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Transit Dispatchesby Heather RedfernSeptember 19, 2012

Reach Out and Touch

Kids love vehicles — cars, trucks, construction equipment. But how often do children get a chance to “get up close and personal” with buses, big rigs and emergency responder units? “Touch-a-Truck” events, a relatively new type of community activity, are giving kids across the country the opportunity to sit behind the wheel.

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Transit Dispatchesby Frank Di GiacomoSeptember 14, 2012

Purdue to honor Delon Hampton

Recently, Purdue University announced it will name its civil engineering building for alumnus and donor Delon Hampton and his mother, Elizabeth Hampton.

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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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