Alex Goldmark

Today on Twitter the self-explanatory hashtag #ThingsNotToDoOnPublicTransportation started trending, and then kept trending for several hours, yielding a scroll of thousands of common transit pet peeves.

Based on a scan of a few hundred cathartic tweets, here is a family-friendly selection. It may guide MTA policy makers in their next outreach campaign, or just amuse you on a Monday afternoon. Tweets selected for entertainment value and frequency of complaint.

In the frequent complaint section:

Loud music.

Foul smells and personal (lack of) grooming got plenty of attention, especially nail clipping.

Falling asleep is unpopular for both the sleeper and the inadvertent pillow.

Romantic advances got plenty of attention, we'll share just this one.

Harry Potter and Star Wars tweeps got in on the game too.

And in no particular order, a few stand alone gems.

Finally, of course, big brands got in on the game too.

With the FAA sorting out how to get back up and running after a nearly two-week long partial shutdown, politicians are claiming victory and delivering their parting shots. Here's the roundup, including a vowed to use "every tool at our disposal" in the next round from Congressman John Mica.

Senator Jay Rockefeller, (D-WV) Chair of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee once again blamed republicans for playing politics.

“House Republicans made it clear they would continue to hold the entire aviation system hostage.  I deplore those tactics, but ultimately the stakes for real people are too high. Thankfully, for now, this compromise allows the FAA to restart, maintains workers’ rights, and ensures that rural airports can get the resources they need, with language that protects deserving small communities whose airports are the lifeblood of their economies."

House Transportation Committee Chair, John Mica (R-FL) issued a release with the subject "Democrats Yield to House FAA Extension."

“The American people have witnessed firsthand how truly difficult it is to bring about even modest reforms and cut wasteful programs in Washington, like $3,720 individual airline ticket subsidies...  If the Senate refuses to negotiate on the few remaining issues, they can be assured that every tool at our disposal will be utilized to ensure a long-term bill is signed into law. [underline his] ... Once again, it’s unfortunate and unfair that a few in the Senate would unnecessarily leave thousands of workers behind for the last two weeks.”

The White House statement, by comparison, reads more like sigh of relief. President Barack Obama:

"I'm pleased that Congress has passed an agreement which will allow tens of thousands of people to return to their jobs rebuilding runways and working on construction projects all over America, while removing the uncertainty hanging over the jobs of thousands of hardworking FAA employees. This impasse was an unnecessary strain on local economies across the country at a time when we can’t allow politics to get in the way of our economic recovery.  So I’m glad that this stalemate has finally been resolved."

For a recap of the main issues that caused the shutdown see our summary here, or our complete coverage here.

(Photo: Nissan)

Nissan unveiled a new charging system for its all-electric Leaf this week. The difference with this charger is that the car can power the house, not just the other way around. That's a big step forward in realizing the full potential of electric vehicles.

One of the long-promised benefits of widespread adoption of electric cars is that they could make our electric grid more efficient by acting as storage capacity for excess energy. For the most part, power grids are designed to meet peak demand, which is during the day. There is usually excess capacity at night.

Cars plugged in at night could fill their batteries to the brim. Those batteries could then deliver some of that power back to the grid during the day, easing the strain on power generation facilities and reducing the overall demand. That's called vehicle-to-grid technology. If it ever works en masse, it would also make the system more adaptable to fluctuating demand, and greener.

The Nissan Leaf's lithium-ion battery can store 24kwh, enough to power the average Japanese home for 2 days, according to the company.

So called grid-integrated electric cars have been around for years, but we haven't yet seen the newest generation of EVs like the Leaf and Chevy Volt roll out and promote the technology. This Leaf charger was unveiled at Nissan's Kan-kan-kyo demonstration house outside company headquarters in Yokohama, Japan. The company touted the technology as "part of its comprehensive efforts toward the realization of a zero-emission society."

Nissan is still working out how to integrate the charger with existing commercial grid systems. According to the University of Delaware a grid-integrated electric vehicle could earn between $1,000 and $5,000 a year for its owner as a power storage device for electric utilities.

Via PSFK

Ford Engineer Joe Stinnett Shows Smart Technology, at Ford Test Plant (Photo: Andrea Bernstein)

Dashboard consoles that warn of accident-prone intersections and suggest alternate routes.  Cars that could wirelessly order and pay for a cup of coffee as you approach a drive through cafe.  Vehicles that trade pollution credits so high-polluters cost more.

Those are some of the winners chosen by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) for their  Connected Vehicle Challenge The DOT called on academics, scientists, transit geeks and tinkerers of all types to apply Dedicated Short-Range Communications technology to transportation. It is like Wi-Fi but more secure and works with moving objects even at highway speeds.

For more on the competition see our original post from January. At the time the DOT cited research that explains why the DOT is confident that DSRC has the potential to dramatically increase safety, particularly in avoiding accidents of non-intoxicated drivers.

Out of 76 entries, RITA chose 6  winners:

From entry: Emergency Response Application of DSRC Technology

Matthew Henchey and Tejswaroop Geetla of the University of Buffalo applied DSRC to first responders. Their entry, Emergency Response Application of DSRC Technology envisions a real-time accident awareness system that accelerates emergency response and assists with traffic management. Vehicles in a six-car pileup automatically inform emergency responders and traffic management centers, for instance, letting dispatchers know before the first 911 call and hinting at the scope of an accident.

