NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla., Feb. 11, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Kia enthusiasts around the Tampa Bay area may find the deals they’ve been searching for at Friendly Kia in February 2021. The Kia dealership is hosting a Presidents’ Day Sales Event that is offering budget-minded lease opportunities and sales incentives that shoppers won’t want to miss. Well-qualified buyers may be eligible to take advantage of irresistible incentives at the dealership, with no surprises or hidden fees. Each new qualifying Kia vehicle lease or purchase from Friendly Kia comes with a $300 Visa gift card as an added incentive.

Kia shoppers considering the fun and compact 2021 Kia Soul may be interested in the 36-month lease opportunity on select Soul LX models. This contract’s terms and conditions include $0 due at signing and payments of $209 per month.

The all-new 2021 Kia Sorento is available with a $346/month 36-month contract during the Friendly Kia Presidents’ Day Sales Event. The Sorento offers ample space inside the cabin for families and its rugged exterior is a perfect match for adventurous lifestyles.

Tampa Bay shoppers can find lease incentives and opportunities on a variety of vehicles at Friendly Kia during the Presidents’ Day Sales Event that are sure to fit their lifestyle and budget. Offers are available now through Feb. 28.

Anyone can view all of the available Presidents’ Day Sales Event sales offers on the Friendly Kia website, friendlykia.com. The Friendly Kia dealership is located at 5819 US-19 in New Port Richey, FL and is open seven days a week. Individuals looking for help with specific inquiries can contact a member of the dealership staff by phone at (877) 544-6706.

Media Contact

Tyler Holt, Friendly Kia, (877) 544-6706, Tylerjholt@gmail.com

SOURCE Friendly Kia

LONDON, 11 February 2021 /PRNewswire Policy/ —

2020 transport-technology research and innovation grant (T-TRIG) winners announced.

Pioneering technology and projects that prioritise safer, greener travel are among the winners of government funding announced today (11 February 2021).

Now in its seventh year, the transport-technology research and innovation grant (T-TRIG) programme, in partnership with Connected Places Catapult, enables the country’s brightest entrepreneurs and researchers to develop cutting-edge tech to make UK transport systems safer, more sustainable and accessible.

A number of this year’s winners focus on ways that we can respond to and recover from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, including a project that looks at how a purifying system can remove airborne COVID-19 particles from trains, creating safer and cleaner carriages.

Another involves the development of a bracelet that allows people with visual impairments to be alerted when they are not social distancing, allowing them to travel with more confidence as we emerge from the pandemic.

Another winner will use the weight data of passengers to supply real-time carriage information on how busy a train is, allowing passengers to choose whether to travel and where to board.

Transport Minister Rachel Maclean said:

«I’m delighted to see government investment bringing together talented start-ups and policy-makers at the earliest stages of innovation, and giving a boost to the technology, which could make travelling safer on our road to a green transport recovery.

«This funding will make the UK one of the most attractive places for SMEs and university thinkers to do what they do best, as we look to build back better, while also solving the complex challenge of decarbonising transport.»

Among the green tech ideas is a project that would see local communities signing up to an app where those making deliveries would upload their journey plans for the day. This would then be matched to local people who are expecting deliveries, helping reduce CO2 emissions on our roads by cutting lengthy detours.

This year, T-TRIG is investing 30,000 pounds in each of the 23 successful projects focused on COVID-19 recovery and decarbonisation to help budding innovators and academics propel their ideas to market more quickly.

To date, 199 innovation projects have received a share of 6 million pounds in funding – more than 60% of these grants have been awarded to small businesses, with 30% going to universities.

Connected Places Catapult’s CEO Nicola Yates OBE said:

«We are immensely proud of what Connected Places Catapult and the Department for Transport (DfT) have achieved together through the T-TRIG scheme. Transport innovation is a critical tool for creating and driving the transport systems of the future, and the core of that is the talented SMEs and researchers that make up the UK’s transport innovation community.

