Tag Archives: school buses

Transit News Roundup (Feb 29, 2016) – Latest Industry Updates

Transit News for bus, train and ferry operators

Every day we find transit news that is relevant and useful to you. But if you missed these daily posts on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and Linkedin, you can find them all here in one place each week!

Here’s what happened in the transit world last week:

BUSES

IA Signals Change for Bus

Infrastructure Australia is starting a 15 year plan to privatize state owned bus operators.

How to Create an Awesome Bus Experience

Ideas from Share the Bus for making a bus trip a great experience for your passengers.

Bus Crash Highlights Seat belt Concerns

Companies say they’d have to increase fleet size if seat belts are made mandatory.

SCHOOL BUSES

Campaigner’s Joy After Cuts to Free School Bus Travel are Halted

A new plan nearly forced students to walk 30 miles a week, but protesters were successful in stopping the plan.

Anderson School District 1 Bus Driver Honored for Saving Student’s Life

This bus driver of 26 years saved a student’s life by paying attention to traffic.

Missouri Bill Targets School Bus Stops Near Sex Offenders

The bill will require school bus stops to be more than 500 feet away from the homes of sex offenders.

Transit News Roundup - Latest Industry Updates

TRAINS

Why are There Stones Along Railway Tracks?

Have you ever noticed the stones along the sides of railway tracks and wondered why they are there?  Here’s your answer!

PUBLIC TRANSIT

Most Public Transit Systems are Too Big for Humans to Comprehend

If you’ve ever had a hard time reading a transit map, it may be because the systems, and all the choices you must make about routes, times, and modes of transit, are just too much to comprehend.

A Brief History of Subway Etiquette Campaigns

Problems like people leaving trash on the train and taking up too much space on the bus have been around for a 100 years.

These are the 9 Cities in the World Where Commuting is the Most Expensive

In some cities, commuting can cost as much as 25% of an individual’s salary!  One more reason to take public transit.

The Progress of Public Transportation in Los Angeles 1990 vs. 2040

It’s interesting to see the growth!

How the CTA Keeps Chicago Moving Through Winter

They have a lot of systems in place for battling the snow and cold!

Public Transportation Benefits

Public transportation saves money, is good for sustainability, reduces congestion and so much more! And in case you missed it, here’s a link to last month’s article.

Public Transportation Saves $16,000 per Year

In a comparison of 20 major US cities, public transportation saved individuals between $10,000 and $16,000 per year.

Mapping the Real Cost of Public Housing- Transportation Included

New research considers how affordable public housing really is when access to public transportation is taken into consideration.

TRANSIT TECHNOLOGY & ADVANCES

Transit Data in Motion

General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) is an important part of urban mobility.   This is the format we put transit schedules into, so they can be picked up by Google and trip planning apps.

Smart and Scalable Urban Traffic Control

A real time system made possible by advances in AI.

Advance Transit to Launch Bus App

The app provides real time tracking and status updates.

Construction Begins on Elon Musk’s Exciting New Transportation Hyperloop

The hyperloop will transport passengers at 800 miles per hour from one major city to the next.

Eltis Mobility Update

Eltis on sustainable urban mobility and how a railway station in France became on intermodal hub.

OTHER

Transit Employee Appreciation Day

Employee Appreciation Day is March 4th, and we have some awesome ideas for making it a special day for your hard working employees.

What do you think about these stories?  We’d love to hear from you!

Transit News Round Up (Jan 25, 2016) – Latest Industry Updates

A roundup of transit news. What's happening with buses, trains, ferry and public transit.

Every day we find transit news that is relevant and useful to you. But if you missed these daily posts on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and Linkedin, you can find them all here in one place each week!

Here’s what happened in the transit world last week:

BUSES

Urban Dwellers Aren’t Abandoning Buses; Buses are Abandoning Them

This article from News Geography takes a look at why bus ridership is declining, and they say the data points to a decrease in bus service being the reason.

Should Colfax Give Up Car Lanes for Faster Bus Service?

Specifically about Denver, Colorado, but applicable to any city. Is this a trade worth making?

Back to College for Bus Workers

Bus Drivers in the UK are getting more than satisfying work and a paycheck from their jobs. They’re learning foreign languages and other fun and useful skills right out of the First Group bus company’s garages. What a great way for a company to care for the whole employee!

Euro VI Bus and Coach Registrations in 2015 Top 50%

Over half of the buses registered in 2015 met the Euro VI standard for emissions. The article talks about the reasons for this boost in compliance, and how the companies will continue to improve their reduction of emissions.

UK Bus Operators Make Case for Contactless Travel

Five leading bus companies, Stagecoach, First Bus, Go-Ahead, Arriva and National Express, are working to make contactless travel the standard in Britain by 2022.

All Electric Bus

Metro McAllen shared their excitement about their new all electric bus with a picture on Twitter.

SCHOOL BUSES

New School Bus Law to Improve Crossing Roads

Bus drivers in North Carolina are now using hand signals to let kids know if it’s safe to cross the road or not.

When a School Bus Full of Kids was Heading for a Ditch, This Boy Saved Them in the Most Amazing Way

14 year old Cory jumped into the driver’s seat and hit the brake when the bus driver became unconscious after a car hit the bus.

School Bus Fleet Launches New Website, New Look

Their new website is looking very nice with easier navigation and better response for mobile users. Check it out!

Connecticut District May Cut School Bus Aides

This school district wants to cut aides from its buses to save money, but some parents are in opposition. What do you think? Should all school buses have aides?

TRAINS

Transit Officials Unmask New CTrain Car

Check out Calgary Transit’s sleek new car! It’s “more reliable, more spacious, more accessible with a variety of new features.”

Hyperloop Transportation Technologies Breaks Ground to Make Elon Musk’s Hyperloop a Reality

The Hyperloop is a vacuum tube that will be able to transport passengers at 800 MPH from one major city to another at a fraction of the cost of high speed rail.

Gothard Base Tunnel Freight Tests Begin

Switzerland is testing the world’s longest railway tunnel, which will have regular service by the end of the year.

Lyon to Torino TBM Completed

France is working on tunnels for a high speed railway.

First Metrolink F125 Completed

Metrolink in Los Angeles, California will have it’s first F125 Spirit diesel locomotive.

London Suburban Metro and Local Input to Franchising Proposed

The Department for Transport and Transport for London are working together to potentially create a London Suburban Metro.

Bus, train, ferry and public transport news.

STEAM TRAINS

Visitors Enjoy Steam Town on MLK Day, First of Several Free Admission Days Planned for 2016

The National Historic Site offered free admission on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, so families could come learn about the history of steam trains.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

County to Provide Free Bus Passes for Those Registering to Vote

Milwaukee County will spend up to $20,000 to provide free bus passes for voters.

DOT Secretary Foxx Outlines Infrastructure Vision

US Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx discussed the infrastructure deficit and ways to improve planning for transportation dollars.

Top 10 Reasons to Thank Congress

The American Public Transportation Association lists 10 reasons to thank the US Congress for passing the FAST Act, the first long term transportation bill in 10 years.

A Good Transport Plan for Bristol

SusTrans lays out a plan that’s greener, cheaper and more efficient than reliance on fossil fuels.

TOUR OPERATORS

Polk County Orange Juice Being Flown to Iceland to Promote Polk Country Tourism at International Travel Tradeshow

Orange juice is being flown in to the 2016 Icelandair Mid-Atlantic Trade Show to show off one of Florida’s best features.

We’d love to hear from you!  Let us know what you think about any of these topics.