From Ft. Worth: "Woman Escorted Off Bus For Reading Bible Aloud," by Carol Cavazos

This story originally appeared on the CBS 11 TV at this address: http://cbs11tv.com/local/woman.bible.get.2.620431.html. This link no longer exists. A copy of the original story appears below.


A passenger on a Fort Worth bus says the T. Bus Service discriminated against her religion.

Christine Lutz says she was reading her Bible to her children when the bus driver asked her to stop or get off the bus.


Lutz, a Seventh Day Adventist, and her children were on their way to church.

"She then said, 'Well I don't think this is the place or the time to do so.' And I said, 'Oh, but it's the perfect time and the perfect place since it is our Sabbath and it is the time with the Lord and therefore I'm going to continue.' And I continued," she explained.

Then, a TRE supervisor came on board. Lutz also told him that she would not stop reading. She and her family were escorted off the bus.

"This was definitely a clear cut case of persecution," she said.

Or was it a clear cut case of policy?

"Anyone who is loud will be asked to be quiet," said representative Joan Hunter. "That is a standard policy across country in the transit industry."

It doesn't matter what is said, the T has a policy of no loud or abusive behavior.

"It's only if the other passengers will complain, or it's obviously so loud it's distracting the operator, that we will ask them to stop," Hunter explained.


 


From Chicago: "Joy to the Christmas Bus -- No. 56 lights up passengers." (CTA Tattler)

Jasmine here shares her unmitigated joy at riding the No. 56  Christmas bus again:

"The Christmas bus rides again! I got on the outbound 56 Milwaukee bus at Madison and Wacker. It was a little after 6 pm, bus no. 6487 for those of you who might be looking for it. Seriously, I love this bus. This is the third year in a row I've seen it, and it never fails to make me smile." (Read more here.)

NYC: "Passenger Kills Bus Driver in Fare Dispute." (AP video)

Passenger Kills Bus Driver in Fare Dispute.

From Minneapolis-St. Paul: "Your bus-riding stories," by Bob Collins

Last Friday, I watched a woman on 10th Street in St. Paul start running for a bus at the corner of 10th and Cedar, a block and a half away. “She’ll never make it,” I thought. My light turned green. I stayed to watch. She made it. The driver waited. “Nobody’s ever going to hear about the good bus driver,” I thought.

Some 90 percent of bus riders in the Twin Cities say they’re happy with the service they get from the bus drivers here.

But you can’t do a news story about that. (Read more here.)

From Minneapolis: "Bus driver scooted on by, and the result was costly," by James Eli Shiffer

This story originally appeared in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune at this address: http://www.startribune.com/local/minneapolis/31213569.html . This link no longer exists. A copy of the original story appears below.


Ken Stano had made the trip before.



He’d get to the Nicollet Avenue bus stop, catch the 46 bus, get off at the light-rail station and ride to the airport in time for his flight to Ohio. Stano was there before dawn on Aug. 29 when the bus rolled around the corner, right on schedule.



But the 46 rolled right past Stano, even though he stepped into the street to flag the bus down.



Stano had to run home, get his car and speed to the airport. He missed his flight anyway, and lost a chunk of his Labor Day weekend before he arrived. When he returned to Minnesota to retrieve his car, the parking bill was $76.



So on Sept. 17, Stano, an engineer who lives in Minneapolis and sells medical equipment, wrote a letter to Metro Transit. “I do not expect the ... Metro Transit system to compensate me for the airfare required to salvage the Labor Day holiday weekend. However I was forced to pay for parking at the airport. I have included a copy of this receipt and this I do ask to be compensated for.” He signed off with the complimentary closing, “Respectfully.”



Stano did a lot of things right. He called Metro Transit from the airport, where he had missed his flight, preserving a record of his complaint. Then he wrote a factual letter, building a case free of inflammatory words or absurd requests, and making his objective clear.



Once Metro Transit got the complaint, spokesman Bob Gibbons told me, an inquiry was launched. The bus driver was questioned about the missed connection, and said he didn’t remember leaving anyone by the side of the road. But there was a twist. The 46 normally crosses 35W on 46th Street in south Minneapolis. But the Crosstown construction has forced a detour farther north on Nicollet Avenue, past the 45th and Nicollet stop where Stano was waiting that morning.



The driver mistakenly thought that he didn’t have to pick up passengers at bus stops on the detour portion of the route, Gibbons said. He was told that he did, and on that basis, the risk management department of the Metropolitan Council has deemed Stano’s claim worthy of reimbursement.



A $76 check will be sent to Stano, Gibbons said.



“We want our customers to be satisfied,” he said. “In this case the evidence clearly points to our mistake.”



Passengers who claim the bus left them behind are the No. 1 source of complaints to Metro Transit, Gibbons said. But that hardly means they all get compensated — they have to prove their case. The number to call for complaints is 612-373-3333 . There is also an online comment form at www.metrotransit.org .





From London: " 'No God' slogans for city's buses." (BBC News)

Bendy-buses with the slogan "There's probably no God" could soon be running on the streets of London. (Read more here.)

From London: "The Ghost Bus of Ladbroke Grove," by MJ Wayland

This story was originally posted as “The Ladbroke Ghost Bus of London” by Martin Jeffrey at this address: http://www.mysterymag.com/hauntedbritain/?page=article&subID=78&artID=274. That link no longer exists. A Google search resulted in the identical story posted in 2013, but with a different author. 

In the middle of the 1930s a large red London Bus, bearing a “7” route number harassed motorists in the North Kensington area of London. (Read more here.)

From the Department of Transportation, Office of Public Affairs: "U.S. Transportation Secretary Announces Latest Driving Data, New Funding to Improve Intercity Passenger Rail"

As Americans continue a historic cut back on driving and turn to other forms of transportation like rail and transit, a new approach to funding intercity passenger rail projects will lead to improved service and better on-time performance across the country, announced U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters today. (Read more here.)

From Chicago: "CTA test drives digital ad screen on side of bus," by Jon Hilkevitch

The message almost spilling off a 50-inch digital screen on the side of a CTA bus demonstrated how far transit advertising has come since the era of hand-painted ad benches at bus stops.

An Oreo cookie took the plunge into a large glass of milk. (Read more here.)

From Honolulu: "Bus Driver Suspended For Playing Games While Driving." (KITV News)

Less than a day after KITV broke the story of a city bus driver playing a video game while driving a bus, the driver is on unpaid leave and being investigated Wednesday. (Read more here.)

