Free Public Transit Northern California

Oakland threatens the 99%, but arrests no bankers for fraud

2012-01-28T01:29:00.000-08:00

The City of Oakland welcomes peaceful forms of assembly and free speech; however,...

http://www2.oaklandnet.com/oakca/groups/cityadministrator/documents/pressrelease/oak033073.pdf

Cars do not belong in cities

2012-01-27T00:29:00.000-08:00

Progressive Transit: "Even if you ignore the pollution, cars simply take up too much space. Next time you are stuck in traffic behind what seems like a million cars, try to imagine if all those cars where replaced by pedestrians or bike riders. Suddenly, the congestion is gone."

'via Blog this'

No money for public #transit? Here is where it went

2012-01-21T20:40:00.001-08:00

Occupy the Banks - #owswest #ows

2012-01-19T22:50:00.000-08:00

http://www.occupywallstwest.org/wordpress/

The banking system has received trillions of dollars worth of help from the U.S. federal government and the Federal Reserve Bank in outright bailouts and cheap loans. This money is printed money, it is not real, but it will have to be re-paid by real labor. The banks are using the crisis that they created as an excuse to evict people from homes and push cuts in fiscal social investment.

In the U.S., the bank robs YOU

2012-01-14T02:13:00.000-08:00

http://bankruptingamerica.tumblr.com/

Occupied Oakland Tribune #oo #ows

2012-01-11T02:27:00.000-08:00

Occupied Oakland Tribune: "The Bay Area News Group (BANG), publisher of the Oakland Tribune newspaper, sent a cease and desist letter yesterday to Scott Johnson of the Occupied Oakland Tribune which was met with an immediate rejection.

“There is no way we are going to be intimidated by the Bay Area News Group,” Johnson said. “This is just another effort by the 1% to push around the 99%. While Oakland City Hall continues arresting people on Oscar Grant Plaza for no reason, the Bay Area News Group is now attempting to quash our First Amendment rights. This has got to stop.”"

'via Blog this'

Seniors in Walkers Shut Down Local Bank of America

2012-01-08T10:50:00.000-08:00

Occupy Geriatrics: Seniors in Walkers Shut Down Local Bank of America - San Francisco News - The Snitch: "So the seniors took a seat outside the bank where they explained their demands, which were no different than every other occupiers: They want lower fees, and they want the bank to pay higher taxes and stop the foreclosures.

"We're upset about what the banks are doing, particularly in our neighborhood and neighboring areas, in evicting people and foreclosing on their homes," 80-year-old Tita Caldwell told KCBS reporters. "We're upset because the banks are raising their rates, because it really affects seniors who are on a fixed income.""

'via Blog this'

Commuters in San Francisco save big with public transit | Will Reisman | Transportation | San Francisco Examiner

2012-01-06T02:15:00.000-08:00

Commuters in San Francisco save big with public transit | Will Reisman | Transportation | San Francisco Examiner: "A two-person household in The City realized $12,902 in extra cash by using transit instead of driving in 2011, according to a recent report by the American Public Transportation Association. Only residents in New York City and Boston saved more money from taking transit.

Ed Reiskin, director at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, which operates Muni, said the importance of taking public transit could not be overestimated."

'via Blog this'

Find an Apartment Based on Your Commute with Walkscore Apartment Search

2012-01-04T23:41:00.000-08:00

Find an Apartment Based on Your Commute with Walkscore Apartment Search: "Walkscore, the website that attempts to quantify the “walkability” of streets and neighborhoods, has introduced a new apartment search tool that makes it easy to find a home near transit. It parses Craigslist housing ads and maps them based on factors of urban livability – proximity to transit, commute time, and cost are just a few of the factors considered."

'via Blog this'

#occupywallstreet - 30% of California towns have occupy group

2011-12-30T06:46:00.001-08:00

Here in California, the movement is exploding. In a recent study called "Diffusion of the Occupy Movement in California," UC Riverside researchers surveyed 482 incorporated towns and cities in California and found that 143 - nearly 30 percent - had Occupy sites on Facebook between December 1 and December 8.

Read article:

http://www.truth-out.org/small-occupy-movements-across-country-accumulate-victories/1324565239

#occupyoakland - stronger than ever

2011-12-12T23:26:00.000-08:00

Goon of 1% becomes a recruiting poster
http://www.occupyoakland.org/

#occupyhomes reclaiming foreclosed homes in 20 cities

2011-12-07T01:51:00.000-08:00

‘Occupy’ protesters reclaiming foreclosed homes in 20 cities | The Raw Story: "The 99 percent movement, which has been evicted from many of their encampments across the country, is finding common cause with thousands of homeowners who are also being evicted from their homes."

'via Blog this'

People react to the pepper-spraying of the bill of rights

2011-11-22T16:50:00.001-08:00

https://twitter.com/#!/joeja/status/138723884282290176/photo/1
Read more here: http://occupywallst.org/article/occupy-uc-davis-calls-nov-28-general-strike-shut-d/

What the 1% thinks of the Bill of Rights

2011-11-21T18:04:00.001-08:00

https://twitter.com/?photo_id=1#!/KristineFrazao/status/138736648795062273/photo/1

More cowardice from 1% thugs

2011-11-19T14:32:00.001-08:00

Berkeley - Huge turnout for #transit #civilrights FTA discussion

2011-11-15T17:50:00.001-08:00

http://twitpic.com/7ek4q4

Huge turnout of community advocates at last night's @FTA_DOT meeting on #transit #civilrights.

Police move to disband UC Berkeley 'Occupy' camp - San Jose Mercury News

2011-11-09T22:44:00.000-08:00

Police move to disband UC Berkeley 'Occupy' camp - San Jose Mercury News: "BERKELEY, Calif.—Police in riot gear moved Wednesday night to break up a demonstration at the University of California at Berkeley that started when anti-Wall Street protesters tried to establish an encampment on campus.
Television news footage from outside the university's main administration building at 10 p.m. showed officers pulling people off the steps and nudging others with batons as the crowd chanted, "We are the 99 percent!" and "Stop Beating Students!""

