My favorite numbers guy, Nate Silver at FiveThirtyEight has poured over the census data and published an intriguing article that shows how the workforce in US cities begin its work day. I’ll share Nate’s findings through the graphs he published but I highly recommend that you read the full article over at his site . This insightful analysis will be definitely useful for transportation systems operators and managers.

Here are a few data nuggets from this analysis:

• New Yorkers are pretty relaxed and get to catch a few more winks  than many in the country. The median worker in the New York metropolitan area begins her workday at 8:24 a.m. 
• A quarter of the workforce in Atlantic City doesn’t begin its workday until 11:26 a.m. or after (understandably because the AC workforce is dependent on a recreational economy).
• The metro area with the earliest workday is Hinesville, Ga. The median worker there arrives at work at 7:01 a.m.

Let’s first see the US metro areas that are slow to roll

Source: FiveThirtyEight.com

Now let’s look at the those cities with the earliest median arrival times to work

Source: FiveThirtyEight.com Click Image to learn more.

And finally the Median arrival time in your local time zone

Source: fivethirtyeight.com. Click the image to learn more

Interesting, isn’t it? Go over to Fivethirtyeight.com to soak up the brilliant write-up from Nate.

Just a couple of hours ago, the premier transit agency in the nation’s capitol (WMATA) suffered a serious service outage on one of the heavily traveled train lines (Green Line). The abrupt disruptions have left many commuters stranded without a way out of the Navy Yard (and Anacostia) area, a major hub for riders employed at many of the facilities, including the US Department of Transportation, situated in the vicinity.   Though it was an unexpected situation, #WMATA was a bit slow to respond and got customers ticked (to put it lightly). And the customers have already taken to using social media sharing pics. and tweets from the scene.  To WMATA’s credit, the communications team at the agency was trying its best to deal with the situation, which is a bit more heartening than how they did in similar situations in the past.  Here is a sample of what’s happening on Twitter as we speak :

A sample of  what’s happening at Twitter hashtag #WMATA

Looks like it is going to be a long night for all involved, esp. for the communications team at WMATA.  Hope they learn sooner than later to deal with/cool down their customers before they all start flocking to their personal automobiles to get around the town.

Here is a storify post by George Kelley about the recent fire on San Francisco’s Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) that stranded commuters and the reactions on twitter.

The Central Maryland Regional Transit Corporation (CMRT), a private non-profit transit management firm located in Central Maryland, is conducting a search for a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to lead the organization through its next level of growth.  The CEO will be responsible for the general oversight of a multi-jurisdictional transit system with an annual operating budget of $15 million and ridership of more than 1.6 million passengers.

This position will report to the CMRT Board Chair and its elected Board of Directors and will manage a professional and support staff of approximately twenty-five employees.

The CEO must have demonstrated entrepreneurial skills, be a creative problem solver, maintain a keen understanding of political affairs as well as business and government relationships.  Experience in grant writing and working knowledge of federal and state processes and policies preferred.  Qualified candidates should possess a Bachelor’s Degree (Master’s Preferred) in Business Administration, Public Administration or related field, have excellent communication skills, and also have at least 5 years’ experience in a senior management capacity with a transit organization or similar business enterprise.

CMRT offers a competitive salary and benefits package.  The position will remain open until filled, however; applicants are encouraged to apply by May 4, 2012.  Interested persons should submit a resume, cover letter and salary history to CMRT Executive Search Committee, 312 Marshall Ave., Suite 1000, Laurel MD  20707; email: hr@cmrtransit.org.
________________________________________

TRIP MOBILITY MANAGER

The Central Maryland Regional Transit Corporation, a non-profit regional transportation management organization, seeks a highly motivated professional to be responsible for the development and oversight of a one-call/one-click transportation resource center that provides information on transportation options throughout central Maryland.  The TRIP Mobility Manager is responsible for building coordination among the existing public transportation and human service transportation providers within the service area of Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford, Howard, Montgomery, and Prince George’s Counties, as well as the City of Baltimore, the City of Laurel, and Washington DC.

Responsibilities:

Specific duties include the oversight of the centralized information call center and website and direct supervision of TRIP staff.   The position will regularly meet with project stakeholders to continue to build community networks, continue to improve and build on TRIP outreach efforts, develop strategies for seeking additional funding sources, and to leverage existing funding with non-FTA federal programs.

TRIP has received a federal grant to expand the program statewide.  This position will also be responsible for managing and implementing this project.

Qualifications:

Candidates must possess a Bachelor’s Degree in Transportation/Urban Planning, Business/Public Administration, Marketing or related field and minimum of five (5) years job experience in public sector transportation or non-profit organization management.  Additionally, candidates must exhibit excellent analytical, written and oral communication skills.  Marketing/outreach expertise valuable, but not required.

Compensation:

$52,500 – $60,000, commensurate with experience.

Please send resume and cover letter to:

CMRT Human Resources
312 Marshall Avenue, Suite 1000
Laurel, MD 20707
HR@cmrtransit.org

(Source: via Laughing Squid)

What an awesome stunt!  Improv Everywhere converted a late night New York City subway car into an unauthorized sleeper car, complete with three beds (video). Pajamas, sleep masks, and earplugs were also provided as part of this unauthorized free service. The Improv Everywhere website says the project took place on the above-ground N train in Astoria, Queens around midnight on a Sunday evening.  The Sleeper Car was produced by Improv Everywhere as part of the Guggenheim Museum exhibition stillspotting nyc.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAoHHq8YWPs&hd=1′]

Someone please bring this to Washington, DC and offer a bit of comfort during the endless Redline delays!

(Source: Good)

An interesting graphic. Hopefully the share of Transit rises in the years ahead along with other non-car options.  What is most appalling is that biking has only 0.99%  share of the pie.  LA needs to go a long way in moving its people away from cars.