This story was originally published by KITV News at this address: http://www.kitv.com/news/17552633/detail.html. This link no longer works. The story above was discovered via Google posted on the website findadeath.com.

From Vancouver: "Missing your bus stop? Meet 'the annunciator,' " by Catherine Rolfsen

A year ago, Rob Sleath was riding a bus heading down Granville Street. The visually impaired man asked the driver to call out his stop, Granville Street and Fifth Avenue.

"By the time the driver realized he had forgotten, we had passed Granville Station [in downtown Vancouver]," Sleath says.

Sleath stayed on the bus until it completed its entire route, just to get to his stop. He says this is something that he -- and other visually impaired transit users -- experience on a regular basis. (Read more here.)

From Chicago: "U Illinois student claims his First Amendment rights were violated," by Paolo Cisneros

University of Illinois senior David Fullarton

This story originally appeared in The Daily Illini and was republished at this address: http://www.uwire.com/Article.aspx?id=3114150#. This link no longer exists; the story can no longer be searched out at either website. A copy of the original story appears below.


University of Illinois senior David Fullarton never thought taking pictures could land him behind bars.

But for a few scary minutes on Aug. 31, he said that's exactly what happened.

Fullarton said he was photographing the Chicago Transit Authority's O'Hare Airport station at around 2:15 p.m. when he was approached by two Chicago police officers and asked to explain himself.

When he told the officers that the photographs were for a class project at the university, he was asked to provide some form of identification and subsequently placed in a chain-link holding cell for several minutes while they ran a background check, he said.

When his record came up clean, the officers let him go but not before demanding he immediately delete all the photographs he had taken. He was also told that photography on the CTA property was forbidden unless the photographer has a permit.

A press release on the CTA's Web site, however, says that amateur photography is allowed. The policy was later confirmed by a CTA spokesperson.

"It's excessive," Fullarton said. "I think questioning people in that manner is a tremendous waste of resources."

Steven Beckett, director of trial advocacy in the U Illinois College of Law, agreed.

"I can't imagine that it breaks the law to take photos in a public place," he said. "It just makes no sense."

The Legal Affairs office of the Chicago Police Department declined to comment. Calls to the department's media office were not returned. Fullarton said that while some members of the police department are to blame, the officers themselves were not entirely at fault.

"They were on the phone with their supervisor on and off, and I'm assuming that he said 'This is what you have to do,'" he said. "I don't think the agencies themselves are to blame, but rather the ignorance of a few people in management."

'Terrorist times'

Fullarton said the officers he dealt with were extremely professional in their interactions with him, but their handling of the situation denied him of some of his basic legal rights.

"I don't mind getting asked questions," he said. "But you don't put somebody in a cell and tell them to delete their pictures and tell them what they're doing is wrong when it's not."

Beckett said Fullarton's account of his detainment struck him as an unlawful seizure, and the police had no right to do what they did.

He added that once Fullarton took the photos, they became his property, making any police order to destroy them illegal.

"I suppose in these terrorist times people are making excuses for police doing all sorts of things, but the more they do it, the more they erode our liberties and the less freedom we have," he said. "It's a sad story."

Other legal issues aside, the incident has Fullarton worried that he now has some sort of criminal record. The officers insinuated such an action might be taken, he said, but he was given no citation or case number.

"Whatever that red mark is next to my name, they need to get that off because it shouldn't be there," he said.

Steven Helle, professor of journalism at the university, agreed that Fullarton did not commit a crime.

"It sounds like a First Amendment offense to me," he said. "Since 9-11 there has been much concern with photographing public transit of all sorts, but such concerns should never trump the First Amendment."

Looking ahead

After reflecting on the situation for almost three weeks, Fullarton holds no grudge against the Chicago Police Department. The problem, he believes, boils down to individuals within the agency.

Since the incident occurred, he has sent letters explaining his situation to agencies like the American Civil Liberties Union and the CTA as well as U.S. senators Dick Durbin and Barack Obama. He has also filed a complaint with the Chicago Police Department.

So far he has only been contacted by the ACLU. Fullarton's case was entered into their database and he was told he would be contacted by an attorney at a later date.

On a national level, Fullarton said he believes the federal government has a responsibility to re-evaluate many of its post-Sept. 11 policies, such as the color-coded terror warning system.

Doing so, he believes, would help spare innocent people from undeserved and illegal searches and interrogations.

"Things like that just induce paranoia, and they don't effectively address any problems," he said.

Either way, Fullarton said he hopes something will be done to correct the problem at O'Hare.

"Particular people are just doing things their way rather than by the rules," he said. "Those are the people that I have a problem with."

From San Leandro, California: "Bus of future rolled out for first test drive," by Denis Cuff

California's dream of using self-steering buses to fight traffic congestion made headway in San Leandro on Friday when UC Berkeley researchers conducted their first test on a public street of a bus guided by magnets.

A driver removed his hands from the wheel of the moving bus on East 14th Street to signal that a computer had taken over, steering in response to cues from the tiny magnets, which were embedded in the pavement. (Read more here.)

From Seattle: "Police Seize Pictures Of Seattle Bus Tunnel," by Molly Shen for KOMO News

This story originally appeared on KOMO News and was posted at this address: 
http://www.komonews.com/news/archive/4149371.html. This link is now broken. A Google search shows the story has been reposted on flyertalk. A copy of the original story appears below.


KING COUNTY - Was it a security threat or a case of police going overboard?

A King County Sheriff's deputy seized a photographer's pictures in a public bus tunnel over the weekend, citing terrorism concerns.

Alex Williams was taking pictures in downtown Seattle over the weekend when he ducked into the tunnel to escape the rain.

The vast, open space, the unique design and the lights and movement of the metro bus tunnel in Pioneer Square attracted his eye.

Williams specializes in nature photography and he was trying to expand his portfolio.

“I was approached by a King County Sheriff's Deputy who said, ‘Oh no, no, no, no, no. This is no good. We're going to have to confiscate all this stuff.’ And he motioned to all my gear,” Williams said.

The deputy explained that the tunnel is a potential terror target and that photographers must have permission to be there.

When Williams offered to delete his digital photos, the deputy said he was confiscating the flash cards - to search them for security breaches. There are no signs there saying photos aren't allowed.

