Darienite (https://darienite.com/tag/jim-camerons-transportation-column)
A good boss cares about his customers. He wants to keep them happy and actively seeks out their feedback. Such is not the case at the Connecticut Department of Transportation. (more…) Continue Reading →
Public transportation is a money-losing proposition. But Connecticut is home to one of the few profitable transit companies in the U.S. It’s not CT Transit or Metro-North, both of which are heavily subsidized. No, the operation that’s squarely in the black is the Bridgeport–Port Jefferson Steamboat Company, a.k.a. “the ferry.” (more…) Continue Reading →
Metro-North rail commuters received a recent spring surprise: a new timetable with slower running times. Rush-hour trains now leave earlier and arrive later, adding anywhere from 1 to 10 minutes to published running times, depending on the length of the trip. (more…) Continue Reading →
How can you get people to commute by train if they can’t get to the train station? Those two-wheeled, buff millennials would have us believe we should all bike our way from home to the train. But not all of us are that athletic or inclined to take our lives in our hands wheeling through traffic and bad weather. (more…) Continue Reading →
I like to go fast. Really fast. Nothing makes me happier than hurtling along to Boston on Acela at 145 mph, even if those sprints are brief, or catching the jet-stream on a flight and hitting 600 mph. And nothing frustrates me more, like you, than being in slow-moving, bumper-to-bumper traffic on Interstate 95, that highway’s normative state. (more…) Continue Reading →
International aviation is about to face a crisis: a shortage of pilots. (more…) Continue Reading →
In the “land of steady habits,” we don’t fix problems — we study them, over and over again. (more…) Continue Reading →
I hate to fly, but I have to, sometimes. Sure, I can tolerate a trans-con to California in business or first class. My wife and I once flew to Japan on a surprisingly tolerable 10-hour flight that just felt like a really long day. (more…) Continue Reading →
Imagine being afraid to ride the bus, or being unable to read a timetable. Can you think of what your life would be like without access to a car or mass transit? (more…) Continue Reading →
Is it hot enough for ya? Even if you don’t believe it’s caused by humans, there is no doubt our planet is heating up. And as global warming increases, so will our travel problems. (more…) Continue Reading →
First impressions count. Arrive at any airport or train station, and you immediately start forming opinions of your destination. Is it clean and modern, warm and welcoming? How does the place make me feel? Are the locals proud of themselves? Continue Reading →
Do you feel safe when you fly? Forget about exploding jet engines, cracked aircraft windows and clear-air turbulence. What about terrorists? (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 →
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 →