Articles tagged with Transportation
A new energy conservation program for kids shows long-lasting impact on both children and their parents. The study found that participating girls reported increased energy-saving behaviors, which continued even after the program ended.
Citrus greening disease huanglongbing (HLB) severity impacts citrus peel and fruit mechanical properties. HLB-symptomatic fruits are softer and more prone to preharvest fruit drop, while severely symptomatic trees experience higher postharvest pressure damage.
Boston Cancer Support, a nonprofit organization, will receive an $8,500 ASTRO Survivor Circle grant to support its work providing patient transportation and online resources. The organization aims to alleviate one of the largest issues faced by cancer patients: affordable transportation to treatments.
A Penn State researcher found that political lobbying is linked to increased airline profits, but may harm the effectiveness of government regulation. The study analyzed data from 46 companies over 15 years, revealing a positive correlation between lobbying efforts and profitability.
Researchers at the University of Delaware have developed a new algorithm to reduce massive amounts of connected traffic data, enabling real-time information to be provided to users. The HTGD approach identifies similar communities in the data and finds the shortest route at the highest level, reducing search space and increasing effici...
Reducing U.S. climate emissions could prevent up to 175,000 premature deaths nationwide by 2030, generating $250 billion annual health benefits. Cleaner energy policies and transportation reductions could yield significant long-term health benefits worth 5-10 times the costs.
Researchers found that navigating transport networks in major cities can come perilously close to exceeding humans' cognitive powers, especially with multiple modes of transport and too many interconnections.
A recent study by University of Utah professor Reid Ewing found that urban sprawl significantly reduces upward mobility, particularly for children born into low-income families. The study showed that compact areas tend to have higher rates of social mobility compared to sprawling areas.
A Kansas State University researcher has received a $446,000 NSF CAREER award to develop robust verification of cyber-physical systems, enabling high-confidence systems in automotive and aerospace applications. The project aims to bridge a gap in existing methodologies for cyber-physical system analysis.
A Dartmouth-MIT study finds that the DOT rule significantly increases passenger delays due to increased flight cancellations, despite reducing long tarmac delays.
A University of Washington study reveals that people's motivation to walk and bike differs significantly based on their income level. Lower- and middle-income residents in densely populated areas are more inclined to walk or bike due to factors such as easy access to destinations, neighborhood attractiveness, and the number of bicycles...
A new study found that patients who are older, female, and/or from lower-income neighborhoods are more likely to experience delays in starting cardiac rehabilitation after bypass surgery, ultimately reducing their chances of completing the program. This can lead to a higher mortality risk.
Researchers have found that drivers tend to discriminate based on race when stopping for pedestrians at crosswalks, with African-Americans experiencing a 32% longer wait time before yielding. The study, which controlled for age, clothing, and socioeconomic factors, suggests that implicit racial bias plays a role in driver behavior.
A study by Chalmers University of Technology and partners analyzed EU and US vehicle safety standards. EU-regulated vehicles offered reduced risk of serious injury in frontal/side crashes, while US-regulated vehicles provided a lower risk of injury in rollovers.
A study by MIT economist Christopher Knittel reveals an essential mechanism underlying the politics of climate change. The research shows that certain climate policies, like transportation fuel subsidies, contain asymmetries that benefit a smaller group at the expense of most people.
The Mobile Bridge Version 4.0's viability was tested on a real river, showcasing its practical use with minimal personnel and no foundation work required. The bridge's scissor-like structure allows for efficient expansion and contraction while maintaining strength.
The study found that fuel extracted and refined from Canadian oil sands releases approximately 20% more carbon into the atmosphere over its lifetime. This is due to energy-intensive extraction and refining processes, as well as methane emissions and land disturbance.
A new model by MIT researchers analyzes flight schedules and ticket sales to determine global air transport connectivity. The study finds that one-stop flights have become more important over time in connecting regions, despite being less preferred by passengers.
A study of 91 German-owned multinationals found that companies lose profit due to geographical, cultural, or administrative challenges in new international markets. Companies should gather and exchange knowledge before entering challenging markets, recommends Associate Professor Ingo Kleindienst.
The article discusses the need for medical care practices in commercial space transportation, highlighting different phases of suborbital and orbital missions. The authors suggest defining Medical Levels of Care to account for various types of flight, including motion sickness, emergency equipment, and spacesuits.
