Tag Archives for: Transport

Flowbird Group to Expand Off-Board Fare Payments for Metro Transit

March 30, 2022

 

 

Flowbird Group to Expand Off-Board Fare Payments for Metro Transit

 

 

Next Generation Fare Payment System Makes Travel Easier and More Convenient in the Twin Cities

 

 

 

 

 

Moorestown, NJ – Flowbird Transport Intelligence, a division of Flowbird Group and leader in transit fare payment systems, is proud to announce it will be expanding its fare payment solutions for Metro Transit, the public transportation operator in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area of Minnesota. The expansion includes 185 Strada StreetSmart Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs), including Flowbird’s cloud-based analytics platform, Flowbird Hub, that will service the agency’s new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) routes.

 

Metro Transit is ranked as one of the best transit systems in the United States, with ridership making its way back up to Pre-covid levels of 270,000 riders per day. With Metro Transit being the largest public transportation operator in the state, commuters rely on the system daily to reach their destination safely and on time. The agency currently operates the METRO Blue and Green light rail lines, Northstar commuter rail line, and more than 100 bus routes. This year, Metro Transit announced their newest expansion to the system, the Orange line (light rail) and the D-Line (BRT).

 

Metro Transit partnered with Flowbird in 2016 for off-board fare collection for its A-line BRT route, serving some of the busiest corridors in the system. Flowbird successfully delivered Strada Ticket Vending Machines to make travel easier and quicker for riders. Since then, boarding and dwell times have greatly reduced.

 

This new expansion will feature a total of 185 Strada StreetSmart ticket vending machines to service the new BRT routes. Featuring an easy-to-read 9.7” touch screen, the new TVM’s will allow riders to conveniently purchase fare tickets on-site before boarding. Each machine is equipped to accept a variety of payment methods including coins, bills, credit and debit cards, as well as contactless payments. Riders can select from one or multiple fare options from the LED touchscreen display and can choose from several different language options. Each machine is carefully designed to withstand the region’s harsh winter climate – where the average annual snowfall is almost double the US average, and average temperatures do not climb above freezing.

 

The central data system, the Flowbird Hub Fare Payment Platform, manages and controls all sales and devices remotely, while providing the ability to update fares and purchase items. Information is consistently fed back to the cloud-based monitoring system so that potential issues can be addressed. The user-friendly platform allows agency staff to easily monitor each device and view important diagnostics.

 

By expanding their modernized fare collection, Metro Transit will be able to continue to offer convenient payment options, increase access to the transit system, speed boarding time, and reduce other operating costs of fare collection.

 

Installation of the new TVM’s will begin on the BRT lines with light rail to follow.

 

Many transit agencies in the U.S. are working toward modernizing payment and ticketing as part of their overall fare collection system.  The partnership between Metro Transit and Flowbird continues Flowbird North America’s growth in the transit sector where it serves major transit agencies such as New York City Transit, Community Transit, Houston METRO, Lane Transit, M-1 Rail, and Portland Streetcar.

 

 

Flowbird US Media Contact

Sean Renn – Vice President of Marketing & Communications

856-220-1577

sean.renn@flowbird.group

www.flowbird.group

 

Fleet Advantage Announces Jackie Jacobs to Speak at ELFA’s 60th Annual Convention  

October 20, 2021

 

 

 

Fleet Advantage Announces Jackie Jacobs to Speak at ELFA’s 60th Annual Convention  

 

 

 

Equipment Leasing and Finance Association Invites Jacobs to Speak on Utilizing Data and Analytics from Acquisition through Remarketing for Fleet Modernization 

 

 

 

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL (October 20, 2021) – Fleet Advantage, a leading innovator in truck fleet business analytics, equipment financing, and life cycle cost management (LCCM) today announced Jackie Jacobs, Senior Fleet Transaction Analyst and Project Manager, will be presenting at the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association’s 60th Annual Convention taking place October 24 – 26, 2021 in San Antonio, Texas. Jacobs’s session titled Fleet Modernization – Utilizing Data and Analytics from Acquisition through Remarketing will take place on Monday, October 25 at 2:30pm. 