Click image to enlarge

(Source: The Guardian, UK)

Tube worker says station manager at King’s Cross refused to let him take bandages from control room to treat victims

A London Underground worker who was among the first to arrive at one of the bombed tube carriages on July 7 was told to “piss off” by his superior when he rushed back to collect more first aid equipment to treat the injured and dying, he said today.

Imran Chaudhury fought back tears as he said one of the duty station managers at Kings Cross, Ken Leach, tried to obstruct him from collecting bandages from the station’s control room, despite the fact that his clothing was covered in blood and injured passengers could clearly be seen on CCTV emerging from the ruined train.

Leach’s superior, group station manager Peter Sanders, had also been in the room but had said nothing, said Chaudhury, which still “haunts” him, he told the inquest into the deaths of the victims of the bomb attacks. Fifty-two people died in the attacks, 26 were killed in the Kings Cross blast.

Click here to read the entire story

Note: It scares me to think how ill-prepared many of our U.S. transit systems across the country are even after such a coordinated mass-casualty event occurred in one of the busiest and well-policed systems around the world.  In Washington, DC I see so many security lapses day in and day out when I ride the system but given the complexities of the system and its vast network, it is definitely difficult to have a 100% fool-proof security.  While it is not possible to put a policeman in every station every hour of the day, I can see a lot of vigilant riders who help keep a watch on the system.  The system riders are sensitized to such dangers and have been repeatedly requested over the PA system, over the years, to inform station managers or authorities if they spot an unattended bag or any object that looks suspicious. As I write this, I can feel that stern lady voice over the DC Metro’s PA system: “Hi, Is That Your Bag?”, a part of the “See it Say It” public safety campaign, suggesting people to report any suspicious object they spot while riding the trains or on the Metro facilities such as stations and parking lots.   At times, I can’t help but feel over a period of time after listening to the announcements a gazillion times,  I feel like I have a part to play in keeping the system safe and secure.  The sense of alertness goes up when I read about a bomb threat or a situation regarding transportation security (the downside of being in transportation business). At times I feel that any failure on my part,  as a rider and user heavily-dependent on the system, to be vigilant may result in a possible strike keeps me alert (I admit sometimes it’s hard to stay awake after a long day at work).   I assume this social policing (rather social conditioning/sensitizing) initiative involving our public definitely has helped the transit police.  It will be great  to know if the if the Metro has ever compiled an evaluation report of sorts explaining how many calls were received and how many threats (minor and major) were averted/prevented/addressed since this campaign went into effect.

Related articles

• 7/7 inquest: Passengers showed ‘remarkable heroism’ after London bombings as pics revealed of carnage (mirror.co.uk)
• Metro calls for vigilance by riders and employees – Washington Post (news.google.com)
• 7/7 inquest: staff tell of devastation (guardian.co.uk)
• Feds: Man Sought to Blow Up DC Metro Stations (abcnews.go.com)
• US: Man arrested over “plot to bomb Washington DC metro” (teaandpolitics.wordpress.com)
• 7/7 inquest: Phone calls reveal chaos – listen here (mirror.co.uk)
• 7/7 inquests: Aldgate manager ‘didn’t want to cause panic by mentioning bomb’ (telegraph.co.uk)
• 7/7 footage at inquest shows final bomber Hasib Hussain (guardian.co.uk)
• 7/7 inquest: Tube refused first aid kit (guardian.co.uk)
• You: Confusion after King’s Cross 7/7 blast (guardian.co.uk)
• 7/7 officer tells of frustration over firefighters (independent.co.uk)
• Firefighters delayed entering 7/7 tunnel (independent.co.uk)
• You: 7/7 bombers were seen ‘celebrating’ (guardian.co.uk)
• 7/7 inquest hears recordings of tube staff following blasts (guardian.co.uk)
• A.M. Top News: Washington DC Metro stations are allegedly targeted in terror plot (nj.com)
• Passengers showed ‘remarkable heroism’ after bombings (independent.co.uk)
• 7/7 inquests: firefighters refused to follow police onto tracks (telegraph.co.uk)

(Source: USA TODAY)

The number of people riding buses and trains hit a 52-year high in 2008 as skyrocketing gas prices and a faltering economy pushed riders toward less expensive travel. 

 Public transit ridership last year increased 4% to 10.7 billion rides, according to a report released Monday by the American Public Transportation Association.

PUBLIC TRANSIT: Usage rises from 2007

The outlook is gloomy, though. Ridership growth in the fourth quarter slowed as more commuters lost their jobs and budget shortfalls pushed transit systems to reduce service or raise fares.

The number of rides from October through December increased 2% to 2.7 billion compared with the same period a year earlier.

Unemployment reached a 25-year high of 8% in February, the government reported Friday.

The more it rises, the more ridership will shrink, says William Millar, the association’s president.

Click here to read the entire article.

(via Editorial – A Smart Way to Help Commuters – NYTimes.com)

It’s been clear for months that only Albany could really rescue New York City commuters from the drastic service cuts and major increases in tolls and fares threatened by the deficit-ridden Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

That seemed a hopeless prospect — until this week, when Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Albany’s most powerful Democrat, announced a compromise plan that could help both the authority and its riders. What is even more encouraging, Mr. Silver is probably the only one in Albany with enough clout to sell such a compromise.

The Silver plan is adapted in part from an excellent proposal outlined last year by Richard Ravitch, the authority’s former chairman. Mr. Ravitch and a commission established to find new ways to finance mass transit proposed two changes: a modest payroll tax for employers in a 12-county area and new tolls on bridges to Manhattan along the Harlem and East Rivers.

Click here to read the entire article.