tagged w/ Public Transportation
-
Ben Jervey, in his contribution to this month's issue of Good Magazine's travel issue, writes about his coast-to-coast passenger rail journey from New York to Oakland aboard Amtrak. Jervey describes how Amtrak struggles to survive in a nation lacking confidence and esteem towards rail travel. His journey begins on the East Coast aboard the Lake Shore Limited connecting New York to Chicago, and continues his westward travels aboard the famous California Zephyr connecting Chicago to Oakland. Read Jervey's essay to learn about the ups and downs of Amtrak's rail service. Check out video, maps and images by Amy Stein accompanying the article.Ben Jervey, in his contribution to this month's issue of Good Magazine's... more
-
-
WTF!
Hizzoner: "I don't run the subway system, I don't run the MTA but if I did -- if I had total power -- I guess I'd say it's too crowded for bikes."
The only wheels he wants too see are baby strollers...
-
Give me a break.
My bike is my baby.
Makes the BART look like a primo limo! West is best.
By Alexander Lew //WIRED_blog
Hearing that you're not welcome on the subway because you're carrying a bicycle is disappointing to say the least, especially since biking goes hand-in-hand with public transit. That's why cyclists in the Big Apple were outraged when Mayor Michael Bloomberg said that, if it were up to him, he'd ban bikes from trains.
Bike advocates quickly denounced Bloomberg's comments.
"We have the most liberal bikes-on-transit policy in the entire country," Wiley Norvell of Transportation Alternatives, the city's leading bicycle advocacy group, told the New York Post. "Without that access, it would be a huge blow to biking in the city."
Yet the mayor says the only wheels he wants to see on subways are on baby strollers? The irony of that is not lost on Norvel, who said, "the idea that you can take on a cello, stroller or drum set but not bikes is ridiculous."
The MTA seems to agree. So far, it hasn't changed its policy.
- - - click link for full article - - -WTF!
Hizzoner: "I don't run the subway system, I don't run the MTA... more
-
-
Plans for a levitating train from Las Vegas to Disneyland can move forward under a transportation bill signed by President Bush on Friday that frees up $45 million for the futuristic project.
Derided by critics as pie in the sky, the train would use magnetic levitation technology to carry passengers from Disneyland to Las Vegas in well under two hours, traveling at speeds of up to 300 mph. It would be the first MagLev system in the U.S.
The money is the largest cash infusion in the project's nearly 20-year history. It will pay for environmental studies for the first leg of the project.
The money had been delayed by a drafting error in Congress' 2005 highway bill, which was corrected along with some other changes by the legislation signed Friday by Bush. The delay had allowed a competing and cheaper diesel-electric plan to emerge as an alternative, but with the money now freed up supporters hope to move forward with the MagLev plan.
The train is meant to ease traffic on increasingly clogged Interstate 15, the main route for the millions of Southern Californians who make the 250-plus-mile drive to Las Vegas each year. There is no train on the route — Amtrak's Desert Wind between Los Angeles and Las Vegas was canceled in 1997 because of low ridership.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., praised passage of the law, saying the MagLev project "will safely and efficiently move people between Southern California and Las Vegas." Plans for a levitating train from Las Vegas to Disneyland can move forward under a... more
-
-
In these days of high gas prices and global warming, we need bold action. This November California will vote on a bond measure regarding high-speed rail. This is very exciting, and we need it to pass, for the sake of the country. Other countries have had extensive high-speed rail networks for decades, and the USA is in desperate need for this infrastructure. Check out the proposed routes, and let's get this measure passed!In these days of high gas prices and global warming, we need bold action. This... more
-
-
WASHINGTON (AP) - Plans for a levitating train from Las Vegas to Disneyland can move forward under a transportation bill signed by President Bush on Friday that frees up $45 million for the futuristic project.
Derided by critics as pie in the sky, the train would use magnetic levitation technology to carry passengers from Disneyland to Las Vegas in well under two hours, traveling at speeds of up to 300 mph. It would be the first MagLev system in the U.S.