'via Blog this'

Transit cuts punish the most vulnerable

2011-11-08T17:24:00.000-08:00

Nov. 14: Federal Transit Administration Information Session in Berkeley | Public Advocates: "In 2010, Oakland activists successfully diverted $70 million from BART’s costly Oakland Airport Connector to preserve existing transit service. Bus riders in Los Angeles have used these protections to trigger a federal investigation of LA Metro’s elimination of nearly 1 million hours of bus service.

Rising fares have made it too expensive for low-income families to ride the bus. Cuts to transit service have isolated millions of people from jobs, schools and health care. Communities of color continue to receive an unequal share of funding to improve mass transit service."

'via Blog this'

Modesto: $60M in "leftover" #transit money went to roads

2011-10-27T23:45:00.000-07:00

Daily Planning News: "In the past decade, the 10 agencies have used more than $60 million of leftover transit money on streets, according to StanCOG reports. That's more than one-third the $170 million total, all of which theoretically could have gone to buses and dial-a-ride.
"

'via Blog this'

Banksters' attempt to intimidate #occupyoakland will backfire

2011-10-26T06:43:00.000-07:00

Occupy Oakland: "This morning [25-Oct-2011] at 5am over 500 police in riot gear from cities all over central California brutally attacked the Occupy Oakland encampment at 14th & Broadway. The police attacked the peaceful protest with flash grenades, tear gas, and rubber bullets after moving in with armored vehicles. Apparently the media was not allowed in to document this repression, and the police established barricades as far apart as 11th and 17th. Over 70 people were arrested and the camp gear was destroyed and/or stolen by the riot police."

'via Blog this'

San Diego: Help stop sprawl

2011-10-21T15:39:00.000-07:00

A ‘People’s Plan’ for San Diego TRANSIT: Request for Support | transitsandiego: "Our San Diego regional leaders are set to approve a sprawl-first model of sustainability that will set a precedent for the nation. Instead of achieving sustainability goals, this Plan will only serve to promote further sprawl and greenhouse gas emissions, perpetuating poor land use and traffic congestion.

...
We still have an opportunity to press for a better solution. Email SANDAG and tell them NO on the 2050 RTP/SCS/EIR – not when there’s a better alternative."

'via Blog this'

Traffic congestion costs you $750 per year

2011-10-19T00:20:00.000-07:00

Press Release — Urban Mobility Information: "The 2011 Urban Mobility Report, published by the Texas Transportation Institute at Texas A&M University, illustrates congested conditions in 2010 on a number of levels:
The amount of delay endured by the average commuter was 34 hours, up from 14 hours in 1982.
The cost of congestion is more than $100 billion, nearly $750 for every commuter in the U.S.
“Rush hour” is six hours of not rushing anywhere.
Congestion is becoming a bigger problem outside of “rush hour,” with about 40 percent of the delay occurring in the mid-day and overnight hours, creating an increasingly serious problem for businesses that rely on efficient production and deliveries."

'via Blog this'

Public #transit money "discovered." #occupywallstreet is working

2011-10-17T16:53:00.000-07:00

$9 billion is looking for a job - latimes.com: "The Brown administration is sitting on $9.1 billion in infrastructure bonds that have been sold and are costing the state a ton in debt payments. A rough estimate is $630 million a year.
"

'via Blog this'

#occupysf continues to grow

2011-10-17T01:29:00.000-07:00

Huffington Post

#occupywallstreet in 72 cities

2011-10-11T17:46:00.000-07:00

San Francisco (sfexaminer.com)

via http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/cities-that-have-joined-the-occupied-movement

SF officials back free public transit for youth - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

2011-10-07T16:10:00.000-07:00

SF officials back free public transit for youth - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee: "SAN FRANCISCO -- San Francisco officials are urging the city's transportation agency to let kids under 18 ride public transit for free."

'via Blog this'

Transit discounts for the poor urged at gathering of the faithful - San Jose Mercury News

2011-09-25T20:33:00.000-07:00

Transit discounts for the poor urged at gathering of the faithful - San Jose Mercury News: ""Transportation is at the center of opportunity," Hietala said.
PACT's strict format, in which politicians are asked to commit to the group's agenda with a clear yes or no, sometimes produces a lot of tension, but Sunday's meeting ended with the officials and group agreeing the discounted rates are a good idea, even if finding the money would be difficult.
Monica Kessling, a German immigrant who lives in San Jose, told the group of accidentally cutting her finger and, after a trip to a hospital emergency room, walking two hours to a homeless shelter because she didn't have the money for bus fare.
Today, the 51-year-old Kessling earns about $700 a month cleaning houses and working at a church, but she says the $70 bus pass she relies on to get around takes a big chunk of her disposable income.
"Seventy dollars is a lot of money," she said. "A discount would be helpful.""

'via Blog this'

Streetsblog Capitol Hill » Communities Urge Congress: “Don’t X Out Transit”

2011-09-21T16:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's "Don't X Out Transit" rally in Los Angeles. Photo: Crystal McMillan / Bus Riders Union

Streetsblog Capitol Hill » Communities Urge Congress: “Don’t X Out Transit”: "This proposed 30 percent cut in funding would cause an approximate $7 million reduction in service, which equals almost 1 million revenue miles annually, affecting 3 million passengers. This would cause a loss of approximately 50 jobs within our agency.

- San Diego Metropolitan Transit System, San Diego, CA"

'via Blog this'

Support grows for making Muni rides free for kids

2011-09-21T00:14:00.000-07:00

Sarah Rice / Special to The Chronicle

Five-year-old Phaedra Powers-Miguel exits the J-Church Muni line with her mother, Krystyna Miguel.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/09/20/BAG11L71BV.DTL#ixzz1YZKbZ9DV
Support grows for making Muni rides free for kids: "San Francisco -- A growing number of city leaders want to make riding Muni free for those 18 and younger, but doing so would cost $6 million to $13 million annually."

Make Muni fare-free

2011-09-20T05:54:00.000-07:00

Faced with rising Muni costs and dwindling school transportation resources, parents and lawmakers are pushing a $7.3 million plan to provide every student in The City with free public transit.

Read more at the San Francisco Examiner: http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/2011/09/bankrollers-needed-make-muni-free-san-francisco-students#ixzz1YUqzvUkH

Attn: Climate delayers, feel free to buy beach property

2011-09-16T16:44:00.000-07:00

Rising Seas Expected to Wash Out Key California Beaches: Scientific American: "SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Rising seas forecast from climate change will likely wash away some of California's most iconic beaches by century's end, along with hundreds of millions of dollars in real estate, roads and tax revenues, a new study found on Wednesday."

