My Other Transit Blog MARTAwatcher

For those of you missing my mini-essays, I've had to consolidate and focus on local. I was getting overwhelmed being a collection center for transit news from around the world and I forgot what "outside" looked like, so please understand and enjoy my MARTAwatcher blog for all you Atliens.

http://martawatcher.blogspot.com/

D.C. - Bus riders get gifts from Secret Santa

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) -- A woman hopped aboard buses, greeted passengers with "Merry Christmas" and handed each an envelope containing a card and a $50 bill before stepping off and repeating the process on another bus.

She did it so quickly that descriptions of the woman varied among surprised Spokane Transit Authority passengers on several routes Thursday, The Spokesman-Review newspaper reported Friday.

"She kind of kept her head down. I don't remember ever seeing this lady before," said bus driver Max Clemons.

"I had a young man in the back of the bus. He looked like he was going to start crying. He said in broken English, 'She don't know how much this will mean to me at Christmas,'" Clemons said.

Transit authority spokesman Dan Kolbet said efforts to identify the gift-giver were unsuccessful. Her generosity didn't appear to be part of a marketing gimmick, he said.

The woman gave envelopes to about 20 passengers, he said. Each was sealed with a sticker that said: "To a friend from a friend."

The woman, accompanied by one or two young boys, pulled the envelopes out of a cloth satchel. The buses were pulling away from stops before riders even knew what happened.

"There was a lot of excitement. People were making calls on their cell phones," said driver Terry Dobson, who had two of his trips visited by the mystery woman. "The people on those buses really needed the money."

Hours after the impromptu gift-giving, Dobson was still giddy.

"It was just a neat thing," he said. "It makes you tingle all over."

Atlanta - MARTA single tracking this weekend

WEEKEND OF DECEMBER 9 - 10, 2006 Trains will operate every 15 minutes on the North/South Line on Saturday, December 9, 2006 and Sunday, December 10, 2006. Anyone traveling from North Springs to the Airport or from the Airport to North Springs will have to change trains at Lindbergh Center. Single tracking will occur at Five Points, Peachtree Center, and Civic Center Stations. Rail Lines Affected: North-South Train Frequency: Every 15 minutes
Trains will operate every 25 minutes on the East/West Line on Sunday, December 10, 2006. Single tracking will occur at West Lake, Ashby, and Vine City Stations. Rail Lines Affected: East-West Train Frequency: Every 25 minutes

Chicago - Calls for conductors after chaotic evacuation

The Chicago Transit Authority, which phased out train conductors in 2000, is facing heavy pressure to bring conductors back after a train derailed in a blue line subway on July 11 causing chaos as 1,000 passengers evacuated without any employees or announcements to guide their way. A camera system has been proposed to keep transit officials informed on real-time conditions of the trains, but Alderman Isaac Carothers says,

"I have never seen a camera yet carry somebody off a train."

Alderman Freddrenna Lyle added,

"We know money is short everywhere. However, we also know there is no dollar value to place on human lives. ... We are not looking at reinstating a conductor on every train, but the ones that are in the subways, we really think we need another body."

Gary Washburn - Chicago Tribune

Lennon new GM for TSA's Mass Transit Sector

The Transit Security Administration today named Paul J. Lennon to run its Mass Transit sector, which involves representing the agency on issues regarding mass transit and acting as the agency's chief liaison with the transit industry. Lennon's specialty is counter-terrorism and he has 40 years of experience in the transit industry. His most recent position was as director of intelligence and emergency preparedness management for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA). Lennon will be the 'go-to' guy for rapid transit security on the federal level.

PRNewswire / TSA

Baltimore - FTA fines MTA for leaky fuel tanks

The Maryland Transit Administration was fined yesterday by the Federal Transit Administration for having leaky underground diesel and gasoline fuel tanks used for transit buses. The cost to replace the tanks will be $24 million and $172,207 in FTA penalties. MTA says the tanks wouldn't have hurt drinking water if they had leaked, but regardless they are now out of the ground awaiting replacements. EPA says the tanks haven't met their standards since 2002.