 

Jacobs has eight years of industry experience spearheading data analytics and equipment procurement strategies at Fleet Advantage and earned her Certified Lease and Finance Professional (CLFP) accreditation in 2020. She is an expert at facilitating multimillion-dollar truck equipment financing for companies that include lease origination pricing and custom analytic reports for optimal fleet modernization strategies.  

 

VIDEO: Fleet Advantage Discusses Fleet Modernization at ELFA 60th Annual Convention 

 

Jacobs’ extensive knowledge in fleet modernization strategies makes her a perfect speaker for ELFA’s 60th annual convention. She will speak to the importance of truck life cycles and how companies can save money by optimizing replacement cycles and remarketing strategies. Jacobs will also speak to the importance of comprehensive fleet analyses that organizations can utilize to identify various key performance indicators, based on their Total Cost of Ownership. 

 

“Jackie is an industry expert in the field of fleet modernization and equipment procurement strategies for Fleet Advantage’s Transaction Management Team,” said Katerina Jones, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development. “She played a crucial role in the development of our life cycle cost management technology platform that gives our customers the knowledge needed to know when to replace older trucks within their fleets with newer, more efficient trucks. This ultimately enables organizations to make profit-preserving decisions, which is of the utmost importance as the industry continues to navigate unprecedented challenges.”  

 

Jacobs will be presenting at 2:30pm on Monday, October 25, 2021 during ELFA’s 60th Annual Convention. Register today at: https://apps.elfaonline.org/events/2021/ac/register.cfm  

 

About Fleet Advantage 

Fleet Advantage has over $1.5 Billion of assets under its Life Cycle Cost Management (LCCM) program and serves America’s top corporate fleets. Fleet Advantage guarantees the absolute lowest cost of operation by providing fleet financing solutions with matching proprietary data driven IT processes and fleet analytics, using the latest equipment technology to achieve optimum vehicle productivity and maximum safety. Fleet Advantage is ranked as one of the fastest-growing privately held companies in the state of Florida and the fastest growing independent truck lessor in the U.S.  Fleet Advantage is also named a Top Private Independent firm by the Monitor Daily. In 2015 and 2013, the company was named to Inc. magazines’ 500|5000 list of fastest growing companies in the nation.  In 2011, CEO John Flynn received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year® 2011 Florida – Emerging Category award.    

 

Parallel Parking in the City and Twitter – ParkNews.biz Aug 3rd – Aug 9th, 2021

August 09, 2021

 

 

Parallel Parking in the City and Twitter – ParkNews.biz Aug 3rd – Aug 9th, 2021

 

 

“Contempt is the weapon of the weak and a defense against one’s own despised and unwanted feelings.”
― Alice Miller

 

 

A wonderful colleague sent me this story from Curbed authored by P.E. Moskovitz, a journalist and an author of The Case Against Free Speech (haven’t read it nor his/her/their previous book).

 

The article is about the tweet that Peter Moskovitz or now PE Moskovitz posted about his most dexterous and seemly impossible parallel parking job in NYC.  You can read it here:  Aug 9, 2021 – The Parallel-Parking Job That Ignited the Internet

Their tweeted photo and caption got an avalanche of responses.  Including ones calling Moskovitz “objectively bad person” and others that she/he/they should go to jail for their parking job.

 

Obviously people were angry.  Perhaps venues like twitter, Instagram take us away from facing our own past and healing our own woods.  Thus, we attack others.  Especially when their previous views especially on gender or free speech are controversial.  Perhaps it is do to others and say to others what you want to be said and done to you?

 

Either way as Moskowitz says: “Before the internet, if someone posted a flyer on a lamppost advertising a book club to discuss a book you didn’t want to read, you likely would simply not attend. What would be the point?” Now it seems everyone is a critic finding something wrong with everything,  On this note, when we point fingers and attack and call others selfish, gas lighting or narcissistic, it is a truly a call to look within.  And always share the curb regardless our parking skills.

 

This week in parking on ParkNews.biz, todays headline addresses lack of EV Chargers in the USA.  “Nobody walks in LA, as the song goes. But if you do, there’s a decent chance in Los Angeles of finding a nearby electric-vehicle charging station.

Wander the poorer neighborhoods of San Antonio, Chicago or Baltimore, though, and you’re out of luck.”  “According to the study, only 47% of vehicles in the U.S. have access to dedicated parking in a garage or driveway.”