From entry: Connected Vehicle Proactive Driving

Sakura Associates, submitted a Connected Vehicle Proactive Driving entry that collects locations and types of accidents to help drivers choose safer routes. A driver is alerted to an upcoming intersection with frequent rear-end accidents, and, could presumably chose an alternate route.

From Entry: Using DSRC Signals for Improving Vehicle Position Estimates

U.C. Riverside's Using DSRC Signals for Improving Vehicle Position Estimates combines GPS and DSRC located in places like traffic lights to make location measurements on your dashboard GPS accurate to within one meter.

This is similar to U.C. Berkeley's entry:

From entry: R-GPS: Enhancing GPS Accuracy and Security using DSRC

R-GPS: Enhancing Accuracy and Security using DSRC uses nearby cars to correct GPS locations. This is useful "correct illegally jammed" GPS signals, the researchers say. Increasing the accuracy of GPS is vital to achieve several long term Federal Highway Authority ITS goals.

Another finalist, from the Univ. of Illinois proposes to use the technology to stem pollution. Pollution Credit Trading in Vehicle Ad Hoc Networks. Doug Lundquist suggests an automated system for trading pollution credits among vehicles in which the level of pollution allowed per vehicle is capped and credits are given to less-polluting vehicles. A low emissions vehicle can accumulate credits that it automatically sells to a higher emissions vehicle.

The most sweeping entry, Clemson's Integrated Intelligent Transportation Platorm, envisions a complete travel experience guided by DSRC features, from reserving and planning electric vehicle charging stops for longer trips, to buying and paying for a cup of coffee by speaking to your dashboard while driving. They made this 11 minute video showing off all the features.

One person from each winning team will get to be an honored speaker at the 18th World Congress on Intelligent Transportation Systems in Orlando this fall.

After 40 years of retrenchment, the bus industry is making a comeback -- in a big way, according to research from DePaul University. As we've reported before, discount curbside buses are currently the fastest growing mode of intercity transportation in the U.S. A new survey released Monday finds that bus passengers are overwhelmingly young, and they are being diverted from rail, even more than they are from driving.

"We estimate the curbside sector has grown to more than 400 daily departures. And that's big. That means it has become almost a third of the size of the national intercity bus network" of Greyhound, said Joseph Schwieterman, the director of the Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development at DePaul University. "There's over 60 points served now [by curbside buses] and there's five major hubs. It has grown from a baby industry to an industry that has blanketed the Midwest and a good chunk of the Northeast."

At the heart of the increase in popularity of intercity buses are two companies, Bolt Bus and Megabus, each owned by traditional bus operators. To find out just who is riding this new breed of motorcoach, Lauren A. Fischer and Schwieterman led a team of DePaul researchers to survey more than 1,000 bus riders, mostly from those two companies.

According to their report, the portrait of a curbside discount bus rider is younger, under 35, traveling for leisure or personal reasons, and tech savvy. "They're mainly younger people traveling on personal business." The survey found that 72 percent of Bolt and Megabus riders were under 35. Almost half of all riders were 18-25 years old. That's actually a diversification.

(DePaul University)

"When the sector first started, it really was just almost exclusively younger people. Now we're seeing new demographic sectors coming to the bus. But it's still dominated by young people," said Schwieterman.

Many of those are young people who just wouldn't travel without these buses. More than one in five passengers said that if it weren't for the curbside bus, they wouldn't be traveling. So these buses are generating new trips with their low fares--as low as $1 in some cases.

Fischer said, "in the Midwest we have a bit of a phenomenon, in that these buses offer service to a lot of places where Amtrak doesn't go, so it's giving people new travel options for places like Cincinnati which is not that easy to get to from Chicago on a common carrier."

In addition to creating new travel, Bolt and Megabus are also snagging trips some from trains, planes and automobiles according to the survey.

"Amtrak has lost a lot of business because of these bus companies," Shwieterman said.

(DePaul University)

When asked what other mode of transportation riders would have taken if not curbside bus, rail was the most common answer, at 28 percent. In the popular Northeast corridor, 34 percent of bus riders said they would have otherwise been riding Amtrak.

Personal travel growth has outpaced business growth, he said. Buses are "winning away a lot of these passengers who are not on expense reimbursements."

At the end of the day, price drives decision. "Word has spread," said Joe Schwieterman, who explains that Bolt Bus and Megabus have extremely high brand recognition now with travelers as the cheap, but reliable way to travel certain routes.

But these findings don't necessarily spell doom, or even a problem, for Amtrak. The rail company uses dynamic pricing, and trains regularly hit capacity. As the most price-sensitive passengers shift to buses, some new passengers will decide to take Amtrak, Schwieterman admitted.

Cliff Coles, an Amtrak spokesman, wouldn't discuss the study because he had not had time to review it thoroughly, but he pointed to Amtrak's record ridership recently and said, in an email, "Amtrak is aware of other modes of transportation as options to travel, but still considers rail travel as the hassle-free method to travel along the Northeast Corridor with the addition of free Wi-Fi service on all Acela Express trains. Our ridership figures demonstrate our growing popularity."

