigue and inattention, vehicle rollover, occupant ejections and oversight of unsafe carriers.

We are committed to making sure that bus travelers reach their destinations safely,said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.These improvements will not only help reduce the number of motorcoach crashes, it will also help save lives and reduce injuries. While motorcoach travel is a very safe mode of highway transportation in the United States, carrying 750 million passengers annually, an average of 19 motorcoach occupants are killed in crashes each year according to data collected by DOT's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Additional fatalities result among pedestrians, and occupants of other vehicles involved in these crashes.

To address this issue, Secretary LaHood directed DOT's agencies to take a fresh look at motorcoach safety issues, identify actions to address outstanding safety problems, and develop an aggressive schedule to implement those actions.The comprehensive action plan announced today proposes enhanced regulatory oversight of new and high risk motorcoach operators, as well as the increased use of new technologies. To address driver distraction, it proposes to initiate rulemaking to prohibit texting and limit the use of cellular telephones and other devices by motorcoach drivers. It also discusses requiring electronic on-board recording devices on all motorcoaches to better monitor drivers' duty hours to address fatigue, and enhanced oversight of unsafe carriers.

In addition, the action plan proposes to better protect motorcoach occupants by requiring the installation of seat belts and discusses additional measures such as the establishment of performance requirements for enhanced roof strength, fire safety, and emergency egress. It also calls for safety improvements using technologies such as electronic stability control to prevent rollovers.

DOT Press Release

2009-11-05T01:28:00.000-08:00

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION JOIN FORCES TO COMBAT DISTRACTED DRIVING

Washington DC – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski announced Wednesday that they are launching a joint effort to evaluate technologies that may help curb the dangerous epidemic of distracted driving.The DOT-FCC partnership will also include outreach efforts to educate the public about the dangers of texting while driving, talking on cell phones while driving, and other distracting behavior that can lead to deadly accidents.

We must put an end to distracted driving, which is costing lives and inflicting injuries across the nation's roads and railways, Secretary LaHood told the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection. I look forward to working with Chairman Genachowski and ensuring that FCC's and DOT's technology experts can join forces on this critical issue.Chairman Genachowski said, I welcome this collaborative effort to eliminate the increasingly deadly practice of distracted driving. Changing this ingrained behavior will require us to develop creative solutions using both technology and education. By combining the resources and expertise of the DOT and the FCC, I am confident that we can have a major impact on this problem.

Officials from the DOT and FCC will establish a working group to evaluate technology-based solutions to the problem of distracted driving and will coordinate consumer outreach and education.

Montgomery County, Maryland’s Traffic Computer System Fails

2009-11-05T01:23:00.000-08:00

Humming along with technology, until it's not Computer meltdown creates traffic-light chaos in Montgomery

In the backdrop of so much of 21st-century life, computers are an unseen hand that guides the day in ways we rarely know about. Until they crash. Wednesday provided one such rude awakening for commuters in Montgomery County.

A computer meltdown disrupted the choreography of 750 traffic lights, turning the morning and evening commutes into endless seas of red brake lights, causing thousands of drivers to arrive at work grumpy and late, and getting them home more frustrated and even later.Montgomery County officials said they will offer free bus rides all day Thursday, a decision made Wednesday night, even as county technicians worked feverishly to resurrect the faulty machine in time for the morning rush.

Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority to vote on Dulles Toll Road toll increase

2009-11-04T02:02:00.000-08:00

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority will take a final vote on Wednesday on toll hikes for the Dulles Toll Road.Revenue from the 14-mile road will help pay for over half of the $5.25 billion expansion project of Metro to Dulles that will connect West Falls Church in Fairfax County to Route 772 in Loudoun County by 2016.

Tolls are currently 75 cents in the main lanes and 50 cents at the ramps.The toll hike, which has been approved by two committees already, is expected to be approved by the board of directors.

City installs 'sharrows' as part of cycling, driving experiment

2009-11-04T01:57:00.000-08:00

Anyone driving, walking or cycling down Guadalupe between MLK and 4th Street Monday may have seen them being installed and wondered what they were.City employees from the Austin Public Works Department spent the better part of Monday installing 13, 3x2-foot symbols of a man on a bicycle into traffic lanes called sharrows.

The lanes are to be shared between cars and cyclists, but neither the city of Austin nor the University of Texas Center for Transportation Research will go into the details of how they're supposed to work because the sharrows are part of a nationwide experiment.The U.S. Department of Transportation chose Austin as one of six cities across the country to try out the sharrows to see if drivers and cyclists can figure out on their own how they work. The City of Austin and UT have installed cameras in strategic areas around the sharrows to collect video to be shared with the federal government to see whether or not the sharrows are working.