Greg Garland - Baltimore Sun

D.C. - Street performers paid to liven up subway

The Washington Metro Transit Authority is one of the few transit systems in the country to ban street performers - until next week that is. WMATA is vetting performers of "all genres of music, from classical to cutting-edge world music." The performers would not be paid by WMATA, but rather by the D.C. arts councils.

Lena H. Sun - Washington Post, Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space,

Michigan - Rule revised after woman kept off bus

In Grand Rapids, Michigan, a rule preventing people with face-coverings has been revised today after a woman wearing a scarf as part of traditional Islamic dress was turned away from boarding a bus. The idea behind the rule was for bus cameras to help identify people and was created mainly due to haloween, face, and ski masks.

The Rapid officials regret the situation and have apologized to the woman and have promptly changed the rule in question, but this situation is bound to come up in other cities. Britain has a big problem with this issue, even drawing the attention of Tony Blair. Transit systems should not wait until the problem comes up and address it ahead of time to avoid the bad press The Rapid is now facing.

Nate Reens - Grand Rapids Press

D.C. - woman struck by train at Deanwood Station

Station temporarily closed

A six-car Orange Line train (train 908) headed downtown struck a woman at 10:26 a.m. at the Deanwood Metrorail station. The station is temporarily closed. Trains are taking turns sharing the outbound track to move customers around the scene of the incident. Trains are single-tracking from New Carrollton Metrorail station to Stadium-Armory Metrorail station.

Customers can expect major delays in that area. Emergency personnel are on the scene.

WMATA Press Release

Bay Area - BART board reverses alcohol ad policy

Bay Area Rapid Transit's month-old approval to allow alcohol advertising on the public transit system was canned as the board reversed itself 7-2 to reinstate the restrictions. The system could have made half a million dollars per year off the advertising, but industry watchdog groups and anti-alcohol groups lobbied the board so heavily with letters and activists that the board concluded the advertising revenue wasn't worth the grief. The bay area, more so than most places, is very protective of their transit system and can have a huge influence on the way BART is run.

Kiley Russell - Media News

Minnesota - Quality coverage of bus-rapid-tranist

Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson has done 2 pieces this week for All Things Considered on rapid transit in Minnesota. The first story is on the decline in vehicle sales tax collections which may mean leaner times for Minnesota transit and the second story is a broader look at three bus-rapid-transit systems in various stages of development. Olsen does a wonderful job of showing the benefits and difficulties of BRT's and his stories are worth checking out.

Dan Olson - Minnesota Public Radio

Ottawa - Opinions mixed on transit improvements

Ottawa is trying to figure out if the improvements made to their transit system have been sufficient to deem it 'fixed'. Some areas have been improved and plans for a tunnel are being drawn up, yet many say the improvements so far haven't been enough because some areas were ignored during the repairing and current plans need to change. Right now the city is going back and forth between ideas for how to improve their transit before anything is done, but strong opinions on all fronts want to have input during the process.

CBC News for full story

D.C. - Second employee dies from train injuries

A second Metro employee died today after being struck by a train on Thursday, November 30.

Thirty-six-year-old Matthew Brooks of Waldorf, MD, today succumbed to injuries he sustained after being struck by a train seven days ago. Leslie Arvell Cherry of Clinton, MD, died on the day of the accident. His funeral was held today in Upper Marlboro, MD.

Mr. Brooks, 36, and Mr. Cherry, 52, were both track inspectors who were working together when they were struck by a four-car Yellow Line train on an elevated track between the Huntington and Eisenhower Avenue Metrorail stations at about 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 30.

“Our thoughts are with the family members of Mr. Brooks and Mr. Cherry,” said Metro Acting General Manager Jack Requa. “We are grieving the family’s loss—our loss--and it strengthens our resolve to work harder to ensure the safety of each one of our colleagues. Each life is precious, and it’s unfortunate that an incident such as this reminds all of us in such a harsh way that safety must be a top priority for the Authority and the employees themselves.”