Robert Puentes, senior fellow at the Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institution, doesn't think this is a problem for Amtrak. "Those who are being diverted are probably those who have time to spare." He sees it as positive that more people are taking discount buses.

Airlines, however, "are really between a rock and a hard place... short haul flights are becoming less attractive all the time," Schwieterman said. And with mounting fuel costs, airport fees and the security line delays, it's getting harder and harder for airlines to compete with the bus, or even the train, on short trips.

We knew this was coming, but here's the official announcement just out from the DOT on President Obama's new tougher Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) standards.

Full report coming soon.

Press Release from the DOT:

President Obama Announces Historic 54.5 mpg Fuel Efficiency Standard
Consumers will save $1.7 trillion at the pump, $8K per vehicle by 2025

WASHINGTON, DC – President Obama today announced a historic agreement with twelve major automakers to pursue the next phase in the Administration’s national vehicle program, increasing fuel economy to 54.5 miles per gallon for cars and light-duty trucks by Model Year 2025. The President was joined by GM, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Hyundai, BMW, Volvo, Mazda, Mitsubishi and Jaguar – which together account for over 90% of all vehicles sold in the United States – as well as the United Auto Workers (UAW), and the State of California, who were integral to developing this agreement.

“This agreement on fuel standards represents the most important step we’ve ever taken as a nation to reduce our dependence on foreign oil,” said President Obama. “Many of these companies were part of an agreement we reached two years ago to raise the fuel efficiency of their cars over the next five years. By 2025, the average fuel economy of their vehicles will nearly double to almost 55 miles per gallon.”

Building on the Obama administration’s agreement for Model Years 2012-2016 vehicles, which will raise fuel efficiency to 35.5 mpg and begin saving families money at the pump this year, the next round of standards will require performance equivalent to 54.5 mpg by 2025.

These programs combined with the model year 2011 light truck standard represent the first meaningful update to fuel efficiency standards in three decades and span Model Years 2011 to 2025. Together, they will save American families $1.7 trillion dollars at the pump, and by 2025 result in an average fuel savings of over $8,000 per vehicle. Additionally, these programs will dramatically cut oil consumption, saving a total of 12 billion barrels of oil, and by 2025 reduce oil consumption by more than 4 million barrels of oil a day – more than America currently imports from the Persian Gulf, Venezuela, and Russia combined.

The standards also curb carbon pollution, cutting more than 6 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas over the life of the program – equivalent to an entire year’s worth of carbon dioxide emissions from the United States. The oil savings, consumer, and environmental benefits of this comprehensive program are detailed in a new report, Driving Efficiency:  Cutting Costs for Families at the Pump and Slashing Dependence on Oil, which the Administration released today.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) have worked closely with auto manufacturers, the state of California, environmental groups, and other stakeholders for several months to ensure these standards are achievable, cost-effective and preserve consumer choice.  The program would increase the stringency of standards for passenger cars by an average of five percent each year. The stringency of standards for pick-ups and other light-duty trucks would increase an average of 3.5 percent annually for the first five model years and an average of five percent annually for the last four model years of the program, to account for the unique challenges associated with this class of vehicles.

“This is another important step toward saving money for drivers, breaking our dependence on imported oil and cleaning up the air we breathe,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “American consumers are calling for cleaner cars that won’t pollute their air or break their budgets at the gas pump, and our innovative American automakers are responding with plans for some of the most fuel efficient vehicles in our history.”

“These standards will help spur economic growth and job creation, protect the environment, and strengthen our national security by reducing America’s dependence on foreign oil,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Working together, we are setting the stage for a new generation of clean vehicles.”

A national policy on fuel economy standards and greenhouse gas emissions provides regulatory certainty and flexibility that reduces the cost of compliance for auto manufacturers while addressing oil consumption and harmful air pollution. Consumers will continue to have access to a diverse fleet and can purchase the vehicle that best suits their needs.

EPA and NHTSA are developing a joint proposed rulemaking, which will include full details on the proposed program and supporting analyses, including the costs and benefits of the proposal and its effects on the economy, auto manufacturers, and consumers. After the proposed rules are published in the Federal Register, there will be an opportunity for public comment and public hearings. The agencies plan to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking by the end of September 2011. California plans on adopting its proposed rule in the same time frame as the federal proposal.

So much for the silver lining to the FAA partial shutdown. When the agency's authority expired at midnight on Saturday airlines were no longer required to collect federal taxes, creating a tax holiday for fliers. But then the airlines moved in.

Nearly all the major carriers have raised fares to capture what could have been a price break for consumers. According to other airlines, US Airways and American Airlines each raised fares on Friday even before FAA authority expired.

"American adjusted its prices so the bottom line price of a ticket remains the same as it was before -- prior to the expiration of federal excise taxes, etc.," Ed Martelle of American Airlines said in an emailed statement to Transportation Nation.  He added, "I am told by our pricing department that all major airlines ... have done the same thing, with the exception of Alaska Airlines (current as of Monday morning)."

Airlines do not discuss pricing decisions typically. When asked for an explanation, Martelle wrote, "American cannot discuss the “why” of this situation, nor discuss any future pricing actions that may, or may not, happen.  The Department of Justice considers that possible price signaling to competitors."

