Last year was one of the worst on record as far as accidents and casualties for the motorcoach industry, which in the past has typically been one of the safest modes of transportation. If you take the amount of trips taken and compare that with the number of accidents, we’re talking pretty small potatoes; however, anybody in the industry will tell you one fatality is enough.
March 18 is International Bus Driver Appreciation Day. Those working in this profession seem to have had a particularly difficult year, given all the recent news stories. TriMet is getting the word out to the public to show their appreciation. Are any other agencies doing the same?
What more could be said about the necessity for a transportation authorization bill? Nothing? We all understand it is vital, right? OK, good. Maybe it's more important to discuss what is actually going on and what some industry insiders talk about off the record.
The recent case of a college student hazing death on a Florida motorcoach that made national news once again raises questions about how much responsibility bus operators hold over passenger behavior and what should be expected of drivers in preventing underage drinking. Meanwhile, California and one Iowa university are reacting by cracking down on party buses.
Last week, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee released its proposed $260 billion, five-year transportation authorization bill, which was approved by a 29 to 24 vote.
There were two prevalent news stories this week regarding violence at transit agencies. Both DART and Washington Metro are looking to employ more preventive measures, but are not necessarily in agreement with the public — or among themselves — as to what’s most effective.
In surprising news yesterday, California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO Roelof van Ark announced his departure, effective in February. The authority's chairman of the board, Thomas J. Umberg announced that he would also vacate his position and recommend that Dan Richard, who was recently appointed to the board by Gov. Jerry Brown, assume his leadership role.
Determined cheaper than rail, BRT got its due this week in Detroit and Nashville, Tenn., as they named it their best transit option. Many other cities have come to similar conclusions. However, with high-speed rail being declared “dead” in the press last week, is there an assault on rail projects in general?
Most of the time when the mainstream media focuses on the motorcoach industry it is negative — it usually has to deal with an accident that injured a host of people, many critically. In an attempt to shift the spotlight this week for being kicked off of an American Airlines flight, Alec Baldwin wrote a blog about the incident, where as a joke he must have thought was funny, he took a shot at Greyhound.
One Southern California city’s transit system celebrates 35 years of operations and its many successes. Meanwhile, a city in the Midwest is so strapped it can’t even get half its buses to destinations on time. Which is more representative of public transportation’s current reality in the U.S.?
Being an avid basketball fan, I've had high hopes that an agreement will be reached between the owners and players, only to have them dashed by news that fundamental issues yet to be addressed by the two sides is holding up the start of the season.
While APTA EXPO attendees discussed financial challenges and an uncertain funding future, thousands of Americans took to the streets to protest what they see as “corporate greed and corrupt politics” ruling U.S. policies and the economy. One transit workers union joined them.
To mark this week's "Don't X Out Public Transit Day," the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) released a new survey that focused on what the consequences would be on public transportation riders and systems around the country if a House of Representatives-proposed cut of more than one-third of federal funding for public transportation actually took place.
Shutting off cell phone service. Closing stations. Arresting protestors. BART struggles to strike a balance between accommodating the citizens' right to demonstrate while safely transporting riders. While doing so, it sets a precedent for other transit agencies across the U.S.
When I think of the economic situation this country is in, I can't help but to feel like Michael Corleone in "Godfather III" when he says "Just when I thought I was out...they pull me back in!"
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