RIP Virgin San Francisco August 1995-April 2009

I will miss you.  ='(

Al M and Tim discuss their observations on the 2900's

(Disclaimer for TriMet officals: Video was filmed by me using my own equipment in what is defined as a public space)

New Flyer is jam packed with orders

Except a order from TriMet:

New Flyer Industries Inc. (TSX:NFI.UN) (“New Flyer” or the “Company”), the leading manufacturer of heavy-duty transit buses in Canada and the United States, announced today that orders received during the first quarter of 2009 totaled 659 buses (671 equivalent production units or “EUs”) for a total of US $267 million. Of these orders, 304 buses (316 EUs) are new orders and 335 buses (355 EUs) are exercised options.  

These orders are from both current and new customers and are for a variety of vehicle configurations and propulsion systems, including 35-, 40- and 60-foot buses with clean diesel, diesel-electric hybrid and compressed natural gas (“CNG”) propulsion systems.  Just under 35% of the EUs representing these orders (or 233 EUs) are clean-propulsion (e.g., hybrid or natural gas) vehicles, which is a growing segment of New Flyer’s annual production. 

Some of the larger orders placed in the quarter include:

• Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority in Austin, TX has ordered 40 diesel buses with options for 152 additional buses.
• Golden Empire Transit District in Bakersfield, CA has ordered 27 40-foot CNG buses with options for 50 additional buses.
• Edmonton Transit in Edmonton, AB has exercised options to purchase 121 40-foot diesel buses.
• San Diego Metropolitan Transit System in San Diego, CA has exercised options to purchase 38 40-foot CNG buses.
• Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority in Philadelphia, PA has exercised options to purchase 40 40-foot diesel-electric buses.
• Maryland Department of Transportation in Baltimore, MD has exercised options to purchase 100 40-foot diesel-electric buses.

New Flyer’s order backlog as of April 5, 2009 was 9,236 EUs, of which clean propulsion vehicles represents approximately 76% of New Flyer’s total backlog.  This compares to 9,531 EUs in backlog as at December 28, 2008.  The dollar value of the order backlog as of April 5, 2009 was approximately US $4.0 billion, compared to the US $4.1 billion backlog as of December 28, 2008.  Management attributes this minor decrease in total current backlog to transit agencies in the US awaiting approval for stimulus funding before converting options or placing new orders.

Many transit agencies in the US have or are in the process of submitting grant applications to access stimulus funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment act.  The US Federal Transit Administration has advised that the deadline for transit agency grantees to submit applications for the first stimulus package is July 1, 2009 and grantees are required to obligate one-half of their apportionment of funds by September 1, 2009.  Projects must be announced by transit agencies within 360 days of February 17, 2009.   The second deadline to obligate funds is March 15, 2010.   Management understands that grantees have until 2015 to spend the funds.  Unobligated funds will revert back to the US Department of Treasury on September 30, 2010. These recovered funds will then be redistributed to other transit agencies.

Thats what we're calling it now?

Might be the Blvd, might not....

Cars with Share The Road plates and Bike Boxes

Last Sunday, on Broadway, a Subaru wagon Sporting:

Went from the Left lane, all the way into the right lane, right into one of these:

Occupying the entire box, and as about 2-3 ft in the crosswalk, While the light was still red.

Oxymoron?  Yes. If your going to sport that plate, at least lead by example.  

Community Transit - First Look at Swift Bus Rapid Transit

May 5, 2009

Community Transit CEO Joyce Eleanor discusses the features of the Swift bus rapid transit service, which will begin Nov. 30.

Washington’s first bus rapid transit line scheduled to start Nov. 30

 

Snohomish County, Wash. – The launch of the state’s first bus rapid transit line is approaching nearly as fast as the bird it is named after. Community Transit’s Swift is on track to fly on Nov. 30.

 

Today, Community Transit unveiled the first Swift station and Swift bus at its operations base in Everett, and the mayor of Everett announced plans to build an additional four Swift stations in the city.