 

Forbes article,  (read it here: Aug 9, 2021 – Communities and Governments Want Fair Playing Field In EV Charging) mentions: If you build the charging stations, the electric vehicle (EV) purchasers will come.

That is the premise upon which the Biden administration is banking its promise to build 500,000 new charging stations to help move forward the tipping point towards the climate-friendly technology.

Where you build them – and accordingly, which EV purchasers you are encouraging – is the next question.”

 

And further: “Currently, EV ownership is skewed towards the affluent. Tesla TSLA +2.1% Model X owners, for example, earn an average of $143,000. More than 70% of this group is male, with a median age of 54. There are more than 1,000 Tesla super charging stations in the U.S., providing a private sector solution for this demographic.

The Biden administration is trying to address these energy justice issues in its ambitious $1.2 trillion infrastructure plan. The program – which is still being debated in Congress with no clear resolution in sight – would ensure that 40% of the overall benefits from clean energy would be for communities that have not historically been invested in.”

 

Only future will tell.  Especially when right now, we have more pressing priorities than switching us all to driving EVS.  Being kinder and less critical of one another and getting back to work, are some of these.

 

Have a blessed week.

 

Sincerely,

 

Astrid Ambroziak

Editor, ParkNews.biz

Creative Director

Parking Today

310 390 5277 ext 9

astrid@parkingtoday.com

www.parkingtoday.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPYWAY WELCOMES SEASONED DIGITAL INNOVATION LEADER AS NEW CHAIRMAN

May 19, 2020

 

 

 

 

APPYWAY WELCOMES SEASONED DIGITAL INNOVATION LEADER AS NEW CHAIRMAN

 

 

London, UK – Tuesday 19th May 2020, AppyWay, Europe’s most awarded intelligent kerbside and smart parking pioneer, has welcomed ex Cisco UK & Ireland CEO Phil Smith CBE to its board to serve as Non-Executive Chairman.

 

 

Phil is currently Chairman of publicly listed IQE PLC and Chairman and Non-Executive Director at the Digital Skills Partnership. His previous experience, notably as former Chair of InnovateUK and The Tech Partnership, positions Smith as the ideal fit to lead AppyWay’s board and help accelerate the company’s sustainable mobility vision within the analogue kerbside and parking management industry.

 

Dan Hubert, Founder & CEO of AppyWay, “Phil has an impressive and illustrious background and I’m thrilled to add his expertise and experience to our board. His enthusiasm for our vision combined with his impressive understanding of the market have already proved highly valuable to the company in several ways. I’m looking forward to working more closely with Phil as we look to supercharge our next phase of growth.”

Phil has received many accolades including Orange Business Leader of the Year, member of the Wired 100 and listed in the 50 Kindest Leaders in 2018. Phil was awarded a CBE in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours List for his services to technology, business, and skills.

Phil Smith added; “I am delighted to be joining Dan and the AppyWay team. The opportunity to revolutionise the way we understand, use and optimise our transport infrastructure around the world is exciting. AppyWay have already demonstrated their clear understanding of the key issues, challenges and opportunities with leading technologies and deep client engagement. I am looking forward to helping a talented and ambitious team do great things and to make a real difference to the world.”

 

Phil Smith’s appointment follows recent AppyWay board additions; Amazon veteran Ron Kornfeld, and John Fogelin, AppyWay’s resident CTO and Chief Security Officer.

 

 

AppyWay

AppyWay exists to help cities thrive from the kerb up. We see the kerb as a catalyst – the key to powering progress with the most pressing urban mobility challenges.

Our platform of data, APIs and tools provide digital kerbside management solutions that enable intelligent mobility, better connecting cities with people and businesses.

Through close collaboration and industry leading partnerships, the AppyWay platform effectively acts as a ‘future mobility’ conduit between the public and private sector:

Kerbside Management | B2G

AppyKerb, our Govtech stack, is a complete kerbside management platform. With AppyKerb, Local Authorities are empowered to commoditise and open up their assets. This enables rich data-driven insights and digital access solutions for everyone using our kerbs.

Learn more >

 

Intelligent Mobility | B2B

AppyWay business solutions keep people, goods and cities flowing. A full eco-system of kerbside data APIs, payment solutions and CAV integrations improves kerb interactions for local enterprises, customers, deliveries, and fleets alike.

