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Safety Cornerby Louie MaielloJune 8, 2012

Bus Stop Placement, Pros and Cons

While at the coffee bar, I was approached by a transit professional who asked where I thought it was safer to place bus stops, at the nearside or farside of an intersection? We agreed that agencies, over the years for safety reasons, have been favoring the farside bus stops as opposed to the nearside stops.

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Transit Dispatchesby Will KemptonJune 1, 2012

OCTA CEO: Is your agency ready for the ‘big one’?

This month OCTA joined public agencies across California in the Golden Guardian exercise — an annual emergency training event that helps prepare cities, hospitals, first responders, schools, transportation agencies and others to respond in crisis situations. In the last year, OCTA has placed an increased focus on emergency preparedness and training.

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From the Editor'sby Alex RomanMay 25, 2012

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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From the Editor'sby Nicole SchlosserMay 18, 2012

Rural transit getting a closer look

Often when we report on public transit systems across the U.S., they are in urban or suburban areas. Rural transit operations are dealing with many of the same issues as urban ones, but aren’t able to offer as many options, as we report in our upcoming June issue. Additionally, they also have significant paratransit duties, which we also plan to look into in future stories.

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Lights! Camera! Transit!

Some of Hollywood’s biggest stars aren’t the leading women and men you might think. These “celebrities” are larger than life, yet don’t demand top billing — they’re the transit systems that often play key roles in blockbuster films and TV hits.

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Safety Cornerby Louie MaielloMay 4, 2012

In the still of the night

Greetings! I would like to answer the following question sent to me and thank the transit professional for doing so: "Just this week, we have had three bus accidents. One type of ‘repeater accident’ has been occurring in the garage involving the driver’s left rear side of our 45-foot [bus]. When turning right, the left rear driver’s side swings out and catches the roof support pole. The last two accidents took out the rear side glass. I need some preventive ideas.”

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Transit Dispatchesby Will KemptonApril 27, 2012

OCTA CEO: Congress, stop kicking transportation bill down the road

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to approve an extension of highway and transit funding at existing levels through September 30. This is the 10th extension of the six-year transportation bill. We need a long-term bill.

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From the Editor'sby Nicole SchlosserApril 20, 2012

Is aim to end transit violence with Tasers misguided?

A New York Senator wants transit workers armed with Tasers to protect themselves and their passengers against attacks. A transit workers union backs the request, but the state Police Commissioner and the New York MTA are against it. Is the idea too extreme?

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Transit Dispatchesby Heather RedfernApril 18, 2012

Take me out to the ballgame on transit

While public transit is becoming the way to get to a game because many new ballparks are being constructed in crowded city neighborhoods with little parking, taking a bus or “catching the sub” has been the most convenient and cost-effective method of traveling to a game in Philadelphia for decades.

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From the Editor'sby Alex RomanApril 13, 2012

For motorcoach industry, the media is the message

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.

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Safety Cornerby Louie MaielloApril 11, 2012

Obtaining benefits with bus simulator supplemental training

Understanding how to blend simulator supplemental training into an existing training curriculum will most definitely lead to favorable results and positive benefits to a training program. Attempting to build a curriculum around the simulator is a mistake.

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Transit Dispatchesby Will KemptonMarch 30, 2012

OCTA CEO: New paratransit center aids customers, improves efficiency

In our ongoing effort to improve our paratransit service and provide it in the most cost-effective way possible, OCTA recently completed a state-of-the art indoor center to qualify disabled individuals for the service, called ACCESS, which provides one million rides annually.

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