 

“The reality of bus rapid transit really hits home when you take a look at this beautiful Swift bus and great station we have here today,” Community Transit CEO Joyce Eleanor said. “We’ve seen drawings and had an idea what they would look like, but to actually get to see them is very impressive.”

 

Community Transit, along with its partner Everett Transit, is constructing 24 Swift stations and two terminals along a 17-mile route primarily on Highway 99 between Everett Station and the Aurora Village Transit Center in Shoreline. Today, Everett Mayor Ray Stephanson announced a $3.6 million state grant that will allow the city to build an additional four stations.

 

“These stations will help fill some gaps in the current Swift route in Everett to provide even greater service to our customers,” said Stephanson. “In addition, this state grant allows us to install transit signal priority along the corridor in Everett.”

 

Transit signal priority is already installed in the southern portion of the Swift route. The technology allows signals to extend a green light a few seconds when a Swift bus approaches, saving minutes each trip along the corridor.

Swift will stop at stations about every 10 minutes on weekdays between 5 a.m. and 7 p.m.  and every 20 minutes at night and weekends. With only 12 stops in each direction when it opens, Swift will fly down the corridor much faster than local bus service.

 

The first completed Swift station is a training station at Community Transit’s Merrill Creek base. The station allows bus drivers to practice precise stopping at the station’s raised curb and gives maintenance staff the opportunity to figure out how best to maintain the stations.

 

Stations will be equipped with two ticket vending machines and two ORCA smart card readers. Passengers will pay their fares at the stations rather than on board so the buses can depart quickly.

 

Stations also will have markings on the curb to indicate where wheelchair passengers and passengers with bikes should board. Information kiosks display instructions on how to rideSwift as well as local area information. Ample lighting and translucent weather barriers should make the short wait for the bus more comfortable. And each station will be easily recognizable by a tall roadside marker.

 

The buses are 60-foot articulated hybrid diesel-electric buses with a colorful paint design that sets them apart from other buses. Each Swift bus has three doors, wide seats with extra leg room and plenty of standing room for what is anticipated to be short rides. Bike racks are located on board in the rear of the bus.

 

Construction on Swift stations began last December, with work being done in two phases. The first phase involves the laying of concrete platforms and utility work; the second phase is the actual construction of the stations. The first phase is mostly complete in Everett and has moved into Lynnwood. The second phase is expected to begin in late May or early June.

 

“People here in the state of Washington are known for their environmental conscience, and transportation friendly communities,” said William Millar, president of the American Public Transportation Association. “Swift fits right into this lifestyle, especially considering this first bus we see here today is a hybrid model.”

 

Community Transit strives to help Puget Sound commuters think transit first. With an electronic alert system for instant rider information and one of the nation’s first double decker transit buses, the agency is a leader in finding new ways to make alternative transportation an attractive option. Call Community Transit at (425) 353-RIDE or (800) 562-1375 for bus information, or (888) 814-1300 for carpool or vanpool information, or go towww.communitytransit.org.

Story From: http://www.commtrans.org/News/New.cfm?id=1321

Sunday Driver

Link Light Rail in Seattle coming soon!

pening

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Link light rail starts Saturday, July 18th We're counting down to a milestone in public transportation. The launch of Link light rail will begin a new era for public transportation in the Puget Sound region, with work underway to expand the first 15 miles of light rail service to a 55-mile regional system over the next decade and a half. Read the news release >>>   Keep an eye out for updates about the grand opening celebration. We’ll see you there!     Light rail grand opening news - Subscribe now.    Link light rail runs from downtown Seattle to the Seattle-Tacoma Airport. The 12-station line opening in July serves the downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel, south Seattle, Beacon Hill, Rainier Valley, and Tukwila. By the end of the year, the extension to the airport will open. In the meantime, a shuttle service will run between the Tukwila/International Boulevard Station and the airport.  .

Link light rail service map

Some Tram Pictures I took

A little video I put together to mark 1 year of Transit Filming