Learn more >

 

Westfalia Launches Bi-weekly Webinar to Temporarily Replace In-person Lunch and Learn Sessions on Automated Parking Systems 

April 27, 2020

 

 

 

 

Westfalia Launches Bi-weekly Webinar to Temporarily Replace In-person Lunch and Learn Sessions on Automated Parking Systems 

 

 

 

 

Leading manufacturer of automated parking systems now offers open-forum webinar sessions to help motivate employees and continue education 

 

 

York, Pa. – April 27, 2020 – Westfalia Technologies, Inc. (Westfalia), a leading manufacturer of automated parking systems, announces a temporary adjustment to its free Lunch and Learn program. Instead of in-person sessions, Robert Sushinski, Business Development Associate, will now host a 45-minute live webinar to those who are interested in expanding their knowledge of automated parking systems. The online Lunch and Learn sessions will take place every other Thursday at 10 a.m. ET. The next session is scheduled for April 30th, and will be followed by sessions on May 14th and May 28th.

Ian Todd, Director of Automated Parking, Westfalia, said, “During this time when many are working from home, it is important to continue business as usual, at least to the best of our abilities. In order to keep your employees motivated and involved, we have adjusted our in-person Lunch and Learn sessions. Our team will continue to actively discuss how automated systems are changing the future of parking with lowered emissions and user safety, as well as space, labor and energy savings. Each session will also have dedicated time at the end for a Q&A to answer all your questions about the turnkey solution. The only difference is now it will be done virtually.”

Westfalia, in conjunction with Architectural Record Academies of Digital Learning, is continuing to offer its online continuing education course on “The Evolution of Parking.” Expanding on the Lunch and Learn sessions, the article explores the different types of parking systems available in the marketplace and explains how automated systems are changing the future of parking. The Architectural Record Academies of Digital Learning Education Center is the number one provider of free continuing education (CE) courses from The American Institute of Architects (AIA). Upon the successful completion of each academy, participants receive credits and a digital badge demonstrating their achievement.

For more information or to schedule a Lunch and Learn made private for your organization only, please contact Robert Sushinski at RSushinski@WestfaliaUSA.com.

About Westfalia’s Parking Solutions 

Leveraging the expertise and experience of Westfalia Technologies, Inc. and Westfalia Logistics Solutions Europe GmbH Co. KG, Westfalia’s new parking solution is paving the way for innovation in the automated parking industry. By capitalizing on existing core competencies in warehouse automation and materials handling, Westfalia’s parking solutions specialize in cutting-edge, time-tested fully-automated parking systems for businesses, cities and municipalities, hotels, and residential properties for the Americas, Europe and Middle East. To learn more about these parking solutions, please visit www.WestfaliaParking.com.

About Westfalia Technologies, Inc. 

Westfalia Technologies, Inc. is a leader in providing logistics solutions for plants, warehouses and distribution centers. Its expertise in combining software (WES) development with automated equipment manufacturing reveals Westfalia’s ability to deliver turnkey solutions to meet each client’s specific needs with unsurpassed quality and control. To learn more about Westfalia’s products, including Conveyors, Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (AS/RS) and Savanna.NET® Warehouse Execution Systems, please visit www.WestfaliaUSA.com.

 

California Transit Agencies Select Conduent Transportation to Provide New Fleet Management Technology

August 13, 2019

 

 

 

California Transit Agencies Select Conduent Transportation to Provide New Fleet Management Technology

 

 

 

Systems will assist drivers and operators and offer real-time information for riders

 

 

 

FLORHAM PARK, N.J., August 13, 2019 — Conduent Transportation, a business unit of digital interactions company Conduent Incorporated (NYSE: CNDT), will help public transit agencies in Southern California operate their fleets and provide quality, on-time service for passengers. Under two new contracts, the company will upgrade hardware and software for the management system on board hundreds of buses for the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) and North County Transit District  (NCTD), as well as key portions of Orange County Transportation Authority’s (OCTA) system.

 

The agencies will utilize Conduent’s computer-aided dispatch/automatic vehicle location (CAD/AVL) solution to assist drivers with routing and keep buses on schedule, as well as provide real-time vehicle information on bus locations for passengers to make informed decisions. For dispatch personnel, the systems track the performance of the buses and enable effective communications with the fleet.

