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Safety Cornerby Louie MaielloSeptember 7, 2012

'Rock & Roll' for bus operators

Transit has its own version of Rock & Roll. I once read someone’s comment that, in the case of a bus operator, ‘Rocking & Rolling’ in the seat should not occur if their mirrors are set properly. I strongly disagree with that statement and regrettably say a statement like that will precede an increase in pedestrian knockdowns, especially when turning left and departing bus stops.

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Transit Dispatchesby Will KemptonSeptember 5, 2012

OCTA CEO: Educating the next generation of transportation leaders

The transportation industry faces the potential loss of significant institutional knowledge as baby boomers retire. For many of us, a greater emphasis has been placed on ensuring we prepare those who will take over to successfully lead our agencies into the future. A program started by the Orange County Chapter of the Women’s Transportation Seminar is an ideal example of this kind of effort.

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From the Editor'sby Nicole SchlosserAugust 17, 2012

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.

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Transit Dispatchesby Heather RedfernAugust 15, 2012

SEPTA helps community farm grow

A fresh salad with leafy greens, juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers and zucchini is a refreshing meal for a hot summer day. Would you believe that many Philadelphians are enjoying delicious vegetables grown on a SEPTA lot, next to the Market-Frankford Line station?

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Safety Cornerby Louie MaielloAugust 10, 2012

Are ‘Automatics’ a part of your bus operator training program?

Curb jumping. Heavy braking. Excessive speed. Dangerous action. These words are sometimes utilized and documented by training bus instructors when evaluating a trainee. Having these words appear early on in a training program is not rare; it’s when the training nears its end and these words are still being used on the trainee’s evaluation forms that should cause concern.

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From the Editor'sby Alex RomanAugust 3, 2012

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.

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Transit Dispatchesby Will KemptonJuly 27, 2012

OCTA CEO: New federal bill a win for America

Three years and 10 extensions later, America has a new federal transportation reauthorization bill. Perhaps the most important aspects of MAP-21 are the changes to existing law that break down some of the bureaucratic barriers to project delivery allowing for expedited project implementation.

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From the Editor'sby Alex RomanJuly 20, 2012

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.

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From the Editor'sby Nicole SchlosserJuly 18, 2012

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.

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Transit Dispatchesby Heather RedfernJuly 13, 2012

Making public transit greener

How do you make public transit even more environmentally-friendly and efficient for the 21st Century? SEPTA, in partnership with a Philadelphia smart grid company is bringing the regenerative braking energy technology long used by hybrid-electric vehicles to its Market-Frankford Line elevated trains.

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Safety Cornerby Louie MaielloJuly 5, 2012

Finalizing bus stop placement

In my last blog we discussed bus stop placement pros and cons. Last week I received an email regarding mid-block bus stops and how to make these stops as safe as possible. Servicing bus stops in mid-block and after right and left turns will be covered here. I will also review boarding and alighting of customers.

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Transit Dispatchesby Nicole SchlosserJune 15, 2012

Transit fare hikes getting you down? Blame the banks.

A new report says that many transit agencies are getting burned in deals they made with bailed-out Wall Street banks. Many are losing millions of dollars every year from budgets that are already rail-thin. Can they claim they are “too big to fail?”

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