'via Blog this'

BBC News - Pakistan floods 'hit 14m people' (year ago)

2011-09-11T13:11:00.000-07:00

BBC News - Pakistan floods 'hit 14m people': "Gen Nadeem Ahmed, of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), said 12 million people had been affected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab provinces, where 650,000 houses were destroyed."

A year ago, Pakistan was hit by horrifying flood. What has changed? Oil-trolls and climate-delayers still saying it is not happening, and the U.S. still bombing people "suspected" of being against democracy.

'via Blog this'

#Tarsands = Game-Over for the biosphere

2011-09-03T20:30:00.000-07:00

It’s Time to Think Big on Transit | California Progress Report

2011-08-24T15:33:00.000-07:00

It’s Time to Think Big on Transit | California Progress Report: Traffic is killing us. It eats up our time, it thins our wallets as our cars idly burn through expensive gasoline, and it spoils the air we breathe. We need a path to real public transportation alternatives in order to get out of our cars and on with our lives.

Transit activists rally in Los Angeles for a federal probe - latimes.com

2011-08-22T18:00:00.000-07:00

Transit activists rally in Los Angeles for a federal probe - latimes.com: The union and several other activist groups at what was billed as a "transit justice town hall," accused the county transportation agency of hurting poor riders by aggressively pursuing new rail projects while slashing bus service. The groups say the cuts unfairly hurt low-income, nonwhite residents and insist that bus service needs to be expanded.

Transit ridership surges throughout Bay Area - San Jose Mercury News

2011-08-12T22:19:00.000-07:00

Transit ridership surges throughout Bay Area - San Jose Mercury News: "In a remarkable turnaround for transit agencies that have repeatedly slashed services, raised fares and lost state and federal funding, transit ridership is steadily rising throughout the Bay Area. Caltrain ridership was up almost 12 percent and BART almost 8 percent in weekday use in June compared with the same month a year ago. The Valley Transportation Authority saw an increase of more than 7 percent and the ACE commuter train of more than 14 percent, while SamTrans ridership was up 0.4 percent."

What Carmageddon taught us about behavioral economics | MNN - Mother Nature Network

2011-07-28T21:41:00.000-07:00

What Carmageddon taught us about behavioral economics | MNN - Mother Nature Network: "Our car-centered commuter culture is a case of the endowment effect writ large, at metropolis scale, across a century of transportation convenience. There is, without question, some real value in owning a car. There’s true freedom in being able to hop behind the wheel and just go. But the costs are at least as huge — fuel bills, pollution, sprawl, oil addiction, traffic fatalaties at a routine pace that would amount to an actual catastrophe if we treated them as anything other than the necessary cost of keeping us motoring. And our sense of the scale of our loss, should anything challenge our car-centered world order or change its priorities, is far beyond what actually occurs."

Anti-Sprawl Group Calls SD Transportation Plan 'Disastrous' | KPBS.org

2011-07-27T19:49:00.000-07:00

Anti-Sprawl Group Calls SD Transportation Plan 'Disastrous' | KPBS.org: "San Diego’s Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) today drew fire from a group that called it illegal and environmentally disastrous. The Cleveland National Forest Foundation also offered an alternative plan that would implement all the mass-transit proposals in the 40-year RTP during the coming 10 years."

Free Shuttle Bus Service, Richmond Circular Shuttle Bus Home

2011-07-23T18:48:00.000-07:00

Free Shuttle Bus Service, Richmond Circular Shuttle Bus Home:
"SHUTTLE SERVICE WITH CONNECTION TO
RICHMOND BART, CIVIC CENTER,
MARINA BAY & MORE!
FREE SHUTTLE BUS SERVICE
NO RESERVATION REQUIRED"

Metrolink has record ridership during I-405 closure - Railway Track and Structures

2011-07-22T13:31:00.000-07:00

Metrolink has record ridership during I-405 closure - Railway Track and Structures: "With almost 20,000 boardings over the weekend, Metrolink experienced the highest weekend ridership it has seen in its 19-year history. This weekend's numbers are almost 50 percent higher than the same weekend last year and 10 percent higher than the previous weekend record set when Metrolink offered train service to and from the U2 concert in Anaheim.

'The availability of public transportation during the closure of I-405 played a significant part in the increases, but there are other factors as well. The popularity of the $10 Weekend Pass and the beach trains between San Bernardino and San Clemente, all make a difference,' said Richard Katz, Metrolink board chair.

"

No fare? You die.

2011-07-20T17:45:00.000-07:00

Mike King: A Life Worth Less Than Train Fare: "Another young, unarmed black man, Kenneth Harding, has been gunned down, shot numerous times in the back as he fled, his empty hands in the air in broad daylight. His crime had been a simple train fare evasion for which San Francisco police executed him in the street."

Streetsblog San Francisco » Mica Transpo Bill Would Have Dire Impact on California Transit

2011-07-13T01:52:00.000-07:00

Streetsblog San Francisco » Mica Transpo Bill Would Have Dire Impact on California Transit: "Public transit programs in California could take a $468 million annual hit under the proposed transportation bill unveiled last week by Rep. John Mica (R-FL). The Mica plan would also potentially result in the loss of 17,565 annual jobs, according to an analysis [pdf] by Transportation for America. Overall, T4A predicts the scaled-down bill would result in a 37 percent reduction in federal investments in public transportation when compared to current levels."

#Carmageddon -- free #transit to the rescue

2011-07-11T13:48:00.000-07:00

Metro to beef up mass transit for Carmageddon | abc7.com: "The free rides and extra services begin in the San Fernando Valley, where riders can park for free when they hop on the Orange Line. That will take them over to North Hollywood and its Red Line subway - also free - which then connects to the Purple Line subway. That will take riders to the Wilshire Boulevard and Western Avenue station in Koreatown, and at that point they can take Metro bus lines on key routes in L.A. to get to the Westside for free."

Bus cuts hurts workers most

2011-07-06T15:52:00.000-07:00

Bus Riders Union featured in New York Times | The Labor Community Strategy Center: "On Monday, July 4th, the New York Times featured a story on the front of their National section that highlighted the impacts of service cuts on riders. 'People are going to be paying more for less service', said Esperanza Martinez, Lead Organizer of the Bus Riders Union."