The deputy was wrong.

King County Sheriff's Spokesman Sgt. John Urquhart told KOMO 4 News, “We're going to do some additional training with our deputies who work the bus tunnel, let them know that yes, it is okay to photograph inside the tunnel. I think he just went overboard a little bit. He shouldn't have done that. It isn't against the law.”

Only after his gear was confiscated, did Williams find out he hadn't broken the law.

He's filing a formal complaint with the Sheriff and consulting the American Civil Liberties Union.

“It's alarming if an officer can approach you and take your stuff or force you to leave when it's not really against the law,” he says.

All he really wants is an apology and his compact flash cards back.

The Sheriff says he'll get both.

That doesn't mean the tunnel is a free-for-all for photographers. Because of security concerns, deputies will still question people taking pictures in the tunnel.

And metro transit wants commercial photographers to get permission first.

That's for liability reasons.

From Seattle: "Bus Stories," by Andrew Smith

I know, this is usually the realm of the Bus Chick, but I overheard a man and a woman on the 66 today sharing funny bus stories. Their stories were okay, and it got me thinking about my most bus stories, and I’d like to share two of them with you. I apologize in advance if I offend anyone.

I was on the 14 two days ago and a mildly crazy man was repeating loudly “You used me as a go-between.” (Read more here.)

From Seattle: Bus ride through downtown Seattle, by Oran Viriyincy

The link below is to a Flickr time-lapse video of a bus ride through Downtown Seattle taken during the evening rush hour from the upper deck of a Community Transit double-decker bus on route 401 Lynnwood. Since 4 video seconds = 1 minute time passed, it takes more than 15 minutes to travel through Downtown before entering the I-5 Express Lanes. Posted by Oran Viriyincy. 

Bus ride through downtown Seattle. 

From Madison, Wisconsin: "Madison Metro Transit Bus Driver Chooses Jail." (Wisconsin State Journal)

A former Metro Transit bus driver who took an unruly passenger for a ride on the outside of his bus has chosen to spend time in jail rather than go on probation for a disorderly conduct conviction. (Read more here.)

From Albuquerque! "Get on the bus!" by Eric Billingsley

This story was published in the Albuquerque Journal on August 3, 2008. However, I am unable to find a link to that story within the Albuquerque Journal website's search engine. I did find two pages of Eric Billingsley's stories, but not the story I have copied below.


So-called "staycations" are all the buzz, given the current state of the economy. Instead of hopping on a plane or driving cross-country, the idea is to do something vacation-like at home. But if you have kids, even carting them around town can quickly add up at the gas pump.

I recently challenged myself, son Gabriel, 8, and daughter Lavender, 6, to forgo using our SUV for a day and ride public transportation instead.

Starting in the far Northeast Heights, we traveled to Central Avenue and down to the Albuquerque Biological Park. We later caught the Rio Line train to the Rio Grande Zoo, and returned home via city buses.

Using public transportation is a no-brainer for some. But for a person like me, who has become way too accustomed to driving, the experience was an eye-opener. The kids loved it. And I appreciated not only saving money on gas, but also how tired they were at the end of the day.

Rise and shine

At 7:45 a.m. the kids and I wake up, eat breakfast and get ready for our day on the bus. We have to be at the southwest corner of Academy and Wyoming at 8:45 a.m. to catch the 8:59 a.m. southbound to Central Avenue. Not for a minute did the kids balk at the idea of riding the bus or dillydally around to get there on time.

When the bus arrives, the driver greets us with a big grin and is especially welcoming to the kids. After paying $1.70 for the one-way journey, Lavender sits down contentedly. Gabriel, being the high-energy kid he is, proceeds to push, pull and test everything in his new environment.

Twenty minutes later, we arrive at Central, get off the bus and walk to the Rapid Ride station on the northwest side of the street to catch a westbound bus. Prior to the trip, I obtained all of the route information on the City of Albuquerque's Web site, cabq. gov. It took 30 minutes or so of research and a couple of calls to the city's 311 call center to pinpoint the best route and times for our trip.

At the bus stop, we meet a mom and her three children en route to Chuck E. Cheese's near Coors Boulevard. They ride the bus frequently and have only good things to say. Gabriel and Lavender climb, explore and run around. I have a quick talk with them about staying well away from the street, but they still manage to exert plenty of energy.

We also meet Maggie Ross, who is commuting home from an all-night shift. With crimson red hair and a punk rock look, she smiles, chats for a while and returns to reading a book. On the Rapid Ride, the kids also see a Boy Scout troop from Wisconsin en route to the train station Downtown.

A day at the Bio Park and zoo

We arrive at the Albuquerque Biological Park at 10 a.m., precisely one hour after leaving the Academy and Wyoming bus stop. The kids are more exited than ever, even though they've been to the aquarium and botanic garden many times.

To save money, and to keep with the public transportation theme, I purchase a Biological Park/ Rio Grande Zoo combo package for all of us - $5 for each kid and $12 for adults. The pass includes use of the Rio Line that runs along the bosque and connects the Biological Park and zoo.

Our first stop is the butterfly exhibit at the botanic garden - a must for young kids. We then stroll to the Rio Grande Heritage Farm, where Gabriel and Lavender are captivated by a three-horned Churro sheep named Rambo.

Afterward, the kids are anxious to see the aquarium. They bypass most of the exhibits and head straight to the large tank filled with sharks, sea turtles and even a diver cleaning the rocks.

It's about noon, so we eat lunch at the aquarium's cafe. Prices are reasonable, kids can color on the paper table coverings and they can watch the fish swim in the large tank.

We then catch the Rio Line to the zoo. The train, which runs every 30 minutes, is a great 20-minute reprieve from walking and chasing the kids. Scenery along the bosque is relaxing, and the kids get a kick out of the train conductor and traveling in a rail car.

At the zoo, we head for the children's play area. Gabriel and Lavender seize the opportunity to get wet in the jumping waters fountain. They play in the jungle gym, and then we check out the seals and sea lions, big cats, polar bears and a few other exhibits.

A book titled "America's Best Zoos: A Travel Guide for Fans and Families" recently named the Rio Grande Zoo one of the top 60 in the U.S. Authors noted the zoo's diverse animal collection, knowledgeable staff and excellent exhibits.

At this point it's about 2 p.m. I'm pretty worn out. and we have a 20-minute train ride ahead of us to get back to the Biological Park, and an hour bus ride to get home. So we catch the 2:15 Rio Line and begin our journey north.

The road home

Just before 3 p.m. we arrive at the Rapid Ride stop on Central Avenue. The kids still have lots of energy, and I have to remind them to hold hands while crossing the street and to stay away from Central.

The bus arrives a few minutes later, we pay our $1.70 and settle in. One thing is strikingly apparent: Afternoon riders seem a lot less chipper than the morning crowd. Things get a little stranger when we change buses at Wyoming and an intoxicated man, with a 12-pack of beer in hand, stumbles into the bus stop.

Reason for concern? A little. But other riders take note of the man's state of mind and compassionately and swiftly send him on his way. We keep our distance, but Gabriel and Lavender ask plenty of questions. My response is to describe to them the effects of alcohol and remind them to steer clear of people when they're intoxicated.

No need to judge, just be aware and safe, is my parenting approach. Even though the kids are 6 and 8, it seems like a valuable lesson.

We board the bus for the last leg of the journey. Lavender lies down on one of the back seats, and Gabriel is still going full-force. The part of the trip where the kids get tired doesn't kick in for another hour or so.

Halfway between Central and Academy, a group of youngsters from Gold Cup Gymnastics School boards the bus. Sure enough, my kids recognize a few of them and the camp counselors because they attended that camp last year. At 4 p.m., precisely one hour after leaving the Biological Park, we arrive at our final stop at Academy and Wyoming.

On our way home, only 10 or 15 minutes from the bus stop, I ask the kids if they enjoyed riding the bus. Still filled with energy, they say, "yes."

But the most striking thing is that the experience seems like just another day in the life to them. They aren't thinking about whether the bus is more convenient than the family SUV. They aren't obsessing about the intoxicated man we encountered. Riding public transportation was fun, and it made sense, especially for a staycation.

From Düsseldorf, Germany: "Fake bus stop keeps Alzheimer's patients from wandering off," by Harry de Quetteville

The idea was first tried at Benrath Senior Centre in Düsseldorf, which pitched an exact replica of a standard stop outside, with one small difference: buses do not use it.

The centre had been forced to rely on police to retrieve patients who wanted to return to their often non-existent homes and families.

Then Benrath teamed up with a local care association called the "Old Lions". They went to the Rheinbahn transport network which supplied the bus stop. (Read more here.)

From Weymouth, Massachusetts: "Weymouth residents cope with bus shutdown," by Liz Hoffman

Every weekday for the past 20 years, Frank Firicano has taken the bus from his home off Washington Street to the Braintree T station, where he catches the Red Line to his job in Boston.

Until last week. (Read more here.)

From Santiago, Chile: " Stripper arrested for subway pole dances," by Pav Jordan

A stripper who danced on the poles of Santiago subway trains to challenge the prudishness of Chilean society was arrested on Thursday during one of her lightning performances. (Read more here.)

From the United States: "No more waiting 'in the dark' for your bus," by Katharine Lackey

As the demand for customer-friendly, real-time information increases, more cities, counties and states are going high tech at the bus stop.

Cities are investing thousands of dollars in solar and Global Positioning System technology to provide up-to-the-minute information to passengers on when the next bus will arrive as more people choose public transit.(Read more here.)

From Albuquerque! "Mass Transit Bargain," by Joel Gay

This story originally appeared on NewMexicoIndependent.com at this address: http://www.newmexicoindependent.com/view/albuquerque-fends. This link no longer exists. A copy of the original story appears below.


The skyrocketing cost of gasoline and diesel that is driving more Americans to use mass transportation is also forcing some cities to raise bus fares or cut back service. But thanks to a combination of good fortune and good planning, city officials say Albuquerque is not among them — for now.

Greg Payne, the director of ABQ Ride since early 2006, says the transit department is paying more than twice as much for diesel fuel as it did two years ago, and driving more miles. But because it has replaced much of its diesel-guzzling bus fleet with diesel-electric hybrids, the city will spend only a little more on fuel this year than it did in 2007.

"We kinda saw this coming and budgeted accordingly," said Payne. And even with the prospect of higher fuel expenses stretching into the future, he said, "There's no interest on the part of the mayor and City Council in raising fares."

Other cities can't say the same. Denver boosted its bus and light-rail fares 25 cents in January — a year ahead of schedule because of rising fuel prices — and it's still not enough, city officials told PBS. Minneapolis-St. Paul has announced plans for a 25-cent fare hike in October, and already planners there are talking about another rate hike in 2009, according to the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune. In parts of suburban Seattle, fares will jump 25 cents in August, and other transit departments in that metro area are pondering price hikes, the Web site Crosscut Seattle reported recently.

Chicago will have to spend about $20 million more on fuel than was budgeted, but will likely cut service to make ends meet rather than raise fares, Chicago Transit Authority officials told the Chicago Tribune earlier this month.


Albuquerque finds itself in an enviable position in large part because of the city's shift toward sustainability and green consciousness, Payne told the New Mexico Independent. Beginning in 2004, ABQ Ride started replacing a substantial portion of its bus fleet with diesel-electric hybrids. The new buses get nearly twice the mileage that the old diesel-powered buses got, Payne said, and while that's only five or six miles per gallon, it's kept the city's fuel bills from going through the roof.

"Cities across the country are scrambling like mad to buy buses," he said, either to keep up with increased ridership, to reduce their buses' emissions, or both. Albuquerque simply was ahead of the curve, Payne said.

As a result, the department's fuel costs in the fiscal year that ends Monday will finish only slightly higher than the previous year, despite the skyrocketing cost per gallon. An exact figure won't be known until the books close in mid-July, Payne said, but in the previous fiscal year the city spent $4.1 million on fuel.

And that's with a deep discount — the city buys in bulk and doesn't pay state and federal motor fuels taxes. The city just bought a load of fuel for $3.88 a gallon, Payne said, even as the cheapest diesel in town was selling for nearly $4.50 a gallon. Two years ago, he said the city paid about $1.75 a gallon.

One might think the rise in ridership would cover the rising fuel costs, but it doesn't, Payne said. Savvy riders take advantage of fare reductions such as monthly passes and senior discounts. College students ride free — and they make up 60 percent of the riders on some buses, he said. Still, it appears that fare revenues will be well over $6 million for the current fiscal year, about $1 million more than last year.

