Transition Movement spreading fast: here is Houston, TX

Transition Houston | Inspire, network, train, and adapt to promote sustainable living: "Transition Houston is an optimistic and energetic response to the dual challenges of climate change and peak oil at the local level. The Transition Movement supports the transition from oil dependency to local resilience by equipping communities with creative adaptations in areas such as food, energy, health, education, spirit and economy to generate a road map towards sustainable living."

Downtown Fort Worth plan, pedestrian-first focus, more #freetransit

Star-Telegram.com: "Another objective calls for working with The T and adjoining neighborhoods to perhaps expand the Molly the Trolley downtown circulator to include routes to the Stockyards, Cultural District and the near south side. The report suggests exploring a car-sharing program, which would operate much like the just-introduced bike-sharing program."

http://www.mollythetrolley.com/

Mad, reckless race for fuel profits throws caution to the wind

Fuel Barges Explode, Catch Fire in Ala.; 3 Injured - ABC News: "Multiple explosions aboard two fuel barges near Mobile, Ala., led to a major fire Wednesday night that left three people critically injured with burns and created a situation so unstable that fire and rescue officials decided to let the fire burn into the night."

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Changing Public Perception on Mass Transit is Critical to Preservation of Central Texas’ Limited Resources

Influence Opinions: "It’s going to take time to get Texans out of their cars and trucks, but shifting that state of mind among choice transit riders is one place to start. And I am excited to be a part of the team that hopes to change Texas public opinion on mass transit."

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Live by the sprawl, die by the sprawl. #itsthedemand

http://i.imgur.com/gQ51puj.jpg

The auto-system does not work. Does. Not. Work. When will you turn against it?

Three dead in 95-car pileup near Virginia, North Carolina state line - U.S. News: "Three people were killed and more that 20 injured in a massive series of pile-ups involving 95 cars on Interstate 77 near the Virginia and North Carolina state line Sunday afternoon, according to authorities."

Arkansas residents evacuate as Exxon-Mobil tar sands pipeline ruptures | The Raw Story

Arkansas residents evacuate as Exxon-Mobil tar sands pipeline ruptures | The Raw Story: "The burst pipe is part of the Pegasus pipeline network, which connects tar sands along the Gulf coast to refineries in Houston. Thousands of gallons of crude oil erupted from the breach around 3:00 p.m. on Friday, spilling through a housing subdivision and into the town’s storm drainage system, fouling drainage ditches and shutting down Highway 365 and Interstate 40."

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If #freetransit is good for airports, why not main street?

Ready to roll: Free, automated PHX Sky Train debuts April 8 - Phoenix News - KTAR.com: "PHOENIX - As of Monday, April 8, those traveling between Metro light rail and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport can catch a free, air-conditioned ride aboard PHX Sky Train."

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Florida seniors stranded by lack of #publictransit

NewsSun.com: "In the 2011 Transportation Disadvantaged Service Plan for Highlands, Hardee and Okeechobee Counties, prepared by the Central Florida Regional Planning Council, it is estimated that close to 10,500 elderly, low-income and disabled persons in Highlands County qualify as transportation disadvantaged."

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Car-culture cruel to disabled

Funding for Hall transit buses falls short of demand: "Elizabeth Morton uses the local Red Rabbit buses from Hall County Transit to do her grocery shopping and go to doctor appointments during the week. But after 5 p.m. and on weekends, she’s stuck because she can’t drive a car, even if she could afford one."

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Georgians for Better Transit: Stop privatization of MARTA

Georgians for Better Transit: "I am a native Atlantan and employee of MARTA who believes that transportation is a human right and does not believe that privatization will allow the citizens of dekalb, Fulton and the citizens of Atlanta the quality of transportation services that’s needed to maintain viable employment in the region if we privatize MARTA a system in which those citizens have paid into for the last 30 years. I Pledge along with my family members, friends, coworkers and community to do everything within our power to stop the privatization of MARTA."

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More highway building insanity - make it stop!

(via @transportnation)

Artist's impression of the I-4 Ultimate project through Orlando (Image courtesy of Florida Department of Transportation)

Toll Lanes Touted as Congestion Fix for Central Florida’s I-4 | Transportation Nation: "The Florida DOT is moving ahead with plans for the I-4 Ultimate project- a $2.1 billion dollar fix for I-4. The state’s prescription includes adding toll lanes to a 21-mile stretch of the interstate running through the heart of Orlando. The department aims to begin construction in 2015 and complete it by 2020."

Had enough yet? The auto-system does not work. Repeat, does not work.