A study evaluating 2,238 Canadian beef calves found that trailer microclimate significantly impacts calf welfare during transport. Calves experienced more shrink in summer months and higher salivary cortisol levels in winter, but overall arrived healthy.
A new study reveals that Denver's sports stadiums have excessive parking spaces, leading to heat islands and missed economic opportunities. The research suggests transforming inefficient parking into better investments to incentivize carpooling and other modes of transportation, improving the spectator experience and downtown businesses.
A randomized clinical trial found that women who received prenatal and infant/toddler home visits by nurses had lower maternal all-cause mortality rates compared to those who did not receive these services. Additionally, children whose mothers received home visits were less likely to die from preventable causes before the age of 20.
A multi-university team has developed a technology to transform lignocellulosic biomass into a jet fuel surrogate via catalytic chemistry. The proposed approach could potentially produce aviation fuels at a cost of $2.88 per gallon, making it a promising alternative to traditional petroleum-derived fuels.
A recent study by Sandia National Laboratories and the TSA aimed to understand how transportation security officers' thought processes influence decisions made during baggage screening. The findings have helped improve the performance of TSA's security officers, particularly in switching between pre-check and standard passenger lanes.
A recent study by MIT economists finds strong convergence of prices within the Eurozone, with prices differing by 30-50% lower than in neighboring countries. The research suggests that the common currency drives identical pricing, contradicting previous findings.
A new MIT study found that passengers of low-cost upstarts tend to complain less about service quality than network carriers. In a study published in the Journal of Air Transport Management, Michael Wittman tallied airline-related complaints made to the U.S. Department of Transportation from 2002 to 2012.
Scientists at Sandia National Laboratories are working on a $34 million project to develop biocatalyst technologies that can convert natural gas into liquid fuel for transportation. They aim to engineer pathways from microbes that metabolize methane to produce butanol, a promising biofuel option.
The Alternative Fueling Station Locator App allows iPhone users to select an alternative fuel and find the closest stations within a 30-mile radius. The app draws information from the Clean Cities' Alternative Fuels Data Center, containing over 15,000 alternative fueling stations nationwide.
Researchers analyzed hot-air balloon tour crashes from 2000-2011, finding 78 crashes involving 518 occupants, with 91 serious injuries and 5 fatalities. Targeted interventions may improve crash outcomes and decrease injury severity.
Researchers found that realistic stories with identifiable characters and plots lead to 'narrative transportation,' a phenomenon where consumers mentally enter the story. Five characteristics - familiarity, attention, fantasizing ability, higher education, and female gender - contribute to this effect.
A major transportation company survived Hurricane Sandy by adopting flexible strategies to meet customer demand and ensure personnel safety. The company's schedulers bypassed normal communication channels to speed up information exchange, relying on face-to-face conversations instead.
Researchers found that trained Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening officers were slower than undergraduate students but more accurate in identifying T-shaped arrangements on computer screens. Consistent search patterns freed up brain processing, improving performance.
A study by the University of Illinois Chicago and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs found that individualized care leads to better health outcomes. The researchers used concealed audio recorders to collect data on doctors' behavior, revealing that contextual factors have a significant impact on patient care.
Researchers found that cattle temperament affects how animals respond to stressors like weaning, transportation, and vaccination. Temperamental cattle have reduced fat stores and lower marbling, impacting the final quality grade of beef.
The PEV Scorecard helps communities evaluate their readiness for plug-in electric vehicle deployment, providing feedback and guidance for improvement. The tool offers a comprehensive assessment of charging infrastructure, planning, regulations, and support services.
A computational model developed by Northwestern University's Dirk Brockmann can pinpoint the source of an outbreak and predict disease spread using transportation data. The model generates accurate findings on origin and predicted arrival times, providing a lifesaving advantage in responding to diseases.
Swift Transportation has donated $15,262 to The Waylon Fund for Diabetes Research at TGen to advance biomedical research and predict patient risk factors. This donation aims to spur innovative treatments for Type 2 diabetes.
Researchers at Notre Dame are developing mathematical algorithms to integrate plug-in hybrid electric vehicles into the power grid, anticipating optimization problems for various parties. The goal is to create an efficient system that benefits consumers, companies, and the environment.
Research published in IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems suggests that automatic braking systems can significantly reduce injuries in rear-end collisions. The study found that the use of three systems - warning, assisted braking, and autonomous braking - may prevent up to 50% of serious injuries.
