inbound

The combination of a strong economy and an explosion in Internet shopping is boosting demand for last-mile delivery services— particularly for deliveries of parcels to e-commerce customers. That activity is especially brisk in the dense urban areas where many of those shoppers live, which leads to a bedeviling challenge—where to park?

A smartphone app launched in June may offer a solution, allowing drivers to pay a reservation fee to secure parking close to their destination. Like competing apps such as Park Whiz and SpotHero, the “Parken” app matches drivers with hosts who have empty parking spots to share. Space owners can rent out a vacant parking place, whether it’s a driveway, a garage, a section of curbside in front of a residence, or a parking lot. Drivers make reservations and pay online via credit card. Once they reserve a spot, drivers are free to arrive and depart at any time within the booked parking window, the firm says.

The app, which supports parking spots for vehicles ranging from SUVs to trucks and semis, is currently available only in New York City but will soon expand to other cities, according to the company. Parken says it is even working on an extension of the app that will allow sailors to book space for their yachts at vacant docks.

Save my spot

The long days and warm weather of summer encourage outdoor exploration, but that same activity can also lead to dangerous encounters with railway property. Although hikers are often tempted to walk along railroad tracks, that’s an invitation to disaster because trains often can’t stop in time to avoid collisions, warns Canadian Pacific Railway (CP). Last year, 2,115 crossing incidents were recorded in the U.S., resulting in 271 fatalities and 826 injuries, the company says.

Now, the railway
is launching a campaign called “RailSense”
to educate people on how to avoid those
collisions and their devastating effects
on families, communities, and railroad
employees. “Railroad tracks are not an
extension of a public pathway, nor are they
a safe or legal shortcut,” CP Chief of Police
Ken Marchant said in a statement. “Rail
safety requires ongoing vigilance every
minute of every day. Each year, both cross-
ing accidents and trespassing result in seri-
ous injuries and all too often, loss of life.”
The campaign offers some quick tips that
are intended to educate North Americans
about train operations and outdoor safety.
They include:

; Don’t bike down or near railway tracks.

; Don’t use railroad tracks or the adjoining right-of-way as an ATV or bike path.

; Never walk on railroad bridges.

; Keep your dog on leash at all times around railroad property.

; Only cross railroad tracks at designated crossings.

; If your vehicle is stalled on the tracks, get out, get away, and call 911 or the 24-hour toll-free emergency number posted on every crossing.

CP issues safety tips for
hikers

If you drive a late-model car, you’re undoubtedly familiar with such advanced automotive safety features as lane departure warnings, automatic braking, and blind-spot warnings. Now, one of Japan’s three main shipping groups, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. (MOL), is launching a project to develop comparable capabilities for its giant containerships.

The company has announced a research partnership aimed at developing an advanced navigation support system for its fleet. The study will lay the groundwork for developing autonomous ships of the future as well as improving navigation for conventional ships, MOL said.

MOL’s research will focus on the technological concepts of Obstacle Zone by Target (OZT) and Automatic Radar Plotting Aid (ARPA), two navigation support systems that will help sailors avoid collisions through a visual display of potential risks, the company said.

The initiative will complement MOL’s “Ishin Next” smart ship project, which shares the goal of ensuring safe, reliable transport services, the company said. Partners in the research program include MOL Techno-Trade Ltd.; the National Institute of Maritime, Port, and Aviation Technology; and Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology.