Rail Life Pic Of The Week – 2012 Centennial Light Rail Pass is a post from: Rail Life

Today, METRO began selling the 2012 Commemorative Centennial Transit Pass online, at retail centers, transit centers and at seven of the light rail stations. The seven participating stations include:

• Montebello/19th Ave.
• Central Ave/Camelback
• Central Station (both platforms)
• 44th St./Washington
• Veterans Way/College Ave.
• Price-101 Fwy/Apache Blvd.
• Sycamore/Main St.

The Arizona Centennial tickets are limited in supply and are being sold while supplies last.

Happy Birthday, Arizona!

I must admit, the passes look pretty nice. Heck, if they can print a commemorative emblem, I wonder how long until they regularly start selling advertising on the ticket$ to offset some costs…

Remember, Rail Life has a Phoenix Light Rail Group on Flickr. Basically, we want to share some of our pictures from the community and allow people to add their pics (or videos), as well. These can be light rail related, but we also want pics or videos of your favorite spot, restaurant, sports team, community, event etc.

Honor Veterans – Plan Ahead is a post from: Rail Life

Veterans Day happens to fall on 11-11-11 this year. As we know, honoring people that have fought for our freedoms is way more important than some number on a calendar.

In Phoenix and in Tempe, tens of thousands will celebrate by watching or participating in the 2011 Veterans Day Parades.

Heading to each parade is a piece of cake if you choose to ride the light rail. The park and ride lots are free, just be sure to purchase a light rail pass. If you are new to riding the light rail, you may want to use this map of the system.

If attending the Phoenix Veterans Day Parade, you simply exit at the Camelback light rail station and the action will be right there.

For the Tempe Veterans Day Parade, Mill Avenue will be your best bet.

If planning to ride the train to the festivities, be sure to plan ahead as METRO will be  running a Sunday schedule. ( 20 minutes between trains, NO late night hours ) We all know that transit ridership is at an all time high, especially at large events. Hopefully, there will be some extra capacity added before and after the parades.

“Friday, November 11, is Veterans Day and a transit holiday whereby light rail and bus will run on a Sunday schedule. This means trains will run every 20 minutes and there will not be late-night service.” METRO Light Rail

I haven’t seen any notices from METRO concerning additional service delays ( other than the 20 minute schedule ) on Veterans Day, but the parade routes in Phoenix and in Tempe both run through or next to the activities. Plan ahead.

Rail Life Pic Of The Week – Name That Building is a post from: Rail Life

This building along the light rail line in Tempe has become a popular spot, and it’s location is pretty darn convenient for ASU students and for people wanting to live car-free. Prior to the opening of the light rail line in 2008, Equinox was to be prime housing near ASU. In fact, I took this pic in the Summer of 2008, several months before the trains began running along Apache. One year later, in August of 2009, residents began moving into this building that had already been re-named.

Do you know the current name of the building?

Remember, Rail Life has a Phoenix Light Rail Group on Flickr. Basically, we want to share some of our pictures from the community and allow people to add their pics (or videos), as well. These can be light rail related, but we also want pics or videos of your favorite spot, restaurant, sports team, community, event etc.

Shift AZ Rail Ride Rounds 2 And 3 is a post from: Rail Life

Tonight is another chance to get a tour of part of our “city within cities” known as the light rail line by none other than local rockstar, Kimber Lanning.  Last weeks Shift AZ event in Tempe was a huge success with dozens of people participating in a fun filled evening of learning from some super-cool people. ( see some pics from our friend, Ellen )

Here’s the scoop from METRO on what is happening tonight and on the 20th: You should check it out!

The "Shift the Way You Shop" light rail vehicle has arrived and we want you to join us for a ride through Phoenix!  Local First Arizona is planning two tours of Phoenix in the coming week to celebrate the "Shift" car and to visit some great businesses along the METRO light rail line. All are welcome!

The first Phoenix "ride along" will occur Oct. 18, with Phoenix Councilmember and METRO Board Chairman Tom Simplot. Guests will tour the uber-hip condominiums of One Lexington to get a feel for what it’s like to live along the light rail corridor. Other stops include Hanny’s, Cartel Coffee and more. Interested riders should plan to meet at Central Avenue/Camelback station at 5 p.m. tomorrow.

