Welcome to Reconnections’ Friday Reads. This week’s lineup: • TfL is pedestrianising Oxford Street & rerouting the buses (CityMetric) • New TfL consultation on new walking/cycling river crossing between Rotherhithe and Canary Wharf (IanVisits) • …
Continue readingAuthor: Long Branch Mike
Don’t Believe the Microtransit Hype (CityLab)
Minibus startups like Chariot aren’t succeeding. But transit shouldn’t be judged on whether it turns a profit. In 1914, during a streetcar strike in Los Angeles, a motorist in a newfangled private car began giving …
Continue readingHow tech firms are helping train companies (Guardian)
Startups such as Seatfrog and Ticketclever aim to make rail travel cheaper and improve customer experience. It’s one of the last remaining modes of transport that has been relatively untouched by innovation. The UK rail …
Continue readingReport on building Homes over railway lines in London (Engineering and Technology)
A quarter of a million new homes could be built in London if provisions are made to allow developers to build on top of railway lines, according to a new report. The report, Out of …
Continue readingTfL offers open data expertise through new consulting arm (City AM)
Transport for London (TfL) has shed more light on the role of its consultancy arm in the works, saying today that it is exploring new commercial avenues through releasing open data. The transport body makes …
Continue readingFriday Reads – November 3, 2017
Welcome to Reconnections’ Friday Reads. This week’s links lineup: • Next generation Santander Cycles roll into London (London Assembly) • Turn off your mind, relax and take the Tube upstream (BoingBoing) • River Bus pier …
Continue readingTfL to sell travelers’ attention & WiFi data for £322m (BoingBoing)
Since late 2016, the Transport for London has been running a pilot scheme, providing wifi to passengers while logging and retaining all the wifi traffic coming in and out of its access points, compiling a …
Continue readingBarcelona’s double deck Metro tunnel (CatBus)
Barcelona’s Line 9, currently under construction, is very interesting for many reasons: It will be the longest metro line in Europe, with 48 km in total The metro line will be completely automated The construction …
Continue readingBi-mode trains: Unlocking opportunity? (Rail Engineer)
“The future is bright, the future is bi-mode!” or so one might imagine with the level of focus on this type of train. There are a number of bi-mode trains being developed or manufactured and …
Continue readingLondon congestion charge on minicabs/Uber/Hailo etc to boost buses (Sunday Times)
Jammed traffic and competition from minicabs have caused sharp drops in bus use. Uber drivers are among those who face paying an extra £3,000 a year each to operate in London even if the company …
Continue readingToronto Transit has New App to Report Harassment (Toronto Star)
The Toronto Transit Commission has launched what it describes as a bold new public awareness campaign targeting sexual harassment, racism, homophobia and other troubling behaviour on the system. The initiative, dubbed “This Is Where…” was …
Continue readingFriday Reads – October 27, 2017
Welcome to Reconnections’ Friday Reads. This week’s lineup: • Last Paddington WaterTaxi free ride today (This Is Paddington) • Computer model of Hobbs End Underground station (Coroflot) • Old train carriage converted into restaurant (DesignBoom) …
Continue readingVolvo’s autonomous garbage truck on duty (The Drive)
Volvo worked in collaboration with Swedish waste service company Renova to develop this high-tech truck. It’s got a pre-programmed trash route set in the computer, allowing it to drive from site to site without human …
Continue readingEthics of facial recognition in railway stations (Railway-Technology)
Facing fears: Should facial recognition technology be installed in railway stations? German authorities are testing facial recognition software at Berlin’s main rail station, in an attempt to increase security. Joe Baker asks whether the installation …
Continue readingNY Subway Replacing MetroCard with Modern Fares (NY Times)
“On Monday, the city’s system took a significant step toward a more modern way for passengers to pay their fares. Starting late next year, they can do it the way Londoners already do, by waving …
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