The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. Add to that more than 3,000 tipsheets from our national conferences on how to cover specific beats or do specific stories and you have a resource that no reporter or editor should be without. These stories and tipsheets are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Logged-in members can view the tipsheets free online:
Search results for "traffic" ...
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The Quick and Dirty Varnish Setup(for Django)
Boyle's presentation shows the benefits of using VARNISH for hosting Django apps. It can handle heavy traffic without crashing your site, and allows you to use smaller amount of servers space. (Bonus: Developed by a newspaper company in Norway!)
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Tips for Covering Aviation Stories
This tipsheet offers a lot of advice for reporters on the aviation beat. Tips include learning aviation lingo and making contact with a local Air Traffic Controller's Union.
Tags: TSA; airplane; transportation; aviation; beat reporting
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Transportation
Amons tipsheet explains how she went about an investigation into fatigues truck drivers and related accidents. She explains how to utilize Uniform Traffic Crash Reports, with samples of the data
Tags: trucking; trucks; accidents; Uniform Traffic Crash Reports; transportation; driver safety
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Navigating Transportation Data: Covering Accidents and Infrastructure
The authors list both sources and story ideas related to transportation. They include sources for stories about vehicle accidents, transportation infrastructure, and public transit. The authors also discuss some recent stories on this topic and include tips and advice for reporters pursuing similar investigations. Finally, they list some IRE resources about transportation.
Tags: automobiles; cars; highways; railways; transit authority; bridges; public records; traffic accidents
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Using Alexa: For Fast Researching on the Internet
Reddick describes the useful research capabilities of the Alexa Web utility function and explains how reporters can obtain the program for their own use. Among its many functions, the Alexa program can provide real-time site ownership, link listings of similar sites, give Web traffic rankings and give readers one-click access to Wayback Machine.
Tags: Alexa Web; investigative techniques; research methods; finding information online; Internet
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Toll Roads: Finding and using the data
This tipsheet points out that toll roads provide plenty of material for a lot of CAR stories. Overberg lists some of these story ideas and suggests ways to get started working on them.
Tags: toll road; highways; cars; traffic safety; story ideas
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Sources for Covering Auto Accidents
McGinty gives information on how to use the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatal Accident Reporting System, or FARS. He covers why it exists, how comprehensive and accurate the data is, and how it is tructured.
Tags: Transportation; car accidents; FARS; fatalities; national databases
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Tearing Up the Highways
This tipsheet is a great guide to investigating local highways and bridges. The authors offer some ideas to start the investigation - like reading through daily construction logs and going to board meetings. The second half of the tipsheet is devoted to investigating bridges. The authors give advice about what phrases to look for and which documents and databases are especially helpful.
Tags: safety; transportation; traffic; construction; accidents; inspections; roads
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Investigating Racial Profiling Problems
In this tipsheet, the author discusses her own experience investigating racial profiling in Texas. She discusses specific aspects of her investigation, such as getting the data and taking advantage of local university research, and then offers advice to help other journalists with those same areas of the investigation. The second page of the tipsheet is comprised entirely of helpful websites for journalists tackling this topic. The list includes The Council on Crime and Justice, as well as the League of United Latin American Citizens.
Tags: racism; minorities; traffic tickets; traffic violations; police; discrimination; social injustice; civil rights; ACLU; NAACP
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Investigating Trucking
This tipsheet is a comprehensive guide to reporting on the trucking industry. It begins with a list of questions to ask at the beginning of an investigation, like, "Did the truck driver have a valid Commercial Drivers License?" Next, the tipsheet lists some pieces of information that reporters should be able to find before deadline, that could make their stories better. Then, the tipsheet lists possible follow - up investigations; these are more long-term projects and might make for good enterprise stories. There is a description of how to go about each investigation. Finally, the tipsheet ends with a list of contacts and government agencies that could be helpful for a reporter writing a story about the trucking industry.
Tags: transportation; highways; FARS; accidents; driving; drivers licenses; traffic