Bus travels, Tour and transport

Free bus travel for visitors to Devon costs county £1m

Posted by Jeff adams - Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Devon has been hit by £1 million of costs after it emerged one-in-five people using free bus passes in the tourism season come from outside the county A Devon County Council survey found it was under-writing the free off-peak travel scheme, enjoyed by Britons over 60, for hundreds of visitors.

The survey revealed that during September 21 per cent of people using a concessionary bus pass were not from the Devon local authority area The figure included 2 per cent from Torbay and 1 per cent from Plymouth, but 18 per cent were residents from beyond the two neighbouring authorities Devon County Council is calling for more funding from Government to pay for the £1 million it cost to pay for outsiders to travel free. Currently, the authority is handed £7 million a year by Government to run the scheme, which also applies to disabled people. But it faces a £5 million shortfall because it costs £12 million in total.

Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council cabinet member for transport, said: "The concessionary bus pass funding certainly doesn't take into account visitor numbers from other areas.

Source: http://www.thisisnorthdevon.co.uk

Free Christmas bus travel for children welcomed by Swansea traders

Posted by Jeff adams - Sunday, November 27, 2011

TRADERS in Swansea have welcomed plans to allow children free bus travel during the Christmas period Swansea Council has agreed to provide free bus travel for children aged five to 16 in an effort to reduce the costs to families during the festive period while schools are closed And council chiefs hope it will also encourage families to visit the city centre to do their shopping.

The authority believes it could be among the first in the UK to introduce such a scheme, which will cost an estimated £35,000 The free travel offer is between December 22 and January 8 to take in the January sales, and it’s hoped it will provide a significant boost for city centre businesses throughout the Christmas period John Hague, cabinet member for the environment on Swansea Council, said: “We have excellent public transport services in Swansea, boosted by the new city centre bus station.

“The latest offer should help tempt more families to use public transport.”Council leader Chris Holley said: “Christmas can be an expensive time of year for families. We want to try and ease some of the costs by offering free travel for children under 16 “Hopefully this will encourage more families to use public transport and come into the city centre. We expect lots of families to come and visit the Waterfront Winterland attraction “The free travel will certainly help that.”

Read More www.walesonline.co.uk

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Traveling by bus? Choose a safe ride

Posted by Jeff adams - Thursday, November 24, 2011

With Thanksgiving almost here, many people will be jumping on buses to head home or to grandma’s house.They won’t be alone. Each year about 750 million passenger trips are taken by bus, a mode of travel that has experienced very large growth in the last six to seven years, according to the American Bus Association Foundation.

There is no official data for nationwide bus travel for Thanksgiving week, but Coach USA/megabus.com expects about 60 percent to 70 percent more travelers than during a typical week. “Thanksgiving is one of the biggest travel weeks,” said Dale Moser, the company’s president and chief operating officer.For the week of Nov. 21-27, the company will carry between 160,000 and 210,000 passengers, a 28 percent to 35 percent increase from last year, Moser said.

“With convenient departure options and comfortable motorcoaches with power outlets and Wi-Fi, it's no wonder people are choosing buses over rising gas prices and crowded airports,” U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood wrote in his blog last week. “America's commercial buses are a safe, affordable choice for your holiday travel.”But recent news reports detail companies being put out of business and high-profile crashes.

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Here Comes the Ambulance Bus

Posted by Jeff adams - Monday, November 21, 2011

Frisco is the first North Texas City to receive a giant, new tool to respond to large-scale emergencies and major events. And the city plans to share it with the rest of North Texas. It's called an ambulance bus and it's as big as it sounds a fire department can send several ambulances in an emergency, but now Frisco can deploy a 41-foot-long ambulance that has the body of a bus.

"When we're going to help do evacuations or maybe move a nursing home during a power outage or something like that, it allows us to do that with a similar number of people but certainly a lot less space taken up with the vehicles," said Cameron Kraemer, Frisco Fire Department's training division chief. "It certainly offers one more vehicle, one more tool in our toolbox to be able to take care of the citizens of Frisco."