Transportation Research Board Staff Directory

2009-11-03T23:26:00.000-08:00

TRB Staff Listing
Staff members can be contacted via mail using the following mailing address:
The National Academies
500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Click a person's name to send an email.
Name Position Phone
Adcock, Melanie Senior Program Assistant 202-334-2259
Allen, Rosa P. Administrative Coordinator 202-334-2935
Anderson, Kizzy E. Senior Program Assistant 202-334-2944
Andrle, Stephen J. Chief Program Officer/Capacity 202-334-2810
Awan, Javy Director, Publications; Editor, TR News 202-334-2987
Bailey, Anthony T. Senior Accounting/Financial Assistant 202-334-1456
Baker, Cynthia M. Executive Assistant 202-334-2936
Barber, Phyllis D. Publishing Administrator; Copyright Permissions 202-334-2972
Barnes, Natalie L. Editor, Cooperative Research Programs 202-334-2304
Barnes, Tiana M. Senior Program Assistant 202-334-2528
Beal, Glenda J. Editor-at-Large, Publicatins Office 202-334-2048
Berlin, Harvey Senior Program Officer 202-334-2441
Blackwell, Adrienne C. Administrative Coordinator 202-334-3237
Brach, Ann M. Deputy Director, SHRP 2 202-334-2242
Brown-Snell, Joseph J. Program Associate 202-334-3502
Bryant, James W. Senior Program Officer 202-334-2087
Butler, Cynthia E. Administrative Assistant 202-334-1897
Cambridge, Joedy W. Marine and Intermodal Specialist 202-334-2167
Campbell, Kenneth L. Chief Program Officer/Safety 202-536-5187
Campbell, Stephanie L. Program Assistant 202-334-3251
Chafee, Ellen M. Editor, Cooperative Research Programs 202-334-3262
Chamberlain, Megan Senior Program Assistant 202-334-3251
Chisholm Smith, Gwen Senior Program Officer 202-334-3246
Choudhry, Nancy D. Abstractor/Indexer 202-334-3253
Cole, Joanice L. Senior Program Assistant 202-334-2287
Coleman, Jo Ann Senior Program Assistant 202-334-3176
Covert, Tameka S. Accounting/Financial Assistant 202-334-1721
Crawford, Maria S. Assistant Editor, Cooperative Research Programs 202-334-1249
Cunard, Richard A. Engineer of Traffic and Operations 202-334-2965
Cusicanqui, Eduardo N. Accounting/Financial Assistant 202-334-2836
Davies, Pliney E. M. Report Review Associate 202-334-3708
deBruijn, Paul D. Production and Graphics Coordinator, Publications Office 202-334-2980
DeCarmine, Michael A. Senior Program Associate 202-334-2952
Dekelbab, Waseem Senior Program Officer 202-334-1409
Delaney, Eileen P. Director, Publications, Cooperative Research Programs 202-334-3248
Derr, B. Ray Senior Program Officer 202-334-3231
Diewald, Walter J. Senior Program Officer 202-334-3260
DiMaggio, Jerry A. Senior Program Officer 202-334-2109
English, C. Douglas Editor, Cooperative Research Programs 202-334-3937
Fay, Charles R. Senior Program Officer 202-334-1817
Fisher, Kimberly M. Associate Director, Technical Activities Division 202-334-2968
Fomalont, Jessica Librarian 202-334-2989
Freer, Hilary M. Senior Editor, Cooperative Research Programs 202-334-1473
Gerencher, Christine L. Senior Program Officer 202-334-2970
Gillum, Reginald Customer Service and Marketing Associate 202-334-2382
Godwin, Stephen R. Director, Studies and Special Programs 202-334-3261
Goldstein, Lawrence D. Senior Program Officer 202-334-1866
Greaver-Stevens, Sharon Financial and Administrative Associate 202-334-1345
Green, Dionna D. Web Analyst 202-334-2866
Green, Juanita Production Manager, Publications Office 202-334-2977
Greenberger, Marci A. Senior Program Officer 202-334-1371
Greene, Gary T. Programmer/Analyst 202-334-3173
Greenwood, Emily R. Senior Program Assistant 202-334-2391
Grim, Eric A. Senior Programmer Analyst 202-334-3001
Hagood, Margaret B. Editor, Cooperative Research Programs 202-334-1764
Hanna, Amir N. Senior Program Officer 202-334-1432
Hansell-Price, Norma Acquisition Assistant - Information Services 202-334-3250
Harrigan, Edward T. Senior Program Officer 202-334-3232
Hawks, Neil F. Director, SHRP 2 202-334-1426
Hedges, Christopher J. Senior Program Officer 202-334-1472
Hejl, Frederick D. Associate Director, Technical Activities Division 202-334-2952
Henson, James W. Financial and Administrative Officer 202-334-3039
Hessian, Ralph Visiting Professional 202-334-1330
Hessian, Ralph Visiting Professional 902-424-4268
Holland, Frances E. Administrative Assistant 202-334-2332
Houston, Russell W. Senior Communications Officer 202-334-3252
Huey, Beverly A. Senior Program Officer 410-961-0711
Humphrey, Nancy P. Senior Program Officer 202-334-2948
Hyman, William Alan Senior Program Officer 202-334-1914
Irvin, Deborah Program Associate 202-334-3310
Isenhour, Jeff C. Manager, Information Technology 202-334-3229
Jawed, Inam Senior Program Officer 202-334-1461
Jayaprakash, G. P. Engineer of Soils, Geology, and Foundations 202-334-2952
Jencks, Crawford F. Deputy Director, Cooperative Research Programs 202-334-2379
Jenks, Christopher W. Director, Cooperative Research Programs 202-334-3089
Johnson, Angela S. Meeting Assistant 202-334-1674
Johnson, Cydni Customer Service Representative 202-334-2937
Jordan, Kelvin R. Senior Membership Assistant 202-334-3216
Karson, Linda M. Director of Meetings 202-334-2362
Keith, Cheryl Y. Senior Program Assistant 202-334-3242
King, Elaine Rail Transport Specialist 202-334-3208
Kirkland, Rachel J. Senior Program Assistant 202-334-1892
Kisiner, Andrea Manager, Publication Sales and Affiliate Services 202-334-3214
Kissi, Mary O. Senior Program Associate 202-334-3205
LaPlante, Michael P. Director, Finance and Business Operations 202-334-3215
Le, Thu M. Senior Program Assistant 202-334-3234
Lemer, Andrew C. Senior Program Officer 202-334-3972
Linzau, Natassja Olsen Web Graphics Designer 202-635-0410
Lisle, Frank N. Engineer of Maintenance 202-334-2950
Maher, Stephen F. Engineer of Design 202-334-2955
Marflak, Lisa Berardi Program Officer, Electronic Dissemination 202-334-3134
Mason, Linda S. Communications Officer 202-334-3241
Mathis, Amelia B. Administrative Assistant 202-334-3255
McDaniel, G. Raymond Senior Financial Assistant 202-334-2549
McDaniel, James B. Counsel for Legal Research Projects 202-334-3209
Menzies, Thomas R. Senior Program Officer 202-334-1837
Mesler, Roy N. Information Technology Specialist 202-334-2379
Micozzi, Martine A. Management and Policy Specialist 202-334-3177
Millar, Bruce A. Conference Manager 202-334-2824
Miller, Julie A. Conference and Exhibit Manager 202-334-2362
Miller, Matthew A. Senior Program Associate 202-334-2608
Miller, Michael A. Senior Program Assistant 202-334-2311
Moore, Sheila A. Program Associate 202-334-2886
Morgan, Freda R. Senior Program Associate 202-334-2965
Morin, Shirley A. TRIS Database Administrator 202-334-2947
Morris, Joseph R. Senior Program Officer 202-334-3109
Mullins, Erin Meeting Assistant 202-334-3504
Navarrete, Joseph D. Senior Program Officer 202-334-1649
Niessner, Charles W. Senior Program Officer 202-334-1431
Norman, Mark R. Director, Technical Activities 202-334-2935
Obeng, Kwame A. Senior Accounting/Financial Assistant 202-334-3123
Pain, Richard F. Transportation Safety Coordinator 202-334-2964
Palmerlee, Thomas M. Associate Director, Technical Activities Division 202-334-2907
Parker, Stephan A. Senior Program Officer 202-334-2554
Pepitone, Stacy A. Meeting Coordinator 202-334-1232
Petty, Ann E. Managing Editor, TR Record 202-334-2976
Pickett, Melissa N. Financial and Contract Officer 202-334-3348
Plazak, David J. Senior Program Officer 202-334-1834
Post, Barbara L. Manager, Information Services 202-334-2990
Powell, Danna M. Senior Program Assistant 202-334-3238
Raab, A. Robert Senior Program Officer 202-334-2569
Reid, A. Regina Senior Editorial Assistant - Proofreader, Publications Office 202-334-2727
Reynaud, David A. Senior Program Officer 202-334-1695
Rice, Lea M. Assistant Editor, Publications Office 202-334-2986
Richardson, Jewelene Director, Committee Appointments and Human Resources 202-334-2958
Rogers, William C. Senior Program Officer 202-334-1621
Salamone, Michael R. Manager, ACRP 202-334-1268
Schatz, Theresia H. Senior Program Officer 202-334-2981
Schneider, Suzanne B. Associate Executive Director 202-334-2959
Schwager, Dianne S. Senior Program Officer 202-334-2969
Schwartz, Brie Web and Software Specialist 202-334-3015
Shaw, Peter L. Public Transportation Specialist 202-334-2983
Skinner, Robert E. Executive Director 202-334-2936
Solomon, Norman Senior Editor, Publications Office 202-334-2979
Somerset, Daniel R. B. Financial Associate 202-334-2379
Srinivasan, Nanda Senior Program Officer 202-334-1896
Staba, Gail R. Synthesis Program Consultant 202-232-5658
Starnes, Monica A. Senior Program Officer 202-334-1894
Stevenson-Fenwick, Noreen D. Senior Program Assistant 202-334-1488
Summersgill, Robert J. Committee Appointments and Database Manager 202-334-2954
Sundstrom, Lori L. Senior Program Officer 202-334-3034
Talley, Chrystyne M. Financial Officer 202-334-2147
Taylor, Charles Rail-IDEA Program Consultant 202-334-2065
Thomas, Charlotte Senior Program Assistant 202-334-2247
Tippman, Don C. Editor, Synthesis Studies 202-334-2298
Trackman, Dean A. Managing Editor, SHRP2 202-334-3908
Turman, Nikisha J. Senior Program Assistant 202-334-2373
Van Boven, Tom Senior Program Assistant 202-334-3129
van Saan, Hans Visiting Professional 202-334-2680
Vlasak, Donna L. Senior Program Officer 202-334-2974
Weeks, Jennifer J. Editorial Services Specialist, Publications Office 202-334-2984
Williams, Demisha Senior Program Assistant 202-334-3834
Williams, Jon M. Program Director for IDEA and Synthesis Studies 202-334-3245
Williams, Lyndsey Ann Senior Program Associate 202-334-3119
Williams, Patricia A. Administrative Assistant 202-334-3508
Wilson, Jill Senior Program Officer 202-334-3817
Woldu, Connie K. Administrative Coordinator 202-334-1430
Woltman, Laurence Charles Senior Programmer/Analyst 202-334-2315
Wu, Jessica R. Supervisor, Publications and Subscription Sales 202-334-3072
Yates, James W. Library Information Clerk/Office Assistant 202-334-3672
Zelinski, Patrick B. Communications Specialist 202-334-1916

