PlaNYC Team Releases Transportation Technical Report

The PlaNYC team has released the technical report providing the detailed background data for the transportation recommendations made in Mayor Michael Bloomberg's April 22 Long-Term Planning & Sustainability speech. It's a big download -- 25 megabytes and 166 pages -- but if you are a New York City transportation policy wonk, it's totally worth it.

The report provides a comprehensive rundown, in one place, of all of the various transportation initiatives that are currently planned, underway or being discussed for New York City. Those who have been following the work of independent consultant Bruce Schaller will recognize some of this material. (Speaking of which: Is Bruce Schaller the Bill James of New York City transportation policy, or what? When is city government going to offer the guy a job?)

The report contains some really interesting maps and charts, like the one above, graphically depicting where Manhattan-bound car commuters come from. The map is broken down by census tract. Height represents the total number of single-passenger drivers and color represents the percentage of commuters who chose to drive alone to workplaces below 96th Street. A darker color means a higher percentage of single-passenger drivers and a lighter color means more people used transit, walked, carpooled or used a ferry or bike. It turns out that only 4.6% of New York City residents drive to work in the Manhattan core in single-passenger motor vehicle.

Here's another great factoid from the report: If New Yorkers owned cars at the same rate as the rest of the nation, it would take 11,000 acres, or all of Manhattan below 136^th Street, just to park them end to end.

Car parking from your cell phone

SpotForeCast car parking is a car parking solution that enables drivers to find available parking spots on demand from any wireless device. There aren’t too many options of parking in the city, but SpotForeCast car parking is the first and only car parking service of it’s kind. SpotForeCast car parking’s matching system makes finding parking more affordable, environmentally friendly, and saves you time.

At the Mobile location based services

I just came back from Telematics mobile location based services in Novi, MI. It's been a busy day of discussions and a great opportunity to learn and netwrok. I heard interesting topics and met key players in the industry. It was a must to attend event.

The agenda included a keynote by Symbian VP for US Operations Jerry Panagrossi, a presentation about accuracy vs. simplicity: Critical factors for delivering Quality of Service by Trueposition VP, Business development, Joseph Khori, a presentation about overcome limitations posed by legal issues and regulations by mark Jacobstien, EVP Business Development, Loopt. Followed by panels of discussions about Providing user centric mobile navigation, Monetizing Local Content for the mobile marketplace, Mobile search + location = Fulfilled user expectations?, Profit from proximity based marketing and advertising, Social networking to build mobile communities, and closed by a discussion about Location Enabling the Consumer. The panel were from: Motorola, Cingular, Telematics, Peterson mobility, Soliel group, Trffic.com. Loopt, Skyhook wireless, Jumptap, Infospace, technocom Corporation, Profillium, LBS Globe, Enpocket, Medio, knowledge where, Autodesk, ulocate, Useful networks, IDC, Handmark, Customwetaher, Gearworks, and more.

I had the opportunity talking to experts in the industry about SpotForecast and get some feedback and potential partnerships. They were interested in working together with SpotForecast and how they recognize the problem of car parking. We discussed the challenges behind delivering location and time sensitive information and how this has been for long time the challenging factor for LBS in the navigation devices. Some argued that a solution is being taking too long to be created, others expressed that the availability of such an accuracy is been developing and we might see something soon which will open doors of solutions to businesses and customers.

Location based services, or Location enhanced services are one of the most intersting topics ranking high in businesses and customers interests with the biggest markets in US, EU, Japan and Korea.

There is a future for the communication between cars and smart phones and between consumers and locations. Moreover, Nokia will introduce a Point and find device now being under lab test were you can take a picture from your navigation nokia phone and instantly will receive information about the picture.

Finally, Robb Duffied/ Autodesk LBS introduced how Autodesk is developing LBS using Urban data instead of geodata or zip codes. This got my attention and will need another post to discuss so I will talk about it later.

I have to get ready now to attand the Where2.0 conference in San Jose, Ca. It will be another great extravaganza event.

What is SpotForeCast?

Finding Parking Spots Never Been Easier.
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SpotForeCast™ is a car parking solution that enables the drivers to find parking spots on demand.
SpotForeCast™ is great and simple to use.
SpotForeCast™ will significantly reduce the time spent to find parking spots.
SpotForeCast™ will reply to your request immediately with the available parking spot. SpotForeCast™ will provide easily replaceable solution for all available parking spots.
None of the other parking solutions will address the issues SpotForeCast™ covers, neither are they effective.
SpotForeCast™ simplified the search for potential empty parking spots.
SpotForeCast™ provide green parking solution for healthy commute reducing the amount drivers circulates the blocks trying to find a parking spot.
SpotForeCast™ serve all kinds of parking solutions: garage, public parking, alternative street side parking, metered parking, private parking or any.
SpotForeCast™ is developing a unique solution...Forecasting the available parking spots and casting it to SpotForeCast network of drivers ahead of time. Building a network of commuters who are aware of saving time, saving money, and most important saving the environment, with less frustration and less delays.

Pre-register now and send us an e-mail to: preregister@spotforecast.com to Join our network

It's FREE

We need to first build up our network, as the netwrok grow you will be able to find more options, and we will be able to serve you better.

The SpotForeCast Team

U.N. diplomats' NYC parking fines near $18 million, despite crackdown

The new U.N. secretary-general expressed support for New York City's goal of recouping nearly $18 million in traffic fines owed by U.N. diplomats and members of the consular community.

Most of that debt came prior to a city crackdown four years ago on envoys who routinely were cited for illegal parking on city streets but rarely paid because of diplomatic immunity.

Web and Mobile Car Parking

How about finding a parking spot on your mobile phone; or maybe even reserving a spot from home via your browser? This kind of Web-based car parking solution is in its infancy, but we think this solution is going to change the way people park their cars - especially when in a rush!