The ambulance bus is like a hospital on wheels. The city said it does the job of 10 regular ambulances the bus can carry six paramedics and up to 20 patients on portable stretchers and gurneys with wheels. Seats fold out for patients that need to sit up rather than lie down. Wheelchairs can be secured to the floor."It's completely reconfigurable to meet the needs of the mission," said firefighter-paramedic Scott Vetterick. "It's nice to know that it's there and it's available. We hope we don't have to use it."a cardiac monitor/defibrillator and five wireless vital sign monitors allow paramedics to send critical information to their commander.

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New Lymmo lines will link Creative Village to SunRail, downtown

Posted by Jeff adams - Wednesday, November 16, 2011

The first concrete step in the future of the Creative Village is coming, in the form of two projects worth $22 million that will more than triple the length of the free bus route through downtown Orlando the work includes dedicated bus lanes, bus stops and other infrastructure that will encircle the Creative Village site, linking its future high-tech workers and students to the upcoming SunRail train system and the rest of downtown.

It will also give Creative Village developers something beyond architectural renderings to point to as they begin to market their 68-acre neighborhood to potential commercial and institutional tenants.

"This is the first stage of going in and getting ready for development," said developer Craig Ustler of Creative Village Development LLC. "This moves us significantly farther down the road. I think it gives us a solid start."

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Fight for a school bus continues

Posted by Jeff adams - Sunday, November 13, 2011

Parents are determined to ensure that their children’s free school transport will be reinstated in October Bedford Borough Council decided to end the free school transport from Roxton to Alban Academy in Great Barford. Parents fought the proposal because they believe the route is dangerous but the council deemed it to be safe to walk with an adult the move will not save any money as the bus will continue to run and children can use it on a first come first saved basis if they pay.

Following the decision the Save Roxton School Bus parents group decided to write to the Queen and their concerns were passed to the Department for Education but the department’s reply said: “Funding for transport provision is delegated to local authorities and in these difficult economic times the Government expects them to take account of all local circumstances and issues and ensure that value for money can be achieved.

“Local authorities are best placed to determine how their resources are to be utilised and, whilst the Government expects them to take account of their responsibilities, it is not an area in which the Government can intervene.” parent Angie Foster said: “It’s really urgent that we can get our bus reinstated. We are worried that they will look at the bus not stopping in the village at all next year.”

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Charter bus to discontinue service

Posted by Jeff adams - Thursday, November 10, 2011

Lenzner Coach Lines is discontinuing transit service between Franklin Park and Downtown at the end of the month because of low ridership, the company's president said Tuesday the Ohio Township-based company started running North Hills commuter routes after Port Authority of Allegheny County cut service by 15 percent in late March. Lenzner offered five daily round trips between Marshall and Downtown, and four daily round trips between Franklin Park and Downtown.

The Franklin Park route struggled from the start. Company President Charles Lenzner said the 57-seat Franklin Park buses, on average, carry 10 to 20 passengers lenzner attributed the low ridership to the private service's higher costs and riders migrating instead to Port Authority stops at Rave Cinemas in McCandless and the Perrysville Avenue lot in Ross. Lenzner's fares on the route are $5 each way, compared with $3.25 per trip on the nearby Port Authority routes.

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Safer school buses in Abu Dhabi

Posted by Jeff adams - Monday, November 07, 2011

The GPS project, which will be fully operational next year, is part of the Abu Dhabi Education Council’s (ADEC) comprehensive plan to upgrade the transportation requirements in order to ensure the safety and security of children on their way to school and back home “This project has started already and it will be fully active next year. This year, we will complete the installation and testing of the system,” Khaled Al Ansari, Infrastructure and Facilities Division Manager at the ADEC, told Khaleej Times.

The upgrade also included a plan to install surveillance cameras in school buses. But for the pilot phase, eight government schools are being selected to fit three or four of their buses with cameras Al Ansari said the camera installations will be carried out during the first semester break starting on December 18, during which, the project will be closely monitored.

“The ADEC will observe how parents and students are reacting to the new initiative, and will point out the limitations encountered during that period, if any. If the project proves successful, surveillance cameras will be diversified to all public school buses across the emirate,” he stated the ADEC has started the overhaul of the transport system after several cases of neglect and incidents of young girls being subjected to abuse and molestation by unscrupulous school bus drivers and attendants were recorded across the country in separate accidents in 2008 and 2009, two girls, aged three and four, died in the Capital after they were locked inside the school bus for several hours under extreme heat.