 

“These upgrades are critically important for our clients and their customers,” said John Peracchio, Interim CEO, Conduent Transportation. “The newer systems will give the agencies more data and options for operations to run smoothly, leading to even more reliable and trusted service for riders.”

 

San Diego: In San Diego, the upgrades will be performed on 375 buses operated by MTS and another 155 buses operated by NCTD. The work will entail the first large-scale deployment of the company’s advanced Integrated Vehicle Unit (IVU)-4000 version of CAD/AVL. The IVU-4000 on-board system, coupled with key upgrades, will provide an enhanced user experience for drivers and less workload for dispatchers, so they can offer a better overall performance for passengers.

 

Orange County: In Orange County, Conduent will perform for OCTA key software upgrades on the CAD/AVL system, and will work with the authority to develop and pilot a first-of-its-kind bus communications capability based upon Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP). This updated technology will leverage the IVU-4000 system’s enhanced capabilities, coupled with cellular communications, to allow dispatchers to more efficiently communicate with operators. The initial pilot will be conducted on 12 OCTA buses to test the functionality and reliability of the VOIP solution, with the goal of migrating the entire fleet to the new technology.

 

The contracts mark an extension of Conduent’s ongoing work with the two agencies.

 

Los Angeles Region: The company also provides fleet management solutions for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro), in addition to a range of other transportation services across the region in support of transit, public parking, tolling and safety programs.

 

For example, the company provides dynamic pricing software and hardware for the Los Angeles Department of Transportation’s LA Express Park™ program. The on-street parking technology enables the agency to manage curbside usage, improving access to spaces and increasing turnover, ultimately reducing congestion.

 

The company also helps to ease travel across Los Angeles County by modernizing the tolling system on Metro ExpressLanes with the latest in automated technologies. Through a recent contract with LA Metro, the company’s upgrades will save drivers time via reduced congestion, while improving safety on both the I-10 and I-110 corridors.

 

Conduent Transportation is a leading provider of transportation and mobility solutions – including roadway charging and management, parking and curbside management, and advanced transit and public safety systems – that offer automated, analytics-based and personalized services for government agencies and their constituents. The company has been helping transportation clients for more than 50 years and operates in 27 countries.

 

 

ROUSH CleanTech First to Receive CARB’s HD-OBD Certification for Propane Autogas Engines

April 12, 2018

 

 

ROUSH CleanTech First to Receive CARB’s HD-OBD Certification for Propane Autogas Engines

 

 

All Ford 6.8L 2V and 3V engines certified to same guidelines as gasoline

 

 

LIVONIA, MICH.  — ROUSH CleanTech is the first propane autogas fuel system manufacturer to receive the Environmental Protection Agency’s and California Air Resources Board’s heavy duty-onboard diagnostics certification for all its engines. Until 2018 model year, alternative fuel vehicles had been exempt from this certification, but are now held to the same requirements as gasoline vehicles.

 

“Vehicles powered by a fuel other than gasoline or diesel should no longer be considered alternative,” said President Todd Mouw. “As shown by the regulatory agencies decisions to require all fuels in its HD-OBD certification, propane autogas and others like compressed natural gas are moving into the mainstream.”

 

This HD-OBD certification applies to all vehicles over 14,000 lbs GVWR. The onboard monitors will now track and report out the continuing compliance of the emissions performance of the vehicle, as they have since 2016 for gasoline vehicles. Passenger cars and light-duty vehicles have come equipped with onboard diagnostic systems since the 1990s.

 

All of ROUSH CleanTech’s propane autogas-fueled vehicles with Ford 6.8L 2V and 3V engines, including medium-duty fleet vehicles and school buses, are covered under the CARB HD-OBD certification. The 3V engine is also the first and only propane autogas engine available in class 4-7 vehicles certified to the optional low nitrogen oxide level of 0.05 g/bhp-hr.

 

“We continue to invest in innovative technology and the customer experience” said Mouw. “Our customers deserve the best alternative-energy solutions we can bring to allow them to meet their economic and environmental sustainability goals.”

