Transportation
The National Guard is easing school bus struggles, districts say. So are new Spanish-language driver tests
On a recent weekday, Jaime Carillo and his son waited for the ride to school in their usual spot on the front porch of the family’s duplex. When classes first started, the two were spending a lot of time there; the van that takes his son to school was coming much later than its 7:28 a.m.…
Read MoreConnecticut’s Transportation Systems Lost Riders, But The Rest Of New England Was Worse
Public transit in Connecticut maintained higher ridership and smaller revenue loss during the pandemic compared to the rest of New England, according to a study released this week by The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Riley Sullivan, the author of the study, said federal stimulus funding offset the loss of riders in Connecticut and the…
Read MoreNew Incentive Programs For EV Buyers, But Connecticut’s Goal Still A Long Way Off
When Barry Kresch bought his new Chevy Volt in 2015, he got a little help from the state: a $3,000 rebate, which he said was like “cash on the hood.” “If you buy an electric vehicle from a dealer,” Kresch said, “you can get the rebate.” That rebate comes from a program called CHEAPR, which…
Read MoreThe Blue Line Was Named For Boston Harbor. Now The Sea Threatens The Service
Tidal flats and marshland once surrounded much of Boston, swelling and soaking as the rain fell and tides ebbed and flowed. But over the course of the city’s nearly 400 years, those sensitive areas were slowly filled in to make more buildable land, leaving just 200 acres of wild marsh along the border between Boston…
Read MoreRoad Salt Is A Problem For Rivers. Adding Water May Be A Solution
A three-story-tall gate creaks open, and reveals a warehouse filled to the brim with brown crystals. It’s a mountain of rock salt. “We filled this shed this past week,” says T.J. Shea, Cambridge’s superintendent of streets. Shea is what some might call a “snow fighter.” It’s his job to keep roads dry all winter using this…
Read MoreState Workers’ Switch To Telework During Pandemic Brings ‘Seismic’ Drop in CO2 Emissions
Maine government workers have reduced their car travel by 1 million vehicle miles a week since the start of the pandemic, thanks to the rapid, wholesale adoption of telework policies. The preliminary data are opening an unexpected window on the future of telecommuting and its potential to deliver substantial reductions in global warming pollution. Last…
Read MorePandemic Pushes Debate Over Driver’s Licenses
Hailed as heroes during the pandemic, essential workers have cared for the elderly in nursing homes and kept food supplies going from farms to supermarkets. But thousands of these workers in Massachusetts are also undocumented immigrants facing a hard choice — risk driving illegally to keep these essential jobs, or stop working. With immigrant communities…
Read MoreScott Administration Says Traffic Data Show No Spike In Out-Of-State Entries
A massive data-gathering operation at border crossings across Vermont hasn’t shown a major influx in the number of visitors from states with COVID-19 “hotspots,” according to the Scott administration. Scores of employees at the Agency of Transportation have been manually logging license-plate data at as many as 43 border checkpoints since April 1. Rebecca Kelley,…
Read More5 Things To Know About The East Coast Effort To Curb Transportation Emissions
This month, a group of states, including Massachusetts, will release a plan to cut carbon emissions from the region’s biggest source — transportation. The effort is called the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI). The states are focused on limiting carbon emissions from fuel. Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration has estimated TCI could generate up to $500 million…
Read MoreWhat It’s Like To Switch From Car Travel To A Daily Train Commute
Heather Brandon used to drive from her home in Hartford, Connecticut, to work in Springfield, Massachusetts. It would take her anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on traffic. But this summer, she committed to taking the train. Producer Morgan Springer talked to her about the commute while Brandon, who works at New England…
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