«We look forward to continuing work with DfT and the UK’s brilliant SME community in making sure that the best of British innovation successfully makes it to the market, both here and abroad.»

Support from this fund has often been a precursor to funding from private investors. Since the scheme began, successful T-TRIG projects have secured more than 25 million pounds in additional investment, largely from the private sector.

SOURCE UK Department for Transport

LONDON, 11 February 2021 /PRNewswire Policy/ —

2020 transport-technology research and innovation grant (T-TRIG) winners announced.

Pioneering technology and projects that prioritise safer, greener travel are among the winners of government funding announced today (11 February 2021).

Now in its seventh year, the transport-technology research and innovation grant (T-TRIG) programme, in partnership with Connected Places Catapult, enables the country’s brightest entrepreneurs and researchers to develop cutting-edge tech to make UK transport systems safer, more sustainable and accessible.

A number of this year’s winners focus on ways that we can respond to and recover from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, including a project that looks at how a purifying system can remove airborne COVID-19 particles from trains, creating safer and cleaner carriages.

Another involves the development of a bracelet that allows people with visual impairments to be alerted when they are not social distancing, allowing them to travel with more confidence as we emerge from the pandemic.

Another winner will use the weight data of passengers to supply real-time carriage information on how busy a train is, allowing passengers to choose whether to travel and where to board.

Transport Minister Rachel Maclean said:

«I’m delighted to see government investment bringing together talented start-ups and policy-makers at the earliest stages of innovation, and giving a boost to the technology, which could make travelling safer on our road to a green transport recovery.

«This funding will make the UK one of the most attractive places for SMEs and university thinkers to do what they do best, as we look to build back better, while also solving the complex challenge of decarbonising transport.»

Among the green tech ideas is a project that would see local communities signing up to an app where those making deliveries would upload their journey plans for the day. This would then be matched to local people who are expecting deliveries, helping reduce CO2 emissions on our roads by cutting lengthy detours.

This year, T-TRIG is investing 30,000 pounds in each of the 23 successful projects focused on COVID-19 recovery and decarbonisation to help budding innovators and academics propel their ideas to market more quickly.

To date, 199 innovation projects have received a share of 6 million pounds in funding – more than 60% of these grants have been awarded to small businesses, with 30% going to universities.

Connected Places Catapult’s CEO Nicola Yates OBE said:

«We are immensely proud of what Connected Places Catapult and the Department for Transport (DfT) have achieved together through the T-TRIG scheme. Transport innovation is a critical tool for creating and driving the transport systems of the future, and the core of that is the talented SMEs and researchers that make up the UK’s transport innovation community.

«We look forward to continuing work with DfT and the UK’s brilliant SME community in making sure that the best of British innovation successfully makes it to the market, both here and abroad.»

Support from this fund has often been a precursor to funding from private investors. Since the scheme began, successful T-TRIG projects have secured more than 25 million pounds in additional investment, largely from the private sector.

SOURCE UK Department for Transport

The visionary ‘Coral Bloom’ plan will protect and enhance Shurayrah Island’s pristine natural state 

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince, Chairman of The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), has launched the Coral Bloom concept, which was created by architectural firm Foster + Partners, and designed to blend in with the island’s pristine natural environment.

TRSDC, the developer behind the world’s most ambitious regenerative tourism project, has since shared the striking vision for its main hub island at the destination, Shurayrah.

«We expect guests to be awed by what they see when they first arrive at The Red Sea Project, enjoying a truly immersive barefoot luxury experience. The Coral Bloom designs, taking inspiration from the incredible flora and fauna found uniquely in Saudi Arabia, promise to make that vision a reality,» said John Pagano, CEO of TRSDC.

«Shurayrah Island is the gateway to The Red Sea Project so it’s important that it sets the standard in groundbreaking architecture and sustainable design, not just for our destination, but globally too. This is achieved by going beyond simply protecting the environment, to applying a regenerative approach,» he added.