Metro is cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board on its independent investigation. Metro officials are also conducting their internal investigation in coordination with and on behalf of the Tristate Oversight Committee (TOC), which is in accordance with TOC’s procedures.

The Yellow Line train (train 307) involved in the incident was leaving the Huntington station and heading into the Alexandria rail yard. There were no passengers aboard the train because it was not in service.

The deaths of Mr. Brooks and Mr. Cherry represent the third employee fatalities this year. On May 14, an automatic train control technician was struck and killed by a Red Line train at the Dupont Circle Metrorail station. Seven Metro employees, including these recent deaths, have died after being struck by a train in Metro’s 30-year history.

WMATA Press Release

D.C. - Persuading FTA the benefits of tunnel

At a special called meeting hosted by Tyson Tunnel Inc. with the Federal Transit Administration and the communities near Dulles International Airport, speakers from the public gave very persuasive reasons for running a new line underground rather than on elevated rails. The FTA said federal funding would be jeapordized if the tunnel option was chosen, but nevertheless, the arguments stand on their own. The persuasive efforts of Tyson Tunnel Inc., who in all probability already knew the outcome of the meeting, are intended to cause the FTA to reconsider its position in view of the potential advantages of the tunnel option.

The (D.C.) Times

Pune - Day 3: BRTS is Back to Business

Pune's BRTS went back to business today, its third day of service, with no mention of the death of a pedestrian yesterday. The buses were out again with an increased special squad of wardens to guard the dedicated bus lane from the inconsiderate traffic and other parts had fenced dividers installed today. Commuters remained overall pleased with their new service but drivers seemed to care less, a nod to the traffic lawlessness on Pune's roads.

... several motorists and riders refused to listen to the wardens and entered the dedicated lane. Two wardens at the Kasturchand Ramlal Surana chowk, trying in vain to control the traffic, said: “We have been deputed to stop people using the dedicated lane. However, motorists hardly listen.’’ And just then, a BRTS bus jumped the red signal. “Nobody pays heed to the red signal too,’’ said one.

Those crazy drivers also seem to be behind the wheel of BRTS buses as well. A PMC official stated the traffic-light timing problem would be sorted out in a few days (buses are supposed to have right-of-way and traffic lights are supposed to change as they approach). Will traffic wise up to restrictions on the bus lane, or will the lawless cars reign supreme over the infant transit system born too early?

Express News Service

Dallas - Another person killed by DART train??

A 59-year-old woman was killed Wednesday afternoon after a DART light-rail train struck her while she was crossing the tracks near the Lovers Lane station.

The accident caused a ripple-effect of delays of about 15 minutes on all northbound rail traffic during rush hour. The train operator told Dallas Area Rapid Transit investigators that he saw the woman crossing the tracks about 3:15 p.m., sounded the train’s horn and attempted to stop the train.

“There were indications that the person saw the train but continued walking to the other side,” said Morgan Lyons, a DART spokesman.

DART dispatched shuttle buses to link northbound rail traffic around the investigation site. Commuters stopped at the Mockingbird Station, then were transported to the Lovers Lane Station and then taken to Park Lane station, where they boarded another Red Line train. Regular rail service was restored at 5:18 p.m., officials said.

No other injuries were reported. The medical examiner’s office has not yet release the identity of the woman.

This follows on the heels of the death of a man in his twenties last Monday, November 30th. In both cases, the person struck was reported to have ignored the oncoming train and remained in harms way. What is going on with DART and how could these deaths happen a Week Apart?

Dallas Morning News

Bay Area - Is the car culture slipping?

Talk is in the air that car culture is slipping against the new wave of rapid transit alternatives. Granted this talk comes from the Bay Area, one of the most successful transit systems in the country for its high ridership stats, but this kind of good news in transit is worth reporting. From today's Oakland Tribune:

In the Bay Area as well as the nation, commuters' eyes are wandering in the direction of transit and other alternatives to the automobile, and for the first time in a generation people are driving a bit less than they used to.