Name	Position	Phone
Adcock, Melanie	Senior Program Assistant	202-334-2259
Allen, Rosa P.	Administrative Coordinator	202-334-2935
Anderson, Kizzy E.	Senior Program Assistant	202-334-2944
Andrle, Stephen J.	Chief Program Officer/Capacity	202-334-2810
Awan, Javy	Director, Publications; Editor, TR News	202-334-2987
Bailey, Anthony T.	Senior Accounting/Financial Assistant	202-334-1456
Baker, Cynthia M.	Executive Assistant	202-334-2936
Barber, Phyllis D.	Publishing Administrator; Copyright Permissions	202-334-2972
Barnes, Natalie L.	Editor, Cooperative Research Programs	202-334-2304
Barnes, Tiana M.	Senior Program Assistant	202-334-2528
Beal, Glenda J.	Editor-at-Large, Publicatins Office	202-334-2048
Berlin, Harvey	Senior Program Officer	202-334-2441
Blackwell, Adrienne C.	Administrative Coordinator	202-334-3237
Brach, Ann M.	Deputy Director, SHRP 2	202-334-2242
Brown-Snell, Joseph J.	Program Associate	202-334-3502
Bryant, James W.	Senior Program Officer	202-334-2087
Butler, Cynthia E.	Administrative Assistant	202-334-1897
Cambridge, Joedy W.	Marine and Intermodal Specialist	202-334-2167
Campbell, Kenneth L.	Chief Program Officer/Safety	202-536-5187
Campbell, Stephanie L.	Program Assistant	202-334-3251
Chafee, Ellen M.	Editor, Cooperative Research Programs	202-334-3262
Chamberlain, Megan	Senior Program Assistant	202-334-3251
Chisholm Smith, Gwen	Senior Program Officer	202-334-3246
Choudhry, Nancy D.	Abstractor/Indexer	202-334-3253
Cole, Joanice L.	Senior Program Assistant	202-334-2287
Coleman, Jo Ann	Senior Program Assistant	202-334-3176
Covert, Tameka S.	Accounting/Financial Assistant	202-334-1721
Crawford, Maria S.	Assistant Editor, Cooperative Research Programs	202-334-1249
Cunard, Richard A.	Engineer of Traffic and Operations	202-334-2965
Cusicanqui, Eduardo N.	Accounting/Financial Assistant	202-334-2836
Davies, Pliney E. M.	Report Review Associate	202-334-3708
deBruijn, Paul D.	Production and Graphics Coordinator, Publications Office	202-334-2980
DeCarmine, Michael A.	Senior Program Associate	202-334-2952
Dekelbab, Waseem	Senior Program Officer	202-334-1409
Delaney, Eileen P.	Director, Publications, Cooperative Research Programs	202-334-3248
Derr, B. Ray	Senior Program Officer	202-334-3231
Diewald, Walter J.	Senior Program Officer	202-334-3260
DiMaggio, Jerry A.	Senior Program Officer	202-334-2109
English, C. Douglas	Editor, Cooperative Research Programs	202-334-3937
Fay, Charles R.	Senior Program Officer	202-334-1817
Fisher, Kimberly M.	Associate Director, Technical Activities Division	202-334-2968
Fomalont, Jessica	Librarian	202-334-2989
Freer, Hilary M.	Senior Editor, Cooperative Research Programs	202-334-1473
Gerencher, Christine L.	Senior Program Officer	202-334-2970
Gillum, Reginald	Customer Service and Marketing Associate	202-334-2382
Godwin, Stephen R.	Director, Studies and Special Programs	202-334-3261
Goldstein, Lawrence D.	Senior Program Officer	202-334-1866
Greaver-Stevens, Sharon	Financial and Administrative Associate	202-334-1345
Green, Dionna D.	Web Analyst	202-334-2866
Green, Juanita	Production Manager, Publications Office	202-334-2977
Greenberger, Marci A.	Senior Program Officer	202-334-1371
Greene, Gary T.	Programmer/Analyst	202-334-3173
Greenwood, Emily R.	Senior Program Assistant	202-334-2391
Grim, Eric A.	Senior Programmer Analyst	202-334-3001
Hagood, Margaret B.	Editor, Cooperative Research Programs	202-334-1764
Hanna, Amir N.	Senior Program Officer	202-334-1432
Hansell-Price, Norma	Acquisition Assistant - Information Services	202-334-3250
Harrigan, Edward T.	Senior Program Officer	202-334-3232
Hawks, Neil F.	Director, SHRP 2	202-334-1426
Hedges, Christopher J.	Senior Program Officer	202-334-1472
Hejl, Frederick D.	Associate Director, Technical Activities Division	202-334-2952
Henson, James W.	Financial and Administrative Officer	202-334-3039
Hessian, Ralph	Visiting Professional	202-334-1330
Hessian, Ralph	Visiting Professional	902-424-4268
Holland, Frances E.	Administrative Assistant	202-334-2332
Houston, Russell W.	Senior Communications Officer	202-334-3252
Huey, Beverly A.	Senior Program Officer	410-961-0711
Humphrey, Nancy P.	Senior Program Officer	202-334-2948
Hyman, William Alan	Senior Program Officer	202-334-1914
Irvin, Deborah	Program Associate	202-334-3310
Isenhour, Jeff C.	Manager, Information Technology	202-334-3229
Jawed, Inam	Senior Program Officer	202-334-1461
Jayaprakash, G. P.	Engineer of Soils, Geology, and Foundations	202-334-2952
Jencks, Crawford F.	Deputy Director, Cooperative Research Programs	202-334-2379
Jenks, Christopher W.	Director, Cooperative Research Programs	202-334-3089
Johnson, Angela S.	Meeting Assistant	202-334-1674
Johnson, Cydni	Customer Service Representative	202-334-2937
Jordan, Kelvin R.	Senior Membership Assistant	202-334-3216
Karson, Linda M.	Director of Meetings	202-334-2362
Keith, Cheryl Y.	Senior Program Assistant	202-334-3242