Protect and enhance

Biodiversity considerations take center stage, with the plan designed to avoid disruption of the island’s mangroves and other habitats, providing natural defenses from erosion, while new habitats are created through landscaping to enhance the island’s natural state.

The proposal also outlines designs for the island’s 11 hotels, adapted to suit traveler expectations post-Covid-19 including more space, and immersed into the landscape to effectively form part of the sweeping dunes, allowing the island’s natural beauty to reign supreme.

The design sees new beaches created on the dolphin-shaped island along with a new lagoon. These enhancements will contribute to raising the level of the land, providing a defensive layer from the global threat of rising sea levels. Importantly, the changes aim to preserve or enhance what already exists on the island, without damaging any habitats or natural shores.

Immersive hotel design

There will be 11 hotels on Shurayrah, which will be operated by some of the most distinguished hotel brands in the world. The island’s natural landscape will be used to dramatic effect with all hotels and villas nestled within the landscape. The absence of high-rise buildings will ensure the spectacular vistas remain uninhibited, while creating a sense of mystery for guests as the island slowly reveals itself.

The hotel designs have also been responsive to the changing world and traveler demands over the last 12 months. There will be no internal corridors for example, in response to a growing demand for space and seclusion following the coronavirus pandemic. The resorts themselves will be created using lightweight materials with a low thermal mass and manufactured offsite, meaning more energy efficient construction and less impact on the environment.

Gerard Evenden, Head of Studio at Foster + Partners, said: «Our vision for Shurayrah is inspired by the island’s natural state, with the hotels designed to give the impression that they have washed up on the beaches and nestled among the dunes almost like driftwood. The materials we use and the low impact they have ensures that the pristine environment is protected, while the additions we make to the island serve to enhance what is already there – hence the name, Coral Bloom.»

Regenerative tourism

The Red Sea Development Company is committed to delivering a 30 percent net conservation benefit by 2040. It is creating the world’s largest district cooling plant powered by renewable energy 24 hours a day to facilitate efficient centralized cooling across the destination. The entire destination will be powered by renewables, underpinned by the largest battery storage system in the world.

In line with this commitment, the destination’s master plan is informed by an extensive marine spatial planning exercise and leaves 75 percent of the project’s islands untouched. Shurayrah is one of only 22 islands selected for development.

The Red Sea Project has already passed significant milestones and work is on track to welcome the first guests by the end of 2022, when the international airport and the first four hotels will open. The remaining 12 hotels planned in phase one will open in 2023.

Upon completion in 2030, The Red Sea Project will comprise 50 resorts, offering up to 8,000 hotel rooms and around 1,300 residential properties across 22 islands and six inland sites. The destination will also include luxury marinas, golf courses, entertainment and leisure facilities.

Notes to editors:

The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC – www.theredsea.sa) is a closed joint-stock company wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia and the chairman is His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince. TRSDC was established to drive the development of The Red Sea Project, a luxury, regenerative tourism destination that will set new standards in sustainable development and position Saudi Arabia on the global tourism map.

The project is being developed over 28,000 km² of pristine lands and waters along Saudi Arabia’s west coast and includes a vast archipelago of more than 90 pristine islands. The destination also features mountain canyons, dormant volcanoes, and ancient cultural and heritage sites. The destination will include hotels, residential properties, leisure, commercial and entertainment amenities, as well as supporting infrastructure that utilizes renewable energy and emphasizes water conservation and re-use.

CHICAGO, Feb. 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — In February, most Americans shopping for automobiles are seeing very limited selection — and if they buy, they’ll have little leverage in negotiating the price. According to fresh data from assisted commerce car buying app CoPilot, six of eight popular used vehicle categories are in scarce supply compared with a year ago. And it could be months before the pandemic’s historic impact on both used and new auto inventories starts to abate.

