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From Blacksburg Transit's VT Bus Tracker for Virginia Tech to King County Metro and the University of Washington’s One Bus Away, transit systems linked with universities are leading the way with open source technology. They are providing real-time arrival information to riders and giving them mobile access, through iPhone and Android applications. But there is a huge disparity among agencies across the country in terms of the information they are providing to riders.
Read More →This week, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) annual drug and alcohol strike force sweep, which ran from June 21 through July 2, resulted in the removal of 109 commercial bus and truck drivers.
Read More →Tom Bregg was a bus operator for the Edmonton Transit System (ETS) in Alberta for 33 years when he was savagely beaten on Dec. 3, 2009 by a passenger, who argued with him over a fare dispute. Bregg is now permanently blind in his left eye and may never drive again, the Edmonton Journal reported.
Read More →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.
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