Even if ridership continues to rise, there are some dark clouds on the horizon for mass transit in Albuquerque. One big question is whether federal support will continue or decline. "Federal aid is a huge deal," Payne said. Federal dollars paid for 83 percent of each of the new hybrid buses — which cost around $600,000 apiece — and there are many more left to purchase, particularly if demand continues to grow.

"For now it (federal funding) looks OK, but the financial picture in Washington, D.C., is cause for concern," Payne said.

In its favor, Albuquerque has replaced enough of its buses that the average age is about 6 years — down from 12 to 14 years old in 2006. "If things sour in federal funding, we've got a little breathing room," he said.

And depending on who moves into the Oval Office in January, mass transit could get a boost. Congress has already moved to shore up transportation funding, with the House last week approving $1.7 billion to help transit agencies pay higher fuel costs and maintain service.
That would provide nearly $3 million a year for Albuquerque, according to a recent analysis by the New Mexico Public Interest Research Group (NMPIRG) on household gasoline spending and transportation options.

"If Congress wants to do something long-term about high gas prices, it will give people more alternatives to driving," said Laura Hixon, the citizen outreach director for NMPIRG. "Unless we make it easier to drive less, American families will be stuck in neutral as they spend more and more at the pump."

Perhaps the biggest potential threat to ABQ Ride is loss of local financial support, Payne said. Late next year, the City Council will consider whether to extend the city's quarter-cent gross receipts tax for transportation projects. Most of the tax revenue goes to road projects, but the 20 to 25 percent that supports mass transportation is crucial, he said. "If we don't (continue the tax), we'll be in the same situation that other transit departments across the country are in."

On the flip side, additional economic aid for mass transit could come from a tax under consideration by Rio Metro, the regional transportation district for Bernalillo, Valencia and Sandoval counties. The Albuquerque Journal last week reported the Rio Metro board soon will consider whether to ask voters in the three-county area to support an eighth-cent gross receipts tax hike to help pay for a number of transportation projects, including the New Mexico Rail Runner Express commuter train and bus services such as ABQ Ride.

Given some of the negative comments on the regional tax idea posted later on Journal writer John Fleck's blog, the tax might not fly. But as crude oil surpasses the $140 mark and predictions of $200 a barrel now seeming less preposterous, some are suggesting American drivers prepare for $7-per-gallon gasoline. At that rate, ABQ Ride may have to start taking reservations for its $1, cross-town trips.

From Minneapolis-St.Paul: "Mass-transit meets mass-media," by Gita Sitaramiah

To advertisers, buses are much more than a commuting option. They're rolling billboards with the capacity to spread messages to on-the-go consumers. (Read more here.)

From Albuquerque! "Soaring gasoline prices cause public transit ridership to ‘explode,’ " by LLoyd Jojola

This story was published in the Albuquerque Journal on June 19, 2008. However, I am unable to find a link to that story within the Albuquerque Journal website's search engine. I did find ten pages of Lloyd Jojola stories, many about ABQ RIDE, but not the story I have copied below.


Judy Sesma of Rio Rancho did the math. By using the bus for her commute to Sandia Labs, she’s saving about $5 a day in gasoline costs — and that was calculated when the fuel prices were about $3, $3.50 per gallon.

“It’s 25 miles one-way to work,” the secretary said while waiting to board ABQ Ride’s Route 96 Crosstown commuter service at 6:09 a.m. Tuesday. “This is cheap transportation.”

It’s transportation an ever-increasing number of people are using as area gas prices near $4 a gallon.

One commuter route has seen passenger loads more than double in the past couple months.

ABQ Ride boardings sur- passed 909,000 in May, an 8 percent increase compared with the same month last year. But more marked increases have occurred on bus routes that largely serve commuters, causing the transit agency to make changes to accommodate more ridership.

“Our bigger increases have been in the commuter routes, and they have been over the last couple of months vs. the first part of the fiscal year,” said Art Martinez, a Transit Department spokesman. “We were definitely seeing steady growth, but we’re seeing spikes in the last couple of months.”

A prime example: the Route 96 service that runs weekday mornings and evenings from the Cottonwood Mall park and ride site on the West Side to Kirtland Air Force Base. By observation alone, it’s a standing-room-only service at times.

“That’s happening a lot, especially coming home. Sometimes going in,” said Rio Rancho resident Elizabeth Jones, a Veterans Affairs Hospital nurse who’s gone from taking the Route 96 bus “once in a while” to “more than I used to.”

From July 2007 to March 2008, an average of about 2,650 people a month rode the Route 96 line. During April and May, the number was about 4,000 a month.

The growth has been substantial enough that another bus — a morning run and an evening run — will be added to the Route 96 service starting Monday, Martinez said.

And that’s not the only line with a sizable increase.

Ridership on ABQ Ride’s Route 222 line, which ties into the Rail Runner Express station by Rio Bravo Boulevard — bus service that feeds the airport and Air Force base area — has “exploded,” Martinez said.

An average of about 1,500 people per month boarded that route from July 2007 to March 2008. But in April and May, an average of 3,326 used it each month. Much of that passenger traffic is made up of Valencia County commuters coming into the Albuquerque area, according to transit officials.

Similar increases are being seen, and adjustments are being made, by other mass transit providers, such as the Rail Runner Express train.

A third car was added to the northbound train Tuesday that departs from the Belen station at 5:46 a.m.

“We added it because the busiest section is between Belen and Downtown Albuquerque,” said Jay Faught of the Mid-Region Council of Governments. “It was really to accommodate those passengers coming from Belen and Los Lunas.”

Train managers in April had already added a car to the train that departs Belen at 6:51 a.m.

“Just in the last month or so, we’ve seen a more than 20 percent jump in ridership on the Rail Runner, with some of our train cars overflowing with passengers,” Lawrence Rael, MRCOG executive director, said in a statement this week.

And the state Department of Transportation this week added another bus to its park-and-ride service from Albuquerque to Santa Fe to meet demand.

“Currently, passengers are at standing room only on this route and several people have been turned away in the past two days,” state Transportation Secretary Rhonda Faught said in a news release as the move was made.

On Wednesday, an additional bus began picking up commuters at 6:40 a.m. from the state Department of Transportation offices at 7500 Pan American Freeway NE in Albuquerque. It leaves from the state DOT offices at 1120 Cerrillos Road in Santa Fe at 5:20 p.m.