 

About ROUSH CleanTech: ROUSH CleanTech, an industry leader of alternative fuel vehicle technology, is a division of ROUSH Enterprises based in Livonia, Michigan. ROUSH CleanTech designs, engineers, manufactures and installs propane autogas fuel system technology for medium-duty Ford commercial vehicles, and Type A and Type C Blue Bird school buses, and compressed natural gas fuel systems for Type C Blue Bird school buses. As a Ford QVM-certified alternative fuel vehicle manufacturer, ROUSH CleanTech delivers economical, clean and domestically produced fueling options for fleets across North America. Learn more at ROUSHcleantech.com or by calling 800.59.ROUSH.

ETA Announces Finalists for 2018 Star Awards – Top Payments Industry Awards Presented at Gala Dinner During TRANSACT

April 12, 2018

 

 

ETA Announces Finalists for 2018 Star Awards

 

 

Top Payments Industry Awards Presented at Gala Dinner During TRANSACT

 

 

 

Washington, D.C. – The Electronic Transactions Association (ETA) today announced that Henry Helgeson, President of Cayan, will receive ETA’s Distinguished Payments Professional award on Tuesday, April 17, at the Visa President’s Dinner and Star Awards Gala at TRANSACT, the premier payments technology event. Additionally, the finalists for the Star Awards, which honors individuals and companies that have made a significant difference in the payments industry through innovation, business practices, or contributions to the association, were announced.

 

“The ETA Star Awards are the highest honor in our industry and we are proud to recognize innovative companies and leaders who help fulfill our mission to grow the payments technology industry,” said Jason Oxman, CEO of ETA.  “TRANSACT is the annual gathering place of the payments industry, and we recognize and honor those who have given the most to help our industry grow.  Henry Helgeson is a pioneer of the payments industry who revolutionized the POS landscape to bring smart solutions to small businesses. He is a humble, gracious leader and a true partner to ETA.”

 

The ETA Awards and Recognition Committee, a panel of industry executives, narrowed down nominations to a group of finalists, ultimately voting on a winner in each category. Finalists were named in the following categories: Business Partner of the Year, Committee Volunteer, ISO/Merchant Sales Organization of the Year, Pay it Forward, and Technology Innovation.

2018 ETA Star Award Finalists

Distinguished Payments Professional, Award Winner

An individual who has demonstrated significant leadership within the industry and is an acknowledged trend-setter, role model, and positive contributor to its efficacy and image.

  • Henry Helgeson

 

Business Partner of the Year, Finalists

An ETA member company who has demonstrated an exceptional level of support to further the association’s goals and objectives.

  • Global Payments, Inc.
  • Mastercard
  • talech

 

Committee Volunteer of the Year, Finalists

An ETA Committee Volunteer, who has dedicated extraordinary time and effort to his or her committee, ensuring its overall success.

  • David Leppek, Transaction Services
  • Lindsay Sugarman, National Merchants Association

 

ISO/Merchant Sales Organization of the Year, Finalists

An ISO whose actions move the payments industry forward, exhibits high ethical standards, and has successfully met industry challenges with demonstrated results.

  • iPayments, Inc.
  • National Merchants Association
  • TransNational Payments

 

Pay It Forward, Finalists

Recognizes the individuals or companies in the payments industry that make the world a better place through community service. The recipient is a current ETA member or ETA member company who has exhibited selfless acts of kindness to improve their community. These efforts may or may not be linked to the payments industry.

  • FIS
  • National Merchants Association
  • US Alliance Group

 

Technology Innovation, Finalists

Recognition of an ETA member whose use of technology provides for creative solutions, which may include integrated POS solutions that promote customer usability, increase profitability, or otherwise enable significant advances for the industry.

  • TableSafe/RAIL Payment Platform
  • PayVus by Aliaswire, Inc.
  • Payscout’s Virtual Reality (VR) Commerce
  • IRS CRM

 

TRANSACT, April 17-19, 2018, will bring together all parts of the payments ecosystem – from ISOs/VARs to ISVs and large financial institutions to technology companies, to meet, see what’s new, and learn what it takes to grow. Through extensive networking events, education and a robust exhibit hall filled with more than 200 companies, attendees will learn about groundbreaking technology, security trends and policies affecting the industry.

 

For information about sponsorship, please contact Del Baker Robertson, 202.677.7404 or dbaker@electran.org.

 

Click here to register for TRANSACT, the world’s largest payments technology event.