King, Elaine	Rail Transport Specialist	202-334-3208
Kirkland, Rachel J.	Senior Program Assistant	202-334-1892
Kisiner, Andrea	Manager, Publication Sales and Affiliate Services	202-334-3214
Kissi, Mary O.	Senior Program Associate	202-334-3205
LaPlante, Michael P.	Director, Finance and Business Operations	202-334-3215
Le, Thu M.	Senior Program Assistant	202-334-3234
Lemer, Andrew C.	Senior Program Officer	202-334-3972
Linzau, Natassja Olsen	Web Graphics Designer	202-635-0410
Lisle, Frank N.	Engineer of Maintenance	202-334-2950
Maher, Stephen F.	Engineer of Design	202-334-2955
Marflak, Lisa Berardi	Program Officer, Electronic Dissemination	202-334-3134
Mason, Linda S.	Communications Officer	202-334-3241
Mathis, Amelia B.	Administrative Assistant	202-334-3255
McDaniel, G. Raymond	Senior Financial Assistant	202-334-2549
McDaniel, James B.	Counsel for Legal Research Projects	202-334-3209
Menzies, Thomas R.	Senior Program Officer	202-334-1837
Mesler, Roy N.	Information Technology Specialist	202-334-2379
Micozzi, Martine A.	Management and Policy Specialist	202-334-3177
Millar, Bruce A.	Conference Manager	202-334-2824
Miller, Julie A.	Conference and Exhibit Manager	202-334-2362
Miller, Matthew A.	Senior Program Associate	202-334-2608
Miller, Michael A.	Senior Program Assistant	202-334-2311
Moore, Sheila A.	Program Associate	202-334-2886
Morgan, Freda R.	Senior Program Associate	202-334-2965
Morin, Shirley A.	TRIS Database Administrator	202-334-2947
Morris, Joseph R.	Senior Program Officer	202-334-3109
Mullins, Erin	Meeting Assistant	202-334-3504
Navarrete, Joseph D.	Senior Program Officer	202-334-1649
Niessner, Charles W.	Senior Program Officer	202-334-1431
Norman, Mark R.	Director, Technical Activities	202-334-2935
Obeng, Kwame A.	Senior Accounting/Financial Assistant	202-334-3123
Pain, Richard F.	Transportation Safety Coordinator	202-334-2964
Palmerlee, Thomas M.	Associate Director, Technical Activities Division	202-334-2907
Parker, Stephan A.	Senior Program Officer	202-334-2554
Pepitone, Stacy A.	Meeting Coordinator	202-334-1232
Petty, Ann E.	Managing Editor, TR Record	202-334-2976
Pickett, Melissa N.	Financial and Contract Officer	202-334-3348
Plazak, David J.	Senior Program Officer	202-334-1834
Post, Barbara L.	Manager, Information Services	202-334-2990
Powell, Danna M.	Senior Program Assistant	202-334-3238
Raab, A. Robert	Senior Program Officer	202-334-2569
Reid, A. Regina	Senior Editorial Assistant - Proofreader, Publications Office	202-334-2727
Reynaud, David A.	Senior Program Officer	202-334-1695
Rice, Lea M.	Assistant Editor, Publications Office	202-334-2986
Richardson, Jewelene	Director, Committee Appointments and Human Resources	202-334-2958
Rogers, William C.	Senior Program Officer	202-334-1621
Salamone, Michael R.	Manager, ACRP	202-334-1268
Schatz, Theresia H.	Senior Program Officer	202-334-2981
Schneider, Suzanne B.	Associate Executive Director	202-334-2959
Schwager, Dianne S.	Senior Program Officer	202-334-2969
Schwartz, Brie	Web and Software Specialist	202-334-3015
Shaw, Peter L.	Public Transportation Specialist	202-334-2983
Skinner, Robert E.	Executive Director	202-334-2936
Solomon, Norman	Senior Editor, Publications Office	202-334-2979
Somerset, Daniel R. B.	Financial Associate	202-334-2379
Srinivasan, Nanda	Senior Program Officer	202-334-1896
Staba, Gail R.	Synthesis Program Consultant	202-232-5658
Starnes, Monica A.	Senior Program Officer	202-334-1894
Stevenson-Fenwick, Noreen D.	Senior Program Assistant	202-334-1488
Summersgill, Robert J.	Committee Appointments and Database Manager	202-334-2954
Sundstrom, Lori L.	Senior Program Officer	202-334-3034
Talley, Chrystyne M.	Financial Officer	202-334-2147
Taylor, Charles	Rail-IDEA Program Consultant	202-334-2065
Thomas, Charlotte	Senior Program Assistant	202-334-2247
Tippman, Don C.	Editor, Synthesis Studies	202-334-2298
Trackman, Dean A.	Managing Editor, SHRP2	202-334-3908
Turman, Nikisha J.	Senior Program Assistant	202-334-2373
Van Boven, Tom	Senior Program Assistant	202-334-3129
van Saan, Hans	Visiting Professional	202-334-2680
Vlasak, Donna L.	Senior Program Officer	202-334-2974
Weeks, Jennifer J.	Editorial Services Specialist, Publications Office	202-334-2984
Williams, Demisha	Senior Program Assistant	202-334-3834
Williams, Jon M.	Program Director for IDEA and Synthesis Studies	202-334-3245
Williams, Lyndsey Ann	Senior Program Associate	202-334-3119
Williams, Patricia A.	Administrative Assistant	202-334-3508
Wilson, Jill	Senior Program Officer	202-334-3817
Woldu, Connie K.	Administrative Coordinator	202-334-1430
Woltman, Laurence Charles	Senior Programmer/Analyst	202-334-2315
Wu, Jessica R.	Supervisor, Publications and Subscription Sales	202-334-3072
Yates, James W.	Library Information Clerk/Office Assistant	202-334-3672
Zelinski, Patrick B.	Communications Specialist	202-334-1916

