So after my last OUTBoard meeting, I was asked a question. Last night was the next OUTBoard meeting, so I asked about fencing along the tracks. Our train expert started talking about livestock corralling laws and fencing laws and about how it's not the train's responsibility to keep livestock off the tracks. NC does not have free-range laws, ( Read more... )

Smart Commute Challenge

Commuter rail information

Last night, I attended a regular meeting of the Orange Unified Transportation Board. We worked on modifying our chapter of the Comprehensive Plan before it goes to the Planning Board for approval (who will then send it on to the elected County Commissioners for their approval). I was one of the few who hung on until the bitter end - we finished ( Read more... )

Gas stations across the Triangle await their shipments of 4s. Local and regional government agencies discuss the best ways to get more people more places without their cars (http://www.transitblueprint.org/stac.shtml). Regional employers from Glaxo Smith Kline to Blue Cross offer discounts to their employees when they buy bus passes (http://www. ( Read more... )

Duke University shares many wonderful traits with its peer institutions. However, it appears that Duke is falling behind its peers in the area of transportation benefits, and would do well to 'Get on the bus'. A quick survey of peer and neighbouring universities shows that many of them offer fully subsidised transit passes to employees and ( Read more... )

I've been composing a couple of posts in my head for the past week or two, and now I've written down a lot of them.  Just like me to do my best writing on weekends, wot?

( Polymath/generalist )

This morning, I was positive I was going to miss my bus. I usually get on the F bus to go to the Planetarium where I catch the Robertson Scholars bus to get to work. Nate dragged his feet and dawdled and threw a random temper tantrum and then we couldn't find any of his coats (I BET they're in his dad's truck, grrrrrr), so I had resigned myself ( Read more... )

Attention everyone who lives in Durham (city or county), Chapel Hill, Carrboro, or Hillsborough (or inbetween CH and Hillsborough) - you are part of the DCHC MPO (Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization), a government entity. Please take a few minutes to fill out this transportation survey.

Does any UNC-type have a TTA pass they're not using at all? I've not paid enough attention to know if UNC is renewing it's free-pass program this year, but given how wildly popular it was, I'd be surprised if they didn't. So if they are, and you're a UNC employee who doesn't use their bus pass, let me know if you'd like to have it put to good use ( Read more... )