Transportation News Updates

Talking Transportation By Jim Cameron Even though it’s summer, there’s plenty of news to share on the transportation front: PASSENGER PLEDGE:    Following on last week’s column about the “Great Summer Meltdown” on Metro-North on the hottest day of July 2011, one of the good things that resulted was the CT Rail Commuter Council’s endorsement of […]

Hartford Derails Commuters

“Talking Transportation” By Jim Cameron As predicted in this column, the legislature has approved Governor Lamont’s new budget which will cause cuts in train service in the state.   WHY THE CUTS? Post-COVID train ridership has not returned as fast as CDOT or Metro-North had hoped or predicted, stabilizing now at about 71% of pre-2020 […]

The Commuter Revolt of 1955

Metro North History Lesson “Talking Transportation” By Jim Cameron Photo From the Marc Frattasio Collection Gather ‘round and listen to how your grandfather helped lead a commuter revolt against the New Haven Railroad over 65 years ago, way back in 1955. You see Timmy, folks were commuting by train from Connecticut to their jobs in […]

A Cruise Ship In The Sky

“Talking Transportation” By Jim Cameron Imagine a double-deck airplane with wings wider than a 747, sleeping berths, a sit-down restaurant and a separate movie theater, all designed to serve just 60 passengers crossing the Atlantic. Such a plane was built in 1949, but it never was adopted by the airlines. Built not by Boeing and […]

Work Zone Safety

Talking Transportation By Jim Cameron Visit the headquarters of the Connecticut Department of Transportation in Newington and inside the front lobby you’ll see a strange memorial:  orange safety cones draped in black.  It’s a tribute to the nearly 40 men and women of the CDOT who’ve been killed in recent years doing their jobs maintaining […]

Getting to Long Island: So Close & Yet So Far

“Talking Transportation” By Jim Cameron Cover: Figure 1 300’ (Subchapter H) Passenger Vehicle Ferry Presently being built for March 2024 On a clear day you can see it from the Connecticut shoreline (only about 20 miles away). But actually getting to Long Island often involves a very long, out of the way journey. Maybe you’re […]

Zone Pricing for Gasoline

Talking Transportation By Jim Cameron Connecticut’s free bus fares are gone and lawmakers have allowed gas taxes to rise 20 cents a gallon as of April 1st.  But the end of our state’s “gas tax holiday” next month isn’t the reason gasoline prices vary so much from town to town. Just why does gasoline cost […]

Attacks on Mass Transit

Talking Transportation By Jim Cameron “I’m going to cut your throat,” said the man wielding a knife and targeting a SEAT bus driver in New London who’d stepped off her vehicle for a quick break. The female driver jumped back on the bus, closed the doors and called the cops who minutes later arrested the […]