The money is the largest cash infusion in the project's nearly 20-year history. It will pay for environmental studies for the first leg of the project.
The money had been delayed by a drafting error in Congress' 2005 highway bill, which was corrected along with some other changes by the legislation signed Friday by Bush. The delay had allowed a competing and cheaper diesel-electric plan to emerge as an alternative, but with the money now freed up supporters hope to move forward with the MagLev plan.
The train is meant to ease traffic on increasingly clogged Interstate 15, the main route for the millions of Southern Californians who make the 250-plus-mile drive to Las Vegas each year. There is no train on the route—Amtrak's Desert Wind between Los Angeles and Las Vegas was canceled in 1997 because of low ridership.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., praised passage of the law, saying the MagLev project "will safely and efficiently move people between Southern California and Las Vegas."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/06/AR2008060603315.htmlWASHINGTON (AP) - Plans for a levitating train from Las Vegas to Disneyland can move... more
-
-
Ridership is booming on the three Amtrak California passenger rail lines. Caltrans, which operates the service in partnership with Amtrak, has added more daily runs to all lines over the past 18 months, but still can't keep up with the standing-room-only crowds.
This budget year, according to the SF Chronicle, ridership is up 13.6 percent on the San Jose to Sacramento "Capitol Corridor", 11.1 percent on the Oakland to Bakersfield "San Joaquin" and 4.7 percent on the "Pacific Surfliner" - which offers stellar views of the coastline for much of is route from San Diego to San Luis Obispo.
The Surfliner, the state's busiest train, carried 2.7 million passengers in the 2007 budget year, while the Capitol Corridor hauled 1.45 million and the San Joaquin carried 805,000
Ridership is booming on the three Amtrak California passenger rail lines. Caltrans,... more
-
-
Each month since November, when gas prices hit a milestone ($3.01 a gallon) that looks comparatively modest by today's standard ($3.93, on average across the U.S.) Americans have been driving less.
We're not only driving less – which means presumably that we're taking more public transportation, biking and walking more, and combining errands when we do drive – but the cars we're buying are more fuel-efficient than the gas guzzlers that we drove off the lots just a few months ago.
All this would seem like bad news (very high gas prices) with a very shiny silver lining (a very real move toward fuel-efficient transportation). After all, greenhouse gas emissions from transportation (one-third of the overall U.S. contribution to global warming) dropped 9 million metric tons in the first quarter of 2008.
You might see it that way. But not if you are a bureaucrat at the Federal Highway Administration, which released its latest "Traffic Volume Trends" report to much fanfare this week. They showed that March traffic was down 11 billion miles – 4.3% – from a year earlier, the first drop seen in the month of March since 1979
click on the link on top for more informationEach month since November, when gas prices hit a milestone ($3.01 a gallon) that looks... more
-
-
Alipio
-
added this
-
3 years ago
- |
-
With pump prices acting as strong a deterrent, Americans are putting the breaks on their driving habits. DOT Federal Highway Administration mileage figures released earlier this month show, "the sharpest yearly drop for any month in FHWA history."
Estimated vehicle miles on public roads in March 2008 fell 4.3% when compared to the same month last year, with Americans driving 11 billion fewer miles in total. It was the first time that March driving figure had declined since 1979.
With gas prices like daylight robbery, commuters are choosing to skip the pump and run –– to the nearest bus stop. The American Public Transportation Association reports that last year ridership reached levels not seen in 50 years, with 10.3 billion bus, trolley and train trips taken in 2007. Furthermore, they report that a staggering 35% of summer travelers say they are likely to use public transit to save on driving costs when visiting other cities.
All this is good news for the environment, but extremely bad news for car makers. New car sales dropped by 7 % in April; the seasonally adjusted sales total of 14.4 million vehicles was the worst in 13 years.
With car sales plummeting, car dealers are resorting to desperate measures to move vehicles. One Butler, MO dealer is offering a choice of $250 in gas or a free semi-automatic handgun with purchase. We're not sure why the handgun needs to be semi-automatic (how many people do Missouri drivers need to shoot in one go?), but so far it's by far the preferred option, with 80% of customers opting for a coupon which they can exchange for a gun once they've passed the require background check.