 

About ETA

The Electronic Transactions Association (ETA) is the global trade association representing more than 500 payments and technology companies. ETA members make commerce possible by processing more than $6 trillion in purchases in the U.S. and deploying payments innovation to merchants and consumers.

Smart Parking have added another Coles supermarket in Australia to our growing Coles portfolio.

April 06, 2018

 

 

Smart Parking have added another Coles supermarket in Australia to our growing Coles portfolio.

 

 

 

We are pleased to announce that Australian supermarket giant Coles has recently signed with Smart Parking for us to supply our SmartPark system to their Surrey Hills store.

 

The install will include our newly released overhead indicator sensors, which not only sense parking activity but display instant, live bay occupancy status in the form of coloured LED lights.

These sensors will work in tandem with variable message signage that will direct motorists around the car park, and will be deployed along with our newly released SmartCloud platform and dashboard.

This SmartPark system will afford Coles Surrey Hills live feeds of car park activity as well as back-end reporting and analytics for better management of their customers’ parking needs.

Smart Parking CEO Paul Gillespie commented “We are delighted to see our relationship with Coles supermarkets go from strength to strength, and believe it is testament to the quality of our product, cutting edge software and high level of customer support that this well known and trusted Australian brand continue to work with us as a preferred supplier.”

 

Smart Parking Limited (ASX:SPZ) | A Global Parking Business

Smart Parking Limited is a pioneering technology innovator and services company in the parking industry.

With offices in Australia, New Zealand and the UK, along with a rapidly growing global network of expert partners, our aim is to bring our intelligent parking sensors and integrated smart parking services to the world.

Each year, we install tens of thousands of sensors in a range of environments including shopping centres, supermarkets, airports, commercial parking sites, universities and large scale municipal street environments.

To date, our advanced real-time vehicle parking sensor solution, known as SmartPark, has been adopted in 17 countries.

Alongside the technology products division, our managed services division operates and manages thousands of car park spaces across the UK using complementary Automatic Number Plate Recognition/License Plate Recognition (ANPR/LPR) technology. This can be used as a single solution or with the option to be combined with Pay & Display or integrated with sensing technology.

Smart Parking Limited has been an Australian Securities Exchange (ASX:SPZ) publicly listed company since early 2011.

 

www.smartparking.com

Electric Vehicles Do Not Need to be Poisonous By Dr Peter Harrop, Chairman, IDTechEx

April 06, 2018

 

 

Electric Vehicles Do Not Need to be Poisonous
By Dr Peter Harrop, Chairman, IDTechEx

 

 

Diesel vehicles land, water and air, are on the way out because they emit poisons – antimony, arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, cyanide, dioxin, lead, nickel, manganese, phosphorus, selenium and sulfur compounds and carcinogenic submicron particulates, organics and more. The brew has a lot in common with the poisons inhaled from smoking tobacco. However, the new electronics and electrics in and on vehicles appearing over the next ten years will contain most those poisons and add more. Yes, most may be no threat for one reason or another but much of it is questionable particularly since alternatives exist or are emerging. Indeed a large number of devices per vehicle each with minimal toxicant materials may still add up to something damaging at some stage aselectric vehicle sales grow rapidly – land, water and air. Those alternatives are mostly little known and they are rarely a priority in funding for optimisation or adoption.

 

 

The new IDTechEx report, “Toxicant Materials and Alternatives in Electronics/ Electrics 2018-2028” reveals many of those safer alternatives and research to produce them. It also identifies where affordable alternatives with adequate electrical performance do not exist. These are gaps in the market, opportunities for someone and deserving of redirected research funding. Although many of the forms of poison in new electronics and electrics are relatively safe because of small volumes, encapsulation and other factors, the report concludes that the rapid proliferation of poisons in a widening variety of applications requires better monitoring and control.

Specifically, one carcinogen associated with birth defects should have a date set for a global ban, since alternatives are already successful in the marketplace in these devices in vehicles. A date is proposed.

So what else needs watching? Though not always, antimony is used in some thermoelectrics and batteries, flame retardant and asdopant in microchips. Arsenic is in planned gallium arsenide solar bodywork and is also a microchip dopant. See the IDTechExreport, “Energy Independent Electric Vehicles Land, Water, Air 2018-2028”. However, that toxic gallium arsenide will be at a level ofonly ten grams or less per car. One manufacturer says it is acceptable in landfill. Nonetheless, care will be needed if millions of cars adopt it. Controlled disposal may be prudent by then – a date is proposed. A business opportunity exists for an equally efficient,equally flexible alternative: researchers are on the job.

