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Most new hires come with a basic knowledge of how to operate a motor vehicle. They understand the consequences of making the wrong choice when decision time is at hand and transfer this level of driving experience with them to the operation of a bus. The real task is getting the new hire to comprehend that they must adapt several new techniques to accommodate the larger vehicle, along with the addition of transporting passengers and so on.
Read More →These days, it’s a given that nearly everyone publishes a blog, is on Facebook, Twitter or all of the above. More and more of our work and personal lives have gravitated online. With nearly everyone seemingly reporting everything online, how does a transit agency or coach operator handle situations presented by employee scribes who blog publicly about their job?
Read More →Unless you were under a rock last week, you no doubt were assaulted by the ridiculous media onslaught that accompanied the NBA's LeBron James and his "Decision" on where he would play next season. Well, a far less-publicized but quite meaningful decision was made in my household that very same week.
Read More →The right side of the bus does not provide the same visibility to the bus operator as the left side; therefore, 'Protecting the Right' will eliminate the possibility of being involved in a right-side preventable collision. When the right side is not covered, bus operators should not be surprised when a vehicle overtakes them along the right side.
Read More →One question rarely asked when discussing whether a new federal surface transportation authorization bill will be passed soon is if the momentum the industry has will grind to a halt. The truth of the matter is that we are a fickle nation. Quick to embrace something one minute and, just as quickly, turn completely against it the next. Meaning, yes, today public transportation's role in the U.S. is crystal clear, but how will that vision look a year from now with a bill still not in place?
Read More →APTA's decision to partner with two major environmental nonprofits — The Sierra Club and the Natural Resources Defense Council — for Dump the Pump Day made the point that driving less or ditching one’s car altogether is critical for the health of our environment. With the BP oil spill fiasco all over the news, I’m wondering if more Americans were motivated to ditch their cars for Dump the Pump Day this time around.
Read More →Collisions involving buses turning left and pedestrian contact usually result in serious injuries and, sometimes, fatalities. All instructors should be aware of the top collision types that are occurring at their organization and what corrective actions to apply.
Read More →This week, I got a chance to drop in on the Community Transportation Association of America's Expo 2010 in Long Beach, Calif. There were many topics discussed throughout the show, including how the 2010 Census will impact transportation providers, increasing senior mobility, and identifying the causes and solutions of bus fires.
Read More →A recent initiative signed by Sec. Ray LaHood at the Women's Transportation Seminar aims to encourage more women to pursue math and science degrees for careers in transportation. This year's annual seminar, was titled, "The Right Place at the Right Time." This may be exactly the right place and time for this initiative — with the recession as an unfortunate guide — to turn the tide in employment numbers for women in transportation.
Read More →China's current 4,000-mile network consists of upgraded conventional lines, high-speed passenger designated lines and the world's first high-speed commercial magnetic levitation (maglev) line. The country also has an additional 11,000 miles of high-speed lines currently under construction and has plans to have a complete network of approximately 31,000 miles in place by 2020.
Read More →Nothing can be more frustrating for new Bus Operator Instructors than seeing students, not long after qualifying and moving forward to Depot Route Training, move away from the correct skill applications they were taught on the training bus, to what someone else may be telling them. In many cases that someone else is the Route Bus Operator they are assigned to, who often confront students with a "this is the real world, not the training bus" mentality.
Read More →Last week when the Icelandic volcano erupted, making the skies un-navigable and canceling flights all over Europe, many travelers were able to quickly shift gears and get on a train. There were, of course, many inter-continental trip delays and some small inconveniences.
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