Dec 13, 2017  - When pulling up to a traffic light, most drivers get pretty close to the car in front of them, leaving just several feet of space between their bumper and the next.  The practice of packing tightly at traffic lights is widely accepted. Traditional thinking says the closer a car is to a traffic light, the more likely that car will be to pass through the intersection before the light turns red again.

Thanks to new research by Virginia Tech College of Engineering professors and students, drivers now have a good reason to dismiss this faulty line of roadway intuition. The results could be useful in Ethiopia, where traffic management is a serious engineering project.

The study, published this month in the New Journal of Physics, used video cameras attached to drone helicopters to capture footage of cars accelerating through a traffic light on the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute's Smart Road. By systematically controlling the packing density of the cars, the researchers discovered that any decrease in distance to the light was completely offset by the time it took for cars to regain a comfortable spacing before drivers could accelerate.

Drivers who pack tightly at intersections do not increase their chances of making it through the light, and tailgating at traffic lights can also lead to more rear-end collisions.

"We varied the bumper-to-bumper spacing between cars by a factor of 20 and saw virtually no change in how much time it took for the cars to pass through the intersection when the light turned green," said Jonathan Boreyko, assistant professor in the department of biomedical engineering and mechanics. "The results mean there's no point in getting closer to the car in front of you when traffic comes to a stop," he said.

The inspiration for the research first came to Boreyko when he was sitting in traffic one day. Noticing that cars had to wait for the car in front of them to regain a safe spacing before they could start moving again, he hypothesized that, contrary to popular opinion, it might actually be better for cars to stop farther apart from each other when idling at a traffic light.

He teamed up with Farzad Ahmadi, a fourth-year Ph.D. student in Virginia Tech's engineering mechanics program and the study's lead author, to investigate.Using 10 volunteer drivers in identical vehicles, the researchers staged a series of experiments at the traffic light on the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute's Smart Road. Drivers systematically lined up at the light in a set of distances ranging from 1.25 to 50 feet, and a drone helicopter hovering overhead captured controlled bird's-eye-view footage of the traffic as drivers accelerated through the light.

Analysis showed that the time required for all cars to pass through remained relatively fixed, give or take about one second, for spacing distances up to 25 feet.

The two researchers used the thermodynamic concept of latent heat, the energy that a system loses during melting or evaporation, to describe what happens to cars stopped at a traffic light. Vehicles are jammed into a "solid phase" at a light and must waste energy "melting" back into a "liquid phase" before they can actually move through the intersection.

Boreyko and Ahmadi wondered if latent heat would have such a dramatic effect on other systems, such as slow-moving pedestrian traffic. Should people waiting in lines space themselves closer together or farther apart in order to move through more quickly?

The researchers set up a second round of experiments in The Cube at Virginia Tech's Moss Arts Center, a highly adaptable theater and laboratory equipped with synchronized cameras. Undergraduate students added a few conditions to their senior design experiments on human crowds to test Boreyko and Ahmadi's hypothesis.

"Latent heat had almost no effect for a line of pedestrians," said Boreyko. "The closer people got to each other, the faster they could empty the line. We realized that people move very slowly, but can accelerate very quickly, which minimizes the lag effect we saw with the cars at the traffic light."

The study's findings suggest that both pedestrians and drivers alike could see considerable benefits when taking a mindful approach to packing density in lines.

"Pedestrians waiting in a line should get as close to each other as possible if it's important for the line to empty quickly," said Boreyko. "But when you encounter a traffic jam or stop at a light, keep a safe and comfortable distance. You can just maintain whatever spacing you had when you were driving at full speed. You won't lose any time, but you'll reduce the odds of an accidental rear-end collision."Ahmadi agreed with Boryeko's conclusion.

"When my father was teaching me how to drive, he told me that to prevent an accident, you should stop so you can easily see the rear bumper of the car in front of you at a traffic light," said Ahmadi. "I've never done that until I analyzed the data of this experiment."