"It's a choice –– protection or gas," said Walter Moore of Max Motors. "We got high gas prices, theft, carjackings, innocent people getting hurt."
We could be wrong, but it seems like Walter’s customers aren’t the Prius-buying type. It's attitudes like these that make Walter's namesake Michael Moore so proud –– of Canadians. We're figuring Walter skipped Michael's anti-firearm flick Bowling for Columbine when it came out in theaters, but would like to think he might catch up with it on DVD since it notoriously features a bank which offered a similar bonus for new customers. Ultimately, the film showed that guns are about as bad for people as fossil fuels are for the planet. Again, we could be wrong, but we thought the end-game was to get rid of both.
http://www.dailymantra.com
With pump prices acting as strong a deterrent, Americans are putting the breaks on... more
-
-
Taipei's insanely efficient, remarkably punctual and shockingly clean subway system is a marvel of mass transit every city should emulate.
With mass transit ridership in America rising alongside gas prices and people grumbling about the level of service, the Taipei Rapid Transit System has many lessons to offer on how to run a subway system. With customer satisfaction topping 94 percent, Taipei Metro may well be the best mass transit system in the world.
The San Francisco Municipal Railway considers 65 percent customer satisfaction a good mark, but that kind of performance earns you a D in school. New York does a little better with a C average, and the Chicago "L" manages to keep 80 percent of its passengers satisfied. But Taipei is in another league.
What makes it so good?
Although there are just 69 stations to serve a city of 2.6 million people, the Metro is the fastest, most efficient way to get around. In the 12 years since Taipei Metro has opened, it has cut from three hours to less than one the time it takes to get across town. It carries 1.1 million people a day yet last year it experienced just 36 delays of more than five minutes -- an impressive statistic that makes this subway one of the most reliable in the world.
It's also one of the cleanest. Stations are remarkably tidy, particularly compared to those in America and even Europe. There are trash and recycling bins everywhere, and passengers are not only expected to drop their refuse in the right bin, they do so. Even the most crowded stations tend to have very little rubbish on the floor. Riders give the system a score of 95.5 percent for "overall tidiness."
Knowing when your train arrives is important when using mass transit, and few things are more frustrating than waiting forever on a platform. Most stations in Taipei have television screens that display real-time arrival information. (They also show commercials, but we figure the subway system, which cost $18 billion to build, has some bills to pay.) The screens in transfer stations also tell you when connecting trains arrive so you can pick up the pace if necessary. Riders gave the system a score of 88.7 percent for providing accurate arrival information. Taipei's insanely efficient, remarkably punctual and shockingly clean subway... more
-
-
kushan
-
added this
-
4 years ago
- |
-
Following the lead of two Democratic congressman last month, U.S. Rep. John L. Mica (R-Florida) has endorsed the proposed Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act - which would authorize more than $14.4 billion in funding for Amtrak, state passenger grants and high-speed rail over the next five years.
One of the first goals would be to produce a passenger transit rail system that can travel between New York and Washington in about two hours.
As for those who argue that the air travel lobby might derail High Speed rail initiatives, Mica says: "We'll drag them kicking and screaming into the 21st century."
Following the lead of two Democratic congressman last month, U.S. Rep. John L. Mica... more
-
-
Last Friday, around 30 bicycle riders (and a few inline skaters) took to the freeways during rush hour, racing past cars stuck in traffic. According to one of the organizers from Crimanimal Mass, the aim was "to raise questions about the transportation infrastructure. In a city ruled by cars, why is it that you can get places faster on bikes?”Last Friday, around 30 bicycle riders (and a few inline skaters) took to the freeways... more
-
-
khsing
-
added this
-
4 years ago
- |
-
Just look at the pictures.