Bus benefits

Judy Sesma, a Rio Rancho resident, has been riding the bus for years. She catches ABQ Ride’s Route 96 Crosstown commuter about four days each week to get to her job at Sandia National Laboratories. She listed the following benefits to riding the bus: It reduces wear and tear on her car. She gets a discount on her automobile insurance. “You don’t have to do the driving yourself.” You can read, study, talk, sleep. And you can socialize. “I’ve met some really nice people on the bus.”

Ditch your car

Albuquerque’s buses are free today.

Mayor Martin Chávez announced Wednesday that the Transit Department would celebrate “Dump the Pump Day” with free bus service. And every city department director will take the bus or alternative transportation to work, the mayor said.

Also free today: the New Mexico Park and Ride bus service, on a space-available basis, and Rail Runner Express services.

Mass transit choices



For schedule and fare information, go to:

ABQ Ride: www.cabq.gov/abqride or call 243-RIDE.


 Rail Runner Express: www.nmrailrunner.com or call 245-RAIL.


 New Mexico Park and Ride: www.nmparkandride.com or call (866) 551-RIDE (7433) or (505) 424-1110.

MARLA BROSE/JOURNAL Daniel Jones, right, stands in front of D.J. Latham as they catch a ride on ABQ Ride’s Route 96 Tuesday morning. The popular route was full as it left the stop at Gibson and San Mateo, bound for Cottonwood Mall.




From Mexico City: "Mexican bus drivers want tips despite harrowing rides." (AP)

So what if they rage through traffic, cause at least one accident a day and barely stop for passengers. Drivers of Mexico City's rickety old "pesero" buses say they deserve tips for their harrowing rides. (Read more here.)

From San Francisco: "Top bus driver followed a winding path," by Rachel Gordon

Jesse Dela Cruz almost flunked the driving test when he signed up to become a bus jockey for AC Transit 29 years ago. Today, he is the three-time championship transit operator of North America, having just won his third title at the annual transit "roadeo" in Texas. (Read more here.)

From Boston: "King of the bill: BoltBus can get you to New York for $1," by Chad Berndtson

This story originally appeared on PatriotLedger.com at this address: http://www.patriotledger.com/lifestyle/x514713284. This link no longer exists. A copy of the original story appears below.


I’m not a "bus guy.'' It could be that my past experiences with Greyhound, Fung Wah and other Boston/New York corridor coaches consistently left my neck in a merciless crick if I dared to doze off, and my knees in various stages of tweak having been jammed in seat gaps or overstretched into an aisle.

If you’re 6 feet or taller, you know what I’m talking about.

But I’m charmed by the BoltBus, a new venture launched by Greyhound Lines and Peter Pan Bus Lines Inc. that began Boston/New York service last Thursday. The hook: a roomier, comfier bus with free wireless Internet and $1 seats if you book far enough in advance. The rest of the seats can be as much as $20.


My first thought, upon boarding in semi-chaotic fashion near Penn Station, was that, well, it’s still a bus, and no such travel solution can account for bumpy roads, traffic, wafting fast food smells and cell phone yakkers with zero regard for close-quarters etiquette.

The seats are nothing special but they are roomier than standard Greyhound fare, the 110-volt outlets on the backs of seats are easy to manage, and the WiFi works well despite a dearth of surfaces on which to place laptops or food.

The demographics on both my trips veer toward collegiate looking twentysomethings and young professionals, with the stray family and older businessperson thrown in. Each ride I take is nominally sold out.

In fact, maybe some enterprising thesis candidate will pen his or her degree-maker using this as a sociology experiment – as in, how much are people willing to put up with because they only paid a Washington or close to it? 
While gas is creeping toward $4, the choices are few, even if it means hours in I-95 traffic.

The BoltBus offers daily 12 trips between Boston and New York.

On the return trip to New York last Sunday, my fiancée and I were surprised at the number of bedraggled looking folks queueing at South Station’s Gate 3 – out of where the "regular'' Greyhound and Peter Pan NYC buses operate – or hustling to make a Fung Wah or Lucky Star bus, also apparently oversold.

Translation: the secret isn’t really out yet, so you might want to book your BoltBus tickets now.

For reservations and  more information, log on to www.boltbus.com.
 It’s pretty nice.

On the Cheap is a weekly column that features free or dirt cheap entertainment options. E-mail us at features@ledger.com.

From The United States: "Gas Prices Send Surge of Riders to Mass Transit," by Clifford Krauss

With the price of gas approaching $4 a gallon, more commuters are abandoning their cars and taking the train or bus instead.

Mass transit systems around the country are seeing standing-room-only crowds on bus lines where seats were once easy to come by. Parking lots at many bus and light rail stations are suddenly overflowing, with commuters in some towns risking a ticket or tow by parking on nearby grassy areas and in vacant lots. (Read more here.)

From Santa Cruz, California: "County asks for student bus pass donations," by J.M. Brown

This story was originally posted on the Santa Cruz Sentinel's website at http://www.scsextra.com/story.php?sid=75722 . That link no longer exists. Below is a copy of the original story.


JoAnn Allen, who runs a county support program for low-income and homeless families, sets aside $18,000 every year to buy monthly bus passes for students whose families can't afford to shuttle them between home and school.

But during the past 18 months, as more Santa Cruz County families lose their homes to the statewide wave of mortgage foreclosures, the number of parents requesting Metro transit passes from the county has nearly tripled. In just the first three months of this year, Allen said she has already spent $40,000 -- more than twice her annual transportation budget.

Allen has pulled from other federal grant-funded sources at the county Office of Education to backfill the overspending, and for the first time since the support program was founded 18 years ago is asking for the public's help to subsidize the transportation costs. She said all donations are tax-exempt.

"We have a Band-Aid that is leaking," said Allen, director of the student support services division. "This is the first time I've ever said, 'Can you just help us with bus passes?' "

She said there are an estimated 3,000 students in the county who are classified as homeless or in transition, meaning they are temporarily living with other families, staying in motels or living on the streets. School sites countywide refer families to the county program, but Allen said the crisis has particularly affected lower-income areas of Santa Cruz, Live Oak and the Pajaro Valley.

The names of families who receive the passes are confidential, but several contacted by the Sentinel through county officials declined to be interviewed about the reason for their sudden spike in financial need.