For more traffic management, find out how these machine learning techniques aim to reduce traffic.

| An engineering.com release  ||  December 13, 2017   |||

Dec 8, 2017 - Tomorrow (Saturday) will mark 150 years since the opening of the Lyttelton Rail Tunnel, an engineering marvel which remains a key part of the KiwiRail network and important contributor to the local economy.  When the Lyttelton Rail Tunnel opened on December 9, 1867, it was the first rail tunnel in New Zealand, and the first in the world to be drilled through the side of an extinct volcano.

Before the opening of the tunnel, it was difficult to transport Canterbury’s goods, such as wool, throughout the world. To reach Lyttelton Port, people and goods would need to travel over the Bridle Path or take long and complicated routes involving river and sea crossings.

With the support of Superintendent William Sefton Moorhouse (known as ‘Railway Billy’), it was decided a direct rail tunnel between Christchurch and Lyttelton was the best option.

The tunnel presented unprecedented challenges to the engineers involved, such as how to drill through hard volcanic rock, and was one of the country’s first great engineering works.

It has stood strong for 150 years, and while passengers no longer travel through the tunnel, it remains a vitally important transport route for exports from the region.

“Every year, our services carry 1.1 million tonnes of coal, 300,000 tonnes of logs and around 30,000 tonnes of general freight through the Lyttelton Rail Tunnel,” says KiwiRail Network Services Group General Manager Todd Moyle.

“The tunnel is essential to KiwiRail’s operations, those of Lyttelton Port Company and to the people of Canterbury, who rely on our services to export their goods to the world.

“Volumes are increasing into and out of LPC, which last year opened its Inland Port in Rolleston to help service increasing productivity from the Canterbury plains, making the tunnel as important as ever.

“We’re grateful to the engineers and officials who, more than 150 years ago, had the foresight and perseverance to design and build what has become a significant part of KiwiRail’s network and of New Zealand’s history.”

| A KiwiRail release   |||  December 8, 2017   |||

Nov 30, 2017  -  Fuel is flowing to and from Port Taranaki’s refurbished storage and distribution terminal near New Plymouth.   Lessee BP New Zealand has started operation at the former Chevron tank farm on Centennial Drive, with the first diesel passing through the terminal earlier this month. Petrol is expected to be on-stream early in 2018.

Port Taranaki bought the facility in 2015 and entered into an operational agreement with BP New Zealand to enable larger parcels of petrol and diesel to be shipped in, stored and distributed throughout the region, reducing costs and the number of road tankers coming into Taranaki to deliver fuel.

More than 100 million litres of fuel is expected to pass through the terminal annually.

“The facility needed extensive refurbishment ahead of lessee BP taking responsibility for its operation,” Port Taranaki chief executive Guy Roper said.

“This work began in August last year and has included a new truck-loading gantry, a new control system, new tank-gauging systems and the replacement of pumps and valves.”

Port Taranaki has also brought the associated pipeline to the Newton King Tanker Terminal and a loading arm on the terminal back into use to support the project.

Mr Roper said the work had gone well and he was delighted the facility was now operational.

“We saw the purchase and refurbishment of the site as an opportunity to secure an important piece of infrastructure for the region and develop long-term commercial opportunities for our business. It will have the twin benefits of fuelling Taranaki’s businesses, farms and communities, and reducing the number of fuel trucks on our roads, with large amounts of fuel coming into the region by ship rather than by road tanker,” he said.

“A facility of this nature demands high operating standards and the health and safety of staff and contractors is a priority. With new Major Hazard Facility regulations in place following the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, the work required a lot of collaboration from the many parties involved.

“Throughout the process we’ve had a great relationship with BP New Zealand and thank them for their support and knowledge as we have worked to make the terminal operational,” Mr Roper said.

BP general manager marketing supply, Courtney Ireland, echoed Mr Roper’s statements.

“Safety is a No 1 priority for BP, so it was very important to us that the terminal was converted in adherence with the new Major Hazard Facility regulations.

“Terminals are an extremely important part of BP’s strategy, and enable us to effectively support the needs of our customers across the country. BP is pleased and proud to be in a partnership with Port Taranaki that allows us to support ongoing growth in the Taranaki region,” Mr Ireland said.

| A portTaranki release  ||  November 28,  2017   |||

Nov 30, 2017  -  The ITF has participated in the WIMDOI (women in male dominated occupations and industries) conference in Australia, setting out the tools and strategies needed to build stronger campaigns and organise women working in such transport workplaces. The biannual conference has been going for 22 years and this year’s, from 21-23 November in Brisbane, was the biggest.