The Bay Area Rapid Transit system had record ridership for the quarter that ended Sept. 30, according to figures released this week. Other area transit agencies, such as Caltrain and the Valley Transportation Authority's light rail system, also recorded record ridership, mirroring a nationwide public transit boost that began with this summer's high fuel prices and continued even as gas prices plunged.

"Ridership has always lagged behind gas prices," said BART spokesman Linton Johnson. With Bay Area bridge tolls going up to $4 next month, he said, this latest shift in commuting habits could be permanent.

And last week an energy analysis company announced that for the first time in a quarter-century, the number of miles Americans had driven was no longer growing, and had, in fact, dropped slightly.

Let's not kid ourselves, the car is still on top, and probably will be for a while despite rising gas prices. Yet transit alternatives are also on the rise. Transit systems usually don't dramatically improve until the demand by commuters is high enough. Clearly trends show we're moving in a positive direction toward transit alternatives. Can you smell the electricity in the air? Demand more of your transit system and you just might.

Oakland Tribune for all the stats

Boston - Silver Line gets boost toward US funding

Senators John F. Kerry and Edward M. Kennedy, along with Representatives Michael E. Capuano and Stephen F. Lynch, announced Monday that the Federal Transit Administration has notified Congress that within days it will approve the entry of Phase III of the Silver Line project in Boston into preliminary engineering, a milestone in the federal review of the project that is required to make the project eligible for hundreds of millions of dollars in federal support.

The project consists of a 1.1-mile tunnel under downtown Boston, connecting Roxbury to Logan International Airport. It also allows for the building of new platforms at two subway stations and surface-bus lanes between Charles and Washington streets. The Silver Line Phase III project is expected to cost $1.2 billion. If the Federal Transit Administration gives the project final approval, the federal government may provide about $700 million in funding.

Boston Globe

New Zealand - Tolls could cover long-term transit

Transport planners are talking about setting up toll roads to pay for future transit systems. New Zealand it seem is looking far into the future, as far as 2016 according to Mr. Kirby, the Auckland Manukau Eastern Transport Initiative project manager.
From Howick-Botany Times:

Mr Kirby’s progress report to the steering group and transport committee says passenger transport needs ‘beyond 2016’ need to be thought over.

“This is primarily aimed at when rapid transit (bus or rail) is needed between Panmure and Manukau [Pakuranga]. The main focus of this work is to identify areas where longer term route protection is appropriate,” says Mr Kirby.

Mr Kirby says Auckland City has budgeted for about $800 million for AMETI inside its boundary over the next 10 years, but its project partner is still to decide.

“It appears that Manukau City Council has yet to programme significant funding for the project in its Long Term Council Community Plan.”

Howick and Botany Times

Pune - Day 2: BRTS grinds to a deadly halt

India's newest transit system was shut down today - its second day of service. The Pune Municipal Transport halted all services in the city after a 20-year-old was crushed to death by a mini bus. Fearing public backlash, the PMT shut down the entire system for the day.

PMT's manager of operations Shivraj Rane assured the public that "operations of BRTS buses would resume tomorrow morning." Rane placed blame for the accident on the public for not also being safety-oriented, stating “the PMT and PMC (city hall) are trying to eliminate systemic problems that have come to [our attention], but it is high time the public also followed traffic discipline.”

Local residents were "dissatisfied" with the safety precautions the PMT have put in place and major traffic problems are being blamed on continuing construction work on the incomplete transit lines. One onlooker reported that the heavier-than-usual traffic "rarely paid heed to traffic wardens and kept entering the dedicated lane." A local newspaper vendor explained that "this system has made the road even more accident-prone. Pedestrians are bound to face difficulties in crossing the road due to the rapid movement of buses in the central lanes."

The heated debate over BRTS is not going to cool down anytime soon. This evening the Bharatiya Janata Party staged demonstrations against the hasty manner in which BRTS's first line was inaugurated. A major portion of the 13-km (8-mi.) BRTS corridor is still not completed.

