The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on Thursday concluded their investigation of the deadly 2008 Chatsworth Metrolink crash. The L.A. Times reports that federal investigators determined that the crash was caused by the “egregious” text messaging of the engineer, Robert Sanchez. This conclusion has the potential to shift liability and costly lawsuits from Metrolink to the private contractor Connex Railroad, the company responsible for hiring and supervising the engineer. The NTSB recommended constant video surveillance of train crews as the only way to solve the seemingly widespread text messaging problem. Metrolink put cameras in it trains soon after the accident, but it’s been a very controversial move as engineer labor unions have deemed it an invasion of privacy.

EGPNews.com reports that the Eastside Gold Line Extension will be seeing some safety improvements in the coming months. Upgrades will include reflectors for both automobiles and pedestrians and improved signage. Metro is still studying putting crossing gates at certain intersections.

Do you know the last time the federal gas tax was raised? If you assumed it gets raised every year, you’d be wrong. According to The Infrastructurist, the gas tax hasn’t been raised since 1993 and it’s not even indexed for inflation. A recent poll showed that a majority of people on both sides of the political spectrum incorrectly believe the gas tax goes up each year. I honestly rarely think about the gas tax — not just because I don’t drive — but because it’s so well hidden in the price we pay at the pump.

The Environmental Defense Fund’s Way2Go blog has a stimulus plan for the country called take transit and save $10,000. According to reports, using transit instead of driving can save an individual about $10,000 a year, and Way2Go ponders all the stimulating ways this extra money could be spent. It’s obviously not doing much for the auto industry. The blog asked, “what would you do with an extra $10,000?” Responses included paying off student loans, investing in the stock market, travel and buying a bicycle, among other ideas. Personally, I use the money I save by not owning a car on video games. A lot of video games.

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Eastside Gold Line To Get Added Security Measures
EGP News

High-Speed Rail Line Worth $42.6 Billion?
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Infrastructurist

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NTSB Blames Engineer For 2008 Metrolink Crash, Urges Railroads To Install Cameras To Monitor Train Crews
Los Angeles Times

RFID Research To Make Transit Workers More Safe
Metro Magazine

Stimulus Plan? Taking Transit Can Save You $10,000
EDF Way2Go Blog

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Wired

U.S. DOT Previews How New Transit Rules could Define “Livability”
DC StreetsBlog