The final Phoenix "ride along" will occur on Thursday, Oct. 20, with local business hero Craig DeMarco. Some of the businesses on DeMarco’s tour include the Crescent Ballroom, Civic Space Park,Cowtown Skateboards and more. Interested riders should plan to meet at the Phoenix Public Market at 5 p.m. on Thursday.

Local First Arizona Founder Kimber Lanning will play the role of tour guide on both of these tours. Prizes will be given away to a few lucky riders who join us to explore Phoenix and celebrate local businesses! If you would like to attend, please RSVP to Helene@localfirstaz.com or simply show up!

The "Shift" car is the result of an amazing partnership between Local First Arizona and METRO light rail to help promote the Shift Arizona campaign. Along with the light rail vehicle wrap, our team has created a mobile website that riders can use to find locally-owned retail stores, restaurants and entertainment within 1/2 mile of each light rail stop!

Shana Ellis, Kimber Lanning and Michael Monti ShiftAZ in Tempe
]]> http://raillife.com/blog/2011/10/18/shift-az-rail-ride-rounds-2-3/feed/ 1 http://raillife.com/blog/2011/10/14/apology-good-friends/ http://raillife.com/blog/2011/10/14/apology-good-friends/#comments Fri, 14 Oct 2011 17:49:50 +0000 Nick Bastian http://raillife.com/?p=5275 An Apology To Some Very Good Friends is a post from: Rail Life

Utes or Devils – Seems Like An Easy Choice is a post from: Rail Life

The Sun Devils are heading to Utah for a big Pac-12 game this Saturday. Watch the Devils on FSAZ at 12:30.

So, these guys are proud to call themselves “Utes.” What the heck is a Ute, anyway. Oh, never mind, no one cares…

"After the first quarter ASU is going to tap out?” Seriously?

Transit Geeks Go Car FREE is a post from: Rail Life

Tomorrow is World Carfree Day and people across the globe are asked to walk, bike, and ride public transportation instead of relying solely on their automobile.

“Every September 22, people from around the world get together in the streets, intersections, and neighborhood blocks to remind the world that we don’t have to accept our car-dominated society.” – World Carfree

Around here, we hear about more and more people leaving their car behind for many reasons, but the reality is most people wouldn’t / couldn’t even think about being “stranded” without a car. It’s days like this that might make someone keep their car parked for a day.

Obviously, if you live in an area where you “need” your car to get to work, it does take some real effort to change how you get around. Maybe take a baby step and share a ride, use light rail or other public transit during your lunch hour, etc. I bet it won’t be all that hard if you just give it a try…

More Tempe Streetcar Info Available Soon is a post from: Rail Life

The Tempe Streetcar project is moving forward and METRO would like to invite you to an open house to learn more about the route, station locations and more. See the press release below to get the scoop!

For immediate release

August 24, 2011

Open house to review Tempe Streetcar track and stop locations

PHOENIX, AZ — Where will streetcar stop and how will it operate in the existing street network have been topics of discussion at the Tempe Streetcar Community Working Group for the past eight months.  This group, working alongside METRO and Tempe technical staff, has debated several options, coming to conclusion on 14 stop locations and a street configuration that will best serve the project and community needs.

The public will have the opportunity to review the recommended track and stop locations at an open house on Sept. 6.  The meeting will be conducted as an open house to talk individually with community members about their interest areas, so attendees are encouraged to stop by at any time.

Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2011

6 – 8 p.m. open house

Tempe High School Cafeteria

1730 S. Mill Ave., Tempe

Tempe Streetcar will run between Rio Salado Parkway and Southern Avenue in the Mill Avenue corridor.  It will be built using a mix of regional Proposition 400 funds and federal grant dollars by 2016.

Streetcar vehicles operate on tracks, typically mixed with automobile traffic, and are powered by overhead power lines.  They differ from light rail vehicles in their smaller vehicle size and single-car operation.  Stops are also more simple and frequent than light rail.

The Community Working Group (CWG), consisting of residents and business owners along the 2.6-mile route, provided input that further refined preliminary design elements, including definition of streetcar track configuration, bicycle facilities and stop locations.

For additional information or to make reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities, please contact Carla Kahn at (602) 744-5552/TTY (602) 251-2039 or ckahn@metrolightrail.org.