They were doing so well on their first day, but, judging by my analysis in yesterday's article, safety has been the most overlooked element of the BRTS. What good are the clean floors and illuminated signs if the outside of the bus is dented and spattered with blood? Instead of months or years, the PMT is facing its first challenge right off the bat. Such is the price for opening early amidst political pressure. Right now showing the public they can handle this situation responsibly and in a timely matter should be the PMT's number one priorities. Without public support through this insanity, the BRTS doesn't stand a chance of succeeding.

Express (India) News Service

Toronto - Mayor Addresses Transit Priority

Here's to big thinkers. Today during Mayor Davis Miller's inaugural address to his fellow Torontonians, he shared his thoughts on transit:

We have a great transit system for a city of 1.5 million people. But Toronto is now home to 2.6 million - and that number is expected to grow in the coming decades.

We can't have all those people driving cars.

However, providing real transit alternatives is not easy or cheap.

With dedicated rights-of-way like the one on St. Clair, we can turn a streetcar into an above ground subway at about a tenth of the cost and bring rapid transit to all parts of the city in the process. To Northern Scarborough and Northern Etobicoke ... areas where residents have, for too long, relied on multiple bus transfers to do the most basic of things like getting to work or going shopping.

But that's just the beginning. We should be thinking big. That means working with other governments to develop a National Transit Strategy and with the GTTA to develop a region wide strategy, recognizing that Toronto, and the TTC, are at the core of this region's mobility.

Throughout the election campaign Miller made transit and bus right-of-ways one of his main talking points. However, Miller is trying to please both sides of the finance issue, and his rhetoric becomes taxing near the end of his bit on transit. Funny how he wants to think big to make a National Transit Strategy when he is cutting costs every way he can like putting transit rails right in the middle of traffic instead of underground where it can be out-of-the-way instead of a right-of-way.

CNW Group

Detroit - Commuter train to Anne Arbor planned

A demonstration commuter train is in the works to connect Anne Arbor, Michigan and Detroit by next summer. So far talks seem to focus on Amtrak, but rapid transit has been one of the major options. According to the Anne Arbor News:

The analysis of five rapid transit options - two using rapid transit buses, two using commuter "heavy'' rail, and one using light rail - was made public last month. That analysis revealed that none of the options, as configured, would be competitive for federal dollars.

Everything is still in the discussion phase currently, but a regional commuter train would be good news for the Detroit area which is only serviced by the Detroit People Mover , a single-line ( looped) elevated rail in the downtown area.

Anne Arbor News

India - Pune's BRTS finds many fans on first day

Regardless of the ever-present bureaucracy in Pune forcing the new transit system to open unprepared and ahead of schedule, the citizens flocked to the new Bus Rapid Transit System today for its first full day of service.

Buses were packed and many Indian riders were impressed by many of the features on buses most transit commuters already take for granted. Enthusiasm is high, yet there were still rational voices who worry the sparkling new buses won't be maintained and kept clean. The four most important issues: timeliness, cleanliness, education, and safety, all seem to be present in the public discussion.

As far as timeliness, transit officials were coming short of their 10min. wait-time goals but ridership was so heavy the buses were behind - something passengers are more than willing to forgive at the start, but how long will it take before commuters take BRTS for granted? Sooner than you may think. Hopefully transit officials will keep the 'Rapid' part of their title at the forefront.

Cleanliness seems to be addressed for now, as well as education with all stops announced on the intercom to the surprise of many riders sadly not used to this level of information yet. Safety is a concern brought up and I'm sure police presence on buses in the evenings will probably be addressed.

Just remember, regardless of the hype or early starting problems, new systems are in the best position at the outset because of high public support. The true test will come months, if not years, down the line when maintenance becomes a more pressing issue as ridership increases. All eyes are on Pune's BRTS as it develops. For now, they are putting on a good show.

Pune Newsline