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Historic train makes way to Arizona for Centennial tour

Posted by Jeff adams - Sunday, November 06, 2011

Arizonans can take a trip back in time starting next Thursday when historic Union Pacific Steam Locomotive Engine No. 844 relives the Southern Arizona "Sunset Limited" route in recognition of Arizona's 100 years of statehood.

The engine is scheduled to approach Willcox November 10 and head westward to Tucson for close-up viewing, according to a news release from the Arizona Centennial Commission.

After its stop in Willcox, No. 844 will travel through Benson and Vail for "whistle stops" and arrives in Tucson for its first "display day" on Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The route takes the engine through Coolidge, Gilbert and Tempe before arriving for another "display day" in Phoenix on Sunday, November 13 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. as well as Monday, November 14.

From Phoenix, the engine makes its way back to its original route near Casa Grande, and continues west through Gila Bend, Wellton, and finally arrives in Yuma late in the afternoon on Tuesday, November 15, officials say.

“The adventures of steam locomotives captivate us even today. They literally blazed the trail westward. And, it’s exciting – for train enthusiasts and all of us -- to catch a glimpse of the West as it was more than 100 years ago,” said Karen Churchard, executive director, Arizona Centennial Commission & 2012 Foundation.

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Carriers Enhance Motor Coach Service

Posted by Jeff adams - Thursday, November 03, 2011

As Greyhound prepares to move from its longtime Downtown bus station to the airport area this month, another change under way in the Memphis motor coach market reflects broader changes in the business nationally.

Carriers are moving toward low-cost, regional, express bus service with amenities like Wi-Fi – and the competition in the Memphis market is heating up.

Greyhound Lines Inc. and Megabus.com are each launching express bus service to and from Atlanta hubs this month.

The new Greyhound Express routes from the Atlanta hub to Memphis and Birmingham, Ala., start Nov. 15.

The next day, Megabus.com begins daily service from Atlanta to Memphis, Birmingham and nine other southeastern cities including Nashville, Chattanooga and Knoxville.

Each company uses a different approach to its transportation network. While Dallas-based Greyhound has hubs in its cities, Megabus.com operates a system without terminals, using curbside stops that border bus terminals instead.

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Red zone bus tour bookings overload phones

Posted by Jeff adams - Tuesday, November 01, 2011

Massive public demand for Christchurch red zone bus tours overloaded phone lines this morning as seats were booked out at a rate of one every 25 seconds.

The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority's (CERA) phone lines were overloaded just half an hour after it started taking bookings for the weekend tours, the first of which starts this Saturday.

CERA general manager of demolitions Warwick Isaacs said its call centre completed 361 bookings in the first two and a half hours, which averaged one booking every 25 seconds.

The calls were taking an average of seven minutes to complete as callers were given safety briefings over the phone.

Mr Isaacs said demand remained very high but overloading had eased back from initial levels.

CERA chief executive Roger Sutton earlier apologised for the frustration.

He reminded callers there would be six buses running every hour for the next six weekends, so there would be opportunities for everyone to experience the trips.

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Making school bus travel even safer

Posted by Jeff adams -

What's the safest mode of transportation in California?

Here's a hint: They're big, bright yellow and black, and seen most often in early morning and late afternoon hours.

The obvious answer, of course, is the school bus. Oct. 17-21 is state School Bus Safety Week, and the California Highway Patrol and local school districts are observing that milestone with ongoing efforts to educate the public on ways to make things even safer.

CHP Officer Jeffrey S. Butticci is the school bus coordinator and training officer for the Merced area patrol office. He watches over more than 400 drivers who work for 14 northern Merced County school districts.

"School buses are by far the safest mode of transportation," Butticci said. "They (school bus drivers) are top-notch, second to none, when it comes to safety. They are the most highly trained drivers in California."

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Hyundai, Kia No. 2 in Chinese small car market

Posted by Jeff adams - Monday, October 31, 2011

Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia Motors ranked No. 2 in sales of small vehicles in China during the first nine months of 2011, automotive data showed.