-
-
khsing
-
added this
-
4 years ago
- |
-
Coachella festival founder Paul Tollett had tried for years to get train service from L.A. to Indio for his festival, but it wasn't until this year, with festivals reaching a new zenith, that he found Amtrak eager to talk. This year, concert-goers were offered free rides to and from Los Angeles' Union Station, as well as VIP passes to the festival.
Here's hoping that this introduced some people to the potential benefits of increased train service in California!Coachella festival founder Paul Tollett had tried for years to get train service from... more
-
-
The Velib program which started in Paris summer 2007 has proven successful and a sister program is about to launch in Washington DC.
Starting next month, people in Washington DC will be able to rent a bicycle day and night with the swipe of a membership card.
A new public-private venture called SmartBike DC will make 120 bicycles available at 10 spots in central locations in the city. The automated program, which district officials say is the first of its kind in the nation, will operate in a similar fashion to car-sharing programs like Zipcar. The Velib program which started in Paris summer 2007 has proven successful and a... more
-
-
Spare a thought for the Japanese, who are literally packed onto trains like sardines. One thing I'm interested to see is the people getting back off the train. If you can find the footage then put it in a comment!Spare a thought for the Japanese, who are literally packed onto trains like sardines.... more
-
-
Crowded subways are becoming more an more of a problem for Japanese commuters, and the solution seems to be "push until you've packed as many people in as possible."
This is a claustrophobic nightmare.Crowded subways are becoming more an more of a problem for Japanese commuters, and the... more
-
-
In the future, there will be the return of railroads and I couldn't be happier!
I've already explained in another article that I think it's time that U.S. really starts considering a larger network of high-speed railways because of our current airline problems. I know it's being implemented in California and in Texas but with all the problems lately with air travel from masturbating passengers to too hot fliers, we need a new mode of transportation across the board.
Also, well established high speed rail systems in use today are more environmentally friendly than air or road travel. This is due to lower energy consumption per passenger kilometer, reduced land usage for a given capacity compared to motorways, and displaced usage from more environmentally damaging modes of transport. In fact, I'm sure more study into it could make it even more eco-friendly.
I don't know why Americans think flight is our only mode of transportation. I know it's quicker but the prices are rising and the courtesy you once got on a flight is now diminishing. Flight understandable when going overseas or even across country but we've got find new efficient ways to get around.
In the future, there will be the return of railroads and I couldn't be happier!... more
-
-
Los Angeles' population will grow by 2.4 million by 2030, resulting in a total of 7 million cars on the roads each day. Already, congestion in Los Angeles is one of the worst in the nation, and the city's rapid transit surely does not have enough connections or lines to serve the entire city or region. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the percentage of commuters who use public transportation in Los Angeles County is 7% (10% within the borders of the city of Los Angeles), far lower than in other major American cities: 30% of San Franciscan workers use transit, 25% within Chicago, and 54% in New York City. With the region's growing population, the city will not be able to support itself without future investments in transportation.Los Angeles' population will grow by 2.4 million by 2030, resulting in a total of... more
-
-
Starting in January 2007 the MBTA discontinued free outbound service on Green Line surface stops, but the only thing keeping passengers from hawking a free ride was a guilty conscience. Now the MBTA has taken the lead from public transportation in European cities by discharging 17 inspectors, equipped with handheld electronic card monitars, to enforce the rule and catch potential fare-evaders.
So be careful next time you decide to jump in with all the cool kids at the back of the bus, it's a gamble!Starting in January 2007 the MBTA discontinued free outbound service on Green Line... more
-
-
cwood
-
added this
-
4 years ago
- |
-
The phenomenon of (always) stupid (usually) young men—often bored graffiti writers from the outer boroughs—surfing on the outside of subway cars has been admirably covered by the New York media. It's one of those evergreen, slice of life stories that publications can recycle every few years, as events warrant. Every so often, somebody dies riding on top of train, and the populace of the city remarks to itself, "My, how stupid. And possibly tragic."
And the, um, "sport "isn't confined to America. Not by a long shot! The phenomenon of (always) stupid (usually) young men—often bored graffiti... more
-
-
khsing
-
added this
-
4 years ago
- |
