Tech Innovation Targets Transportation

Written by Daniel Callas

So you’ve probably heard of Uber. You’ve probably heard of its competitor, Lyft. Maybe you’ve even heard of Sidecar, Zimride, Zipcar, Car2Go and others. If you haven’t yet, you will. The transportation sector is rich with innovation right now, and if you blink, you might miss the next latest and greatest thing.

Source: Uber

Uber, Sidecar and Lyft are all variations on the taxi concept, yet they’re causing commotion among the cab community and outside it. The three “ridesharing” companies (more on the term ridesharing later), have taken advantage of the widespread availability and use of mobile devices to reinvigorate and reinvent a technologically-lagging industry.

Under these new models, drivers use their own smartphones to connect with customers in search of a ride and, without any exchange of physical money, can provide rides in their own vehicles. They then get paid via the company app.

Riders can make pickup arrangements without leaving their seat at the restaurant or theater. The app tells them what they need to know: how much they’ll be charged, who will be picking them up and in what vehicle.

But innovation and disruption come at a cost.

These companies have drawn the ire of many taxi commissions, associations and government authorities across the globe for a myriad of reasons. From background checks and insurance issues to medallion investments and questions of legality, Uber, Lyft and the like are operating in a new (and yet to be regulated) realm, creating concern among various groups.

Among those groups are more traditional ridesharing organizations. These groups have pushed for Uber, Lyft and similar services to be categorized as “Transportation Network Companies” to distinguish non-profit ridesharing from their more taxi-like product. The terminology may seem trivial on the user level, but on a public policy level it has real implications when it comes to federal funding. Not to be outdone (by pesky nomenclature or each other’s advancements), Lyft and Uber have both recently announced true carpool services.

Source: TIME

Some cab agencies have responded by partnering with tech startups to offer their own mobile apps. Companies like Flywheel in San Francisco, and Curb and Hailo in other markets, have been working to get riders into taxis already on the road. In New York City, City Council member Ben Kallos admits that the city’s taxis have been disrupted and may need their own app to stay competitive.

Uber, however, may be positioning itself to be the “last man standing” in the app-driven ride provider ring. The company just hired former Obama campaign advisor David Plouffe to lead their push for acceptance in the 170 cities they call home around the world. Uber also recently engaged in a public spat with competitor Lyft after both companies accused each other of ordering and canceling rides on their app. Uber even suggested that Lyft was positioning itself to be bought out by Uber, which received a $17 billion valuation earlier this year. More on their back-and-forth here.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

And yet, other business models have emerged. BlaBlaCar, a French company, has begun offering similar ride sharing services, with one key difference: their drivers can’t turn it into a job. They keep tabs on fuel costs, insurance rates and taxes to make sure drivers are not reimbursed for more than the cost of the ride. By doing so, it avoids conflict with the seemingly threatened cab industry. ZimRide is another option that has found a niche market in the US, particularly on college campuses for carpooling home during breaks and as an option to get travelers to and from concerts or other events.

But it doesn’t stop with cars.

In Boston, on-demand busing is primed for takeoff, thanks to Bridj. The Cambridge-based startup is shaking up mass transit by using an algorithm based on GPS data, census figures and social media to deliver effective bus routes that can be adjusted in real-time to meet demand. 

Is plane-pooling on the horizon?

Not to be outdone, AirPooler is looking to match pilots to flyers, though that concept was dealt a significant setback earlier this month, when the FAA essentially deemed flight-sharing illegal. 

Sure there are plenty of new apps and companies to address the tech shortfall within the transportation sector, but some older players in the game aren’t waiting to be replaced. Celebrating its centennial this year, Greyhound has spread the availability of free WiFi on their updated fleet, and introduced a number of booking apps to increase efficiency and appeal to younger generations of travelers. 

Mobile apps seem to be the name of the game. And that’s no different among the carsharing crowd, which relies heavily on the reduced emphasis on ownership seen among the younger millennial generation. ZipCar, Car2Go and others have entered the market but not without their own concerns.

Volvo Trucks successfully tests
their road train.

