Portland’s TRIMET just released a beta version of Interactive System Map prior to summer launch of full version.

When larger agencies like New York City MTA and Boston MBTA are embracing map APIs from Google, Microsoft or Yahoo, tech Savvy TRIMET are paving the way for other agencies to follow. There are advantages for an agency having their own maps.

• Keep the Brand Identity and flow to agency’s web presence
• Ad Free Maps
• On time Station or Stop changes to the map
• Accurate representation of Key Transit Center and Park & Ride Locations

If your agency is considering building your own maps? Let us know.

-Publicroutes.com Team

Thanks to Clear Channel Outdoor and District Department of Transportation (Ddot), bringing ‘SmartBikeDC’ the first self-service public bike rental program in United States, to Washington DC. Smart Bike is an alternative transportation network that is popular in France and Spain, and will compliment Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Metro rail and bus services.

The service is available by online subscription, similar in concept as ‘ZIP CAR.’ At an annual subscription of $39.99 the service is very encouraging. Maybe , just maybe, now we can lobby for a just cause.

- Publicroutes.com

How many of you know when the ‘National Train Day’ is celebrated? Not many are aware of the National Train Day, as it is celebrated for the first time this year on May 10th.

What is National Train Day?
- excerpts from National Train Day website

On May 10, 1869, in Promontory Summit, Utah, the ‘golden spike’ was driven into the final tie that joined 1,776 miles of the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railways, ceremonially creating the nation’s first transcontinental railroad. And America was transformed.
Now, 139 years after the golden spike connected east and west, there’s never been a better time to take the train. Huge crowds and the frustrations that go with them burden our highways and airports. And at a time when we all share the same pressing concerns about ecology and energy conservation, trains are a more energy-efficient mode of travel than either autos or airplanes. Riding the rails is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. Not to mention meet interesting people and see breathtaking scenery.

How you can Participate?

In New York’s Penn Station and Union stations in Washington DC, Chicago and Los Angeles, there will be simultaneous National Train Day festivities that are a treat for all ages. And if you are planning a vacation this year, Explore the ever-changing landscape of the United States of America at your own pace, the best way to experience all of it is on a train. Amtrak has special vacation deals, get more information on their vacations website

If you have interesting trips on trains to share. Let us know.

Publicroutes.com Team

Before the start of MLB season, teams create a catchy phrase that will resonate with fans, sound good in a commercial and spur ticket sales. The best of these - like San Francisco Giant’s “Goin’ Downtown” - make multiple references to the upcoming season with a couple clever words. Can MLB and teams add environmental awareness into the mix?

YES, Major League Baseball have stepped up to the plate in the fight against global warming. As we celebrate the Earth Week, it’s worth pointing out the benchmark efforts of some of the teams.

The Cleveland Indians introduced an environmental campaign this season, “Our Tribe is Green … Are you in the Tribe?” The initiative aims to reduce the carbon footprint at Progressive Field.

Not to be outdone, the New York Mets and the Environmental Protection Agency have teamed up in preparation for the opening in 2009 of the Mets new $800 million stadium, Citi Field. The park will be built from 95 percent recycled steel and at least two million pounds of recycled coal-combustion products that will eliminate more than 800 tons of CO2. The eco-friendly plumbing fixtures, an on-site well and 3,700 square-foot drainage bed will save more than four million gallons of water.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are launching a campaign today called “Let’s go Bucs, let’s go green,” aimed at encouraging fans to recycle at PNC Park, where some 760,000 bottles and cans were discarded with the trash last year.

Last season, the Seattle Mariners organization recycled 342 tons of plastic, glass, paper, cardboard and aluminum cans and was one of two franchises to recycle food waste into compost. The team also has reduced its natural gas use by 36 percent and its electricity consumption by 18 percent.

MLB by itself might not be able to save the environment, but fans can do their part by trashing bottles, beer cups and taking public transportation.

Publicroutes.com team member - Arvind

All creative jokes of Arm, Leg and Both, drawn on gas price hoardings aside, is there an end to rising gas prices this Summer (2008)? Are there any Alternatives?

According to The Associated Press (AP) “Gas and oil prices pushed further into record high territory Tuesday, with retail gas reaching a national average of $3.51 for the first time and crude nearing $120 as the dollar fell to a new low against the euro.”

The answer is ‘NO’ and ‘YES’ !! ‘NO,’ There is no end to rising gas prices and ‘YES,’ there are alternatives.

Public Transportation is the answer. It’s affordable and you are contributing in reducing CO2 emissions. Metro areas including New York, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, Seattle, DC provide an extensive network of bus, subway and rail systems that tend to make it easier to take public transportation. In other areas there are Public transit options, however, careful planning should be done before you make a trip.

- Publicroutes.com team member Arvind

20 Million people across America celebrated ‘Earth Day’ on April 22, 1970. What started as a national environment awareness day has evolved into a world wide campaign to protect our global environment.

On this 2008 Earth day, we thought it will be cool to put a short checklist of things to use resources wisely.

At Home

* Save energy
* Use less water
* Reduce/reuse/recycle
* Handle toxics properly

At Work

* Take Public Transportation, bike or walk
* Green your building
* Reduce energy use
* Reduce, reuse, and recycle office products

When Shopping

* Look for Energy Star Products
* Buy Watersense Products
* Shop for Fuel-Efficient Vehicles
* Take your own re-usable bag

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Check http://www.epa.gov/earthday/ for more Tips, Earth day events and Resources.