More than 130 women from Australia and New Zealand took part – including firefighters, paramedics, electricians and plumbers, alongside workers from the maritime, road, rail, forestry, construction, meat and manufacturing industries.

Train driver and RTBU (Rail, Tram and Bus Industry Union) member Renee Thomasson said: “Because of gender constructs in male dominated industries and the pressure on women to blend in with men, in my workplace there are still major barriers between women accepting other women and solidarity amongst women.

“So my experience at WIMDOI has been extremely empowering. It was inspiring to see women supporting each other and it has equipped me with skills and information to take back to my workplace to share with other women.”

See participants’ message of support to Nemin Al-Sharif.

Participants discussed campaign experiences and topics including training and skills development, gender injustice, pensions and economics. They shared union gender strategies, and strategies to build women’s confidence and influence in overwhelmingly male unions and workplaces. They also discussed the We Won’t Wait campaign and equal access to toilets.

ITF women transport workers’ co-ordinator Jodi Evans commented that this event gave many women a unique opportunity to share their experiences and find solutions to common problems. Importantly, it reinforced that they were not alone in their struggles and that the ITF union family is building a programme to support women working in male dominated occupations and challenge gender-based occupational segregation.

WIMDOI is organised by a committee of seven women, which includes Mich-Elle Myers, (ITF Asia Pacific women’s representative and Maritime Union of Australia national officer) and ITF union the RTBU.

| WIMDOI release  ||  November 30, 2017   |||

Nov 29, 2017  -  Some overseas reports say petrol cars may be obsolete by 2026 but either way the massive switch to electric vehicles will be the biggest disruptive change to people’s lives in more than 100 years, NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says. As New Zealand’s 15,000 motor mechanics get ready for the exciting electric vehicle (EV) era, petrol cars will soon begin to phase out in the biggest change to transport in the modern era, Muller says. “A couple of weeks ago, I was at a conference on digital transformation and a presenter showed a photo of Times Square in New York from 1900, complete with horses and carriages. “Then we were shown the same view, in 1920 and not a horse to be seen. Something like 20 million horses were unemployed within 20 years. Last week, Stanford economist Tony Seba told APEC delegates in Wellington that this process has already started for cars. “He believes the tipping point is here and no petrol vehicles will be built after 2025. Tony also believes that the number of cars will have decreased by 80 percent by 2030, with most of us opting to ride in an Uber style self-driving vehicle. “I dropped my daughter off at school the other day and I was almost run over by a Tesla. We stepped out between two parked cars, heading towards the school gates, when this lovely looking car glided past. “It didn’t make a sound. Instant car envy. It got me thinking about technology change. Before my daughter finishes school, I will no longer have to do the school run. Maybe one of those purring Tesla’s will collect her.” According to Tony Seba, on current trends it will be cheaper to build a mid-range EV costing US$33,000 than a conventional car by 2019, and they would be cheaper than the average equivalent conventional small car by 2022. The next step is embeddeing the technology into roads. This is being piloted in several countries including UK, Israel and Sweden. The technology, similar to that developed by Kiwi company PowerbyProxi which was recently purchased by Apple, allows wireless charging from the road to the car. This charge-as-you-drive system would overcome battery limitations. “EVs will also play a crucial role in supporting the environmental sustainability of future transport. Helping to rid the environment of harmful fossil fuels, cutting down on air pollution emissions and providing not just a more convenient future, but a healthier one too,” Muller says. “So consider the horse and car example, by 2037 if you look along Highway 1 in New Zealand the number of human driven petrol vehicles will have probably dropped substantially to about 1 in every 10 vehicles. “The cost of insurance and enviro taxes making them too expensive for most people to run. It will be likely that many roadways in New Zealand will have embedded inductive charging systems allowing EV’s to travel and charge at low costs, and the majority of the population won’t own a car, instead choosing to “request” a vehicle when they need it. “There will be more ride sharing, lower cost of transport, reduced environmental impact, more space on roads and easier parking.”

| A NZTech release  ||  November 29, 2017   |||

 Nov 27, 2017  - Rail is delivering up to $1.5 billion a year to New Zealand in hidden benefits, according to a study prepared as part of a joint KiwiRail/NZTA team looking at integrated transport planning.

