Don’t look now, but the Trump White House is changing the cost of your driving commute. Maybe you missed this news, perhaps disturbed (yet unsurprised) by our President’s daily tirades … attacking Somalis as “garbage” one day, pardoning a convicted drug smuggler the next or his continued threats of invading Venezuela. How easily we miss the real news by getting distracted by … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: EV vs. Gas – The Real Cost
Talking Transportation
Talking Transportation: Rebuilding Amtrak
How was your travel this holiday weekend? If you’re one of the 82 million Americans who traveled at least 50 miles for Thanksgiving, perhaps some of you opted for Amtrak instead of driving. Our nation’s passenger railroad estimates a six percent boost in ridership this year, as Amtrak’s growth and popularity continues. Not that taking the train is cheap: a one-way, … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Rebuilding Amtrak
Talking Transportation: Can You Live Carless in Connecticut?
Is it possible to live in our state without a car? We have over 1.1 million cars registered in Connecticut (not counting SUVs, pickups and vans) for our 2.6 million licensed drivers. But that still doesn’t account for another half-million adults who don’t drive, by choice or economic necessity. According to AAA, in Connecticut it costs about $11,000 a year to operate a … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Can You Live Carless in Connecticut?
Talking Transportation: Truth in Flying
You ever get the sense the airlines are lying to you? Sure, the government shutdown wasn’t their fault. But are they always honest — in this instance and others — when flyers face delays? How often has a promised 20-minute delay morphed into an hour? And then another hour? And maybe even a cancellation? Because these most recent delays were beyond their … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Truth in Flying
Talking Transportation: Memoirs of a Metro-North Conductor
Being a train conductor seems like a simple, boring job: collecting tickets, opening and closing doors, reminding people to keep their feet off the seats. Yawn. But there’s a lighter side to the job, as I wrote a few years ago, based on former conductor Michael Shaw’s great book, “My Rail Life,” after he retired from a 36-year career on the New Haven line. He clearly loved … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Memoirs of a Metro-North Conductor
Talking Transportation: Blinded by the Light
“Blinded by the lightRevved up like a deuceAnother runner in the night”- Manfred Mann Has this ever happened to you? You’re driving on a narrow road in the dark, when the headlights of oncoming traffic suddenly blind you, leaving you wondering where is the road and whether you might crash. With sunset now coming as early as 5 p.m. (thanks to the return to Standard Time), … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Blinded by the Light
Talking Transportation: Dangers of the Fall
I love the fall. But I hate the leaves! Sure, they look pretty as they change colors, but when those leaves are spent and fall to the ground, they present real problems for travelers. Whether you rake your leaves yourself or have someone “blow” them for you, disposing of leaves is a hassle. Growing up (many years ago) I remember we used to burn our leaves, heedless to … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Dangers of the Fall
Talking Transportation: Rules Vary for Bikes on Board
Taking mass transit is great. But when you step off your train or bus, what do you do to get to your final destination? Increasingly, that means BYO wheels: a bike, e-bike or scooter. The problem is the rules for bringing your “wheels” are much different depending on your carrier. METRO-NORTH: You can bring your non-electric-powered bike on the train anytime except … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Rules Vary for Bikes on Board
Talking Transportation: The Folly of a Bridge to New York
Why is much of Connecticut talking about a bridge from Bridgeport, across Long Island Sound, to New York State? How did we get sucked into a debate about a project that every transportation expert I spoke with said just won’t happen? You can blame (or maybe credit?) Connecticut housing developer Stephen Shapiro for this distraction as he pipe-dreams way outside his area of … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: The Folly of a Bridge to New York
Talking Transportation: Is This Leading by Example, Governor Lamont?
What would happen to you if you borrowed your company’s car and, thanks to built-in tracking technology, were caught driving 113 mph? Or how would your HR staff “dialogue” with you if the car’s mileage wasn’t properly logged, you had apparently used it for personal trips, then left it sitting in a garage and when you did return it to the motor pool it had $3,500 in … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Is This Leading by Example, Governor Lamont?
Talking Transportation: Jim Cameron Finally Boards the NextGen Acela
I finally had a chance to ride the new NextGen Acela and I have to admit, I was wrong: This really is Amtrak’s train of the future. But here are a few tips for making your next ride frictionless. These tips are mostly about riding Acela, but many hold true for slower Northeast Corridor trains. WHAT’S A NEXTGEN ACELA? These are the new trains built by Alstom, previously … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Jim Cameron Finally Boards the NextGen Acela
Talking Transportation: Travel Now, Talk or Text Later
How many of you remember “Car Talk”, the wildly popular NPR show with Tom and Ray Magliozzi, also known as "Click and Clack, the Tappet Brothers"? Not only were they brothers, but both graduated from MIT. They were walking encyclopedias of automotive wisdom. And common sense. To them, car safety meant more than just mechanics. It meant drivers should be smart about their … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Travel Now, Talk or Text Later
Talking Transportation: Increased Mobility via E-Scooters, E-Skateboards is Great, but Safety Must Always Come First
As if our roads weren’t dangerous enough already, there’s a new generation of “personal mobility vehicles” (PMV) silently swishing around our streets for us to worry about — electric scooters and skateboards. The scooters (about $1400) can go 30 mph. The skateboards (about $700) top out at 32 mph. But following simple instructions on the web, the speed governor can be … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Increased Mobility via E-Scooters, E-Skateboards is Great, but Safety Must Always Come First
Talking Transportation: Deaths Down, Fares Up, and Other Transportation Updates
I’ve always thought of Labor Day as New Year’s Eve. After a summer of vacations the new business year has begun and we’re back to the grind. But while you’ve been enjoying the summer (me, too!) we need to get updated on what’s been happening on our roads, rails and waters. TRAFFIC DEATHS DOWN SLIGHTLY: On a hopeful note, only 143 highway deaths have been tallied … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Deaths Down, Fares Up, and Other Transportation Updates
Talking Transportation: Walking the Appalachian Trail
Rounding out our summer rerun series, here’s a column from 2023 about a most determined hiker ... Five years ago now, Diana Jackson was walking 2,192 miles. The Darien native is one of over 3,300 people each year who try to walk the entire length of the Appalachian Trail (the AT) from Georgia to Maine. But she’s one of the 25% of them that actually completed the … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Walking the Appalachian Trail