CoPilot’s deep analysis of more than four million cars currently for sale online compares the relative supply and demand for all major vehicle types. CoPilot has just published its February Car Buyer’s Guide (free to download) which includes data and insights such as:

• It’s a seller’s market. Inventories of both new and used cars have been driven to historic lows by the pandemic. As a consequence, buyers face limited selection and little leverage in price negotiations in most categories. If a buyer balks on price, sellers know they can find another buyer. 
• Inventories of brand-new cars and trucks began to stabilize a bit in January. But selection is still limited and buyers are paying close to sticker prices for popular models — often in addition to long waits for delivery.
• If you can, wait for better prices and more selection later this year … but given current inventory levels and supply chain disruptions from the pandemic, it’s not clear when that will happen, nor which vehicle categories will be first to replenish.
• If waiting isn’t an option, pay close attention to current pricing and inventory trends and consider something less popular than trucks, SUVs and crossovers. There are some relatively good buys out there, but they remain the exception. Your CoPilot can help you find them.

CoPilot’s proprietary «Google for Cars» search platform has the deepest level of vehicle and market data available anywhere. The CoPilot app is a car buyer’s expert partner, helping them navigate every step of car shopping and buying. Each user’s CoPilot scans more than 46,000 websites several times daily, looking for their perfect car. And CoPilot’s 600 million analytical pricing models provide superior insights on what and when to buy, and at what price.

CoPilot is the only car buying assistant that accepts no money from car dealers or manufacturers, so it gives shoppers the only truly independent recommendations to help them confidently navigate this turbulent car market. 

About CoPilot          

The CoPilot assisted commerce car shopping app is a car buyer’s expert partner, helping them navigate every step of car shopping and buying. CoPilot makes it easy for people who don’t know a lot about cars to discover their perfect car at the best possible price, so they can buy with confidence. Unlike virtually all other car shopping apps, CoPilot is fully independent of the industry, forgoing money from dealers and manufacturers so consumers can feel confident their CoPilot is 100% on their side.

Based in Chicago and Austin, CoPilot’s data platform and tech team were spun out of a successful SaaS business which provided the analytical insights that car dealers and manufacturers use to price and market their cars.

In the fall of 2019, CoPilot made its powerful «Google for cars» search platform and analytical models available to consumers. In the year since, CoPilot has grown to more than $700 million of gross merchandise volume (GMV), empowering thousands of car shoppers every month to find «hidden gems» and buy them with confidence.

CoPilot’s investors include Next Coast Ventures, Chicago Ventures, PayPal & Affirm cofounder Max Levchin and Accel Partners cofounder Arthur Patterson.

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/suv-crossover–pickup-truck-shoppers-wait-for-better-selection–price-leverage-301227014.html

SOURCE CoPilot

ST. LOUIS, Feb. 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — While the COVID-19 pandemic certainly slowed construction in 2020, the Laclede’s Landing leadership team used this time as an opportunity to refocus their community improvement efforts.

The team leading the Laclede’s Landing Neighborhood Association aligned with a broader initiative to make downtown St. Louis a better place for residents and visitors alike. The five focus goals of the undertaking included making downtown St. Louis the region’s most walkable, diverse neighborhood through redesigned streets, more vibrant public spaces, and green infrastructure, all while expanding the neighborhood’s economy. 

In 2020, Laclede’s Landing underwent significant improvements, all of which worked toward achieving these goals. They focused their efforts on the following: 

• Resetting 15,000 square feet of cobblestone road
• 12,000 square feet of road resurfacing
• Laying 20,000 square feet of new concrete
• Installing 85 new streetlights
• Planting 20 trees with tree well fencing
• Planting more than 200 perennials
• Installing 600 feet of iron fencing
• Rebuilding all intersections to ADA specifications
• Laying underground conduits for the future of high-speed fiber internet
• Installing new historic traffic and street signage
• Roughing in an area for a downtown LED kiosk at the 1st Street and Lucas Avenue intersection

A construction crew also broke ground on the Katherine Ward Burg Garden as an addition to the Great Rivers Greenway district. The half-acre plaza will offer a welcoming area for visitors and residents when they exit the MetroLink at the Laclede’s Landing stop while also brightening up the Mississippi Riverfront. Construction is expected to be completed in the spring of 2021. 