Auto sales bounce back-Chrysler's big uphill climb

2009-11-03T21:18:00.000-08:00

Experts question whether Fiat's rescue plan for Chrysler will provide needed help quickly enough to save the company.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Fiat Group will soon unveil its plans to help get the struggling Chrysler Group back on track. But the question that won't be answered is whether these changes will come in time to save the company.

The Chrysler Sebring, one of the car models that could be phased out under Chrysler's new turnaround plan.

The Italian automaker, which now owns a controlling minority stake in Chrysler, is expected to announce Wednesday which Fiat models it intends to make available in the U.S. It also will disclose which Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep vehicles will be phased out.For the sake of Fiat, as well as the union trust funds and U.S. taxpayers who own most of the rest of the company, the plan had better work.

But experts say that unlike rival Ford Motor F, Fortune 500, which reported a surprise profit of nearly $1 billion the third quarter, Chrysler has a relatively empty product pipeline for the next two years. That, coupled with slim cash resources, make a return to profitability for Chrysler very unlikely.

"Unfortunately, it's a race against time," said Michael Robinet, vice president of global vehicle forecasts for auto consultant CSM Worldwide. "I think what they're announcing is a starting point, but many more changes will be required going forward."Chrysler was king of the hill with its 300 series just a few years ago. Oh how the mighty have fallen.

Army shows more than one way to look under a car

2009-11-02T23:14:00.000-08:00

Manning security checkpoints is hazardous duty, but vehicles still must be checked. So the U.S. Army is helping develop products that will allow soldiers to do their job, preferably from a distance.Researchers and scientists at the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center TARDEC have focused on semi-autonomous robotic systems capable of remotely inspecting a vehicle's undercarriage for explosives or roam the line looking for suspicious activity.

TARDEC will showcase a couple of its favorite autonomous robotic systems this week at the Michigan Security Network Market Leadership Conference. Both units were developed for military and homeland security applications, such as airport and seaport inspections and hazardous substance detection. But nothing says you can't deploy them at your next block party. Here's a sneak peek.

WiFi creates challenges as well as opportunities for airlines

2009-11-02T23:05:00.000-08:00

Passengers' growing appetite for electronic gadgets and WiFi access is creating problems for airlines eager to sate that appetite. The challenge lies in enforcing myriad company policies and federal laws covering wireless communications.As airlines test and equip their planes for in-flight WiFi, they have to figure out how to catch people using prohibited devices (or approved devices at the wrong time) with no practical means of detecting radio-based technologies that can operate out of sight in briefcases, carry-on bags or even pockets.

It’s just the latest in a set of challenges the airlines have faced with the rapid evolution of consumer electronics. The past decade has been marked by the relentless convergence of multiple technologies into single, easily concealed devices.

A single smartphone, for example, can combine the once-discrete electronics of a computer, a cellphone, a video game device, a GPS, a voice recorder, a music player, a still camera, a video camera and a broadband modem or even a wireless router.Compounding the airlines’ challenge is that some of those functions are allowed at any time during a flight, some are never allowed, and still others are allowed only after the plane has reached a cruising altitude. The hapless flight attendant who spots a passenger using such a device at any point during the flight has no way of knowing for certain which technology is functioning at any given moment.

10 Weird Wheeled Devices

2009-11-01T23:17:00.001-08:00

The Conference Bike

Boeing 727 Limousine

The Couch

Monowheel

The Monster Motorbike From Hell

The “Duck” Bus

The Bar Stool Racer

Flying Cars

Robotic Body Scooper

The Krupp Earth Mover

DOT Secretary Gives Keynote at APTA

2009-11-01T22:58:00.000-08:00

Prepared Remarks for Secy. Ray LaHood

U.S. Department of Transportation
American Public Transportation Assn.
Orlando, FL-Oct. 5, 2009

I am delighted to be here today with America’s public transportation leaders.Let me begin with a simple, straightforward message: The Obama Administration understands that reliable, modern public transportation facilities are absolutely critical to the success of every American city, every metropolitan region, and our rural communities.

That’s our starting point, and it means we’re committing to investing in the rail, bus, ferry, vanpool, and other public transportation services that link people to jobs; provide mobility to older Americans and people with disabilities; guarantee access to vital services like health care; and spur local economic development.

In my first 9 months at DOT, I have personally visited 30 states and 54 cities and I’ve seen the enormous impact that public transportation has on the quality and vitality of life in cities and communities of all sizes. I’ve toured the new extension to the Gold Line in Los Angeles, which is bringing light rail to low-income, transit-dependent residents of East L.A. for the very first time.

I stood on the site of the Miami Intermodal Center, a massive ground transportation hub that will connect Miami International Airport with commuter rail, transit and intercity buses, and airport shuttles.Last month, I traveled to Chicago, Denver, and Dubuque, where city and transportation leaders are working with community groups to create energy-efficient, transit-oriented neighborhoods.

And two weeks ago, I was in the transit capital of the nation, New York, where officials are engaged in the challenging but essential task of modernizing and expanding the oldest heavy-rail systems in the country.In all of these places, and many more, your agencies are helping state and local leaders define what livable communities really are, what they look like, and how they should perform in the twenty-first century.

Let me assure you, we want you to succeed.We’re studying your successes, learning from your challenges, and figuring out how we can best help you serve your communities safely, effectively, and efficiently.Now I know that many serious challenges lie ahead.I know the state and local budget cuts have really stretched you to the limit. But I’m confident the situation will improve and our economy will revive.

In the meantime, I think the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has helped to prevent a much deeper crisis from occurring. Working closely with FTA, we’ve awarded the transit industry more than 680 grants worth 7.2 billion dollars, with hundreds of millions of dollars in recovery funds still in the pipeline.

These funds have provided operating assistance for many of you at a critical time. They’ve helped to keep capital transit programs on track around the country, despite the downturn. And they’ve helped to offset layoffs that so many transit employees have faced in these tough economic times.

You’ve all done a great job meeting our deadlines for obligating those funds – and I hope you’ll stay on track to keep the money moving over the next several months. But the Recovery Act is about more than keeping transit afloat during tough times. It’s also about investing in the future. Recently we selected 43 transit agencies to receive 100 million dollars in recovery funds to help them pursue cutting-edge environmental technologies to help reduce global warming, lessen America’s dependence on oil, and create green jobs.

When I visited MARTA officials in Atlanta, I learned they’re using these funds to build bus canopies with solar-paneled roofs. They’ll reduce fuel consumption and also generate extra power that can be sold back to the local utility. I hope the entire transit industry will watch these projects closely, and learn from them. At the federal level, we’re also getting more creative. For example, we’ve teamed up with HUD and EPA to create the federal government’s first sustainability partnership.

Working together, we’ll coordinate and direct federal investments in transportation, housing, improved air quality, and water infrastructure across the country.This will help to ensure that we build more transit near affordable housing, combat sprawl, and help communities become both more livable and sustainable.In addition, through the Recovery Act, we’re making an historic 1.5 billion dollar investment in intermodal transportation projects of regional and national significance.Hundreds of innovative proposals – many of them from you in this room -- are under review right now.

Taken together, these efforts will, over time, produce a profound, strategic shift in our commuting and travel patterns – with far greater emphasis on efficient, sustainable mobility than this country has seen in more than half a century.How will we pay for all of this?Thanks to President Obama and Congress, we’re off to a good start, with an 8 billion-dollar down-payment for new inter-city and high-speed rail service in key corridors around the country.

We’re hopeful Congress will continue to appropriate significant funds for this long-term investment in the future of inter-city mobility.Meanwhile, the House and Senate continue to work on appropriations bills for DOT in fiscal 2010.And the President and I are determined to work with Congress to pass a transformational surface transportation bill that adequately funds our priorities.This won’t happen as quickly as we might like.

But it will happen – and we will end up with a bill that streamlines federal transportation programs – including FTA’s New Starts program -- and identifies new sustainable funding sources.I’m grateful to Congresswoman Brown and Congressman Mica for their leadership on this important transportation issue, and I’m confident we’ll achieve a good outcome.I know many of you in urban and suburban transit districts believe you haven’t always gotten your fair share of federal transportation funds. We’re taking that into account as we work with transportation planning organizations to improve the services they provide.

