Darienite (https://darienite.com/category/opinion)
We are all familiar with Amtrak’s local operations in the Northeast: The sleek Acela zooming along to Boston at up to 145 mph and the slower, traditional trains making local stops along the Connecticut coast. (more…) Continue Reading →
In mass transit, there is no such thing as a free ride. But there are various ways of making sure everyone pays their fair share. (more…) Continue Reading →
The recent debate over tolling our highways should remind us of just how divided the state has become. It’s not red vs. blue and not even just upstate vs. downstate. The real divide is between those who commute by car vs. Continue Reading →
A secret project, defying the government, helped build America’s first subway. It only ran for three years but carried hundreds of thousands of passengers, even though it only spanned 312 feet. And it was powered by air. (more…) Continue Reading →
Longtime commuter advocate and news commentator Jim Cameron of Darien offers a lively presentation and Q&A on Connecticut’s transportation crisis on Wednesday night, May 2. (more…) Continue Reading →
It was the British folks at the Cunard cruise line who said: “Getting there is half the fun.”
Crossing the Atlantic in style on an ocean liner certainly was great, but whatever your mode of transportation, getting the right seat can make for an enjoyable or miserable trip. (more…) Continue Reading →
Is this the way we want to live? Is this what our children have learned from us? Take a look at this Twitter thread we’ve copied and see just what we look like. — UPDATE: The images of the tweets have been removed. (more…) Continue Reading →
Many people these days love Uber (and other ride-sharing services like Lyft). But what’s the real cost of this business-disrupting technology? (more…) Continue Reading →
I’ve been criss-crossing the state for weeks, talking to folks about our transportation crisis: The proposed fare hikes on trains and buses coupled with service cuts on the branch lines, and the state Department of Transportation’s multi-billion dollar spending cuts. (more…) Continue Reading →
Don’t look now, but someone is joining your travels: Big Brother. You assume you’re alone, traveling in your car to and from work, but you are actually being watched. All along Interstate 95, there are TV cameras are looking for accidents and slowdowns. (more…) Continue Reading →
There has not been a profitable passenger railroad in the United States. Amtrak and commuter lines like Metro-North operate at a loss as a public service, their deficits borne by tax dollars. But that changed last month with the launch of Brightline, a privately owned, for-profit passenger railroad in Florida. (more…) Continue Reading →
It might not be the most glamorous means of mass transit, but Connecticut’s 12,000-plus local and commuter buses form a vital link in our transportation network. (more…) Continue Reading →
Am I the only person in the state who thinks Gov. Dannel Malloy’s plan for tolls and gas taxes makes sense? Probably. But let me try once again to overcome the usual objections and myths and explain why Malloy’s plan is fair and necessary. (more…) Continue Reading →
“Commuting on Metro-North is like getting hit with a 2-by-4. Service is getting worse and now you’re hitting us with a 10 percent fare hike.”
Those comments came from Jeffrey Maron, vice chairman of the Connecticut Commuter Rail Council, a usually mild-mannered, two-compliments-before-any-complaint kind of guy. (more…) Continue Reading →
It should have been done by now: 2018 was the expected completion year of the new railroad tunnels under the Hudson River. (more…) Continue Reading →