"That far exceeds what the taxpayer is spending on rail," KiwiRail Chairman Trevor Janes says.

The study, carried out by professional services firm EY, looked at some of the wider economic benefits the rail network brings to New Zealand.

"The areas where rail is delivering for New Zealand include cutting congestion, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving safety on our roads and lowering spending on road maintenance and upgrades.

"These benefits do not show up on the balance sheet, but they are very real, and they make a huge contribution to New Zealand.

"They need to be considered when choices are made about the transport options available, and how to allocate resources."

Mr Janes says the biggest contribution from rail comes from the reduction it brings in road use.

"Rail is taking cars off the road and it’s taking trucks off the road. That is saving the country $1.3 billion a year because it cuts congestion for all road users, including other freight movers.

"The study found that without rail there would be the equivalent of an additional 100,000 daily car trips on our roads each year - 76 million light vehicle hours reduced through rail - and 57 million of those hours were on Auckland roads.

"Rail also means heavy vehicles such as trucks are on the roads for 11 million fewer hours each year - the equivalent of 30,000 trucks driving for an hour every day.

"Using rail cuts New Zealand’s carbon emissions by 488,000 tonnes a year. That is the equivalent of taking 87,000 cars off the road, saving millions of dollars. Rail freight has 66% fewer carbon emissions than heavy road freight which is useful for New Zealand reaching its ambitious climate change targets.

"New Zealand has a road toll issue with deaths on the road rising markedly since 2013. Taking trucks and cars off the road makes for a safer New Zealand with EY estimating that because we have a rail network, there are 271 fewer fatalities and injuries on the roads.

"Most importantly, that means fewer Kiwi families suffering the heartache that road accidents bring.

"In economic terms, it means $60 million in savings."

The approach taken by EY was to model what it would mean for the roading network if there was no rail network.

"EY took a conservative approach. For example, in considering the economic cost of road accidents it took the same approach as the Ministry of Transport. If it had calculated the cost of road crashes the same way as ACC does, the savings from road incidents would have been more than $100 million.

"The numbers produced reflect the value of rail at a point in time. We will continue to refresh the data with our transport stakeholders, ensuring we are reflecting the changing nature of rail in New Zealand.

"There are further benefits which are not quantified in this report such as the economic benefits rail brings to the regions through network resilience, land use and value uplifts, together with benefits from its tourism and freight businesses.

"It is also important to note that the study reflects similar work done in Scotland, Australia and the wider United Kingdom.

"This study is an important contribution to the transport debate and underlines the value of rail to New Zealand," says Mr Janes.

| An NZRail release  ||  November 27,  2017   |||

Nov 21 2017  -  Liberio Riosa is not one to get ahead of himself and he has grown his export business, LZ New Zealand, step-by-step over the past ten years. But he is hugely energised by a new patent the company is about to lodge which, he says, will redefine the maglev industry.

Continue to read the full article published in NZBusiness Magazine here  ||  November 21, 2017   |||

Nov 20  2017  -  The news that the road toll for 2017 has now surpassed the total for 2016 is tragic news, says Associate Minister for Transport Julie Anne Genter.  “This year we’ve already seen 330 people lose their lives on New Zealand’s roads.  “Every death on our roads is a tragedy and the high number this year is quite simply unacceptable. “The road toll has been going up over the last four years and is now the highest it’s been since 2010. My number one priority in the transport portfolio is to bring the road toll down. “In recent years expensive roading projects have been the priority and road safety has taken a back seat. “This government will be exploring all options to improve road safety including reallocating funding to target high risk roads. “Every life lost leaves behind a devastated family and community. We have to do better. “In addition, all of us have a responsibility to make our roads safer. It’s the basics, like wearing a seatbelt at all times, driving to the conditions, and stopping a mate from driving home drunk,” said Ms Genter.

