Thursday, December 13, 2007

Transporation Daily News 12/13

In a major environmental victory for California and 16 other states, a federal court in Fresno on Wednesday upheld a bid to slash auto emissions to combat global warming, a move fiercely opposed by automakers and the Bush administration. Wednesday's ruling that California has the authority to impose emission-related mileage standards on cars and trucks -- a plan that would cut emissions from vehicles 30 percent by 2016 -- increases pressure on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to give the state a waiver to do that. CC Times 12/13/07

 

Promoting tourism and marketing Marin's environment-friendly image helped attract more visitors during 2007, according to the annual report of the Marin Convention and Visitor Bureau. The bureau said the number of hotel rooms booked in the county this year was up 13 percent over 2004, when the agency was created. The bureau is funded by a 1 percent charge on room rents. Marin Independent Journal 12/11/07

 

Foss Maritime, which operates a fleet of 63 tugboats and 69 barges, are building the world's first hybrid tugboat using a combination of batteries, generators and small main engines. This tugboat is currently under construction at our shipyard and is scheduled for delivery to San Pedro Harbor next summer. Industry Week 12/12/07

 

When Caltrain started its bicycle program in 1992, riders were relatively scarce on the San Jose-to-San Francisco commuter line. Officials figured it couldn't hurt to replace some empty seats with bike racks, giving commuters a new, eco-friendly way to get from the train stop to their final destination. Now, ridership is soaring amid high gas prices and global warming fears. The bicycle program is a well-established hit, with about one in 15 Caltrain riders bringing their wheels on board, according to a February ridership count. In fact, Caltrains are getting so crowded at peak commute hours that not everyone's bike can fit on board. So when a Baby Bullet pulls out of the station, a handful of the rail line's most dedicated customers are left in the cold. SJ Mercury 12/4/07

 

Ridership on the state-supported Amtrak San Joaquins Corridor service exceeded all expectations during the month of November with a dramatic jump of 13.1 percent, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) announced. Business Wire 12/11/07

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