With people choosing to make do with their current vehicles rather than purchase new ones, a lot of that would depend on the people aiding them as far as mechanical issues are concerned. And while these future auto specialists cater to one specialization to another, they will have their chance to showcase as they will be tested in real time using actual scenarios.

A lot of them will be at the Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills National Finals in Dearborn, Michigan slated for June 14-16. A timed, head-to-head skills showdown, the competition gives top automotive students from all 50 states the opportunity to showcase their automotive knowledge and problem-solving capabilities by resolving “real world” repair challenges.

These future specialists are the last hope for people wanting to spend wisely as far as motoring needs are concerned. With the right knowledge and a broader understanding of the vehicle infrastructure today, a lot lies on the shoulders of these individuals to which the intent of this even is all about.

(Source) Press

Tags: 50 states, auto specialists, capabilities, Ford, infrastructure, mechanical issues, mechanics, real time, real world, scenarios, shoulders, showcase, specialization

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While most critics are speculating and a wide number of GM plants to be abandoned soon, the matter of what would happen to these empty buildings and lots has many curious onlookers thinking, what would become of them? Well surely, GM will still hold on to them unless of course a great offer comes for the lease or purchase of these former GM plants.

As for earlier abandoned lots, they have already been converted into something useful. Something similar to the Tinker Air Force Base which transformed the former GM plant based in Oklahoma into an aerospace facility, an industry that has been slowly flourishing.

“This provides a significant benefit to the many public-private partnerships that have become the hallmark of Tinker’s success,” Williams said.

Oklahoma’s benefits from repurposing a former GM plant include:

• Recoup lost jobs
• Repurpose major infrastructure
• Increase growth of the state’s aerospace industry
• Bring new business opportunities for the private sector

That is only one transformation we have seen. Surely, we will be seeing more of these abandoned GM factories transformed and surely they are going to come from businesses that are still doing good despite the recession.

(Source) Press

Tags: aerospace industry, benefit, empty buildings, factories, GM, gm plant, gm plants, hallmark, infrastructure, jobs, new business opportunities, private sector, recession, tinker air force, tinker air force base, transformation

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We have seen that through the months, the focus nowadays is on the charging stations made for electric cars that are expected to boom soon. And while we may soon see a dilapidating count of gasoline stations, the new mode of business nowadays is shifting towards recharging stations, obviously aimed at electric cars that are going to be out in the market.

“Battery electric vehicles and plug-in electric vehicles are just around the corner,” stated Mike Sheriff, CEO of ArcAngel Technologies. Established companies such as GM, Chrysler, Nissan and new companies, Tesla, Zenn, and others will begin shipping electric vehicles late this year and early 2010. “It’s intriguing with all the push for electric vehicles that the charging infrastructure has not received more attention,” continued Sheriff. “Eliminating ‘charging anxiety’ for users is very important, and important to the success of our Business Plan.”

Indeed, the need for charging stations is expected to blossom and while many are still adamant on whether the electric car shift will prosper, it is obvious that one way or another that it will. People are getting tired of the fuel-efficiency hitch, not to mention bulging fuel and oil costs. Electric cars are expected to take over and one can just imagine the demand for charging stations once they grow in numbers in the coming years.

(Source) Press

Tags: arcangel, business plan, ceo, Chrysler, electric car, electric cars, electric vehicles, fuel efficiency, gasoline stations, GM, infrastructure, Nissan, oil costs

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To hone up its security and car video surveillance needs, the Place County Sheriff’s department has announced the use of the Pivot3 storage platform to support its mobile in-car video surveillance infrastructure. The decision to choose the Pivot3 open-system platform was based on three factors: scalability, ease-of-use, and total cost of ownership.

Scalability was a key decision criteria for the county since the system is expected to grow over time, and the county wanted investment protection over the life of the system. “We first looked at EMC solutions that would only allow only so much capacity before you have to remove the entire logic controller and install a new one,” said Kevin Davis, IT analyst for the Placer County Sheriff’s Department. “With Pivot3, the controller, processor and memory are part of each appliance, not the whole array, which makes expansion very straightforward.”

Total cost of ownership was another deciding factor during a time of tight fiscal constraints, and, again, the Pivot3 platform offered a strong advantage over competitive options. The Pivot3 platform minimized acquisition costs for Placer County, and the longer-term management and maintenance costs were substantially less as well. In fact, the fully installed Pivot3 solution was roughly one third of the total cost of an EMC Clariion CX310 solution after adding up the warranty, installation and training costs.

(Source) Press

Tags: acquisition costs, array, cost of ownership, decision criteria, emc clariion, emc solutions, high definition, infrastructure, investment protection, logic controller, maintenance costs, pivot3, placer county sheriff, storage platform, storage platforms, system platform, term management, tight fiscal constraints, video surveillance, warranty

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Groups such as the American Trucking Association have supported the Safe and Efficient Transportation Act of 2009 resulting in safer highways, cleaner air and less costly freight transportation. The bill authorizes states to allow the operation of trucks on the Interstate Highway System with a gross weight of 97,000 pounds. Current law limits the weight of 5-axle trucks traveling on the Interstate System to 80,000 pounds.

The legislation requires that trucks operating above 80,000 pounds must add a sixth axle to compensate for the extra weight. The extra axle adds two more brakes, preventing an increase in stopping distances, and avoids additional pavement damage.

Most importantly, the operation of this new, more efficient vehicle will allow trucking companies to deliver the nation’s freight while making fewer trips. The result will be a reduction in the number of truck-involved crashes, less fuel use — and thus reduced emissions and carbon — and less congestion on our crowded highways. Fewer miles traveled also means less pavement damage, lowering highway maintenance costs.

The bill requires states to report safety and infrastructure cost impacts to the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, who is authorized to discontinue operations in a state if safety problems are detected.

(Source) Press

Tags: Act, axle, carbon, damage, environment, fuel, infrastructure, maintenance, Transportation

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