In a recent written appeal to the public, the county education office said, "Many families in our community, both homeowners and rental tenants, are being forced from their homes. As a result of these economic hardships, we are identifying more homeless families in need of services for their school-aged children."

Allen said some families are also grappling with vehicle repossessions, making it difficult to get their children to school unless they can afford a city bus ticket. Allen's program serves about 1,000 students annually with clothes, supplies and transportation, but is struggling to make ends meet with the run on transportation costs.

Monthly bus passes cost $35 for K-12 students, and the county also provides about six $50 monthly passes for parents or guardians who accompany the youngest students. The majority of pass users are students between the fifth and ninth grades.

Although school districts lack transportation funding, Allen said she has asked liaisons at school sites to see if the families requesting the passes could chip in even a small portion of the bus pass cost. Many cannot, and she said the county has had to turn away parents.

Laurie Bloom-Sweeney, assistant superintendent of education services at Live Oak School District, encouraged the public to invest in the bus program.

"Their life is in turmoil," she said of the 88 students, or 5 percent, in her district who are homeless or living in transitional housing. "Whatever we can do to maintain a sane environment for them is imperative."

How to help


Donations to the Students in Transition bus pass program 
can be sent to Nohemi Macias, Santa Cruz County Office of Education, 809H Bay Ave., 
Capitola CA 95010. For information, contact Macias at 477-5422 or nmacias@santacruz.k12.ca.us.

Contact J.M. Brown at 429-2410 or jbrown@santacruzsentinel.com.

From England: "Department of Transport unveils 'smart-card' national bus pass for older & disabled people."

This story originally appeared on PublicTechnology.net at this address: http://www.publictechnology.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=11565. That link no longer exists. Below is a copy of the original story.


Department for Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly yesterday unveiled a new smart-card pass that will give older and disabled people free off-peak bus travel across England from 1st April, 2008.


Currently, people aged 60 and over and eligible disabled people are entitled to free off-peak bus travel within their own local authority area. But from April 2008 the Government will invest up to an extra £250m each year to extend the scheme to include off-peak local bus travel anywhere in England.



The new passes will also incorporate ITSO 'smartcard' technology to boost the roll out of 'smart ticketing'. This will help minimise fraud and ensure that the number of journeys made by pass-holders are accurately recorded for reimbursement purposes between local authorities and bus operators. In areas where buses are not yet fitted with smartcard readers the cards can still be shown to the driver as a traditional 'flash' card upon boarding.



Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly said:


 "We have already seen how popular concessionary fares are. Bus use in England rose by 4% in the year after we introduced free, off-peak local travel. Now we are extending their entitlement, millions of older and disabled people will be able to use their passes while visiting friends and family anywhere in England as well as to access local services."



"We hope that allowing eligible passengers to use their passes across local boundaries will continue to encourage even more people to get the most from the bus services available across the country."



"By introducing smartcard technology from the outset we are paving the way for full smart ticketing across the country. This would speed up boarding, cut fraud and open up the possibility of using the same pass to access a range of other local services such as libraries and leisure facilities.

"

Commenting on the scheme, Alan Burnett, senior policy officer at Help the Aged, said:


"Millions of older and disabled people rely on local bus services. From April, they will be able to save money when they cross local boundaries or visit friends and family in other parts of England."



The Passenger Transport Executive Group (PTEG) welcomed the decision to make the pass a smartcard. Neil Scales, director general of Merseytravel and PTEG spokesman on smartcards, said:



"Smartcard ticketing offers the prospect of greater convenience for passengers and lower administration costs for local authorities, operators and ultimately the taxpayer. "



"We look forward to working with the DfT and with bus operators to realise the full potential of the national concessionary smartcard-as a
precursor to much wider application of public transport smartcards in
the years to come."



Steven Salmon, director of policy development at the Confederation of Passenger Transport UK, said:


"Operators will be ready to welcome pass-holders from all over England from 1 April. The Government's decision to make the passes 'smart' could help authorities and operators to offer fast, friendly and efficient services for everyone."



Currently, people aged 60 and over and eligible disabled people in England are entitled to free off-peak bus travel within the local authority area in which they live. This full waiver of the fare, replacing the previous half fare entitlement, was introduced by the Government in April 2006.The concession applies between 9.30am and 11pm on weekdays, and all day weekends and bank holidays.



Some existing local concessionary travel schemes in England include travel into neighbouring local authorities, but provision varies across the country and could be discontinued at any time. The Concessionary Bus Travel Act 2007 makes it a statutory entitlement, for the first time, for eligible people to travel outside their local authority area, anywhere in England, for free, by local bus from 1 April 2008. The existing timings remain unchanged.



Local authorities are currently able to issue concessionary passes to their own design. These vary across England with some authorities already issuing ITSO smartcards with strong fraud prevention characteristics. At the other extreme some current passes have no photos and no expiry date. Because bus drivers across England next year will have to recognise the entitlement of any eligible pass holder, irrespective of which authority issued the pass, from 1 April 2008 all passes will have to conform to a specification set out in regulations. These will set out the physical design, including a new requirement that all passes must have photos and expiry dates, and also ensure that all passes are ITSO smartcards.



In London, Freedom Passes will be re-stickered with the new national concessionary travel logo so that they are recognisable across the country from April 2008. They will be fully re-issued to comply with the standard specification from 2010. Discussions are ongoing to convert the London Oyster system to accept ITSO smartcards.



Smartcards have a number of advantages over traditional paper-based passes. When used on smart readers, they are highly resistant to fraudulent replication. They can also help to speed up boarding, helping to reduce bus journey times. And in addition to use as concessionary travel passes, smartcards could be used for commercial ticketing on other transport services and additional services at local authorities' discretion, such as allowing access to leisure or library services.



ITSO is a national smartcard specification developed by industry and the Government. Using ITSO helps to ensure wide compatibility as the ITSO specification is protected by Crown Copyright and available to a wide range of users. ITSO-based smartcards are already being used for concessionary bus travel throughout Scotland and in some parts of England, and are being introduced on some parts of the rail network.



Concessionary travel is a devolved policy area. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland already operate their own schemes. The Concessionary Bus Travel Act 2007 includes a power to allow, via regulations in the future, for mutual recognition of concessionary bus passes across the UK, and the Government had initial discussions with the devolved administrations about the inclusion of this power last year.

