By Michael J. Martin, Executive Director and CEO National Association for Pupil Transportation Americans mostly prefer predictability in their lives. However, as we’re seeing these days, change is inevitable. Heretofore, the pace of change was mostly gradual. These days, it’s warp speed. It seems hardly a day passes without hearing about some new […]
Like it or not, the transportation of passengers is a political business and one that local, state and Federal governments have great interest. Although no longer economically regulated, politicians, regulators, planners and others are weaving plans — plans that can and will ultimately affect every bus and motorcoach company in the nation.
One of the more interesting areas of research on Bus Rapid Transit that I’ve worked on relates to land use and the relationship between the two. At the National Bus Rapid Transit Institute (NBRTI), my colleague, Victoria Perk, and I have both spent time working on this area, yet we each focused on different aspects.
As you may have heard, U.S. Senator Patty Murray introduced language in an appropriations bill that prohibited the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) from enforcing the Charter Service Rule regarding King County Metro Transit in Seattle.
For years, the American Bus Association has been urging the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to crack down on illegal “rogue” operators imperiling public safety. This month, FMCSA took decisive action against one of these illegal bus operators.
I’ve been driving motorcoaches for almost eight years. But I still remember when I was the “new guy.” Here are a few tips that might help all you new bus and motorcoach drivers as you ease into your wonderful new career — some that were shared with me and some I wish had been shared with me.
We just recently attended the Bus Rapid Transit World 2010 Conference in Boston. From the presentations we saw, there’s no denying that the developing world is still far ahead of the U.S. when it comes to high-end BRT. We still have a lot to learn here, but we also have much to share. These are exciting times for BRT. Even CNN has taken notice in a recent video of the Las Vegas ACE.