SouthWest told Transportation Nation,"We did implement a system wide fare increase of $4 each-way and we will keep the 7.5% excise tax as part of the ticket price — our Customers will not see an increase or decrease in fares. These decisions were made in light of the recent industry change in aviation tax collections and will help offset industry cost pressures — such as the rising expense of fuel."

Delta said simply, "we are competitive with other airlines on fares following the FAA expiration."

United, now merged with Continental, made the move out as an industry standard, "United Airlines and Continental Airlines matched fare changes initiated by other carriers  over the weekend."

Not all airlines followed suit though. Spirit Airlines issued this press release (which actually does a solid job explaining FAA tax structure) chiding competitors for their lack of generosity:

Since the partial shutdown began, "effective immediately, Spirit is passing along all of these tax rollback savings to its customers. Some carriers have not been so generous and have pocketed the difference in taxes in the form of higher fares."

Hawaiian, Alaska, Frontier had also not raised fares as of Monday, while Virgin America was taking the occasion to post on Facebook about lower fares.

The taxes in question are a 7.5 percent ticket tax, a separate excise tax of $3.70 per domestic takeoff and landing, and a $16.70 international . Those add up to about $32 on a round-trip itinerary with base fare of $240 and one stop in each direction according to the AP. The FAA will lose approximately $200 million a week in taxes that would have gone into an air travel trust fund, according to figures from FAA administrator Randy Babbitt.

(Photo (cc) by Flickr user Ack Ook)

The Federal Aviation Authority is headed for a partial shutdown at midnight Friday, when the agency's operating authority expires. Thousands of workers will be furloughed and airline ticket prices will drop temporarily.

The Senate adjourned without passing the agency's 21st authorization extension after failing to resolve a partisan dispute over a provision making it more difficult for railroad and airline workers to unionize as well as a proposal to remove subsidies for rural airports.

Without legislation granting the FAA to operate as a federal agency, it will not be able to collect airline taxes. About 4,000 employees will be furloughed. Their salaries are paid out of the $200 million a week in airline ticket tax revenue. The Department of Transportation also said that $2.5 billion in airport construction work will be halted.

Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood said he was disappointed that Congress failed to pass the legislation. “Because of their inaction, states and airports won’t be able to work on their construction projects, and too many people will have to go without a paycheck.  This is no way to run the best aviation system in the world.”

Air traffic controllers and other safety-related FAA workers will stay on the job.

In fact, the only direct affect passengers are likely to notice will be lower prices.  Ticket costs will drop as airlines stop charging taxes at midnight. The price of a flight could fall by between 10 and 20 percent on typical flights according to one estimate from the Air Transport Association and a scan of airfares posted on airline websites.

The FAA last received long term operating authority in 2007.  Since then, Congress has granted the agency an extension 20 times without incident. The unusual Congressional deadlock over this extension is centered around two points: labor rights and rural subsidies.

In April, the National Mediation Board issued a ruling making it easier for rail and airline workers to unionize. House Republicans objected and responded by including a provision overturning the ruling in a revised long-term FAA authorization bill. The Senate had already passed their own version of a long-term bill, but without the labor provision. That became a sticking point.

So, with no long term bill agreed upon, a 21st short-term extension was necessary. But on Wednesday when the House passed their version of the extension, House Transportation Committee Chair, John Mica (R - Fla.) included a provision that removed several airports from the Essential Air Service program, which subsidizes rural airports.

His provision removes the subsidy for airports if they get more than a $1,000 subsidy per passenger. Three airports fit that criteria in Nevada, Montana, and New Mexico, according to a statement from Mica. "At Ely, Nevada, for example, every single airline ticket is underwritten $3,720 by federal taxpayers," the statement said. Mica's changes would also eliminate funds for another 10 so-called EAS communities because they are too far from hub airports. In all that would save an about $16.6 million, Mica says.

The cuts would reduce funding to the states of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), and Senate Commerce Committee Chair Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), whose committee oversees the FAA.

Rockefeller vociferously opposed the amendments and Senate Democratic leadership declined to bring up the FAA extension at all. Mica issued a statement calling that "unbelieveable" and saying, " in light of the nation’s pending financial disaster and soaring deficits, they couldn’t find a way to cut even a few million dollars by accepting this minor request to reduce outlandish subsidies."

The earliest the issue can be taken up again is on Monday, when the Senate next meets.

(UPDATED with data from the MTA on actual transit ridership)

The New York baseball rivalry spreads to a transit search site! In honor of the Yankees-Mets subway series earlier this month, the folks at HopStop crunched some numbers on how fans travel to New York stadia, and it's a Yankee town, sort of.

The trip planning website HopStop.com breaks down how often people used their site for directions to Yankee Stadium and to Citi Field. They also map out from which neighborhoods people traveled to games with mostly expected results.

As the chart above shows, far more Yankee fans sought out transit directions to ball games than Mets fans. The percentages account for the difference in number of games, but not in attendance.

That muddies the findings as far more people go to Yankee games (Editorial Note: though I am a third generation Yankee fan, I will do my utmost to refrain commenting on the relative merits of the teams, or posit theories about why it is that more people go to Yankee games). The 27-time world champion Yankees get an average of 44,000 people for each game compared to the Mets 29,000. Taking that into account, they're almost tied for which team is more transit friendly. That's assuming we can use HopStop searches as a proxy for taking transit.

