Here is a look at some of the transportation headlines gathered by us and the Metro Library. The full list of headlines is posted on the library’s blog.
Take the bus: [Chicago] City employees ordered to use public transportation (Chicago Sun-Times)
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has set up new rules that require city employees to ride public transit to meetings or assignments during the work day. The change comes after a crackdown on abuses of the previous reimbursement policy which allowed city employees to be reimbursed for a litany of car related travel costs – including car washes and parking tickets.
Railroads Adding 15,000 New U.S. Jobs (ABC)
In this time were jobs can be tough to come by, one industry is bucking the trend and going on a hiring frenzy. The American Association of Railroads said the industry is looking to hire 15,000 people in 2012 as the railroads continue to prosper. One reason the railroads are doing so good during the recession? They’re a more efficient and affordable way to move goods, especially with rising gas prices. More good news: these aren’t low paying jobs. Salaries can average around $100,000 and many jobs only require a high school diploma.
Can Smart Transportation Apps Curb Greenhouse Gases? (Government Technology)
A new study reveals that wireless technology and traffic apps could lead to a 20% reduction in fuel consumption. As an example, wireless fleet management apps could be used in the trucking industry to improve efficiency an eliminate 9 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.
Categories: Transportation Headlines
@betterfuture
Chicago is not directly forcing city employees into taking public transit. From what I gather from the article the city of Chicago is reimbursing its city employees too much for their travel expenses. So to reduce cost, the city will pay its employees for transit use but not for personal auto use unless they can claim it was necessary. City employees can still use their cars but their expenses will come out of their pockets not the tax payers.
Im not sure where you get your statistics from but emissions from cars and other road vehicles contribute to about 27% of the greenhouse gases in our atmosphere.
@betterfuture
While I agree in concept that government should not mandate a choice, the article does state the tax waste where public employees are abusing the system by having Chicagoan tax dollars being used to pay for car washes and parking tickets for city government employees.
In the sense that A) it’s government mandating government employees paid with tax payer dollars and B) it’s a way to curb taxpayer waste for abuse of appropriated funds, I don’t see this as a bad thing at all.
Now if government mandates every private citizen to start taking public transit, now that’s a violation o choice.
That being said, I’m in support of Chicago’s mayor’s proposal. All government employees across the US should be required to take public transit to get an eye-opener on how crappy our public transit system is. If they are employed with our tax dollars, they should be riding the public system run with our tax dollars. Maybe that will shake things up a bit.
Wouldn’t it be better to see Republicans and Democrats in Congress go to work at Capitol Hill by taking the DC Metro instead of being chaffuered around in Lincolns and Cadillacs bought with our tax dollars?
I have a comment regrading the “Take the bus: [Chicago] City employees ordered to use public transportation”. I can’t belive the Mayor of Chicago is rrequiring the emoplyees to take the bus, this kind of rule is unconstitutional and a violation of the empolyess rights.
I hope the city empolyees protest against this rule.
If the empolyess want to use the car then let them. They should be able to have options.
People really need to stop forcing car drivers to take the transit, it’s their choice to ride cars or not.
I am so tired of the socialist adegenda from these politicans.
That mayor is Anti-american and against the people.
As for the railroad article, I have no comment.
I do have a comment for “Can Smart Transportation Apps Curb Greenhouse Gases?” Cars DON’T cause pullotin, what causes pullotion are smokers, and other things.
Like I said, people should not be forced to take mass transit, it’s their choice.
This country really has no freedom and has gone down the hill. The politicans don’t care about the rights.