And I think you’ll see that when we’re finished, urban and metropolitan regions will have more say, and greater flexibility, in how federal dollars are spent.And that’s going to lead to better outcomes for all of us. I think the future of public transportation looks very bright – but there is one major challenge we cannot overlook, and that’s safety. Safety remains our single highest priority at DOT. Recent transit accidents in Washington, D.C., California, Massachusetts, and elsewhere have made it abundantly clear that FTA should take a stronger hand in safety. That’s why I have asked Deputy Secretary Porcari to lead a group of experts to develop new options for reforming transit safety.

You can expect to hear more from us on this in the future. Separately, we’re taking action to clamp down on distracted drivers – including bus drivers and train operators and other transit personnel -- who endanger their passengers. On September 30th, President Obama issued an Executive Order banning federal workers from texting while driving on official business. In conjunction with that announcement, we held a very successful two-day summit on distracted driving. This is an important and historic step toward making our transit systems – and all our roads – safer to travel.

To do our part, DOT intends to propose rulemakings to make permanent restrictions on the use of cell phones and other electronic devices in rail operations; ban text messaging altogether, and restrict the use of cell phones by truck and interstate bus operators; and disqualify school bus drivers convicted of texting while driving, from maintaining their commercial driver’s licenses. We’ll work with Congress on appropriate legislation as well.
This is very serious business – and we should have a zero-tolerance policy for anyone who uses an electronic device while they’re behind the wheel. There’s no question we all face many challenges, but I’m very optimistic about the future of transportation in this country.
We’re making meaningful investments in programs and projects that are going to change the way we live, work, and travel – for the better.

I want to thank Bill Millar, Bev Scott, and all the members of APTA for working so hard during these tough times to deliver the public transportation services we all need and deserve. I also want to thank Peter Rogoff at FTA for his outstanding leadership. He hit the ground running when he arrived in June – and he hasn’t stopped since. To everyone here today, thanks for all your great work to make public transportation the best it can be in every city, town, and neighborhood in America. Thank you very much.

Upcoming Events : Annual Transportation Conference

2009-11-01T21:40:00.000-08:00

GVF Transportation's Annual Transportation Conference

Date(s):
Monday, November 02, 2009
8:00 AM to 1:30 PM

Description:
GVF Transportation's Annual Transportation Conference.

Details:
Save the Date for GVF Transportation's Annual Transportation Conference.
Monday, November 2, 2009, 8:00 AM
Crowne Plaza Hotel, King of Prussia

Topics covered during the conference include:

1.Transportation Reauthorization,
2.Climate Change
3.Public Private Partnerships
4.Long Term Sustainability
5.The Role of the Employer

This year's speakers include:

* Barry Seymour, Executive Director of DVRPC
* Toby Fauver, PennDOT Deputy Secretary for Local and Area Transportation
* Frank Rapoport, Partner at McKenna Long & Aldridge
* State Senator John Rafferty
* Congressman Jim Gerlach
* Congressman Joe Sestak
* Jason Pavluchuk, Goverment Relations Inc.
* Brian Shaw, president of National Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT)
* Yaov Hagler, America 2050

Cost of the event is $75 for members and $85 for non-members. For information on sponsorship opportunities or to RSVP to the conference, contact Carissa Pleiss at 610-354-8899 or at cpleiss@gvftma.com.

PENNDOT POSTPONES ROUTE 309 LANE

2009-10-29T23:36:00.000-07:00

PennDOT Postpones Route 309 Lane Closures and Stoppages this Friday Night and Saturday Morning in Montgomery Township Beam-setting operation delayed a week due to saturated, unstable ground.

King of Prussia – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) today announced that it has postponed tomorrow night’s (Oct. 30) scheduled setting of bridge beams over Route 309 in Montgomery Township, Montgomery County, because the saturated ground is unsuitable to safety support a large crane needed for the operation. This work was scheduled to run from 9 p.m. Friday (Oct. 30) to 6 a.m. Saturday (Oct. 31).

Traffic Camera Project Complete

2009-10-29T23:28:00.000-07:00

Virginia Department of Transportation's million dollar traffic camera project in central Virginia is complete, up and running. The last of the 16 traffic cameras went into operation earlier this month.The cameras are set up at interchanges on Interstate 64 between Crozet and Zion Crossroads, and at major intersections along the Route 29 and Route 250 corridors.

VDOT says drivers can check the cameras online at Virginia 511 to plan out their jaunts around the area.VDOT Regional Operations Manager Dean Gustafson, said,They can make a decision to either take that trip, make it a different time of day, or not to take the trip at all. And thats going to provide travel information back in the hands of the motorists and really make their trip more friendly.

Google Maps Navigation takes a mobile turn

2009-10-28T22:16:00.000-07:00

Google is announcing plans Wednesday to release a new Android application called Google Maps Navigation. When combined with a GPS-equipped mobile phone running Android 2.0, it provides turn-by-turn directions powered by Google Maps and a slick user interface that combines features such as voice recognition and Google Street View. Google Maps Navigation, like seemingly everything that emerges from Google, will be free.

Mobile platforms--Android and others--are so powerful now that you can build client apps that can do magical things connected to the cloud, said Google CEO Eric Schmidt in a briefing for reporters at Google's headquarters on Tuesday.

Companies in the cell phone navigation industry have seen this day coming for quite some time. Right now, the beta application only works on phones that will use the Android 2.0 software, which is scheduled to be available very soon with the expected arrival of Motorola's Droid phone on Verizon's network.

Googles Vic Gundotra appeared to demonstrate the application on the Droid: he wouldn' confirm it, but it was a shiny black Android 2.0 phone running on Verizon's network and bearing Motorola's stamp, so we're probably not going too far out on a limb here.

Extensive failures found in medevac crash

2009-10-28T22:08:00.000-07:00

Report suspects pilot error as cause The taxpayers of Maryland should be disappointed.

A Maryland State Police helicopter pilot made a questionable decision to fly on a foggy night last year. Air traffic controllers were inattentive, unhelpful and sloppy. Troopers tracking the medical rescue flight were complacent and slow to recognize that the helicopter was lost and ran a scattershot search.

Thats what federal transportation safety investigators said Tuesday as they detailed extensive failures on Sept. 27, 2008, when Trooper 2 crashed in Prince George County, killing four.

For decades the state-run program had been praised as the gold standard for emergency medical flights, said National Transportation Safety Board member Robert L. Sumwalt. But once federal investigators peeled back the layers, they found systemic problems in the state-run program, he said. The taxpayers of Maryland should be disappointed.

POLICE HELICOPTER CRASH IN MARYLAND

2009-10-28T22:01:00.000-07:00

PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE CAUSED MARYLAND STATE POLICE HELICOPTER CRASH IN MARYLAND, NTSB FINDS

Washington, DC - The National Transportation Safety Board today determined that the probable cause of the crash of a Maryland State Police (MSP) helicopter emergency medical services flight was the pilot's attempt to regain visual conditions by performing a rapid descent and his failure to arrest the descent at the minimum descent altitude during a nonprecision approach.

