There’s something very satisfying about the efficiency of overnight travel. In the best of conditions you make your journey and awake, refreshed, at your destination. But how well you sleep depends a lot on how you travel. Here’s my list of overnight travel options, from worst to first: DRIVING ALL NIGHT: In my carefree youth I once drove all night from … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Overnight Travel From Worst to First
Talking Transportation
Talking Transportation: Wires Down on Metro-North Cause Multiple Delays
We take our train service for granted. For the 80,000 daily Connecticut riders on Metro-North the service is dependable and on-time … usually. But not last Thursday evening (June 5), the hottest day of the year (so far), when the overhead catenary power lines were dragged down near Westport. No power means no trains. What caused the problem won’t be known for a while. Given … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Wires Down on Metro-North Cause Multiple Delays
Talking Transportation: Out-of-State License Plate Fraud is Top Form of Tax Evasion in CT
“This is the number one form of tax evasion in CT. Connecticut is losing millions annually and our DMV does not care.” So says Stonington Tax Assessor Jennifer Lineaweaver, President of the state association for her profession (the CCAO). She’s speaking of CT residents who register their cars in other states to avoid local property taxes. "CT is also losing money on … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Out-of-State License Plate Fraud is Top Form of Tax Evasion in CT
Talking Transportation: Transit-Oriented Recreation
The recent cool and weather aside, it’s officially summer! Time to get out and enjoy our state’s wonderful parks and beaches and take advantage of TOR. You know what TOD is, right? Transit Oriented Development … building homes and offices near mass transit facilities. Well, I’m going to suggest you think about TOR… Transit Oriented Recreation. Did you know … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Transit-Oriented Recreation
Talking Transportation: Some ‘Fun Facts’
Over the twenty years I’ve been writing this column, I’ve come across some “fun facts” about transportation. Try dazzling friends at your next BBQ with some of these gems. HIGHWAYS: Some 180,000 vehicles drive all or part of the 112 miles that I-95 runs through our state. But even factoring in true interstate drivers (think Florida to Maine), the average distance … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Some ‘Fun Facts’
Talking Transportation: On Air Pollution and Transportation
Our air stinks. In fact, Fairfield County ranks in the top 25 of most polluted areas in the US, mostly due to ozone levels. And while much of those noxious gases drift our way from New Jersey and New York City, a large part of our pollution is home-grown: it’s due to heavy volumes of traffic, especially diesel trucks, which emit nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: On Air Pollution and Transportation
Talking Transportation: Don’t Believe the Hype
Don’t believe everything you read or see in the media. Sage advice on any topic, but especially when it comes to coverage of transportation. A couple of recent stories illustrate my point. Improved Cell Service on Metro-North The Governor and Connecticut Department of Transportation (CDOT) Commissioner held a media event recently in Stamford to promote the … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Don’t Believe the Hype
Talking Transportation: Enjoying the View
Commuting can be “Oh so boring”, especially if you’re driving. But when you’re on the train, you’ve got plenty of time to do work, read a book, take a nap or just look out the window. Enjoying the view from the train is one of the perks of being car-free, and some parts of the ride are especially beautiful. Traveling along the coast, especially east of New Haven (on Shore … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Enjoying the View
‘Talking Transportation’ is Back! Five Worst Ideas for Solving Traffic Congestion
Editor's Note: We are delighted to welcome transport guru Jim Cameron , pictured left, back to LymeLine. He was wrote for us regularly for almost 10 years starting in 2011 and his columns were always popular with our readers. He is the founder of the Commuter Action Group and advocates for Connecticut rail riders. He writes a weekly column called 'Talking Transportation,' which … [Read more...] about ‘Talking Transportation’ is Back! Five Worst Ideas for Solving Traffic Congestion
Talking Transportation: Is Commuting Dead?
These columns run in some publications under the title "Getting There." Am I going to have to change that name to “NOT Getting There”? That’s what Governor Lamont says. Post-COVID he predicts the end of daily commuting as we know it. Lamont told Bloomberg that his New York business buddies tell him they’re saving so much money by having people work from their homes they may … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Is Commuting Dead?
Talking Transportation: The Road Ahead … for Rail Commuters: Will They Ever Go Back To Metro-North?
The road ahead for commuters may be less crowded ... or maybe more. One theory has it that, as people gradually return to work, they will shun mass transit out of safety concerns and commute, instead, by car. That could create problems on our roads if people try to drive five days a week. The other speculation is that the “new normal” will mean less commuting overall as … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: The Road Ahead … for Rail Commuters: Will They Ever Go Back To Metro-North?
Talking Transportation: Cruise Ships Hit COVID Storm, What Happens Next?
Have you ever taken a cruise? According to that industry, something like 28 million people worldwide took to the high seas last year. But that still leave 80 percent of Americans who have never cruised, enjoying the midnight buffets, spas and casinos at sea. Obviously, cruising has lost its allure since the megaships became epicenters of COVID-19 outbreaks, trapping … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Cruise Ships Hit COVID Storm, What Happens Next?
Talking Transportation: Flattening the Commuting Curve
In the post-COVID-19 world (whenever that may be) commuters will be asking themselves one question: Is this trip really necessary? Sure, when the quarantining is lifted and the life-threatening virus seems to have passed (at least until it returns next fall), we may look forward to getting back on the train and on the crowded highways. But the weeks of not commuting have … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Flattening the Commuting Curve
Talking Transportation: Airlines Hit COVID Turbulence
I’ve always been fascinated by the airline business. Even though I’m not a great flyer, the whole idea of moving hundreds of people from point A to point B in a metal tube has astounded me. I even remember the good old days of “Youth Standby” flights in the 1960’s when we could get a 50 percent fare discount just by helping fill empty seats. But until recently the planes … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Airlines Hit COVID Turbulence
Talking Transportation: What is Connecticut’s Transportation Future Post-COVID?
When it comes to transportation, Joe McGee is often the smartest guy in the room. If I want a vision of our state’s mobility future, he’s the first man I turn to. McGee served as then Gov. Lowell Weicker’s Commissioner of Economic Development. For years I worked with him on the Connecticut Metro-North Rail Commuter Council. And until recently he was the Fairfield Business … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: What is Connecticut’s Transportation Future Post-COVID?