From the Editors

METRO editors blog about public transit issues, news and events. Join the conversation with your comments.

My APTA Bus Roadeo Experience

Driving a bus never looked easy. Living in California and being stuck in my car as much as I am, I’ve always had tremendous respect for the men and women who operate buses on a daily basis. So, when the call came that I would get my shot to drive in Sunday’s APTA Bus Roadeo, I was both excited and nervous.

In 'Keeping Them Honest,' truth not necessary to 'report' on rail

High-speed rail projects across the U.S. were subject to a recent hatchet job on CNN, courtesy of Anderson Cooper and a reporter who hid several key facts, making the projects seem like a waste of money for something nobody wants.

Building public transportation’s next generation

As more and more transit workers retire, the ranks are thinning. What’s being done about it today will ensure a robust, innovative transportation workforce for tomorrow. The FTA and APTA are stepping up development of the next generation of public transportation workers and leaders. What is your agency or workplace doing to advance workforce development for the next generation?

Transit going the extra mile to accommodate cyclists

This summer, there seemed to be an uptick in transit agencies working to offer more services to bicyclists. Was this just because of the summer, when more people are out and about on their bikes, or is there a larger movement afoot in how people travel and commute with transit?

Bus and rail riders: Same system, separate worlds?

L.A. Metro’s latest annual customer survey shows a distinct divide between riders using only the bus or exclusively rail, and reveals some income, gender and race differences. Is it just an L.A. thing?

Amid heat wave, L.A. transit center to combat global warming

Los Angeles County Metropolitan Authority is nearly finished revamping a transit center, making it LEED-certified and much more environmentally-friendly. It will mitigate traffic congestion, accommodate more riders and make commuting even easier for bikers.

Does vote in Atlanta set a trend?

Earlier this week, Metro Atlanta voters in 10 counties shot down the “Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax,” or T-SPLOST, by an overwhelming a majority, 63% to 37%. If passed, T-SPLOST would have created a 1% sales tax to help pay for an already determined $7.2 billion package of regional transportation projects, including $3.2 billion for transit plus another $1.1 billion in local projects.

Public Transportation on solid footing, will lawmakers face the music?

Two weeks ago, President Barack Obama signed the new MAP-21 surface transportation bill, funding transportation programs and giving public transit a much needed sense of stability, even if it’s for only two years.

Rail systems driving neighborhood tensions

While a light rail line ignites cultural tension in a volatile part of the world, plans for another rail project have been sparking spats in Los Angeles for ages.

Is transit industry ready for Generation Y?

Recently, the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute in Ann Arbor conducted a study on the driving habits of 16 to 39 year olds. The study found that number of 17-year-olds that had a driver’s license dropped significantly over a period of 25 years, from 69% in 1983 to 50% in 2008. Meanwhile, American aged 20 to 24 saw a drop as well, from 92% in 1983 to 82% in 2008.

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Author Bio

Alex Roman

Managing Editor


Janna Starcic

Executive Editor


Nicole Schlosser

Senior Editor


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Hazard Analysis: The Practice of Using Cell Phones While Operating a Transit Vehicle Examining system safety principles, available information in the public domain, recent transit incidents and policies.

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METRO Magazine - April 2013

METRO Magazine
Here are the Highlight:
  • BRT Survey: Coordination Construction Top Challenges
  • Hydrogen Fuel Cells Gather Steam as Viable Fleet Option
  • Alternative Project Delivery Opens Doors to Innovation
    And much more…
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