The point is, we’ve seen an unbelievable amount of innovation and advancement in the transportation sector, but we’re far from the finish line. Driverless cars, Volvo’s car trains and magnetic levitation (maglev) trains are all projects that have made it out of the concept stage and are now being tested or even implemented in various regions of the world. The real benefit however, is the increased mobility and accessibility these technologies offer, and the challenge comes not in developing the tools, but in serving the populations that need them most.

Sharing the Shore

Written by Laura Cerutti

People are not spending their summer sitting in shore traffic on the Garden State Parkway for nothing. With the amount of people flooding to shore towns on the weekends, it’s obvious that the Jersey Shore has a strong fan base. And after being stuck in shore traffic, what better way to enjoy the shore than on a bike ride or a walk?

Bicycles parked at the beach

Walking and biking are two favorite shore pastimes. The level ground makes a bike trip or long stroll easy to manage and the coastal views of the beach and bay are a novelty most people only get to enjoy a few times a year. For drivers, however, navigating the shore does not necessarily get easier after enduring a bumpy ride on the Garden State Parkway. Once you have finally reached your destination, it is imperative to remain vigilant when sharing the roads with an influx of bicyclists and walkers.

Biking and walking is a major component of the Jersey Shore’s culture. Most people stay within a short distance of the beach, shops, restaurants and boardwalk making it silly to use your car to get around. During my time at the beach I realized I go days without using my car. In fact, it usually stays parked in its spot from the time I get there until I reluctantly leave to head home. One reason my car stays in its place is because it’s hard to find parking after giving up a space, the other is because I find driving the local roads to be a stressful experience due to the swarms of bicyclists and pedestrians. I too find myself being more inclined to take part in the shore’s bike/walk culture more than I would at home, but no matter how I am traveling, my safety senses are heightened.

After observing the driving, walking and bicycling behaviors of those around me at the beach, I noticed these three modes of transportation do not exactly coexist peacefully. Too many times I have seen pedestrians jaywalking when a cross walk is only yards away, drivers failing to give the right-of-way to pedestrians who are actually in the crosswalks or bicyclists riding towards the beach on the wrong side of the street.

People of the shore travel in “vacation mode”. The bicyclists may only ever ride while there and never in the
off season, meaning they could be lacking regular road experience. Pedestrians can be seen heading to the beach while trying to balance several beach items like chairs, towels, and bags causing them to be less aware of their surroundings. And drivers can be distracted while searching for parking, looking for places to eat, or by being on their cell phones. When you mix these hazards and put them in a crowded shore town, unfortunate incidents are bound to happen.

Long Beach Island Shuttle Bus

To combat crashes involving pedestrians at the Jersey Shore, the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) recently launched the Street Smart campaign in Long Beach Island. Between 2009 and 2012, LBI had a total of 13 pedestrian related crashes. It was found that most of these crashes were caused by either pedestrians crossing outside of marked crosswalks or drivers failing to yield.
The goal for LBI’s Street Smart movement is to encourage both motorists and pedestrians to check their “vital signs” of obeying the speed limits, stopping for pedestrians, waiting for the “walk” signal at intersections, and crossing at crosswalks.

Just like Long Beach Island, other popular shore towns experience a rise in pedestrians and bicycle related crashes, especially during the summer months. Between 2009 and 2014, municipalities like Long Branch, Belmar and Point Pleasant Beach have all had an uptick in crashes between May and September. Similar to LBI, these crashes were most likely caused by the disconnect between drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists.

All road users have the right to a safe passage and everyone needs to do their part in keeping the roadways safe, not matter how you choose to travel. In busy areas, like the Jersey Shore in the summer, knowing your part in sharing the road is key to creating a travel-friendly environment. Whether you choose to ride, walk, or driver, we have a few key tips for all road users!

Bicyclists:

• Ride Right, meaning with traffic.
• Behave as a vehicle, meaning         stop at stop signs and use turn           signals.
• Watch the door zone of         distracted drivers
• Get to know NJ’s bike laws!
• Get a bell to alert others on the         road when you are approaching.