It said the two carmakers saw their ranking climb by four notches on a year-on-year basis by grabbing 10.9 percent of the Chinese market. They were placed at sixth over the same period last year.

The data showed that Hyundai-Kia sold a combined 162,472 units in the compact car segment between January and September.

The companies saw their sales jump 52.2 percent on a yearly basis and overtake Volkswagen, which ranked third with sales of 154,582 units. General Motors topped the list by selling 191,626 units.

GM recorded 12.9 percent in market share and Volkswagen 10.4 percent.

Hyundai Motor’s Verna (dubbed Accent in China) and Kia Motors’ K2 (Pride Hatchback in China) contributed heavily to their rapid sales growth, according to the data.

Sales of the Verna subcompact came to 96,883 units, making it the third bestselling car in China. The K2, made available to consumers in June, reached 22,376 units as of September.

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Connecting Europe: The new EU core transport network

Posted by Jeff adams - Sunday, October 23, 2011

The Commission has today adopted a proposal to transform the existing patchwork of European roads, railways, airports and canals into a unified transport network (TEN-T). The new core network will remove bottlenecks, upgrade infrastructure and streamline cross border transport operations for passengers and businesses throughout the EU. It will improve connections between different modes of transport and contribute to the EU’s climate change objectives.

European Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas, responsible for transport, said: “Transport is fundamental to an efficient EU economy, but vital connections are currently missing. Europe’s railways have to use 7 different gauge sizes and only 20 of our major airports and 35 of our major ports are directly connected to the rail network. Without good connections Europe will not grow or prosper.”

The new policy follows a two-year consultation process and establishes a core transport network to be established by 2030 to act as the backbone for transportation within the Single Market. The financing proposals published today (for the period 2014–2020) also tightly focus EU transport funding on this core transport network, filling in cross-border missing links, removing bottlenecks and making the network smarter.

The new core TEN-T network will be supported by a comprehensive network of routes, feeding into the core network at regional and national level. This will largely be financed by Member States, with some EU transport and regional funding possibilities, including with new innovative financing instruments. The aim is to ensure that progressively, and by 2050, the great majority of Europe’s citizens and businesses will be no more than 30 minutes’ travel time from this comprehensive network.

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Funds will fuel rapid-bus service

Posted by Jeff adams - Friday, October 21, 2011

A day after the City Council approved San Antonio's first modern streetcar line, VIA received $6 million in federal grants, half of which will pay for an extension of its bus rapid transit system into Leon Valley.

VIA officials announced the grants Friday afternoon at a ceremony that included rail supporter Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, U.S. Rep Charlie Gonzalez and Leon Valley Mayor Chris Riley.

VIA received two $3 million grants, the first from the Federal Transportation Administration's State of Good Rapid Program, which will fund improvements at its bus yard, maintenance facility and headquarters, and a second from FTA's Bus Livability Program to fund bus rapid transit in Leon Valley.

Calling the grants competitive, Gonzalez praised the work of VIA staffers.

“They have earned it,” Gonzalez said. “This is something you have earned because of how you have performed.”

VIA is set to launch its bus rapid transit line, called VIA Primo, in late 2012.

The route will include fewer stops and more frequent service, and the buses — longer than a normal VIA bus — will feature a more modern, rail-like feel.

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Colonel Gaddafi’s plea to raging mob: What did I ever do to you?

Posted by Jeff adams - Thursday, October 20, 2011

BLOODIED Colonel Gaddafi was executed with a single shot to the head — after begging one of his captors: "What did I ever do to you?"

Libya's hated tyrant — found skulking in a drainage pipe in a suburb of his home city — was shown no mercy as he was thrown wounded on to a truck.

It set off for the centre of Sirte two miles away but was surrounded by a baying mob.

The monster was then hauled out — and filmed on mobile phones as he was unceremoniously dragged in agony through the dusty streets.

Blood pouring from his face, the brute behind the slaughter of thousands of his countrymen desperately begged for his life.

But his pleas fell on deaf ears. The Mad Dog — who had been stripped of his shirt — was killed by a bullet to the left temple.