Cadmium is in some quantum dot displays and researcher’s photovoltaics, cobalt in lithium-ion batteries, thermoelectrics and motor magnets. Beryllium is in some vehicle parts. Dioxins are emitted by inappropriate burning of PVC: manganese is in lithium-ion batteries, electroluminescent displays and thermoelectrics. Lead in a whole panoply of existing and planned electronics and electrics such as the new perovskite photovoltaics, some quantum dot displays such as QLED television, sensors, piezoelectric transducers, actuators and energy harvesters. Indeed, the authors believe that it is time for developed countries to set a date for banning lead acid batteries. They suggest what that date should be. Many vehicles have abandoned lead acid batteries from the Porsche Spyder hybrid to many pure electric vehicles and planned 48V mild hybrids. See the IDTechEx report, “Mild Hybrid 48V Vehicles 2017-2027”, with a new version of the report coming very soon.

Of the other poisons declining from the diesel collapse, nickel returns in motor magnets and lithium-ion batteries but is not a major threat. Selenium appears in photovoltaics and sensors. Sulfur compounds are found in sensors, electroluminescent displays, photodetectors, planned photovoltaics and QLEDs. Those diesel nanoparticles associated with breast and lung cancer, asthma, heart disease, depression, triggering uncontrolled coughing and so on? Well something similar is used to make supercapacitor electrodes and many new forms of electronics though mercifully not as inhalable powder under normal operating conditions. There may be a disposal problem.

This is only a sample of diesel poisons returning or back already. Although most are low threat at present, indeed QLEDs andthermoelectrics have yet to appear in a car near you and quantum dots and microchip doping represent tiny volumes however,there is a prospect of some of the new poison-based devices selling in huge numbers. Think sensing, actuating and energy harvesting leading to up to 40 lead-based piezoelectrics per vehicle, one billion vehicles. Many such as those piezoelectrics can be a threat on abuse or disposal but no problem in normal use. Other examples, including ones of concern in use, are being announced all the time.

With some admirable exceptions, research laboratories and their funding typically chase performance before safety. That impedes development of non-toxicant products. Identifying and testing these new devices and electrical materials would be very demanding. Policing laws restricting their use or their toxicant content may become near impossible in some cases. Toxicity reference works are mostly badly out of date, repeating nostalgia like the contents of a cathode ray tube.

Beyond the automotive industry there are similar reasons for concern, often involving other chemistries and nanostructures. Some researchers believe that “surface irritants” such as carbon allotropes initiating pathologies leading to cancer can magnify the effects of chemical poisons so it is not simply a matter of saying that little material is involved in some cases.

It is unfortunate that lead acid batteries are being replaced by lithium ion batteries with toxicant electrolytes and poisons of concern such as phosphorus, cobalt, manganese, nickel and carbon allotropes. Indeed, putative replacements for lithium-ion often involve sulfur and other poisons though solid state electrolytes are likely to be non-toxicant and non-flammable. Battery elimination is therefore gaining attention as discussed in the report but without seriously impacting lithium-ion batteries for at least a decade.  That elimination varies from vehicles that only move in daylight to buses and cars powered by supercapacitors, some of which are non-toxicant.

The new IDTechEx report, “Toxicant Materials and Alternatives in Electronics/ Electrics 2018-2028” even has a timeline of planned introduction of “poisons of concern” into everyday life over the next ten years. However, there is a note of optimism as it observes the huge effort to develop lead free perovskite photovoltaics and some other alternatives for these worrisome poisons. Priorities are recommended and a large number of alternative non-toxicant devices in research or on sale are identified. The views of those in the value chain are reported and assessed.

Many alternatives to poisons in electronics and electrical engineering will also be presented at the “IDTechEx Show!” in Berlin April 11-12 with over 2000 paying delegates, 220 exhibitors – many offering or researching non-toxicant alternatives. There are 250 presentations in 9 conferences and on April 10 and 13, 30 masterclasses.  Fraunhofer and other research institutes will present development programs on other non-toxicant materials and devices.