Posts By Susan Bregman

OneBusAway extended for another year

OneBusAway, the popular Seattle-area bus tracker, will live to see another day thanks to an agreement between the University of Washington and several Puget Sound transit providers. Sound Transit, King County Metro Transit, Pierce Transit and the university will contribute up to $150,000 to further develop and maintain the application for 13 months. The futureRead… Read more »

FTA awards grants to more than 300 projects

The Federal Transit Administration awarded $928.5 million in grants to more than 300 projects through its Alternatives Analysis, Bus Livability, and State of Good Repair programs. Projects include the following: Orange County Transportation Authority (CA) will install 100 solar lights at selected bus stops to improve safety, security, and accessibility. Springfield Mass Transit District (IL)Read… Read more »

TriMet launches multimodal trip planner

After a soft launch earlier this month, TriMet (OR) officially unveiled its open-source multimodal trip planner on Friday. The Regional Trip Planner allows users to combine transit, walking, biking, and Zipcars into a single itinerary. “People will find that adding biking to a transit trip can save a significant amount of time,” said information technologyRead… Read more »

CTA security cameras lead to arrest

Speaking at a press conference, mayor Rahm Emaneul defended the $15 million investment in 1,500 new cameras. “First of all, do I think it’s right to invest in technology?” he asked. “We just had in the last week two incidents where the technology was essential to providing security and also apprehending two individuals in theseRead… Read more »

SEPTA warns fakers: We’re watching you

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority has joined forces with the Philadelphia district attorney to crack down on passengers who fake injuries. Almost half of the system’s buses are equipped with 8-10 digital cameras and every rail car on the Broad Street and Market-Frankford lines has 10-12 cameras. “They rack up these incredible medical bills,” saidRead… Read more »

Myki cards to stay despite security flaws

Australia’s Victoria government plans to keep the myki smart card in circulation after security flaws were found, despite widespread media reports saying that more than one million cards would be phased out. In a statement on the myki website, Transport Ticketing Authority (VIC) CEO Bernie Carolan assured cardholders that no personal information in stored onRead… Read more »

SkyTrain upgrades communications network

TransLink (BC) officials announced plans to install fiber-optic cables on SkyTrain’s Expo line, replacing its 25-year-old cable network. ”The fiber-optic cables are the backbone of SkyTrain operations,” said Fred Cummings, president of British Columbia Rapid Transit Company, which operates two of the three SkyTrain lines, in a statement. “They run the communications among staff, operateRead… Read more »

HopStop offers free geo-targeted ads

Transit and walking directions provider HopStop has started offering free geo-targeted ads to small businesses in New York City on a trial basis, with a goal of rolling out the program across the U.S. Here’s how the program works: Business owners sign up for a 30-day free trial online and create their advertisement. For theRead… Read more »

New app doubles as alarm clock

Most transit-tracking applications promise to let you know if you have enough time to grab a cup of coffee on the way to work. TravAlarm goes one step further and warns you about travel delays while you’re still in bed. The free iPhone and Android app, currently available for systems in London, New York, Boston,Read… Read more »

RTC launches website for visitors

The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada launched a new website to make it easier for Las Vegas visitors to choose transit. Ridethestrip.com focuses on transit options serving McCarran Airport, Las Vegas Boulevard, and downtown Las Vegas and allows users to purchase a three-day transit pass in advance of their visit. “The launch of ridethestrip.comRead… Read more »