Pedestrians:

• Stick to the sidewalks or walk to the left side of the street! (Ride         Right, Walk Left!)
• Cross at crosswalks! Jay walking could earn you a $54 ticket.
• Cross at the “walk sign.”

Drivers:

• Scan the road for pedestrians and bicyclists.
• Be prepared to stop.
• Stop for pedestrians in crosswalks or you could face a $200 fine         and two points.
• Slow down! A small increase in speed can make the biggest         difference. Pedestrians and bicyclists are less protected and more         vulnerable. If a pedestrian is struck by a vehicle traveling at 20         MPH they have a 90% chance of surviving, if hit at 40 MPH         that number drops to a 10% chance of surviving.

Navigating Summer Shore Traffic

Written by Laura Cerutti

New Jersey is known for many things, one of which is the 132 miles of beaches that come alive in the summer months. New Jersey’s beaches, affectionately known as the “Jersey Shore”, attract millions every year from all parts of New Jersey and neighboring states.  With masses flocking to the Jersey Shore, the coastal towns and beach-bound highways can get pretty crowded.

The Jersey Shore has been made famous in many ways, and infamous in countless others. Bruce Springsteen has written songs chronicling life along the Jersey coast, episodes of the famed mob drama, The Sopranos, were filmed at the shore, and MTV made it a national spectacle with a cast of obnoxious 20- and 30-somethings in a wild reality TV show simply titled “Jersey Shore”. For locals, the Jersey Shore is famous in another way, and that’s the “Shore Traffic” it creates on beach-bound highways.

As a summer-long renter in Manasquan and annual week-long vacationer in Long Beach Island, I have spent a lot of my summer sitting in traffic. I can confidently say that the Garden State Parkway and I have developed a serious love-hate-relationship. The Parkway may take me to my beloved shore, but not without paying the price in stop-and-go-traffic that is almost guaranteed on the weekends.

It is no secret that if you are not going to the shore, you should stay away from the Parkway at all costs on summer weekends. Southbound is stop-and-go starting on Fridays in the early afternoon through Saturday afternoon.  On Sundays, the traffic changes direction and northbound backs up when week-long renters and weekenders all make a mass exodus to head back home.

If you are a frequent traveler of the Parkway, you are probably well aware that the roadway divides… two times in a row into express and local lanes between milepost 125 and 104 both north and south bound. This double-whammy division makes drivers first go through either the EZ-Pass express or the regular toll booths to merge again for a brief second to instantly divide again into either the express or local roadways.  These division points cause major confusion and you can often see other drivers trying to cut across three to four lanes using the famous New Jersey driving maneuver, the “Jersey Slide”.

The best thing to do to avoid an accident at the division points is to prepare yourself before the first split at the tolls. Position yourself into the middle lanes of the roadway, that way it is safer for you to merge back again and then quickly go down your preferred path of the express or local.

So what is better? The express or the local? I always recommend taking the local lanes. The express cuts down to two lanes for most of the ride while the local remains a solid three.  If an accident or major delay were to occur, having three lanes to work with is always better than two. But if you find yourself stuck in a standstill on either the express or local to watch cars on the other side zoom by, there is a switch point right before exit 116 (near the PNC Bank Arts Center) where you can go from one roadway to the other.  Don’t be one of those people that drives over the grass median! That’s just asking for a ticket or worse, an accident.

If you want to avoid the Shore Traffic Blues, there are a couple of things you can do. Some options to consider are working out a summer schedule where you can get off work early on Fridays or working from home.  You can also try taking an alternate route to the shore, finding a carpool buddy, or taking the train!

The Parkway may be the most direct route to shore, but it is not the only. State Route 18 is another beach-bound highway that provides access to shore towns like Long Branch, Bradley Beach, and Belmar. Route 18 can be accessed from the Turnpike at Exit 9 (New Brunswick/East Brunswick) or from Route 287 South at Exit 10 (River Road) or Exit 8 (Centennial Ave.). State Route 35 is another highway that hugs the Jersey coastline passing through towns like Point Pleasant and Mantoloking and ending at the entrance of Island Beach State Park. Taking these alternatives may not be the most direct, but they could be useful on summer holiday weekends when the Parkway is overloaded.