On September 27, 2008, an Aerospatiale (Eurocopter), call sign Trooper 2 (N92MD), registered to and operated by the MSP as a public medical evacuation (medevac) flight, impacted terrain in District Heights, Maryland while on approach to Andrews Air Force Base (ADW). The pilot, one flight paramedic, one field provider, and one of two automobile accident patients being transported were killed. The other patient being transported survived with serious injuries from the helicopter accident and was taken to a local hospital.

The Board found that the pilot failed to adhere to instrument approach procedures when he did not prevent the helicopter's descent at the MDA. The flight was cleared for an instrument landing system (ILS) approach. After the initial call to the ADW tower, the pilot reported that he could not capture the glideslope and was on a localizer approach. The controller responded that her ILS equipment status display was indicating no anomalies with the equipment. Post accident tests confirmed no anomalies with the instrument approach equipment and testing of the helicopter's navigation equipment did not find any deficiencies that would have precluded the pilot from capturing the glideslope.

Furthermore, the Board concluded that although the descent rate and altitude information were readily available through cockpit instruments which the pilot had access to, he likely became preoccupied with looking for the ground, which he could not identify before impact because of the lack of external visual cues. Since there were no recorders on board the accident helicopter, the Safety Board could not determine why the pilot did not use other options available to conduct a safe landing in instrument conditions.

Several contributing factors to the cause of the accident, the Board noted, were the pilot's limited recent instrument flight experience, the lack of adherence to effective risk management procedures by the Maryland State Police, the pilot's inadequate assessment of the weather, which led to his decision to accept the flight, the failure of the Potomac Consolidated Terminal Radar Approach Control (PCT) controller to provide the current Andrews Air Force Base weather observation to the pilot, and the increased workload on the pilot due to inadequate Federal Aviation Administration air traffic control handling by the Ronald Reagan National Airport Tower and PCT controllers.

As a result of this accident investigation, the Safety Board issued recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration, the MSP, Prince George's County, and all public Helicopter Emergency Medical Service operators regarding pilot performance and training, air traffic control deficiencies, patient transport decisions, emergency response and FAA oversight.

Couple alive after car pins them to bed for almost an hour

2009-10-27T22:53:00.000-07:00

(CNN) -- With motor fluid spraying their faces and the weight of a car numbing their bodies, two Nevada college students struggled to stay calm after a drunk driver allegedly tore into their home, ripping them from their slumber. Kristin Palmer and Trent Wood were asleep in their home last week when a motorist allegedly drove into their bedroom around 4 a.m., mistakenly believing it was his ex-girlfriend's home.

The University of Nevada students spent almost an hour pinned between the car and their bed while emergency workers battled furiously to free them.Somehow, the two left the scene with relatively minor scrapes and burns -- and a new lease on life, Wood said.

When you experience something like that theres no limits anymore, you can try to do whatever you want to do, Wood told HLNs Mike Galanos. We feel like we have more of a purpose, like we were meant to live.

41st Tokyo Motor Show

2009-10-27T22:44:00.000-07:00

Tokyo, Japan (CNN) -- Take a glimpse of the near future. Electric vehicles and other types of eco-friendly cars are taking center stage at the 41st Tokyo Motor Show, which runs through November 4.

Following the commercial success of Toyota's hybrid car Prius, Japanese car makers introduced their latest line up of eco-friendly cars. Electric vehicles are believed to be the next wave of automobile powered by alternative energy sources.

The Tokyo Motor show is one of the world's five biggest motor shows, but only three non-Japanese car makers -- Lotus and Caterham of the U.K. and Alpina of Germany -- participated this year, compared with 26 firms in 2007. Car makers are shifting focus to emerging markets, such as those of China and India.

Carlos Ghosn, president and chief executive officer of Nissan, introduced the company' first electric vehicle,Leaf, for the mass market. It will be sold starting in late 2010 in Japan, U.S. and Europe.

The race for zero emission has begun,he said.The world is eager to address the concerns about global CO2 emissions and we are proposing solutions to meet the environmental challenges.Organizers are expecting one million visitors to attend the show.

Upcoming Events - 2009 Toll Road Summit of the Americas - Brazil

2009-10-27T00:05:00.000-07:00

November 15 - 17, 2009

Individual Registrations: Register Now!

IBTTA is pleased to hold its Toll Road Summit of the Americas in São Paulo Brazil. This year, the event will be hosted by ABCR and CCR and held in conjunction with TranspoQuip 2009, Latin America's biggest event for the transportation infrastructure industries in Latin America.

Korean supercar designer builds a Tiger

2009-10-26T23:57:00.000-07:00

SEOUL, South Korea - There are a few reasons why Kim Han-Chal calls his supercar the Tiger.

The first is apparent when you get behind the wheel of the Spirra. Zero to 100 kilometers per hour (0-62 mph) in 3.8 seconds with 500 horsepower, your throat hits the back of your neck as the gas pedal hits the floor. The Spirra is the definition of supercar: fast, sporty, sleep, and a six-figure U.S.-dollar price tag.

But the more important reason Kim, the creator of the car, calls it the Tiger, is that the animal is a powerful symbol of Korea. That’s apropos for Korea’s first venture into the supercar market, made with all Korean parts, built with Korean hands. We were the only country that didn't have a supercar, Kim says. Neighbor Japan has a Toyota and Honda supercar, and Germany and Italy has Porsche and Lamborghini.

The car enthusiast, who pledges if you check carefully he has gas running in his veins, dreamed of building a car on his home soil. He believed in his countrymen’s ability to produce a high-end car, not just the reliable, eco-friendly Hyundai or Kia.

For 10 years, he tinkered with designs and poured his money into concept car after concept car. But it wasn't until he partnered with Oullim motors, backed by the wealth of a high tech company, that he began production. Now Europe is his first major customer. A dealer in the Netherlands purchased 145 orders of his handmade cars over the next three years, marking the first commercial entrée of his supercar into the global market.

CLSA auto analyst Christopher J. Richter says supercars are often losing business ventures and are built to send a message. These guys, I think the message they want say is 'Hey, we can make a super car too, high performance car too, and we can do it with all Korean components. It stirs the pot a little bit and shows that auto-making is not just about Germany or Japan, but Korean auto-makers have a valuable contribution to make.

4 U.S. service members dead in apparent accident in Afghanistan

2009-10-25T23:31:00.000-07:00

Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Four U.S. service members were killed when two helicopters were apparently involved in a mid-air collision in southern Afghanistan on Monday, NATO's International Security Assistance Force said.

Along with those killed, two other NATO-led service members were injured in the incident.
The incident is currently being investigated, but it is confirmed that hostile fire was not involved, ISAF said in a news release.There was also a separate incident on Monday involving a helicopter in western Afghanistan that resulted in an unknown number of reported military casualties.

ISAF said a joint, international security force killed more than a dozen enemy fighters as they searched a compound. The location was believed to harbor insurgents involved in activities related to narcotics trafficking in western Afghanistan.The militants were killed in a firefight when insurgents confronted the joint force. As the force was leaving, a helicopter went down due to unconfirmed reasons.Along with reported military casualties, a recovery operation has been launched.