San Francisco group pushing to make Muni system free | abc7news.com

2011-07-03T09:10:00.000-07:00

San Francisco group pushing to make Muni system free | abc7news.com: "SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A San Francisco community group is trying to push the idea of a free Muni system.

On Monday, the group called 'Power' will ask riders at Mission and Geneva whether they would like Muni to be free."

Sign the Petition - INVEST IN TRANSIT

2011-06-27T18:18:00.000-07:00

Sign the Petition - INVEST IN TRANSIT: "Our economy. California is projected to grow by a whopping 20 million people by 2050. Without good public transportation, regions will be crippled by congestion and productivity will plummet due to poor access to labor and resources. Plus, investing in transit creates good, green jobs.
Our environment. Transportation is the largest source of California’s greenhouse gases, which means we can't fight climate change without making it possible for more people to drive less. And we'll all breathe cleaner air with less cars on the road.
Our quality of life. Effective public transportation is good for everyone, no matter the age or income. It's how seniors and people with disabilities live independently. It’s how families save money and commuters avoid the stress of sitting in traffic. It’s the cornerstone of vibrant, walkable communities."

Rocky Neptun, free transit advocate, blasts San Diego corruption

2011-06-27T10:51:00.000-07:00

the need to implement a tough global warming mitigation agenda for our children’s future, sustainable power and water on a local level, the closing of the San Onofre nuclear power plant, the need for rent control and free public transportation to make San Diego affordable,” Neptun asserted,

Read whole article - OceanBeachRag

San Diego - Transit First

2011-06-23T06:27:00.000-07:00

The San Diego City Council will be asked on Monday to send a strong “transit before highways” message to the regional planning agency that is drawing up the county’s transportation plans for the next 40 years.

Read article SignOnSanDiego

Livability Trend Puts Walking Expert in Demand - NYTimes.com

2011-06-21T17:50:00.000-07:00

Livability Trend Puts Walking Expert in Demand - NYTimes.com: "Today, with the health, environmental and quality-of-life benefits of walk-able neighborhoods, they can't get enough of Burden. Even in car-dependent Southern California, where he spent a few of his roughly 340 days a year on the road this spring, city planners are literally walking the talk alongside him."

Building More Roads Only Causes More Traffic | Fast Company

2011-06-21T02:29:00.000-07:00

Building More Roads Only Causes More Traffic | Fast Company: "A quick drive on one of Los Angeles's many freeways illustrates the fact that having more roads doesn't necessarily prevent traffic. Now a study from the University of Toronto confirms it: Expanding highways and roads increases congestion by creating more demand. And building out public transportation systems doesn't help either; there will always be more drivers to fill up any new road we build."

Old? young? poor? disabled? - stay prisoner in your home

2011-06-17T18:19:00.000-07:00

Inland Empire seniors have nation's second-worst access to public transit, study says - latimes.com: "Seniors living in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area have the second-worst access to public transit in comparable areas across the nation, a new study shows.

More than 278,000 seniors between 65 and 79 in that area -- 69% -- are projected to have 'poor transit access' by 2015, according to 'Aging In Place, Stuck without Options' from the advocacy group Transportation for America."

Lessons We’re Learning Riding Mass Transit | zen habits

2011-06-10T21:02:00.000-07:00

Lessons We’re Learning Riding Mass Transit | zen habits: "5. That transit can be more convenient than cars. Sure, it’s nice to be able to hop in your car and go somewhere quickly, no matter the weather. That’s convenient. But there are inconveniences with cars that we forget about: the frustrations of parking (especially in San Francisco), traffic jams, rude drivers, car accidents, flat tires, car maintenance, having to stop for gas, having to actually drive instead of relaxing on the trip, sitting all the time instead of moving around, and more. Again, I’m not judging cars, but all of that, if you think about it, makes riding on a bus or train actually seem nice."

Try Metro free for three days!

2011-05-20T19:32:00.000-07:00

Thanks for your interest - Try Metro free for three days!: "Take advantage of this special limited-time offer to Go Metro. Just complete our Free 3-Day Pass request*. We'll mail you a TAP card good for three days of travel on Metro bus and rail lines all over LA County. Just like that.

Ready to start saving? Go Metro.

*Open to Los Angeles County residents only. Limit one free pass per household. Please allow 3-4 weeks for delivery."

Free bus reaches 4 million riders

2011-05-17T12:20:00.000-07:00

Whoever said there’s no such thing as a free ride must not have used the Wheels bus service’s ECO pass.

The bus service on Monday celebrated reaching four million riders in the Hacienda Business Park Owners Association’s area alone.

PleasantonPatch

Pushing back against MTA Service Cuts | The Labor Community Strategy Center

2011-05-07T10:54:00.000-07:00

Pushing back against MTA Service Cuts | The Labor Community Strategy Center: "Our press event at the corner of King and Crenshaw in South Los Angeles shined a light on the real faces of the riders who will be directly impacted by these cuts - household workers, cafeteria workers at UCLA, students, unemployed people and more. We had a good turnout of media and after speeches by Sunyoung Yang, Barbara Lott-Holland and Rosa Miranda, reporters accepted our invitation to ride the bus with us."

Carfree in California

2011-05-05T18:20:00.000-07:00

Shareable: The iPhone is the New Prius: "Two years ago, my California driver’s license expired. Living in Chicago at the time, where the smart resident uses bikes or public transit to avoid traffic, I hadn’t found a compelling reason to get behind the wheel of our car in months. With plenty of other pressing tasks on my to-do list, renewing or replacing an expired out-of-state license quickly plummeted to the bottom of my priorities. Two years later, the license is still expired, and I’m happier, healthier and richer for it. There’s something liberating about not having to deal with the stress and the hassle associated with driving--check-up and repairs, yearly registration, insurance bills, parking tickets--thousands of dollars a year thrown away to maintain a convenience that felt more like a burden. As gas prices creep towards $5 a gallon, I can’t help wonder how many of the folks who are considering switching to a hybrid to save cash and the environment are doing so more out of inertia than need."

Waste not, want not. Why have nuclear danger and waste energy in traffic?