The hard data from the NYC MTA backs this up. The MTA has previously told Transportation Nation that about 37 percent of Yankee fans take the subway to games, about 15,400 per game. After factoring in Metro-North commuter rail, buses, and even ferries, the percentage who take transit rises to about 45 percent. The figure for Mets games, according to the MTA, is 25-30 percent, not including LIRR regional rail, for an average game and 30-35 percent for subway series games. That last fact indicates that the Yankees fans going to Citi Field are more likely to take transit than Mets fans going to Citi Field.

The HopStop numbers point to slightly lower rates of transit ridership to Mets games, with a couple caveats. For one, it's pretty likely to imagine more fans, especially from Queens, drive to Citi field because it's a lot easier to park and drive around Flushing Meadows than the South Bronx. Also, the number of searches doesn't equate to the number of transit trips. It's a simpler transit trip to Citi field. You take the 7 train all the way there. Yankee Stadium has the B/D, 4, lines, Metro-North and if you like walking, the A/C. So optimizing your options is a more complex calculation, something you'd turn to HopStop for.

Where the HopStop data really start to show interesting results are the origin points of the searches. See their maps here.

For one, the home boroughs of the Bronx and Queens weren't the most dominant to their respective teams--probably because people who live there have the least need for directions.

Check out Brooklyn, which sent the most total searches to Citi.

And Manhattan, where people would be searching from their offices, and tourists from their hotels, well, that's Yankee country.

Maybe the next Census could ask which team you support, then we could get some conclusive maps.

Work crews chip away at the Mulholland Drive bridge over the southbound lanes of the 405 freeway. The demolition required an unprecedented 53-hour shutdown of the key southern California freeway, marking the first time the highway has been silent in more than 50 years.

It seems odd to make a banner headline out of smooth flowing freeways, but the city of LA is pleasantly mystified at the lack of traffic this weekend, billed as Carmageddon. The precious 405 highway and the city did not grind to a halt, in fact alternate routes weren't even jammed. The NYT is reporting on idle traffic cops around the city watching empty roads. Depending on how you look at it, the hype was either misguided hysteria, or effective and necessary, working so well that drivers fled the city and holed up at home in such numbers that crisis was averted.

For a better sense of the project and why the shutdown happened see Friday's post. But for now, join Angelenos and marvel and the bizarre glory of open pavement in car city.

Here are a few carmageddon photos, and videos for a visual roundup of the non-event in Los Angeles. You could actually watch portions of the 405 have almost no traffic on CalTrans live traffic cams.

Here's a sampling captured to You Tube late Sunday morning.

A California Highway Patrol vehicle straddles a quiet 405 freeway.

Flickr user i be GINZ took this on the 405N near Inglewood, writing "Awesome. Zero traffic on the 405N. Carmageddon should happen more often."

Traffic Police had little to do around town. (Photo (cc) by Flickr user Malingering)

The dreaded intersection of the 10 and the 405, blissfully swift as captured by Flickr user johnathanhstrauss.

And in a weekend of unexpected transportation events, a bike team raced an airplane and won. The LA bike team, Wolfpack, doubled down on JetBlue's opportunism and raced the airline's special $4 flight from Burbank to Long Beach. They blogged about it here. This is what they looked like:

Burbank to Long Beach, Bikes: 1:34, Flight Passenger 2:50 (Photo: (cc) Flickr user Waltarrrrr)

If you have videos or more pictures send them to us at transponation at gmail, or post them in the comments. Some funny videos are already starting to pop up on You Tube.

(Photo (cc) by Flickr user rbglasson)

The nation's oldest continuously operating ferry boat service will shut down after 356 years due to budget cuts in Connecticut.

Historical archives say the Rocky Hill Ferry has been crossing the Connecticut River since 1655. It was privately operated, mostly by local families under state charter, for 260 years before being adopted by the state in 1915. It is currently operated by the Connecticut Department of Transportation.

The state historic landmark marker posted at the site of the ferry (photo below) reads:

"Since 1655, public transportation across the Connecticut River has been provided at this site ... Motive power has been supplied at various times by poles, oars, a horse treadmill and a steam engine."

The Connecticut DOT website states:

"At one time, a horse on a treadmill in the center of the craft supplied the power to propel the craft across the river. In 1876, the ferry was "modernized" into a steam driven craft.  Today's craft is an open flatboat named the "Hollister III".  The three-car barge is towed back and forth by the "Cumberland," a diesel powered towboat."

The Ferry service costs about $345,000 to operate, according to local press reports. Governor Dannel Malloy has put the Rocky Hill and Chester-Hadlyme ferries--in operation 242 years--on the chopping block as part of an effort to close a $1.6 billion budget gap. Employees have been notified their jobs will be eliminated and service halted on August 25.

(Photo (cc) by Flickr user dougtone)

If anyone knows what the new oldest continuously operating ferry is, please post in comments.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation secretary Ray LaHood was in Syracuse, New York, on Monday, touting two pilot programs that have reduced distracted driving through increased police enforcement.

LaHood took the occasion to call for more money for traffic police to replicate the efforts elsewhere.