One or two carpool buddies would also make the trip easier by reducing the amount of cars on the road. The trip will also will be less draining for the driver if they have someone to ride with. So next time you are heading down, see if any friends, family members, or coworkers are shore-bound that weekend and combine the ride!

And for those who want to avoid driving all together, NJ Transit also offers the Shore Express service. This one-seat weekend and holiday ride has direct trains out of New York City starting at 7:52 AM  and 10:01 AM stopping at Secaucus Junction and Newark Penn Station then to the coastal towns of Red Bank, Long Branch, Asbury Park, Bradley Beach, Belmar, Spring Lake, Manasquan, Point Pleasant Beach and Bay Head. Return trips depart Bay Head at 4:54 pm and 6:54 pm. This express service operates on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays starting on June 28 and continuing through September 1.

Vacationing On Transit

Written by Judy Bortman

Remember the fun of putting on a costume, hiding your identity and being playful, even downright silly. Was the last time that happened on Halloween? Was it recently or when you were a kid? Perhaps you felt that way on your last vacation. I did.

"Life begins at the end of your comfort zone."
-Neale Donald Walsch

A recent getaway had me wondering why vacations bring out that sense of adventure and the confidence to try something new. Escaping from our routines, familiar people and settings sets us free and brings an infusion of Indiana Jones bravado to explore new places, foods, ideas and behaviors. In Australia, I gave in to culinary curiosity and tried kangaroo jerky, hiked up hills to dig for geodes, walked on a rope-bridge adventure ride and navigated a foreign transit system.

Taking public transit on vacation can be an adventure, especially for first-time or infrequent users. Transit systems in metropolitan cities, domestic or foreign, are typically user-friendly and cost-effective. Consider the expense of renting a car, paying for gas and parking. (Many hotels charge a parking fee which is often $40 or more per night.)

Inspired by need and convenience during my vacation, I decided to take the train to a family get-together. I walked about five minutes to a suburban station to catch the train to a nearby city. Just to be on the safe side, I arrived early to ask questions, get a ticket and see where to electronically “touch on” my ticket and ask where to “touch off” upon exiting. Electronic signs and billboards let me know how many minutes until the train would arrive and which track to watch. The train ride gave me a chance to relax, see the sights, and reminded me how relaxing and efficient it can be to take public transit.

Wikihow has tips on using public transit when traveling that include getting or printing a map in advance, searching for local transit stations and selecting a hotel near a station or one with shuttle service.

Walking, where feasible, is also a great way to see local sites. Plus, bike share systems are continuing to pop up in many urban areas. Some cities even have bike tours geared for tourists. Just think, using public transit, walking or biking on vacation can save money and leave more in your get-away budget for seeing sights, dining and new adventures that get you out of your comfort zone.

Your experience with public transit may even carry-over to post-vacation life. Consider commuting by train or bus even a few days a week. Just think how nice it would be to have a less stressful ride to and from work, catch up on reading, prepare for a meeting or just relax. Taking public transit for an outing to New York City and walking to your destination is another way to bring that vacation feeling home.

It’s been said that vacations, even if you never leave home, help you unwind, de-stress and recharge. The time away from your routine is often a time to regroup, gain insights, generate new ideas, build confidence for trying new things and bring renewed energy when you return to “real life.”

Whether you’re exploring a U.S. or foreign city, jumping in the water at the Jersey Shore, taking a long bike ride, visiting an amusement park, gazing at exhibits in a museum or observing life while strolling through a nearby city, take a moment to recharge your battery and, if the Halloween spirit moves you, venture outside your comfort zone. It’s certain to be the reason you return to work with a calmer demeanor and a mellow smile, what my daughter calls “vacation glow.” You can try to savor that feeling for as long as you can, or you can bring part of your vacation home and make transit travel an everyday reality.