Spotlight on 2010 transport

2009-10-25T23:21:00.000-07:00

TRANSPORT arrangements for the 2010 World Cup in Johannesburg would be different from those of the Confederations Cup.The City of Johannesburg announced during the public transport month observation in Johannesburg on Friday that services, such as Gauride, would not be available.Presenting her commission’s submissions, Yoliswa Mashilwane of the City of Johannesburg, said other services would be integrated into the national transport plan for 2010.

The arrangement would be to look at how many people from a certain area would be travelling to watch a game in Johannesburg.The plan would include those who want to travel to the stadium and those who would want to go to the public viewing places,Mashilwane said.She added that they would also add more rail commuter operations.

Though public transport users called for more Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Transit system buses, they expressed concerns about their safety.They said the concern was not specifically because of the incident in which a BRT bus was shot at after the launch of the system in September, but because of criminal elements that might occur to commuters if police were withdrawn.

They also wanted operations to be extended to Sundays. There are no operations on Sundays and the last operation is on Saturday at 4pm.

Upcoming Events:Climate Change Task Force Meeting

2009-10-25T22:57:00.000-07:00

Date : Wednesday, November 18, 2009
9:00 AM to 10:30 AM

Description: The next Climate Change Task Force meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 18th at 9:00 AM at the Upper Merion Township Building.Speakers and topics will be confirmed in the near future.

If you are interested in attending, please RSVP to Lauren Peak at Lpeak@gvftma.com.

Mission : GVF Transportation’s Climate Change Task Force will be an advocate for our partners by taking proactive measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, energy costs, protect air quality and public health and improve the environment throughout our region.

Vision : Provide continuous and up to date information on climate change issues that are affecting our partners and assist with identifying the appropriate steps of action.

Host roundtable discussions on specific issues and concerns our partners are having and where they would like assistance.

Work collaboratively with a panel of experts, such as DEP, EPA, DVRPC and other participants, on a variety of issues that will inform our partners on the necessary action items to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Indian Automaker to License New York Plant to Build Electric Cars

2009-10-23T22:31:00.000-07:00

SYRACUSE, N.Y — A new New York company plans to complete financing this year for a plant to produce electric cars and begin rolling out the three-door, plug-in hatchbacks in late 2010, the company chief executive said Friday.

Bannon Automotive CEO Paul Wimer said at a news conference that Syracuse was chosen over sites in Kentucky, Michigan and elsewhere because of its proximity to key markets and the "dogged pursuit" of the Freeport-based startup by local, state and federal officials.

Gov. David Paterson said New York state is providing a $6.76 million package of grants and tax incentives to Bannon, and U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer said he is trying to help Bannon obtain $52 million in federal loans and loan guarantees.Bannon will invest $26.5 million into the plant.

The company has secured an exclusive North American licensing deal with Reva Electric Car Co. of Bangalore, India, to assemble the NXR. Reva cars are now sold across Asia and Europe.

Related Topics : 1957 Ford Fairlane

1957 Ford Fairlane

2009-10-14T05:31:00.000-07:00

1957 Ford Fairlane

Make : Ford
Model : Fairlane 500
Year : 1957
Mileage : 87400
Condition: Restored
Location : Alexandria, Virginia
Engine Type : 8 Cylinder
Transmission Type: Automatic
Value: $30,000 - $50,000

Description:

1957 ford fairlane 500 club sedan 312- V8- 4V body code 64B purchase date 12/04/07
original miles 81,755 ford-o-matic transmission show room condition The Fairlane and Fairlane 500 Club Sedan offered hardtop style with a b-pillar that gives the car a great look and sturdy support. Only 93,756 Fairlane 500 Club 2 door sedans were built in 1957. In the movie "Thunder Road," Robert Mitchum crashed an identical '57 Ford Fairlane 500 Club Sedan into a power station. This car has won many best-of-show trophies and judges pick trophies.

1968 Jaguar E-Type Turning Heads for 38 Years

2009-10-14T05:19:00.000-07:00

GEORGE SWEEPER, who has nurtured his 1968 Jaguar E-Type for nearly 40 years, has come up with a new defense of the British brand’s reputation for poor reliability.There may have been many bad ones made,he concedes.I got one of the good ones.

Mr. Sweeper recalled a road trip that he and a friend made from New York to California in 1981.We drove 58 hours to Oakland,he said. We drove and drove and drove. We saw the sun come up. We saw the sun go down. We went to the bathroom at the same stops. We got on highway 80 and stayed on it.There were no breakdowns.A few years earlier, he had spent six weeks zigzagging across the country, covering 10,000 miles. The only thing that broke on the Jaguar was a fan belt, at the Grand Canyon. But I carried a spare, he said. Mr. Sweeper, who lives in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn, says his Jaguar is pushing 185,000 miles. He enjoys driving. Briskly and far.

10 Awesome Pimped Car Interiors

2009-10-12T07:36:00.001-07:00

Is it a Car or an XBOX?

Hello Kitty Car Interior

Alpine’s 2003 Honda Civic Si

Home Made Glammed Up Interior

Retro Interior

Rainbow Sick

Fluffy Cuddle Monster
Bling Bling

Swish Swosh!

Pink Louis Vuitton

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Car Remodelling-pobeda

2009-10-12T07:19:00.000-07:00

This car was made out of old “Pobeda” car, the predecessor of Volga 21.It was totaly rebuilt and see how it looks like now. - This how the car looked before.

And this is how it looks now!

10-Best Taxi in Your City

2009-10-12T06:49:00.000-07:00

Rides Magazine

Lamborghini Murcielago

Porsche Cayenne

This looks like a gangster cab

Ferrari Enzo

These taxi's wide, interchangeable doors can be hosed down. A built-in ramp lets wheelchairs or scooters roll right in

Standard Taxi

Nice cab

L-PT Cruiser Yellow Cab

Three-wheeled taxicab used in Havana

Dallas Car Chase

2009-10-09T11:43:00.000-07:00

A high-speed car chase ended in a car crash. The 2-hour Dallas car chase ended in a car crash on June 29, 2009

The Sound of a Supercar: Ferraris, Lambos, Astons, and more

2009-10-09T11:36:00.000-07:00

10 Creative MotorCycle Helmets

2009-10-09T00:36:00.000-07:00

The Haunted Cars

2009-10-07T23:39:00.000-07:00

Plumber’s Bike

2009-10-07T23:23:00.000-07:00

Aero-TV: AirVenture Meet the Boss - Babbitt Addresses FAA Communication

2009-10-07T23:13:00.000-07:00

On July 30th, 2009, Randy Babbitt took to the podium for the first time as the FAA Aministrator, addressing EAA AirVenture attendees in the Honda Pavilion.

With nearly 70,000 operations every day, and over 753 million people transported each year, the job of FAA Administrator is no simple task; yet, as Babbitt explained, he understands there are numerous ways in which the FAA can address current issues and improve the way in which the FAA regulates and connects with the general aviation community.

When asked what general aviation pilots can do to support better communication with the FAA, Babbitt reiterated the value of public input stating that the general aviation community has more eyes and ears to monitor the FAA than the FAA has to monitor itself. The FAA’s “Consistency and Standardization Initiative,” for example, provides a process for which an individual who is dissatisfied with a decision made by the FAA Aviation Safety Office to have that decision reviewed by higher levels of management without fear of retribution.

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