The pilot programs were meant to determine if increased "high-visibility enforcement" of distracted driving laws would reduce the practice.

At the start of the program last year, Transportation Nation went to Syracuse and rode along with one of the traffic officers. At the time, our reporter observed that not more than six minutes went by without a driver passing while talking or texting on a cell phone.

Under the pilot program, Syracuse stepped up ticketing of distracted driving, even assigning officers to overtime to ticket as many driving texters as they could and using DUI-style check points.  There was a public awareness campaign with snappy slogans like, "a cell phone in one hand, a ticket in the other." Hartford had a similar program.

Both cities issued almost 10,000 tickets during the past year. Hartford saw a 57 percent drop in talking on the phone while driving and a72 percent fall in texting while driving. In Syracuse there was a 33 percent drop overall.

The cities paid for the pilots with a mix of federal and state grants. Each city received $200,000 in federal money and $100,000 in state funds. LaHood took the occasion today to call for more money for this kind of enforcement. He said cash strapped police departments aren't likely to find the money for this kind of project without state and federal help. But the safety benefits are worth it he says.

According to the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration, more than 5,000 people were killed, and nearly half a million were injured because of distracted driving in 2009. The overall number of crashes and deaths due to cell phone use while driving has been declining since a peak in 2007.

The DOT has announced yet another rail grant. It's been an active week in funding, and once again the announcement highlights job creation along side the intended transportation improvement.

Full Press Release:

U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood Announces $72.8 Million for Massachusetts to Cut Travel Time by Nearly 30 Minutes on Amtrak's Growing Vermonter Line

WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced travel time on Amtrak’sVermonter line will be cut by nearly 30 minutes through a $72.8 million grant to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.  The project will restore a rail line, improving 50 miles of track and infrastructure on a direct route from Springfield to East Northfield, MA along the Connecticut River Valley.

“Thanks to President Obama’s commitment to create jobs and strengthen our manufacturing sector, these dollars are delivering more than 200 new jobs along with the purchase of 50 miles of American-made steel rails,” said Secretary Ray LaHood.  “Coupled with previous federal investments along the Vermonter line, these improvements will bring almost a one hour reduction in travel time for passengers traveling in Vermont and Massachusetts.”

With more than a sixteen percent ridership increase in 2010, the Vermonter line operates between St. Albans, VT and Washington, DC.  The Massachusetts portion of the rail line dates back to the mid-1800’s.  After track conditions deteriorated in the 1980’s, Amtrak service was shifted to a rail line farther east.  Work to restore the original passenger route on Pan Am Southern Railway’s Connecticut River mainline also includes construction of two new stations in Greenfield and Northampton, MA.

Progress on the Vermonter service began last year with a $50 million grant to the Vermont Agency of Transportation, improving 190 miles of track between St. Albans and Vernon, shaving 30 minutes off of travel time within Vermont.  Long-term, the investments in Vermont and Massachusetts will also increase reliability and for future expansion of service to Montreal, Quebec.

The sexual assault case against former International Monetary Fund head Dominique Strauss-Kahn is possibly on the verge of collapse this morning, according to an article from our partner The New York Times. The Times reports that the maid—who accused Strauss-Kahn of sexually assaulting her at a Manhattan hotel in May—may have lied about her asylum application, and may have been involved in drug dealing and money laundering. Strauss-Kahn is headed to court this morning, where his legal team is expected to ask for his bail conditions to be relaxed. 

A new poll by CBS and our partner the New York Times shows that Americans are split on whether owning a home is a safe investment. 49 percent of those polled said it was, while 45 percent said that owning a home in this economic climate is risky. Despite that, nearly nine in ten Americans said that home ownership is vital to the American Dream. We asked Takeaway listeners whether or not they feel optimistic about buying a home right now, or if it's a smarter and safer bet to rent, and rounded up their responses. 

(Photo: Amtrak Locomotive (cc) by Flickr User Slideshow Bruce)

UPDATED WITH DOT RESPONSE (see below)

The U.S. Department of Transportation is loaning Amtrak more than half a billion dollars to buy new locomotives for the Northeast and Keystone Corridors. This will pay for first fleet upgrade in the Northeast since Acela service was introduced a decade ago.

This is big news, in part because federal money for Amtrak is rarely for new equipment. State of good repair projects— like signal upgrades, bridge repairs, switch maintenance—generally rise to the top of the federal funding list. Today's announced loan is also the largest, by leaps and bounds, so far issued under an obscure and, some say, underused federal loan program that has not been tapped to its full potential thus far.

"This type of loan will allow Amtrak to move ahead today to purchase equipment to improve service on the Northeast Corridor and create jobs when we need them the most," said Petra Todorovich, Director of America 2050.

Amtrak's President Joseph Boardman said in a statement that the loan means that "Amtrak’s purchase of 70 new, energy efficient and higher performing electric locomotives is fully funded."

The new Siemens locomotives will be built in the United States, creating 250 manufacturing jobs, and will replace units that have been in service for 20-30 years, with an average of 3.5 million miles traveled. The new locomotives will enter service in 2013.

This purchase is part of a larger fleet strategy plan (details pasted below) from Amtrak that also involves almost $300 million for 130 passenger cars for long distance trains.

