The U.S. Geological Survey today released a newly updated and improved National Land Cover Database, known as Annual NLCD, which offers insights into the changing characteristics of landscapes across the conterminous United States from 1985 to 2023. The latest dataset incorporates assessments and projections into six new products, which will now be released on an… Continue Reading
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Category Archives: Transportation
Inside US Government-Bought Tool That Can Track Phones at Abortion Clinics
404 Media: “On a computer screen a map shows the movements of smartphones around the globe. Zooming into an abortion clinic in the south of the United States, the online tool shows more than 700 red dots over the clinic itself, each representing a phone, and by extension, a person. The tool, called Locate X and… Continue Reading
Compare Countries and Cities Around the World
MyLifeElsewhere is a collaborative community that allows you to compare the country you live in with other countries around the world. We’ll show you various statistics that differentiate your country from others, including cost of living, geographic size, and more. If you moved to another country, what would your life be like? Continue Reading
License Plate Readers Are Creating a US-Wide Database of More Than Just Cars
Wired [unpaywalled]: “…License-plate-recognition systems, broadly, work by first capturing an image of a vehicle; then they use optical character recognition (OCR) technology to identify and extract the text from the vehicle’s license plate within the captured image. Motorola-owned DRN sells multiple license-plate-recognition cameras: a fixed camera that can be placed near roads, identify a vehicle’s… Continue Reading
License Plate Readers Are Creating a US-Wide Database of Political Lawn Signs and Bumper Stickers
Wired: While people put up signs in their yards or bumper stickers on their cars to inform people of their views and potentially influence those around them, the ACLU’s Stanley says it’s intended for “human-scale visibility.” not to that of machines. “They may want to express themselves in their communities, to their neighbors, but they… Continue Reading
Google Flights now uses Amtrak data to show ‘trains to consider’ alongside flights
9to5Google: Google Flights has started showing “trains to consider” alongside flights in a new partnership with Amtrak. First announced earlier this year, Google Flights is offering train routes as an alternative to airlines. This functionality allows customers to find a more sustainable transportation option as well as perhaps finding something less expensive or closer to… Continue Reading
Vehicle Thefts Surge Nationwide in 2023
“Vehicle thefts continue to surge nationwide, challenging vehicle owners and law enforcement agencies hoping to curb this growing crime trend. A new report released by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), the nation’s leading not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to identifying, investigating, preventing, and deterring insurance fraud and crime, shows another record-breaking year for vehicle thefts… Continue Reading
GM’s ‘crappy’ privacy statement is getting some changes after backlash and a lawsuit
Quartz: “…The Detroit automaker has been accused of failing to adequately disclose its relationship with a number of data brokers, including LexisNexis (RELX-0.33%) and Verisk according to a lawsuit filed last month by Texas officials. Data collected by GM vehicles, often through the company’s OnStar Smart Driver feature, was then shared by the brokers with… Continue Reading
Why car companies might finally have to care about pedestrian safety
Fast Company: “Earlier this month, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) unveiled a significant change to car regulations that delighted safety advocates, annoyed automakers, and surprised pretty much everyone. In a first, NHTSA proposed forcing car companies to limit the risk of pedestrian head injuries in a collision. If the proposal becomes law, models… Continue Reading
The State of VMT & Congestion: How Rising Trends Impact U.S. Metros
When pandemic stay-at-home orders caused a dramatic decline in Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT), many hoped the rise of remote work would reverse the trend of rising congestion, making way for cleaner, quieter, and more open streets. But VMT quickly bounced back from pandemic lows. Now 2024 sees new record highs in metros across the U.S.… Continue Reading
Visualizing Ship Movements with AIS Data
Beautiful Public Data: “As we run, drive, bike, and fly, humans leave behind telltale tracks of movement on Earth—if you know where to look. Physical tracks, thermal signatures, and chemical traces can reveal where we’ve been. But another type of breadcrumb trail comes from the radio signals emitted by the cars, planes, trains, and boats… Continue Reading
Huge study from The Economist about car bloat in the US
The Economist [unpaywalled]: “…For all the safety features available in cars today to help them avoid crashes, the laws of physics are cruel. When two vehicles collide, it is usually the heavier one that prevails. This advantage has changed little over time. Thirty years ago when a passenger car crashed with a pickup truck or… Continue Reading