Tempe Streetcar project information is available online at www.metrolightrail.org/tempestreetcar.  For more information on the CWG, visit www.tempe.gov/tim.

Platinum Pass Now Available To Small Business is a post from: Rail Life

The METRO platinum pass program can be used by a business as a way to subsidize all or part of their employees transportation costs. For light rail, the maximum monthly cost to the employer would be $55.00. I notice that they say “your company or organization must have a minimum of five current active transit riders in order to apply.“ Sounds easy enough, right? I think it’s cool to involve small business in this program.

Heck, if you only need 5 current active transit riders, we may see restaurants, shops etc. taking advantage of the convenience of having a pass to use on their way to and from work. I know there are a lot of people that work along the line but still continue to drive because of the “hassle” of longer commute time, perceived inconvenience, etc. Small programs like this could potentially get people off of the fence when it comes to riding. Who knows, they just might enjoy it if they just give it another try. See the info below from METRO’s web site:

METRO Platinum Pass Program

Benefits For Employers and Employees

Valley Metro’s Platinum Pass Program provides a solution to your company’s commuting issues, offering many benefits for employers, employees and our valley:

• Pay-per Ride: Employer is only charged for actual number of rides up to a maximum of $55 per month per rider for local bus and light rail and up to a maximum of $85 per month per rider for Express/RAPID bus.
• The Platinum Pass Program is typically a three-year agreement and all cards issued under the agreement expire at the end of the three-year period.
• Cards can be deactivated if lost or stolen.
• Extra cards can be ordered and used immediately upon receipt.
• One Stop Accounting: Employer receives one monthly invoice for total charges on all cards being used
• A detailed billing summary is available that shows the day, time and route for each boarding for an additional $25 per month.

Platinum Pass and the Trip Reduction Program

All employers with 50 or more employees at a single worksite are required to participate in the Maricopa County Trip Reduction Program (TRP). The Platinum Pass Program can help meet those TRP requirements. And that is just one of the ways you can make Platinum Pass work for you. Employers may subsidize all or part of their employees’ monthly program charges, turning it into a powerful retention tool and promoting employee satisfaction and performance.

How to Open an Account

Signing up is simple. Effective July 2011, your company or organization must have a minimum of five current active transit riders in order to apply. Once your company is approved, you must purchase an initial supply of 20 Platinum Pass “smart cards” at $1.50 each. The cards are imprinted with your company/organization name and a unique serial number for tracking. Platinum Pass cards are valid for up to three years.

Want to hear more about how the Platinum Pass Program can work for your company? Please contact Jeff Reid at Valley Metro at: 602-523-6074 or Jreid@ValleyMetro.org.

Remember: Platinum Pass and ASU U-Pass users

TOUCH, HOLD AND GO

To ensure that your ride is registered and your pass is validated:

• Place the card directly on the orange target.
• Hold for two seconds.
• Wait for the confirmation ding or the yellow light before removing your card.

The fare is recorded and the card is automatically charged.  Card values range up to $55 per month per card on local bus/light rail and $85 per card per month on Express/RAPID bus routes or on a combination of local bus/light rail and Express/RAPID bus routes.

Take A Ride, Save Some Cash is a post from: Rail Life

So, Arizona probably just missed making the Top 13 Best U.S. Cities for Public Transit list for the year. After all, people are flocking to our transportation system like crazy!

When reading articles about the successes of light rail and other transportation systems around the country, it’s always interesting to see what is happening in other areas.

I saw another article where the APTA reported that “in major urban areas, individuals on average save $9,656 annually by using public transportation instead of driving.”

So, with the added convenience of living near the light rail line, people are actually realizing that the old “drive until they qualify” mentality doesn’t always make $ense.

For many Americans, the idea of being able to live without a car is unthinkable. In Arizona, however, more and more are thinking it’s a possibility.  As fuel costs rise and the cost of housing in some great locations have become more affordable, people are beginning to think more about “location, location, location” again when choosing a place to live. Lifestyle becomes more of a factor as families, students, empty nesters, professionals, and more begin to think about the overall experience of where they choose to live.

While we might not be in the top 13 cities for public transit, the Phoenix area has come a LONG way in the past couple of years. I have a feeling that some of the smart money is looking very closely at some of the changes happening in our “city within cities” that make up the light rail district.