| A Beehive release  ||  November 20.  2017   |||

16 Nov 2017  -  For many people, an electric bike makes sense for longer commutes, but it isn't needed for shorter jaunts or recreational rides. As a result, we've seen a number of kits that allow cyclists to temporarily turn their existing bike into an e-bike, by swapping one of its wheels with an electrified one. It's a pretty simple solution, although the Swytch eBike Conversion Kit may be even simpler and easier yet.  Most of the electric wheels we've seen have been quite heavy – this is because they contain not only a motor, but also a battery pack and the associated electronics. That extra revolving weight makes them difficult to move if pedalling without electrical assistance, so the bike's original unpowered wheel needs to swapped back in when using the bicycle in non-e-bike mode.

In the case of the Swytch system, though, the supplied front wheel only contains a 36V/250W hub motor. This reportedly leaves it light enough that it can stay on the bike full-time, permanently replacing the bike's regular wheel. The lithium-ion battery and electronics are in a separate power pack that clicks in and out of a handlebar-mounted bracket within just a few seconds.

Electrical cables run from that bracket to the motor, and to brake and pedal sensors. Initially installing all of the permanent hardware is a one-time affair, which is claimed to take about 10 minutes. From there, users just pop the power pack on when they want an e-bike, and pull it off when they don't.The whole Swytch system – including both the permanently-mounted bits and the power pack – weighs...

A control panel in the top of the pack lets riders do things like selecting the amount of electrical assistance, and checking how much power is left. An electronically-limited top speed of 15 mph (24 km/h) is possible in the European version, or 20 mph (32 km/h) for the US/international model. The range sits at either 25 or 50 miles (40 or 80 km), depending on which of two available battery capacities are selected. Charging time is 3-4 hours or 5-6, respectively.

The whole system – including both the permanently-mounted bits and the power pack – weighs 3.9 kg (8.6 lb) with the small battery, or 4.8 kg (10.6 lb) with the big one. By contrast, the lightest all-in-one electric wheel we've seen so far tips the scales at 7 kg (15 lb), with others more in the neighborhood of 9 kg (20 lb).

The Swytch system is currently the subject of an Indiegogo campaign, with pledge levels starting at US$299 for the 25-mile model. The planned retail price is $650. There are also complete bikes available, with the system built in.

It can be seen in use, in this video.

| Source: Indiegogo  ||  November 16,  2017   |||

15 Nov 2017  -  Mobil Oil New Zealand Limited (Mobil) today announced plans to improve fuel supply capacity for the South Island with the construction of two tanks at its fuel terminal in Lyttelton.

The tanks, which will replace those damaged by a 2014 landslide at Mobil’s Naval Point facility, will be located adjacent to Mobil’s existing terminal at George Seymour Quay and will store petrol and diesel. The company expects to complete the work in early 2019.

· Two new tanks will improve fuel supply capacity for the South Island· To be located adjacent to Mobil’s existing terminal at George Seymour Quay· Construction underway, completion expected in early 2019

“Construction of new tanks will restore fuel storage capacity at our Lyttelton operation, which, along with the Lyttelton-Woolston pipeline and Woolston Terminal, is an important part of the fuel supply chain in the South Island,” said Andrew McNaught, country manager for Mobil. “This project represents a significant investment in New Zealand’s fuel supply chain and demonstrates our commitment to the local market.”

Restoring the Lyttelton fuel terminal’s storage capacity is the latest of several recent major investments by Mobil to enhance its fuel product offerings to New Zealand customers. These include the launch of its new Synergy family of fuels and associated service station enhancements, as well as the upgrade of its bulk fuels terminal at Mount Maunganui. Since 2012, Mobil has invested more than NZ$120 million in its New Zealand operations.

Mobil has been a reliable supplier of quality fuels and lubricants to New Zealand for more than 120 years. The company supplies a nationwide network of more than 170 Mobil-branded service stations and more than 50 unbranded sites. For more information, visit www.mobil.co.nz.

| A Mobil New Zealand release  ||  November 15,  2017  |||