Publicroutes.com Team Member - Arvind

New York City (NYC) is all set to welcome Pope Benedict XVI on April 18, 2008. On his visit to NYC, Benedict will address the U.N. General Assembly and celebrate Mass on Sunday morning at Yankee Stadium. Security will be tight and general public should expect road blocks to make way for popemobile to get around the city.

According to city officials, surface transit, including MTA Bus movement will be affected by Pope’s visit. People are advised to take Amtrak, Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), Metro North Rail Road (MNR) and New Jersey Transit Rail to get into town, and take MTA Subways if traveling around town.

Although Public Transport Trip Planners were around, there has been an explosion in number of Trip Planners, both from the “Transit Agencies” and “Creative Individuals.” This explosion is due to a ease of tools and data available in the free world, notably Google Maps API, or enthusiasts who expanded their creative skills into Trip Planner apps.

In this Trip Planner Series, I will be writing about some of the popular and visionary Trip planners, whether they were created for the web, mobile or beyond.

Transport for London

One of world’s largest Transit Agency, also has one of the best Trip Planner (Called Journey Planner). The trip planner is well organized, and you can select ‘Station or Stop’, ‘Post Code’, ‘Address’, or ‘Place of Interest’ as FROM and TO points. Additionally, in the advanced options, you can sort your route by “speed, multiple points, mode of transport, Walking preference, Mobility requirements and even CYCLE (bike) options.”

Route suggestions are accurate and up to 10 next trips are displayed along with alerts affecting any route. User friendly Maps, both in Fluid and PDF for each leg of the route are available. From purely a commuting or traveling viewpoint, Transport for London is the best public transport trip planner in the world

- Arvind

So the debate continues, Who among ’Obama - Hillary - McCain,’  if elected, will be good for the environment? read on….

All three of the running candidates, at some point in their campaign’s gave their views on the issues of energy & environment. Here is what they have to say….

“Well, I don’t believe that climate change is just an issue that’s convenient to bring up during a campaign. I believe it’s one of the greatest moral challenges of our generation. That’s why I’ve fought successfully in the Senate to increase our investment in renewable fuels. That’s why I reached across the aisle to come up with a plan to raise our fuel standards… And I didn’t just give a speech about it in front of some environmental audience in California. I went to Detroit, I stood in front of a group of automakers, and I told them that when I am president, there will be no more excuses — we will help them retool their factories, but they will have to make cars that use less oil.”

- Barack Obama, Speech in October 14, 2007
More from Obama at - BarackObama.com

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“Two years ago as part of a bipartisan congressional delegation, I traveled to Barrow, Alaska. That’s the northern most point of the United States. And I also traveled through on my way there the Yukon Territory in Canada. Traveling over those vast coniferous forests that blanket those harsh unforgiving latitudes, I looked down to see dead trees as far as the eye could reach. These trees are part of an ecosystem formed to survive brutal conditions. But the giant spruce trees of the Yukon, some centuries old, are no match for a relative newcomer: a tiny insect known as the bark beetle. The forests, it turns out, were once protected by cold, cold winters. The beetle could not survive. But warmer temperatures have allowed this invasive species to travel into higher latitudes and wreak unnatural havoc. In once pristine forests, there was devastation. Millions of acres infested. Whole swaths of land - once green - now brown”.

- Hillary Clinton, Speech in November 5, 2007
More from Clinton at - HillaryClinton.com

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 ”As President, I’ll propose a national energy strategy that will amount to a declaration of independence from the fear bred by our reliance on oil sheiks and our vulnerability to the troubled politics of the lands they rule. When we reach the limits of military power and diplomacy to contain the dangers of that cauldron of burning resentments and extremism, energy security is our best defense. We won’t achieve it tomorrow, but we must achieve it in our time. Energy efficiency by using improved technology and practicing sensible habits in our homes, businesses and automobiles is a big part of the answer, and is something we can achieve right now. Flexible-fuel vehicles aren’t futuristic pie in the sky. We can easily deploy such technology today for less than $100 per vehicle; and we develop the infrastructure necessary to take full advantage”.

- John McCain - December 10, 2007
More from McCain at - JohnMcCain.com

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From their views, there are some rather obvious environmental policy differences between the candidates, but, all of them acknowledge, environment is changing and steps to tackle the issues must be taken.

Question is, “Is this a pretty Band-Aid on environmental & energy issues?” or “Once they are in the office, will they pro-actively tackle the issues?”

You tell us.

Publicroutes.com Team

Hello Everyone, It’s mid-workweek and just when you think things are settling down into a habitual grind, there is news from the Airline industry. News that could affect thousands of air travellers and send them scurrying to look for alternatives.

There were about 500 flights cancelled nationwide due to a FAA’s compliance on wiring in MD-80 aircraft, mostly used for mid-range flights. American Airlines was the most affected with 300 of it’s 2300 daily flights grounded. Other Airlines included Southwest, Delta and United. You can check Delays or Cancellations on American Airlines website or in more detail on FAA site.

If you are traveling shorter distances, Public Transportation offers plenty of alternatives either by Amtrak Trains or Buses that operate in your region. Tell us in the comments section, what you would do, if you are affected by such unscheduled delays.

Arvind - Publicroutes.com Team