2011-04-20T05:31:00.000-07:00

Rocky Neptun has been the volunteer director of the San Diego Renters Union for almost 10 years and now the members have asked him to run for mayor, not only to bring the issues of rent control and free public transportation into the public debate but to focus attention on the continuing operation of the nuclear power station at San Onofre, which, in their view, poses a danger to their families.

“We have waited for the prominent environmental groups, like the Sierra Club or the Environmental Health Coalition, to act,” Jean Rogers, stands and tells the group, “but there is this eerie silence.” She talks of how incredible it is that many weeks after the Fukishima nuclear power plant disaster there is not a mainstream movement here in San Diego to shut down San Onofre.

Read more IndyBay

And millions more could be saved by abolishing fares

2011-03-23T08:17:00.000-07:00

Parked: Bay Area transit agencies duplicate costs such as those for vehicle maintenance yards, but merging these costs could save much-needed money. (Examiner file photo)

Merging administrative costs could save Bay Area transit agencies $100M | Will Reisman | Transportation | San Francisco Examiner: "Bay Area transit agencies spend significantly more in administrative costs than their peers across the nation, expenditures that knowledgeable observers believe could be slashed by merging some functions of the region’s 28 different operators.

Area transit agencies spend nearly 20 percent of their collective budgets on administrative functions such as purchasing, planning, dispatching and marketing, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the Bay Area’s lead transportation group."

Read more at the San Francisco Examiner: http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/transportation/2011/02/merging-costs-could-save-transit-100m#ixzz1HR6kESv5

Coastal panel backs Kehoe's 'transit first' bill in 11-1 vote - SignOnSanDiego.com

2011-03-18T00:51:00.000-07:00

Coastal panel backs Kehoe's 'transit first' bill in 11-1 vote - SignOnSanDiego.com: "DEL MAR — The California Coastal Commission gave a ringing 11-1 endorsement Thursday to a bill by Sen. Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego) that would require all state coastal areas to build out their mass transit before widening major highways."

Kids love the bus - make it fare free!

2011-03-10T16:08:00.000-08:00

Parents of children who need to ride Muni should sign them up for a FREE Fast Pass on March 10 at 16th and Mission 3-5 p.m. There'll be more opportunities: on March 17 in the Mission and on March 14 and 21 at Mendell, Palou and Third Street in Bayview Hunters Point. Look for the “Get Your Free Fast Pass” banners. – Photo: Alie Slavin

San Francisco – Banners reading “Get Your Free Fast Pass” will cover the BART station at 16th and Mission Street Thursday, March 10, from 3 to 5 p.m. for the first in a series of community bus pass clinics planned in the coming weeks. Dozens of bus riders with the MORE Public Transit Coalition are setting up community clinics in the Mission, Bayview and Chinatown for low-income families to fill out the applications for the free Muni youth passes. SFBayview.com

How to end auto traffic congestion

2011-03-10T02:13:00.000-08:00

If buses and trains were fare-free, many more people would ride them. And traffic, congestion, pollution, and new freeway construction would be reduced.

Opinion: Freeway or free way | Del Mar Times

REGION: Bill would mandate transit improvements before freeway expansion

2011-02-20T19:13:00.000-08:00

REGION: Bill would mandate transit improvements before freeway expansion: "A state Senate bill that takes direct aim at North County's Interstate 5 expansion plans was introduced Thursday by Sen. Christine Kehoe, D-San Diego.
The bill, SB 468, would mandate mass transit improvements along California's coast before any freeway lanes can be added in the same areas, according to Kehoe's office."

Southwestern Water: Going, Going, Gone? - NYTimes.com

2011-02-13T23:22:00.000-08:00

Dust billowed as a farmer plowed a dry field in near Buttonwillow, Calif., in April 2009, when the drought was in its third year.

Southwestern Water: Going, Going, Gone? - NYTimes.com: "The glum projections of the growing gap between demand for water in the Southwest and the dwindling supplies have never been optimistic, but two new studies— one a research report based on satellite data, and the other an analysis of rainfall, water use and the costs associated with obtaining new water — make earlier forecasts seem positively rosy."

Green Caltrain | BayRail Alliance Blog

2011-02-04T21:31:00.000-08:00

Green Caltrain | BayRail Alliance Blog: "Over 800 of us have sent letters to decision-makers to support Caltrain and prevent drastic cuts. Over 200 of us attended the Caltrain grassroots summit. The outpouring of community support is visible and making a difference. Now it’s time to show up and speak to the decision makers face-to-face if you can. Please plan to attend one or more of these meetings Thursday Feb 3 and over the next 3 weeks to tell decision-makers to avoid drastic cuts to Caltrain."

ThinkProgress » After Lobbying To Kill The Stimulus, Koch Meeting Attendees Guarded By Police Saved By Stimulus

2011-02-01T02:40:00.000-08:00

Stimulus-Funded Riverside County Sheriffs Guarding The Resort Hosting The Koch Brothers

ThinkProgress » After Lobbying To Kill The Stimulus, Koch Meeting Attendees Guarded By Police Saved By Stimulus: "The Koch gathering was highly guarded by a phalanx of police officers, a helicopter, and even a no-fly zone around the resort. David Dayen, who chronicled much of the demonstration, reported that the city of Rancho Mirage contracts its police force from Riverside County sheriffs. Ironically, Koch’s front groups lobbied aggressively to kill some of the funding for the very sheriffs who worked tirelessly to ensure safety at the event."

SF Supes Urge Free Muni Passes for Poor Youth - The Bay Citizen

2011-01-31T17:23:00.000-08:00

SF Supes Urge Free Muni Passes for Poor Youth - The Bay Citizen: "A growing number of low-income youth who depend on public transit in San Francisco are finding it harder to afford the trip to class, but a resolution introduced by Supervisor David Campos last week could pave the way toward providing free Muni passes for the rest of the school year to thousands of students who are regular Muni riders."

Californians to protest against Koch brothers in Rancho Mirage | Greenspace | Los Angeles Times

2011-01-29T01:51:00.000-08:00

Californians to protest against Koch brothers in Rancho Mirage | Greenspace | Los Angeles Times: "Environmentalists, labor union members and liberal activists across Southern California are mounting a protest Sunday in Rancho Mirage against billionaire 'tea party' funders Charles and David Koch and their semiannual confab of conservative activists.