The $562.9 million loan is the largest to date in the history of the Railroad Rehabilitation & Improvement Financing (RRIF) Program. In fact, this loan nearly matches all previous loans under the $35 billion program since it began in 2000. Including Wednesday's announced loan. Just $1.66 billion has been allocated, less than five percent of available funds.

"This is a program that has been underutilized. So it's heartening to see the U.S. DOT putting the program to use," said Todorovich.

RRIF allows railroads, government agencies and rail shippers to receive 35 year loans at government interest rates, extremely favorable financing terms for businesses that can get them. Most of the money so far has gone to freight railroads.

The catch is, that not many have done so. Advocates for newer rail construction, particularly high-speed rail, have called for the program to ease the collateral requirements as one way to facilitate more RRIF lending.

From a DOT spokesperson:

‪‪The $35 billion is the cap amount available.  When a loan is paid in full (not as they are paid down over time), the principal amount lent is then added back to available funds for lending activities.

The RRIF program has not made a change in lending philosophy and continues to receive applications on a continuous basis.  FRA holds many pre-application meetings each month to potential borrowers to assist in ensuring they understand the program and how it might work for their project.  The most recent changes in the credit markets (making it more difficult to finance capital improvements and at higher rates) has made RRIF more attractive to various types of borrowers.
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‪The RRIF program offers very favorable terms for borrowers especially when compared to terms offered in the private sector via commercial financing.  RRIF loans can be made for a term up to 35 years and the interest rates charged are basically the cost of financing to the government (i.e. treasury rates) which are far lower than normal financing costs.
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‪Lastly, the current RRIF statistics are:  30 loans with a total financing of $1,659,949,761.
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From Amtrak:

NEW AMTRAK ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVESFOR NORTHEAST AND KEYSTONE CORRIDORSUpdated Fleet Strategy PlanIn April 2011, Amtrak released its updated Fleet Strategy Plan that analyzes the company’s need to replace its existing conventional and high-speed fleet and manage capacity to meet the forecasted growth in ridership across its national network.The report lays out the basis for recapitalizing the entire fleet over a period of time in a manner that will not only provide new and modern equipment for passengers, but will also develop and sustain the domestic production capacity needed for the long term viability of intercity passenger rail in the United States.The $465.9 million contract for 70 electric locomotives is a key element of the Fleet Strategy Plan and follows another major equipment procurement of a $298 million contract to build 130 single-level passenger rail cars to support growing ridership on its long-distance trains.Electric Locomotives Contract and BenefitsAs part of this comprehensive plan to modernize and expand its fleet of equipment, Amtrak has purchased 70 new electric locomotives to provide improved performance and reliability for its Northeast intercity passenger rail services.The first Amtrak Cities Sprinter ACS-64 electric locomotive is to be delivered in 2013 and will operate at speeds up to 125 mph (201 kph) on the Northeast Corridor from Washington, D.C. to Boston and up to 110 mph (177 kph) on the Keystone Corridor from Philadelphia to Harrisburg, Pa. They will replace locomotives in service between 20 and 30 years with average mileage of 3.5 million miles traveled.The six-year, $465.9 million contract was awarded to Siemens Mobility and will create 250 jobs primarily at a facility in Sacramento, California, but also at plants in Norwood, Ohio and Alpharetta, Georgia.FundingThe Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) loan from the Federal Railroad Administration totals $562.9 million and includes $465.9 million for the 70 electric locomotives and $97 million for maintenance facility upgrades and spare parts.Amtrak projects that improved ticket revenue from more reliable locomotives can fund the debt service payments to repay this loan.Amtrak has worked strategically to improve its financial performance across a number of measurements, including successfully reducing its debt by half since 2002 to about $2 billion at the end of FY 2010.

This just in from the DOT.

The federal government is loaning Amtrak more than half a billion dollars to buy 70 American-built, energy-efficient locomotives from Siemens. The loan is intended to help Amtrak improve frequency and reliability along the Northeast Corridor where service has been especially poor in recent weeks.

The move will create 250 jobs according to the DOT.

Full Press Release:

DOT Announces $562.9 Million AMTRAK Loan for 70 Locomotives to Run on Northeast Corridor

American Manufacturers Get a Boost From U.S. Department of Transportation Financing Plan

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced a $562.9 million loan to Amtrak under the Federal Railroad Administration’s Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) program that will create hundreds of manufacturing jobs across several states. This is the largest loan issued through the RRIF program to date, and the dollars will finance the purchase of 70 high-performance, electric locomotives from Siemens Industry USA. These locomotives are more energy-efficient and will enable Amtrak to improve frequency, performance and reliability for regional and intercity routes along the Northeast and Keystone Corridors.

“President Obama has a bold vision to provide Americans with a world-class, passenger rail network, while giving American manufacturers and suppliers nationwide an opportunity to get into the rail business,” said Secretary LaHood. “The Obama Administration is committed to making strategic, long-term investments that create jobs and boost the economy now, and this financing plan is already putting Americans back to work at assembly plants and supply companies in Ohio, Pennsylvania, California and Georgia.”

