From Blacksburg Transit's VT Bus Tracker for Virginia Tech to King County Metro and the University of Washington’s One Bus Away, transit systems linked with universities are leading the way with open source technology. They are providing real-time arrival information to riders and giving them mobile access, through iPhone and Android applications. But there is a huge disparity among agencies across the country in terms of the information they are providing to riders.

Author: Nicole Schlosser | Posted @ Friday, August 27, 2010 01:56 PM | » Comments(0)

This week, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) annual drug and alcohol strike force sweep, which ran from June 21 through July 2, resulted in the removal of 109 commercial bus and truck drivers.

Author: Alex Roman | Posted @ Thursday, August 19, 2010 03:53 PM | » Comments(0)

Tom Bregg was a bus operator for the Edmonton Transit System (ETS) in Alberta for 33 years when he was savagely beaten on Dec. 3, 2009 by a passenger, who argued with him over a fare dispute. Bregg is now permanently blind in his left eye and may never drive again, the Edmonton Journal reported.

Author: Janna Starcic | Posted @ Friday, August 13, 2010 10:05 AM | » Comments(2)

Most new hires come with a basic knowledge of how to operate a motor vehicle. They understand the consequences of making the wrong choice when decision time is at hand and transfer this level of driving experience with them to the operation of a bus. The real task is getting the new hire to comprehend that they must adapt several new techniques to accommodate the larger vehicle, along with the addition of transporting passengers and so on.

Author: Louie Maiello | Posted @ Wednesday, August 4, 2010 02:21 PM | » Comments(0)

These days, it’s a given that nearly everyone publishes a blog, is on Facebook, Twitter or all of the above. More and more of our work and personal lives have gravitated online. With nearly everyone seemingly reporting everything online, how does a transit agency or coach operator handle situations presented by employee scribes who blog publicly about their job?

Author: Nicole Schlosser | Posted @ Friday, July 30, 2010 01:56 PM | » Comments(3)

Does public transit have a place in the travel and tourism industry? Train travel, in particular, is romanticized in the popular imagination, with scenes of elegant dining cars and leisurely, smooth rides through stunning scenery. That sounds like a trip I'd like to take!

Author: Claire Atkinson | Posted @ Friday, July 23, 2010 09:54 AM | » Comments(3)

Unless you were under a rock last week, you no doubt were assaulted by the ridiculous media onslaught that accompanied the NBA's LeBron James and his "Decision" on where he would play next season. Well, a far less-publicized but quite meaningful decision was made in my household that very same week.

Author: Alex Roman | Posted @ Thursday, July 15, 2010 03:36 PM | » Comments(10)

The right side of the bus does not provide the same visibility to the bus operator as the left side; therefore, 'Protecting the Right' will eliminate the possibility of being involved in a right-side preventable collision. When the right side is not covered, bus operators should not be surprised when a vehicle overtakes them along the right side.

Author: Louie Maiello | Posted @ Friday, July 2, 2010 09:42 AM | » Comments(1)

One question rarely asked when discussing whether a new federal surface transportation authorization bill will be passed soon is if the momentum the industry has will grind to a halt. The truth of the matter is that we are a fickle nation. Quick to embrace something one minute and, just as quickly, turn completely against it the next. Meaning, yes, today public transportation's role in the U.S. is crystal clear, but how will that vision look a year from now with a bill still not in place?

Author: Alex Roman | Posted @ Thursday, June 24, 2010 04:09 PM | » Comments(2)

APTA's decision to partner with two major environmental nonprofits — The Sierra Club and the Natural Resources Defense Council — for Dump the Pump Day made the point that driving less or ditching one’s car altogether is critical for the health of our environment. With the BP oil spill fiasco all over the news, I’m wondering if more Americans were motivated to ditch their cars for Dump the Pump Day this time around.

Author: Nicole Schlosser | Posted @ Friday, June 18, 2010 12:04 PM | » Comments(1)