From NYC: "A Noisy Train, a Fed-Up Rider and a Day in Court," by Anemona Hartocollis

All John Clifford wanted was a peaceful ride to work on the 7:39 to Pennsylvania Station. (Read more here.)

from American City and County: "Steering transit progress [in Albuquerque]"

In 2000, Albuquerque's transit department had earned a bad reputation with problems that included safety issues, drivers who had gone years without a union contract, declining ridership and increasingly angry complaints from riders. In July 2000, a bus caught fire, solidifying concerns about the department's administration. (Read more here.)

From Snohomish County, Washington: "Community Transit orders 23 'double talls' " (KOMO news staff)

Snohomish County's Community Transit announced Monday that it has ordered 23 more of its popular double-decker bus. Read more here.)

From Calgary: "Perfume spat gets woman kicked off Calgary bus." (CTV news staff)

This story originally appeared on the CTV News website at this address: http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070327/perfume_fuss_070327/20070327/. That link no longer connects to the original story. Below is a copy of the original.


A Calgary transit passenger is demanding a public apology after being ordered off a bus -- twice --  because of the apparently overpowering scent of her perfume.

During her morning commute to work last Friday, Natalie Kuhn was ordered off the No. 137 Dalhousie bus by a driver who complained her perfume was too strong and was aggravating his allergies.

It happened again Monday. Kuhn said after about eight minutes into her commute, the driver pulled over and started opening all of the windows before telling her to get, just around the corner from her regular stop.

"I was humiliated and embarrassed in front of other passengers," the 25-year-old chiropractic assistant told CTV News. "I got off that bus in tears."

Kuhn said she heard no complaints from the other riders. Before she exited, she got in an argument with the driver about her perfume, "Very Irresistible" by Givenchy.

"(The bus driver) stood up, looked at the other passengers and said, 'just so everyone knows, we won't be going anywhere because of the excessive amount of perfume this woman's wearing. I can't operate this bus.'"

Kuhn called the city to complain while the driver paged his supervisor. A short time later, a transit employee arrived to escort her to her destination.

A 'civil rights' matter

Kuhn said her experience is about more than just public embarrassment.

"It's not about the perfume anymore, it's about the way I was treated," she said. "It's about rights. People's civil rights are being violated, and that's what happened to me."

The union representing Calgary's transit workers began a work-to-rule campaign on Friday -- the day of the first incident. Kuhn said she wasn't certain whether the drivers were making an issue about her perfume as an excuse to disrupt service.

Calgary Transit said an investigation is underway, although it's too early to say whether any action will be taken or whether an apology will be made. Calgary Transit spokesperson Tom McCallum said the city doesn't have a policy allowing bus drivers to deny travel to passengers wearing perfume.

Kuhn said she's been spraying on less perfume than usual after the embarrassing bus incidents, but she won't stop wearing it, and she'll keep riding bus 137 to work.

From Atlanta: "Ads Add a Certain Glow to Atlanta's City Buses," by Kathy Lohr

There are a dozen buses on the streets of Atlanta wrapped with a new material called glow skin, which gives the ads on the sides of the bus a whole new look. (Read more here.)

From Albuquerque! "Rapid Ride Reaches 5 Million Passengers - Lucky Rider Wins Prizes" (City of Albuquerque website)

This story originally appeared on the City of Albuquerque website at this address: http://www.cabq.gov/transit/5MillionRiders.html. That link no longer exists. Below is a copy of the original.

Mayor Martin Chávez and ABQ RIDE Director, Greg Payne, are proud to announce that today the five-millionth passenger boarded the Rapid Ride.

"In only a little more than 3 years, 5 million passengers have taken advantage of the express service," said Mayor Chávez. "The Rapid Ride continues to provide riders with a fast and convenient way to commute in Albuquerque."

The original Rapid Ride, the Red Line, began service in December 24, 2004. More than 150,000 passengers now board the Red Line monthly. The BlueLine, which services the West Side to downtown and the UNM area, was launched in July 2007 and averages more than 20,000 passengers per month.

During a press conference today, Bryan Evans, a local artist and frequent user of the Rapid Ride, was presented with prizes that included dinner for two at Tucano's, a night's stay for two at the Hyatt Regency, a bouquet from People's Flowers and a one-year bus pass.

 "The Rapid Ride picks up where the other routes leave off, " said Director Payne. "We developed the routes to provide a service to the commuter who needed fast, frequent and consistent rides along our busiest transit corridor. The Rapid Ride has helped ABQ RIDE increase ridership because it attracted new riders, even along the regular local routes." According to the American Public Transportation Association, nationally bus ridership saw a growth of 1% from 2006 to 2007. For the same period, ABQ RIDE saw a growth of 8%.

"Increased gasoline prices definitely drives some of our ridership increase, but that's not the only explanation." Payne said. "We've expanded Rapid Ride, connected with the Rail Runner, partnered with UNM and CNM on students passes and improved our overall level of customer service. We're simply a different, better, more modern transit system."

From Lindau, Germany: " ‘Too sexy for my bus’, German woman told." (Reuters)

A German bus driver threatened to throw a 20-year-old sales clerk off his bus in the southern town of Lindau because he said she was too sexy, a newspaper reported on Monday. (Read more here.)

From Stockholm, Sweden: "Dwarves zipped in suitcases steal from Swedes," by Lucy Cockcroft

Criminal gangs are using dwarves to steal from the luggage holds of long-distance coaches, by hiding them inside suitcases, according to police. (Read more here.)

From Los Angeles: "L.A. mayor rides the bus, hopes others will, too," by Sue Doyle

Resurrecting a pledge to use more public transit as Los Angeles grapples with gridlock, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has begun stepping aboard more buses and rails to encourage Angelenos to leave their cars at home once a week. (Read more here.)

From NYC: “Riders take a ‘No Pants Subway Ride,’ ” by Veronika Belenkaya

If the woman next to you on the subway wasn't wearing pants Saturday, you weren't dreaming, and you didn't suddenly develop X-ray vision. (Read more here.)

From New Orleans: “A Streetcar of Solace Is Back in New Orleans,” by Adam Nossiter

The return in recent weeks of the distinctly urban noise of grinding wheels and brakes to St. Charles Avenue, with the near completion of post-hurricane repairs, has been an occasion for joy and not because, as boosters would have it, one more tourism feather has been added to the city’s cap.

The St. Charles streetcar line is that most valued local commodity, an unbroken link to the past... (Read on here.)