2021 is already projected to be even bigger with the development of dedicated pedestrian areas and the improvement of the local dog park, among other plans, including: 

• Closure of 2nd Street between Lucas Avenue and Morgan Street for pedestrian-only foot traffic
• Installation of streetlights to illuminate the pedestrian-only walkway
• Purina Dog Park enhancements that include landscaping as well as fence and gate improvements
• The development of Paincourt Lofts to add 10 apartment and retail spaces
• The development of Hoffman Lofts to add 24 apartments and retail spaces
• The development of Greeley Lofts for 33 additional apartments, offices, and retail spaces

If you would like to see it firsthand, you’re always welcome to discover Laclede’s Landing—the place where St. Louis started. 

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lacledes-landing-riverfront-district-2020-improvements-and-2021-initiatives-301227039.html

SOURCE Laclede’s Landing

JUPITER, Fla., Feb. 11, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — An upcoming segment of the award-winning series, Advancements with Ted Danson, will focus on breakthroughs in school bus safety technology. This episode is scheduled to broadcast 2Q/2021.

This segment will explore how First Light Safety Products’ patent pending illuminated technology is revolutionizing safety throughout the school bus industry. Audiences will see how First Light’s Illuminated School Bus Sign uses ultra-bright illumination to significantly improve the school bus’s awareness and visibility, allowing motorists to quickly distinguish between the school bus and other vehicles on the road.

«Over the last 30 years, emergency vehicles have experienced numerous upgrades to its lighting systems to alert motorists quicker and from further distances. Although school buses have undergone several improvements on the inside, it looks virtually the same since first introduced in 1939. Our Fully Illuminated School Bus Sign and Fully Illuminated Stop Arm make school buses highly visible, especially in low light conditions, giving motorists the most time to recognize and react as they approach the bus,» Kevin Smith, President of First Light, explained.»

In addition, viewers will see what makes First Light’s Fully Illuminated Stop Arm the brightest and most visible in the world. Experts in the industry will discuss how the patent pending, Fully Illuminated Stop Arm gives motorists the most amount of time to recognize the school bus and proceed with caution or stop, allowing its student passengers to board and exit the bus safely.

«First Light Safety Products is brighter and easier to read than traditional reflective decals and lighted signs, helping to make buses more visible, giving drivers more time to react,»Will Mensch, producer for the Advancements series, said. «We look forward to sharing this information with viewers.»

About First Light Safety Products:
First Light Safety Products is a subsidiary of Smartrend Manufacturing Group (SMG), Inc., a leading manufacturer of customer-specific engineered components and assemblies for transportation industries and general industrial applications. First Light focuses on designing and manufacturing innovative illumination technology for the school bus industry, which increases safety for the community. Its mission is to reduce preventable accidents and fatalities with technological advancements with an emphasis on quality.

For more info, please visit: http://www.firstlightsafety.com.

About Advancements and DMG Productions:
The Advancements series is an information-based educational show targeting recent advances across a number of industries and economies. Featuring state-of-the-art solutions and important issues facing today’s consumers and business professionals, Advancements focuses on cutting-edge developments, and brings this information to the public with the vision to enlighten about how technology and innovation continue to transform our world.

Backed by experts in various fields, DMG Productions is dedicated to education and advancement, and to consistently producing commercial-free, educational programming on which both viewers and networks depend.

For more info, please visit: http://www.Advancementstv.com or call Will Mensch at 866-496-4065.

Media Contact

Sarah McBrayer, DMG Productions, 866-496-4065, info@advancementstv.com

SOURCE Advancements