The brothers, who own oil refineries across the U.S., helped fund last November's Proposition 23, the failed ballot initiative to delay California's landmark global warming law, AB 32. They are major backers of groups that seek to refute scientific evidence of global climate change."

Studying Impact of ‘Superstorm’ on California - NYTimes.com

2011-01-23T20:53:00.000-08:00

Studying Impact of ‘Superstorm’ on California - NYTimes.com: "SACRAMENTO — California faces the risk not just of devastating earthquakes but also of a catastrophic storm that could tear at the coasts, inundate the Central Valley and cause four to five times as much economic damage as a large quake, scientists and emergency planners warn."

Is climate science disinformation a crime against humanity? | Donald Brown | Environment | guardian.co.uk

2011-01-13T18:16:00.000-08:00

Is climate science disinformation a crime against humanity? | Donald Brown | Environment | guardian.co.uk: "Although there is an important role for scepticism in science, for almost 30 years some corporations have supported a disinformation campaign about climate change science.

While it may be reasonable to be somewhat sceptical about climate change models, these untruths are not based upon reasonable scepticism but outright falsification and distortions of climate change science."

To lure new riders, Coaster and Breeze lower prices Jan. 20 - SignOnSanDiego.com

2011-01-04T17:39:00.000-08:00

Photo from http://www.gonctd.com/

To lure new riders, Coaster and Breeze lower prices Jan. 20 - SignOnSanDiego.com: "OCEANSIDE — As gas pump prices continue to rise, North County Transit District is preparing to roll back fares on its Coaster trains and Breeze bus system to 2007 prices."

Santa Barbara Car Free

2010-12-31T00:48:00.000-08:00

Santa Barbara Car Free: "Enjoy some Car Free vacation time in Santa Barbara… Let us show you how!"

UC Irvine Transit Advocates

2010-12-28T22:40:00.000-08:00

Advocating for public transit - Daily Pilot: "For UC Irvine graduate student David Weinreich, not driving in Irvine has always been a no-brainer.
...Weinreich, who is pursuing a master's degree in urban and regional planning, became involved in the issue of local public transportation when the Orange County Transportation Authority cut 150,000 bus hours in March."

Transit Advocates of Orange County | TransitRiderOC

2010-12-26T20:19:00.000-08:00

Transit Advocates of Orange County | TransitRiderOC: "The Transit Advocates of Orange County is an all-volunteer group that works to improve bus, rail, biking and walking in Orange County. We believe that a well-run transit system with a combination of “choice” and “dependent” riders could change the nature of traffic patterns, and therefore livability, in our county. In our 11 years, we’ve had a significant impact on OCTA bus service, including resolving some of the problems caused by the 2001 OCTA bus system restructuring. While we normally focus on improving service, the recent economic crisis has forced us to focus on retaining bus funding just to keep buses running."

Mother nature is talking, anyone listening?

2010-12-23T05:56:00.000-08:00

A seemingly unending deluge in southern California has turned coastal cities into lagoons and inland areas into mud pits. Within the week, some parts of the state have had its entire year’s worth of rainfall.

NewsWorthy

See Also DailyMail

MassTransitMag.com » Article » L.A. Metro Cuts 9 Bus Lines, Reduces Service on Others

2010-12-13T17:25:00.000-08:00

MassTransitMag.com » Article » L.A. Metro Cuts 9 Bus Lines, Reduces Service on Others: "KTLA-TV, Los Angeles

CALIFORNIA - The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is eliminating nine bus lines, and reducing service on several others, to try to deal with its huge budget deficit.

The cancellations begin Sunday, and include five Metro Rapid lines and four local lines.

The affected Metro Rapid lines are 711, 714, 715, 753 and 920.

Their service will be reallocated to other local service lines that operate along the same corridors."

Oakland Chinatown - Safety before cars

2010-12-13T15:59:00.000-08:00

MassTransitMag.com » Article » Oakland Chinatown Standing Up to be Heard as Transit Development Plan Develops: "'A traffic study showed that Chinatown had the most traffic injuries and deaths of any area in the city,' said Sherry Hirota, chief executive officer of Asian Health Services, which partnered with the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce to lead the fight. 'The signals were too short and the area has one of the highest densities in the city. We practically had to have a showdown with traffic engineering. Most traffic studies are designed for cars.'

That was just the beginning of the community speaking up and making demands. If Chinatown had been viewed as the quietest wheel in a city where the squeaky wheels get the grease, those days are over. Asian-American organizations and activists have organized the community in a process that can serve as a model for communities trying to make sure city and county plans don't railroad their interests."

The Mayor of the City of Los Angeles

2010-12-10T01:01:00.000-08:00

The Mayor of the City of Los Angeles: "New Policy Will Let Students on School-Organized Trips Ride for Free on MTA Trains and Buses during the Day

LOS ANGELES — Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa today praised the unanimous approval by the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) of a new policy that allows students on school-organized trips ride for free on MTA trains and buses during the day."

The auto system was forced on us

2010-12-03T17:35:00.000-08:00

Careful study shows free transit works

2010-11-27T18:02:00.000-08:00

...But there is also some good news. A small but growing number of transit agencies and universities have joined forces to offer a new program that provides fare-free transit for more than a million people. This program is generically known as Unlimited Access, and it has spread rapidly during the past decade.3 Unlimited Access programs do not provide free transit; instead, they are a new way to pay for transit. The university pays the transit agency, and all eligible members of the university community ride free. The rapid spread of Unlimited Access suggests that it meets a market test: universities are willing to pay for it...

Conclusion

The substantial mode shifts caused by BruinGO refute the common assumption that fare-free transit cannot entice commuters from their cars. Transit ridership for commuting to campus increased by 56 percent during BruinGO’s first year, and solo driving fell by 20 percent. Because these startling results were achieved in a city famous for its addiction to cars, they suggest that Unlimited Access can work almost anywhere. If Unlimited Access can produce so many benefits for students, universities, and transit agencies at sucha low cost, why don’t more universities offer it? More universities are offering it every year, and it is also spreading to other settings. Six transit agencies in the United States offer Eco Pass programs that allow all employers to purchase transit passes for all their employees at a heavily discounted fare. A few transit agencies have even taken the idea beyond the workplace. In Seattle, the transit system has arranged for game tickets to serve as transit passes on game days at the University of Washington football stadium. In Silicon Valley, the transit system allows residential developments to buy Eco Passes for all residents. Unlimited Access programs contribute to so many important planning goals: transportation demand management, smart growth, transit-oriented development, energy conservation, clean air, and sustainable cities. Few transportation planning reforms produce suchlarge benefits at suchlow cost and have so much potential for growth.

