Booze it & Lose it Operation Firecracker
Removing impaired drivers from the road is the goal of the
Governor’s Highway Safety Program’s Operation Firecracker Booze it and Lose it campaign. Governor Cooper helped kick off the campaign which includes stepped up law enforcement patrols over the July 4th holiday.
So far in 2018, 135 people have lost their lives in alcohol-related crashes. People should call a friend or use a ride-sharing service if they drink.
Volvo Demo
The N.C. Turnpike Authority partnered with Volvo Trucks North America and FedEx to demonstrate Volvo’s connected truck technology – also known as platooning – on the Triangle Expressway.
The demonstration marked the first, public, on-highway showcase of platooning technology between a major truck manufacturer and a transportation company in the United States. Three Volvo VNL tractors pulled two 28-foot loaded trailers and remained in constant communication through cooperative adaptive cruise control, a wireless connected vehicle technology.
“After the Triangle Expressway was designated by the USDOT as an autonomous vehicle proving site, Volvo Trucks North America approached the Turnpike Authority about demonstrating some of the platooning technology they are developing on the facility,” said Dennis Jernigan, NCTA Director of Highway Operations. “
The ongoing research collaboration is part of the Turnpike Authority’s priority of keeping customers safe with emerging technology on the roads today.
Passenger Ferry Flip
Construction of the state’s first passenger ferry moved into its final stages as workers recently flipped the 48,000 pound hull of the
Ocracoke Express. The engines and steering systems will now be installed prior to the entire ferry being assembled.
The
Ocracoke Express is a 98-passenger ferry that will help ease visitor access to Ocracoke Island and alleviate summertime congestion on the ferry system’s vehicle ferry.
The
North Carolina Ferry Division anticipates beginning service by this fall.