Siemens Industry USA is adding 250 new manufacturing jobs in order to design and build 70 new energy-efficient locomotives for Amtrak. Three of Siemens’ U.S. manufacturing plants will deliver the equipment order, with traction motors and gear units being produced in Norwood, OH, traction converters and braking choppers being built in Alpharetta, GA, and final assembly of the locomotives in Sacramento, CA. The RRIF loan will also upgrade maintenance facilities and allow for the purchase of spare parts needed to support the new locomotives.

Suppliers from communities around the country will soon be tapped by Siemens Industry USA to provide components for the order, further boosting U.S. manufacturing. For example, PHW, Inc. a company based in East Pittsburgh, PA, has already been contracted to manufacture safety-related parts for the locomotives.

“The RRIF program is a model of how we can leverage federal dollars to spur private investment and build up the economy,” said Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph C. Szabo. “It provides steady, affordable financing for major rail construction and expansion projects, and best of all, it comes at zero cost to the taxpayer.”

As part of a comprehensive plan to modernize and expand its fleet of equipment, the 70 Amtrak Cities Sprinter ACS-64 locomotives – still in the final design phase – will replace existing units that have been in service for 20-30 years with an average of 3.5 million miles traveled. The electric locomotives will begin operating along regional and intercity routes in 2013 on the Northeast and Keystone Corridors, which together serve more than one million Amtrak passengers every month.

The Federal Railroad Administration’s RRIF program provides direct loans and loan guarantees through $35 billion available for railroads to acquire, improve, or rehabilitate rail and intermodal equipment, infrastructure or facilities. RRIF offers a responsible approach to supplementing capital investment for all types of railroads. For more information about the RRIF program, please visit www.fra.dot.gov.

A small Minneapolis company is supporting cycling by making it easier to fix your bike while out on the road. Bike Fixtation has installed its first bike repair vending machine (pictured below) at Minneapolis' Uptown Transit Station.

The self-service vending machine will be accessible, just like the transit station, from 6am-midnight every day of the year, ensuring an off-hours place to pick up an inner tube, patch kit, or even a headlight.

This first location was chosen because it's along Minneapolis' Midtown Greenway, a 5.5 mile bike-only path built over an unused and reclaimed railway. It's part of a pro-bike initiative that helped earn the frigid northern city accolades for its ease of urban cycling, including the honor of the #1 bike city in America according to Bicycling magazine.

The inventors behind Bike Fixtation hope to expand beyond the Greenway. There's a second location in planning now, and they are promoting the sale of the customized vending machines to bike shops and other entrepreneurs who want to replicate the idea. They suggest a fixtation as a way to extend the hours of a shop, or brand a bike business in a hip new way.

Each vending machine comes with a bike repair stand and a self-contained compressed air tire inflator. The company can also supply other services like help choosing, sourcing and stocking the contents, as well as an extra advertising opportunity by putting the shop's name on the machine's side.

In addition to bike parts, the first vending machine open for business also offers snacks and sunscreen.

Via GOOD.

Manhattan's numbered waffle iron street grid makes central New York one of the easier global cities to navigate by foot. But that doesn't mean walkers don't need a little help, especially in the outer boroughs and Lower Manhattan, where right angles are scarce and the streets twist and tangle like the Indian paths that, in some cases, they are based on. According to a survey by the city Department of Transportation, nine percent of New Yorkers and 27 percent of visitors admitted to being lost in the past week. The DOT wants to help those people—and encourage more walking—with a system of "wayfinding" signs for pedestrians.

It's not all about tourists either. Thirteen percent of local New Yorkers were not familiar with the area where they were surveyed. Many couldn't point to north.  So the idea is to place directional signage and easily readable maps with walking directions at transit points to guide pedestrians, especially after they emerge from the disorienting underground of the subway.

The DOT issued a request for proposals for a single integrated wayfinding system that will be piloted in four New York City districts: Long Island City, Queens; Prospect Heights/Crown Heights, Brooklyn; and Chinatown and parts of Midtown, Manhattan.

“As our streets become safer, more inviting places, it’s even more important that a common language unite these spaces and open them up in new and exciting ways,” said Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan. “An information system that points the way to key destinations knits together neighborhoods and makes local businesses even more accessible.”

Wayfinding can also direct pedestrians to take commercial streets, upping retail sales, or encourage people to walk longer distances, relieving transit congestion. Some of the sample wayfinding images released by the DOT for explanatory purposes show maps with walking times to encourage people to hoof it instead of hopping on the subway for one or two stops.

Some neighborhoods are ripe for visitor guidance, like Long Island City, Queens, which is in the midst of a transformation from an industrial district to a residential one, with an increasing number of restaurant and entertainment destinations, said Gayle Baron, president of the Long Island City Partnership. “The neighborhood is home to thousands of additional residents, 16 new hotels, and expanded restaurant and retail offerings... It is an ideal time to help residents, visitors and employees navigate our often confusing street grid through improved pedestrian signage.” And if people don't get lost, their more likely to come back.

Chinatown boosters hope that pedestrian signs will show how close—and how easy to walk to—Chinatown is from the Brooklyn Bridge and City Hall, encouraging more people will combine visits. Wellington Chen, Executive Director of the Chinatown Partnership says, "pedestrian signs would make our neighborhood more accessible to visitors and locals alike. The street grid can be confusing, even to people who live here.”

Thirty-one percent of all trips in New York City are made by foot.

The deadline to respond to the RFP is July 27.