Fare-Free Public Transit at Universities: An Evaluation
http://jpe.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/23/1/69
The online version of this article can be found at:
Published by:
http://www.sagepublications.com
On behalf of:
Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning
Additional

UCLA.edu [pdf]

Los Angeles Mass Transit Is Expanding - NYTimes.com

2010-11-26T09:14:00.000-08:00

Los Angeles Mass Transit Is Expanding - NYTimes.com: "LOS ANGELES — This auto-obsessed city — a place where people love their cars almost as much as they hate the traffic — has embarked on the biggest expansion of its mass transit system in decades, an effort to change the way people navigate its sprawling and clogged streets and freeways."

lessons from a car-free life | zen habits

2010-11-17T01:07:00.000-08:00

lessons from a car-free life | zen habits: "3. Convenience. Sure, buses can be inconvenient — sometimes they’re late and you wait and you’re late. But think about the inconveniences of cars we often forget: parking, getting stuck in traffic, getting cut off from other people, paying tolls, paying for parking, parking tickets, speeding tickets, cars breaking down in the highway, car repairs, oil changes, stopping for gas, car insurance, washing the car, the dangers of car accidents (car crashes are the leading killer of American children), the unhealthiness of it for your kids, making a wrong turn and trying to get back on your route, the expense of a car and having to work more just to pay for it, the cost of health care because cars are unhealthier for you and your family and having to work more just to pay for that, just to name a few."

Rapa Nui Motors - Death by Car

2010-11-15T16:53:00.000-08:00

Rapa Nui Motors - Death by Car
"On Easter Island, as the rats they brought with them and came to rely on as a supplementary food source ate up the seeds of the big palm trees they needed to make seaworthy long-distance fishing/travel/escape canoes, what did the Rapanui people do? Under the sway of their priestly overclass, who naturally insisted that bigger and better appeals to the gods (and, of course, further expansion of the practices and prerogatives of their Earthly messengers) was the only reasonable answer to any and all crises, they made more and bigger moai._____"

In the United States of America and the rest of the “advanced” corporate capitalist nation-states, as the ornate and allegedly magical “self-movers” they bought to achieve mobility started to burn away the second half of the planet’s petroleum supply, the great entrepreneurs insisted that the path to survival and renewal was building further, still-more-intricate-and-expensive implementations of these 3,000-plus-pound objects, by means of which each micro-pod of commoners fetched food, got to workplaces, and attended what remained of in-person social occasions (all, of course, while further glorifying and enriching the entrepreneurial class that pushed and provided the “freedom machines”).

Climate Change Will Lead to Increased Wildfires | Global Warming is Real

2010-11-12T16:29:00.000-08:00

Climate Change Will Lead to Increased Wildfires | Global Warming is Real: "Two research scientists from NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies have recently concluded a study showing that climate change could likely become the principal driver for future wildfires if current CO2 levels continue to rise unabated.
Since the start of the industrial revolution, human activity – such as setting and suppressing wildfires – has been a primary driver in wildfire trends. Using new techniques to track fires, researchers Olga Pechony and Drew Shindell have developed the first long-term history of global wildfire patterns and trends. Using the historical information and satellite data, the team has forecasted fire trends to 2100, based on current and expected levels of CO2 in the atmosphere.
The study finds that without significant reductions of carbon, climate change will become the principal driver of wildfires in the coming decades, with rising temperatures and drought leading to a propensity of more intense and frequent fires...."

Improve business through free public transportation

2010-11-06T09:47:00.000-07:00

Improve business through free public transportation: "Burbank used to have a system that the Burbank Blue Bus would take people from the North Hollywood stations to various points in Burbank. It was convenient, economically efficient, and ecological efficient. This was a free route that was a huge incentive in attracting employees to Burbank companies and new companies to Burbank. Providing free public transportation (or at least strategic routes with no cost) is something no other city in the area does and is a huge plus for companies and employees."

UC employees demand free public transit

2010-10-18T07:21:00.000-07:00

Cheaper parking and free public transit for UC Berkeley employees are the two chief demands in a petition being circulated by a coalition of employee unions.

Daily Californian

Understanding the Crucial Connection Between Water and Energy – Water Matters - State of the Planet

2010-10-16T07:41:00.000-07:00

Understanding the Crucial Connection Between Water and Energy – Water Matters - State of the Planet: "However, the amount of energy that goes to water use varies considerably from region to region. In California, for example, moving, cleaning and heating water around accounts for a 19 percent of the state’s electricity consumption and 30 percent of its natural gas. Southern California in particular pumps substantial amounts of water from great distances to meet local water demand."

Vincent Kartheiser is mad about mass transit | MNN - Mother Nature Network

2010-10-08T20:40:00.000-07:00

Vincent Kartheiser is mad about mass transit | MNN - Mother Nature Network: "Vincent Kartheiser is the exception. One of the stars of AMC's smash hit television drama 'Mad Men', the 31-year-old loves the public transportation system in Los Angeles, eschewing a fancy car for a more engaging and in his eyes, simple route to work.
�
“The buses stay on the streets they are on,” he tells The NY Times. “If you get on the 4, it’s going to stay on Santa Monica until it becomes Sunset. I don’t even know the names of most of the buses. Like the Fairfax bus — it’s just the Fairfax bus.”
�
Kartheiser is also quick to point out that getting around via PT is better for his nerves, giving him opportunities to read, do crossword puzzles, and go over lines. It's also a more social experience."

