Here in my car, I feel safest of all. I can lock all my doors. It’s the only way to live, in cars.* * Quote from Gary Numan, “Cars”, 1979 You may feel that your car is your last private refuge in this busy world. But there’s someone along for the ride: Big Brother. And you’d be surprised what he knows about you, thanks to modern technology. Cell Phones: Your cell … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Big Brother Comes Along for the Ride
Talking Transportation: Infrastructure – Dangling by a Thread
The recent fire under the Park Avenue viaduct in Harlem, which disrupted commutes of a quarter million Metro-North riders got me thinking: our aging, crumbling and vulnerable transportation infrastructure is close to collapse, and the effects of such failure could be catastrophic. Consider this track-record: June 1983: Inadequate inspections and repairs cause the collapse … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Infrastructure – Dangling by a Thread
Talking Transportation: The ‘Lock Box’ is Log-Jammed in Hartford
I hope you've been following CT-N to watch our dysfunctional legislature in recent weeks as they struggle to fill a $900 million budget gap. Not only could they not get a new budget together before adjourning (only to be summoned back mid-May for a special session), but the legislative logjam left several important measures in limbo. Among them, the long debated “lock box” for … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: The ‘Lock Box’ is Log-Jammed in Hartford
Talking Transportation: Is Uber Really a Bargain?
In the almost two years since Uber rolled into Connecticut, the state's car/taxi service business has been rocked to its core. But is Uber competing on the same level as taxis and car service companies? Of course not, which is why it's so successful. I spoke with Uber's Connecticut Manager Matt Powers and Drivers Unlimited (a Darien car & limo company) owner Randy Klein … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Is Uber Really a Bargain?
Talking Transportation: Cross Country by Amtrak
A recent business trip took me to Dallas on a crowded, turbulent 3 ½ hour flight from LaGuardia. But the return trip was a real treat: two days and nights on Amtrak, for free. Riding a lot of Acela trains in the Northeast Corridor, I've built up a ton of Amtrak Guest Rewards points, augmented by their co-branded credit card. So when I checked my calendar and the Amtrak … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Cross Country by Amtrak
Talking Transportation: The Secrets of Riding Metro-North
Each week, dozens of people ride Metro-North for the first time. This week's column is to let both new and veteran commuters in on the secrets of a successful rail commute. PARKING: You can't take the train if you can't get to the station, so invest in your commuting future by getting your name on your town's (and neighboring towns') waiting lists for annual parking … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: The Secrets of Riding Metro-North
Talking Transportation: ‘Don’t Blame The Trucks’
Driving to Hartford the other day (no, you cannot really get there by train) I saw a beautiful sight: hundreds of trucks! Yet, motorists hate trucks and mistakenly blame them for traffic congestion and accidents that cause hours of delays. Readers of this column know I’m a “rail guy” and would love to see freight trains replace trucks, but that ain’t gonna happen anytime … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: ‘Don’t Blame The Trucks’
Talking Transportation: Speed Limits, Safety and Fuel Efficiency
Crawling along I-95 the other day in the usual bumper-to-bumper traffic, I snickered when I noticed the “Speed Limit 55” sign alongside the highway. I wish … Of course, when the highway is not jammed, speeds are more like 70 mph with the legal limit, unfortunately, rarely being enforced. Which got me thinking: who sets speed limits on our highways and by what … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Speed Limits, Safety and Fuel Efficiency
Talking Transportation: Predictions for 2016
Everybody writes “Year in Review” stories. But rather than dwell on the past, I’ve got the guts to predict the future! Here’s what will happen in 2016 in the transportation world. METRO-NORTH: Slowly but surely, the railroad will drag itself out of the quagmire it’s been in since the Bridgeport, Spuyten Duyvil and Valhalla crashes. On time performance will hold strong even … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Predictions for 2016
Talking Transportation: Saving Money on Metro North
With the holidays upon us, let’s review some money-saving tips for riding Metro-North into the city for commuters and day-trippers alike: TRANSITCHEK: See if your employer subscribes to this great service, which allows workers to buy up to $130 per month in transit using pre-tax dollars. If you’re in the upper tax brackets, that’s a huge savings on commutation. A recent … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Saving Money on Metro North
Talking Transportation: Traveling by Tube
Will the train of the future be a high-speed tube, not a railroad? That’s inventor and entrepreneur Elon Musk’s and others’ vision. And Musk, the man who brought us the Tesla (all-electric car) and SpaceX (for-profit space rocket company) is putting his own money behind a proof-of-concept project for what he calls Hyperloop. The concept sound simple: move passengers in a … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Traveling by Tube
Talking Transportation: The Fairest (and Least Popular) Way To Pay for Roads
Back in April, I wrote about the challenge we face to pay for Gov. Malloy’s $100 billion transportation plan. And I expressed sympathy for his bipartisan, blue-ribbon panel tasked with coming up with funding alternatives, the Transportation Finance Panel. To be honest, I think that panel may be on a fool’s errand. They’re trying to pay for a wish list of projects not of … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: The Fairest (and Least Popular) Way To Pay for Roads
Talking Transportation: Personalized Airfares
Last time we were talking about mass transit systems collecting fares on the honor system. This time, something completely different. But to understand it, consider this analogy: Let’s say you’re in a store shopping for a commodity. You and another shopper each select one of the same items at the same time and head for the cashier. But before you can pay, the cashier … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Personalized Airfares
Talking Transportation: Rethinking First Class
Any regular reader of this column knows that I hate flying. I love travel, but getting there by air is a pain … and getting worse. Our local airports are vying for third-world status. The security searches by the TSA make a colonoscopy look like fun. And once on the plane, the airlines’ seats and service make The Fung Wah Bus seem like a viable alternative. Why is it … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Rethinking First Class
Talking Transportation: Why We Love to Hate the DMV
What three letters strike fear in the hearts of every Connecticut motorist? DWI? NSA? No, the DMV, our beloved Department of Motor Vehicles. I had the pleasure of getting my new “verified” drivers license at their Norwalk office recently, girding myself for what the DMV’s own website promised would be a two and a quarter hour ordeal. Arriving at 1 p.m. to a full … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Why We Love to Hate the DMV