Category: Light Rail

  • Organizing the World’s Transit

    Google describes its mission as “organizing the world’s information”. Friday, at the Transit track of GOSCON, Google discussed its plans for Google Transit with the assembled participants. Ultimately, Google intends for the transit planner to be part of its overall multi-modal trip planner (as in get from any point A on the globe to any…

  • SkyTrain

    A few weeks ago I wrote about the SkyLink at DFW airport, and the attributes that made it an almost ideal transit system (high frequency, grade-separated right of way, central control reducing operator costs, etc.). Visiting Vancouver, it was interesting to see how many of these attributes SkyTrain possesses. Three minute headways during peak commute…

  • MAXimum Congratulations

    Even from 3,000 miles away, I can’t help remarking on the 20th anniversary of MAX! 215 million rides is nothing to sneeze at either. Congratulations to TriMet for 20 years of operations and to all the leaders who helped make our light rail system happen.

  • Ice Closes MAX in August

    OK, I just couldn’t resist the headline. TriMet will actually be doing some maintenance Saturday morning to add ice caps to the Blue Line in Gresham. Let’s look forward to better service in inclement weather.

  • Conservative Reappraisal

    Hat tip to Roland who posted this report over at CommissionerSam.com. I’ve just finished reading the report (“Does Transit Work? A Conservative Reappraisal”). The main idea is to assess the success of transit in not in terms of total trips, but rather in terms of those categories of trips for which it is competitive (the…