Pau, France - public money spent on one car race would pay for a year of free public transport

2010-09-27T07:31:00.000-07:00

Le NPA-Béarn s’insurge contre cette dilapidation d’argent public au profit d’une politique vroum-vroum polluante et dépassée. Il « dénonce le vote de la quasi-totalité des élus PS et PCF en faveur de la reconduction du GP automobile de Pau dont le coût pour les Palois dépasse largement celui de l’instauration de la gratuité des transports en commun que nous revendiquons. »

Car la question est bien là: 1,7 millions d’euros, cela représente la possibilité de faire passer l’ensemble du réseau de transports en commun de la ville de Pau à la gratuité totale!

En outre, le Grand Prix automobile de Pau, c’est :

- près de 2 millions d’euros partis en fumée chaque année, soit davantage que le coût de la gratuité des transports en commun à Pau,
- des employés municipaux mobilisés pendant plusieurs mois,
- des nuisances pour les riverains et pour une majorité de palois,
- une vitrine publicitaire pour les grands groupes pétroliers et automobiles,
- des tonnes de pétrole gaspillées pour rien.

Et le plus navrant dans l’histoire, c’est que les mêmes qui prétendent que la « gratuité des transports publics, c’est pas possible, c’est trop cher, etc. » financent ensuite des courses de bagnoles avec notre argent!

Alors, avec presque 2 millions d’euros, Grand Prix de Pau ou Bus Gratuit?

carfreefrance

Car-free San Francisco would be nice

2010-09-25T04:50:00.000-07:00

The streets of San Francisco will have fewer cars if the city\'s transportation agency has its way.

Photo: Victoria Amato

San Francisco transportation agency wants to put brakes on automobiles | Grist: "The City of San Francisco is steering toward a future with fewer cars.

In a meeting earlier this week, the board of city's Municipal Transportation Agency supported a plan in which the role of the personal motor vehicle would be radically reduced. From the San Francisco Chronicle:"

Human selfishness and the wages of sprawl

2010-09-07T05:20:00.000-07:00

FoxNewsChicago -- Colorado Wildfires

MUNI workers made scapegoats while billions are spent on auto subsidy

2010-08-31T18:53:00.000-07:00

Facts For Working People: San Francisco Mayor Carry's Out Threat Against MUNI Drivers. Union Leaders Call a Lawyer, AFL-CIO Backs Mayor: "The San Francisco Chronicle prepares the ground by building public animosity toward the MUNI drivers and public sector workers in general.� The MUNI driver's refusal to cut their own throats meant that they were taking “….money intended to stop a proposed increase in discounted passes for seniors, youth and the disabled and to blunt service cuts…..”�� the Chronicle wrote earlier this year.� All the thieving and corruption that goes on as the contractors, business and various other sections of the capitalist class get their noses deep in the public trough and the transit drivers are to blame for capital's refusal to provide free public transit."

Plan to squander transit money -- time to put a stop to it.

2010-08-31T18:22:00.000-07:00

Prescott AZ knuckleheads still for subsidizing the expensive private auto system

2010-08-28T15:58:00.000-07:00

Editorial: There's no money to fuel public transit - The Prescott Daily Courier - Prescott, Arizona: "It is amazing that Prescott officials refuse to really look at the transit issue. They can find 19 million for an interchange with a road to nowhere. They can subsidize a golf course that has never turned a profit a garage that costs millions a year and gets little use an airport that flies to nowhere useful and can't remotely pay for itself and other failed projects or projects that go way beyond projected cost and time. But, the city refuses to even consider a transit plan."

Is this obvious enough? They DO NOT WANT transit to work

2010-08-25T16:19:00.000-07:00

MTA's $46M system of locking turnstiles sits unused, waiting for fare cards to be adopted - LA Daily News: "After spending more than $154 million for a system of locking turnstiles and electronic payment cards for the county transit system, officials are discovering that at least a third of the money may have been wasted because they can't use the new devices as planned.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority placed the locking turnstiles at subway and light-rail stations to stop fare scofflaws and end what had previously been an honor-based system."

All the kings horses, and all the kings men...

2010-08-23T17:52:00.000-07:00

Iraq willing to accommodate Syria-bound Iranian gas pipeline | Earth Times News: "Baghdad - Iraq is open to allowing a pipeline transporting gas from Iran to Syria to run through its territory, a press release from the Iraqi oil ministry said Thursday.
'Iraq does not mind facilitating the extension of the Iranian gas pipeline through its territory to Syria and the Mediterranean Sea,' Iraqi oil minister Hussein al-Sharistani said in the statement."

CSM does story on wild fires. No mention of global warming.

2010-08-12T06:21:00.000-07:00

The story talks about zoning, propane tanks, and homeowner precautions. Why no mention of climate change? Oh. There is an advertisement for an automobile next to the story. Enough said. CSM

Russia, Crippled by Drought, Bans Grain Exports - NYTimes.com

2010-08-06T19:49:00.000-07:00

Russia, Crippled by Drought, Bans Grain Exports - NYTimes.com: "MOSCOW — Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin on Thursday banned all exports of grain after millions of acres of Russian wheat withered in a severe drought, driving up prices around the world and pushing them to their highest level in two years in the United States."

Global Warming - The data described

2010-08-01T16:06:00.000-07:00

2010 on track to be hottest year - Americas - Al Jazeera English

2010-07-27T23:50:00.000-07:00

Iraqis tried to cool off, as high temperatures hit

the Middle East and beyond [AFP]

2010 on track to be hottest year - Americas - Al Jazeera English: "The world is experiencing the hottest year on record, the US based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has reported, with large parts of Canada, Africa, Europe and the Middle East�facing abnormally warm temperatures.�

The figures released by the NOAA suggest that 2010 is on course to be the warmest year since records began in 1880."

Free rides offered by El Dorado Transit - Around the valley - Modbee.com

2010-07-15T19:01:00.000-07:00

Free rides offered by El Dorado Transit - Around the valley - Modbee.com: "There is such a thing as a free ride on El Dorado Transit on Friday and Saturday.
The transit agency is offering free fares on its fixed routes in El Dorado County and Sacramento commuter routes because of 'Spare the Air' days.
During smog season -- May to October -- the agency offers the free days when the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District forecasts unhealthy ozone levels.

To reduce ozone pollution, people are encouraged to avoid taking auto trips.
Last year the agency offered four free days, with riders taking 4,275 trips on those days, transit agency spokesman Matt Mauk said.
For more information or for trip planning assistance, call El Dorado Transit at (530) 642-5383 or visit www.eldoradotransit.com."