Gaddafi's humiliation did not end there. Angry crowds took off their shoes to batter his dead face with the soles — a dire Arab insult.

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Officials Surprise Charter Buses With Safety Inspections

Posted by Jeff adams - Wednesday, October 19, 2011

The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) conducted a surprise safety inspection today of charter buses traveling in the area of Liberty State Park as part its program to try to reduce the number of crashes and fatalities on the Garden State’s busy highways.

This safety inspection comes as states across the country are conducting thousands of surprise inspections of motor coaches and tour buses during the national Passenger Carrier Strike Force, Sept. 23 – Oct. 7.

“We greatly value the important safety efforts led by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to ensure bus passengers are safe,” said FMCSA Administrator Anne S. Ferro. “The nationwide strike force is an important enforcement tool to hold bus companies accountable so that safety is the number one priority every trip, every time.”

Last week, the US Department of Transportation hosted a day-long Motorcoach Safety Summit in Washington to raise the bar for the motorcoach industry.

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Christmas travel spending to increase, survey says

Posted by Jeff adams - Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Despite continued high unemployment rates and a volatile stock market, American who plan to travel for the holidays expect to spend up to 43% more this year, according to a new survey.

The online survey released Monday by the American Express credit card company found that the percentage of Americans planning to travel for the holidays will stay about the same as last year.

But the survey also found that those Americans who plan to travel expect to spend about $659 on holiday travel this year, an increase of $200, or 43%, over last year.

Most of the additional spending, according to the survey, will go toward dining out and entertainment.

Although most Americans plan to drive to their holiday destinations, the percentage of travelers who will fly is expected to increase 10% to 36%.

"No matter where consumers choose to go, there is a clear interest in getting more out of travel," said Claire Bennett, senior vice president and general manager of American Express Travel.

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Luxury Travel Ltd’s Special Multi-Country Private Tours in Southeast Asia

Posted by Jeff adams - Friday, October 14, 2011

Luxury Travel Vietnam designs multi-country touring options, invites elite travelers to experience the luxury, food, culture, lifestyle, travel and charm at its finest of five destinations in Southeast Asia with their great selection of multi-country tours, specially designed to show you the unique way of life and the wonderful sights of each country in one journey.

Southeast Asia is a captivating region brimming with intriguing cultures, age-old customs and diverse landscapes. While the cultures and histories of Southeast Asia are intricately woven together, each country retains its own distinct and vibrant traditions.

To truly experience the essence of the region, the best way is to embark on one of the enchanting multi-country tours, this is especially for travelers that come from a longhaul destination. Most of Luxury Travel Company's luxury tours start either from Hanoi/Saigon Vietnam or Bangkok, Thailand.

“Luxury Travel’s multi county tours combine two countries, Vietnam with Cambodia tours, Thailand with Laos Tours, Vietnam with Myanmar or Indochina tours or 5 countries Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand in one trip. With our superb multi-country tour collection, the hardest thing is probably deciding which one to do,” said Pham Ha Founder and CEO of Luxury Travel Vietnam Group Ltd.

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Acropolis closed as Greek strikes spread

Posted by Jeff adams - Thursday, October 13, 2011

Unions and protesters shut down the Acropolis, halted public transport and occupied government buildings on Thursday, intensifying their confrontation with the Greek government as it scrambles to push more painful cuts through parliament.

Greece's largest labor union, the GSEE, sided with protesting public servants and announced plans to strike on Oct. 19 and 20, in opposition to the Socialist government's "ineffective and catastrophic policies," it said.

Stores and even farmers' markets in Athens are also due to close on the first day of the strike.

Public servants are the main targets of new austerity measures, slated for parliamentary approval Oct. 20, that include across-the-board salary cuts, and the suspension of 30,000 workers on the state payroll with reduced salaries.

Pensioners will also see more cuts, and salary earners will pay higher taxes, while parliament has already approved an emergency property tax due to be levies starting this month through electricity bills.

"The recession is deepening, unemployment has rocketed to appalling heights, the economy is collapsing, the living standards of our people has been pushed back decades back," the civil servants' union ADEDY said. "Employees and society are being driven to despair as the (government) pursues its policies that are creating the economic deadlock."

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