Researchers at Georgia Tech have devised a way to compute delays and self-equalize gaps between buses, improving service for riders and reducing work for management. The system uses GPS and cell phones to optimize bus arrival times, ensuring more consistent headways.
The study found that a small amount of money can be an effective motivator, encouraging drivers to arrive earlier or leave later during peak hours. By leveraging social responsibility and game theory, the Capri program aims to reduce rush hour traffic by a few hundred cars.
Diana Lados, a WPI assistant professor, received a $525,000 NSF CAREER Award to develop new methods and tools for designing materials with confidence. Her goal is to increase the use of light metals in cars, trucks, airplanes, boats, and other transportation applications, reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
The National Sleep Foundation's 2012 poll found that 1 in 4 train operators and 23% of pilots admit to sleep-related job performance problems. Sleepiness has also been linked to safety issues, car accidents, and reduced workday sleep satisfaction.
The US electric grid is complex and vulnerable to failure, particularly with aging EHV transformers. The new 'Recovery Transformer' program aims to develop a modular, smaller, and lighter alternative that can be easily transported and installed.
The study found that day laborers in Cincinnati are predominantly male and African American, with many struggling to find stable employment due to past convictions. The average wage per day for a day laborer is $48.53, after taxes and fees, highlighting the financial struggles of those working in these halls.
Researchers from the University of Illinois developed three algorithms to assess risk uncertainty in the passenger population, finding that risk-based screening increases overall expected security. This approach allows more resources to be devoted to passengers with high risk relative to the passenger population.
A Virginia Tech-led study found that family perspectives are crucial in evacuation planning, with immigrant mothers being particularly vulnerable. The research integrated social science and transportation engineering approaches to model household decision-making and interactions during evacuations.
Researchers at UC Berkeley found that ending the hybrid car program in California's carpool lanes slowed traffic for all drivers, not just hybrids. The study showed that moving hybrids out of carpool lanes increased congestion in adjacent lanes and reduced overall traffic speed.
A recent study by Dr. David C. Musch found that most eye care providers test visual acuity and peripheral vision but often fail to ask about other factors affecting driving ability, such as medical conditions or medications. Eye care providers identify a need for better guidelines and resources to assess driving capabilities.
Algae-based fuel produces high energy output with minimal land use, but its production is associated with significant environmental costs. The research suggests that algae-based biofuels may not be a silver bullet for replacing petroleum as a transportation energy source.
Researchers found that cash-based overcompensation leads to higher satisfaction ratings than industry-standard compensation or voucher-based overcompensation. Participants were most satisfied with a $400 cash bonus, but satisfaction levels did not increase linearly with the amount of cash provided.
Jonathan Malen's research may lead to more precise thermal management devices for aircraft and other transportation systems. He proposes using thin layers of small molecules to filter vibrations that carry heat, enabling more precise control over temperature.
A new report reveals sub-standard transportation practices for donor organs led to fatal air crashes and emphasizes the need for improved safety measures. The study suggests implementing measures like quality aircraft, two-pilot crews, and aviation safety consultants to improve safety in organ procurement travel.
The Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University team, "Colbert," won the first prize with a space transportation architecture centered around propellant depots. The winning design was recognized for its innovative approach to efficient space transportation.
The new facility will enhance computational and modeling efforts in combustion research, enabling interdisciplinary collaboration between scientists. The CRCV building will support high-fidelity numerical simulations and expand access to massive datasets, expanding the collaborator base and ties with experimental programs.
Canadian Medical Association Journal urges airlines to prioritize human passenger safety over accommodating small pets in airplane cabins. The Canadian Transportation Agency considers requiring airlines to safeguard passengers with pet allergies, forcing a reevaluation of airline policies.
Clemson University chemical engineering professor Mark C. Thies has partnered with Doros Theodorou of the National Technical University of Athens to develop molecular models for advanced-carbon materials. Their goal is to create strong, lightweight materials for transportation vehicles, wind turbines, and energy-efficient aircraft.
A study by Michael L. Nance and colleagues identified 170 verified pediatric trauma centers in the US, with estimated access ranging from 22.9% in rural areas to 93.5% in urban areas. The authors estimate that 17.4 million children would not have access to a center within 60 minutes.
Researchers at NYU and Harvard created a bipedal, autonomous DNA walker that can move on its own using two fuel strands. The device forms base pairs as it moves along a track of DNA, creating energy for movement.