From Rogaland county, Norway: "4000 Bus Stops that Tweet, Record Stories and Provide the Time of the Next Bus via QRCodes" (digitalurban.org)

Today sees the launch of our latest collaboration via the Tales of Things project - this time with a Norwegian transport company, Kolumbus. Tales of Things has been utilising Kolumbus’ already existing QR codes to allow passengers to leave stories for one another. When a passenger visits one of Kolumbus’ more than 4,000 bus stops they will find a QR code which when scanned with the free Tales of Things’ app on with the iPhone or Android it will not only link them to timetable information, but also allow them to leave a message on the bus stop. (Read more here.)

From Chicago: "City Stories: Bus Chic," by Adrienne

This story originally appeared on Adrienne Writes at this address: http://adriennewrites.net/2011/02/08/city-stories-bus-chic/. This website no longer exists. A copy of the original story appears below.


I live in Chicago. I love fashion. It’s winter.

I also love being warm.

All that said, it’s a bit difficult to be ultra fashionable when its 10 below zero and I have to take the bus to work. (Translation: standing outside in sub zero temps, sometimes for up to 45 minutes and always in snow, rain, high wind, sleet or all of the above.)

I have a style I like to call Chicago winter chic, or “bus chic.” Everyone else here has it too. It usually involves fur boots or fur-lined Timberlands. (No Uggs here. Our boots need to be water-proof.) It always involves a puffy, Michelin Man-esque coat or a fur coat. In my case, depending upon the temperature, the fur coat is usually pulled out when it’s going to be a below zero day. Fur in Chicago isn’t exactly a status symbol. It’s just a good idea. Because frankly, I don’t get cold when I wear my fur coat. (Most of the people I know – no matter their monetary income – own a fur coat or two. Leather is cute, but it aint doing ISH in this kind of harsh weather.)

Chicago winter chic also involves several scarves (so you can switch out week after week) and if you’re lucky, they’re pretty or have a vibrant design. Said scarf must cover the whole head, neck and nose. Then the gloves must be thick , with a leather palm – like ski gloves. Thinsulate is a must. During blizzard days when I’m waiting on the bus, I’ve taken to wearing my husband’s fur-lined hunter’s cap. It aint pretty, but in 30-mph wind, it keeps the ears cozy.

If you wear skirts, like moi, then colorful tights and leg warmers are a must because frost bite sets it quickly in a Chicago winter. Plus, most of us have a “coat sweater,” that sweater you only wear as a second layer with your puffy coat. This sweater is never worn for any other reason than to be a layer of wool around your body under your main coat for those times when the wait at the bus stop will be long and wet.

The guys gets to wear their boots all day. But the ladies usually bring a pair of shoes to switch out. Then, once you get to the office, you peel out of all those layers to reveal a cute DVF dress, bright tights and high heels.

Now, I do know people who are dressed to the nines no matter the weather – or the mode of transportation. God bless those gals! Their feet apparently never get cold. They also seem to be OK with salt and sleet getting on their Louboutin’s…

I, on the other hand, get a chill even in the summer. Plus, I don’t wear expensive shoes in the snow.

‘Course, this style of dressing makes it difficult to be cute for after work drinks. But everyone at the bar knows that beneath all those layers lies potential. No one judges.

But come summer? Watch out.

From Tel HaShomer, Israel: "The Young Man at the Bus Stop," by Rickismom

I was standing at the bus stop, waiting for the number 7 bus to Tel HaShomer hospital. As he arrived at the bus stop, and sat down, I immediately noticed that the young man had Down syndrome. I was impressed by his appearance; he was impeccably dressed. He appeared confident and self assured. And shortly afterwards I noticed that as an older man passed, he nodded towards the young adult, saying “Hi Charles” (not his real name), “How ya’ doin’ ?” and “Charles” smiled and answered “Fine, thanks.”

(Read more here.)

From San Francisco: "Compliments on the F," by Matthew F. via Muni Diaries

It’s not always easy to give someone a compliment. Rider Matthew F. sent this hilarious conversation he overheard on the F: (Read more here.)

From Pondicherry, India: "Love Stories – A Valentine’s Day Special," by Sairam Krishnan

It was raining hard that Sunday evening as I got on to the bus to Villupuram from Pondicherry. I had screwed up. Yet again. Dad had warned me that not booking the ticket to Coimbatore early would land me in a terrible soup. And, as my Dad is right almost all the time, it did. I did not get any direct bus to Coimbatore and had to resort to route buses to get to Etti on time. Also, the course, that is, Pondicherry-Villupuram-Salem-Coimbatore was so crowded, that I barely had space to stand, let alone sit. But, duty beckoned! I would not be absent on the first day of semester, I had decided. That decision, in hindsight, was one of the best I ever made in my life.

(Read more here.)

From Toronto: the second of a pair of stories: "TTC to passengers: Don’t snap texting drivers," by Amy Dempsey and Curtis Rush for the Toronto Star

The Toronto Transit Commission wants you to quit playing paparazzi with its employees.

The please-don’t-play-gotcha request comes after at least three TTC drivers were caught on camera this week by shocked passengers who observed them texting or chatting on cellphones while operating buses. (Read more here.)

From Toronto: the first of a pair of stories: "TTC fires 3 drivers for texting: reports" (CBC News)

The Toronto Transit Commission has fired three bus drivers for allegedly using mobile devices while operating transit vehicles, two published reports say.

The Toronto Sun and the Toronto Star are reporting Tuesday that the workers were fired after being caught using mobile devices or cellphones behind the wheel. Both newspapers cite unnamed sources close to an internal TTC investigation into the matter. (Read more here.)