Click here to watch on Ocala.com

Texas State Tech Students ride buses fare-free

Valley Metro adding two bus stops for TSTC route - Valley Morning Star : TSTC: "RGVM and TSTC recently agreed to offer TSTC students and employees free bus fare, and TSTC Associate Vice President of Administrative Services Charles D. Smith said the added stops help make the student experience at the Harlingen college more convenient."

Oklahoma City - over 300 people show up for #publictransit town hall

Dr. Ed Shadid hosted another Transit Townhall Meeting for OKC,

 which required DOUBLE the anticipated seating Credit: dwinslow

OKC Transit townhall meeting a success! - Oklahoma City Oklahoma City | Examiner.com: "The quaint event space, donated by the owners had arranged chairs for about 150. The seating had to be doubled on the fly to accommodate the crowd that arrived, and there were still many people standing for the hour long session."

Atlanta - Don't privatize MARTA

Rally against privatizing MARTA - CBS Atlanta 46: "ATLANTA (CBS ATLANTA) -
A rally against legislation that would privatize MARTA was held Thursday morning at the Five Points station. Participants spent several hours passing out pamphlets and collecting signatures from MARTA riders."

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Fare-Free in Mississippi - Bus system to link Starkville-MSU areas - SFGate

Bus system to link Starkville-MSU areas - SFGate: "Bus shelters will be constructed at various stopping points along each route, Harris said, and the system will be free to all passengers. GPS systems currently in use with campus routes will be in place to let passengers know where buses are on a route, how long it will take to get to their location and the vehicle's occupancy load."

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Transit riders get fit, stay relaxed | www.ajc.com

Transit riders get fit, stay relaxed | www.ajc.com: "“Once you’re on the train, it is pretty low stress.”"

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Climate disruption slamming the U.S. -- But fossil-fuel industry still paying people to deny it

Hardy Street in front of the University of Southern Mississippi campus is obstructed by debris blown by an apparent tornado in Hattiesburg, Miss., Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/The Student Printz, Jana Edwards)

Homes Wrecked, Dozen Hurt in Mississippi Tornado - ABC News: "A tornado tore through Hattiesburg on Sunday as part of a wave of severe storms that downed trees, damaged buildings and injured more than a dozen people."

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Time to admit it. The auto-system doesn't work. It is too dangerous.

Four killed in 27-car pile-up on Georgia highway | Reuters: "The crash, involving a tanker truck that ruptured and caught fire, shut down I-16 in both directions about 30 miles southeast of Macon, according to the Georgia Department of Public Safety.

The Georgia State Patrol said four people died and nine others were injured in a pile-up that investigators believe involved as many as 10 separate crashes."

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Oil Leak: Miss. River at Vicksburg Remains Closed - ABC News

Oil Leak: Miss. River at Vicksburg Remains Closed - ABC News: "Barges transporting commerce idled among the nearly four dozen vessels stacked up Tuesday along a normally bustling stretch of the Mississippi River, denied transit as crews feverishly sought to clean up leaking oil spilled in a weekend barge accident.

Workers have been skimming oily water around the clock near Vicksburg, Miss., ever since a barge carrying 80,000 gallons of oil struck a railroad bridge and began leaking before dawn Sunday. The accident forced the closure of a 16-mile stretch of the lower Mississippi, a major inland corridor for vessels carrying oil, Midwest grains, goods and other vital commerce."

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Oil spilled after two oil barges strike Mississippi River bridge - latimes.com

Oil spilled after two oil barges strike Mississippi River bridge - latimes.com: "Oil spilled into the Mississippi River after two oil barges hit a bridge near Vicksburg, Miss., early Sunday morning, the U.S. Coast Guard reported."

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Incentives eyed to boost use of alternative transportation in Chattanooga | timesfreepress.com

Incentives eyed to boost use of alternative transportation in Chattanooga | timesfreepress.com: "Some employers could qualify for tax breaks to reward employees who bike or use transit, Park said."

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People want #publictransit. Let's invest more.

Metro Transit Records Biggest Bus Ridership Increase in the Nation Among Large Bus Systems - Citizens For Modern Transit: "What wonderful news!  Metro Transit in St. Louis once again led the nation with the largest increase in bus ridership among large transit agencies.  According to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), Metro Transit saw an 8.55% increase in bus ridership from January to September of this year.  MetroBus recorded 22 million boardings as compared to 20.3 million MetroBus boardings during the first three quarters in 2011.  "

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Month of Free Rides on New Bus Service Begin Dec. 10 - Dunedin, FL Patch

Month of Free Rides on New Bus Service Begin Dec. 10 - Dunedin, FL Patch: "Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority celebrates the launch of the North County Connector service during a ribbon cutting on Tuesday. The service doesn't officially start until Monday, but ridership is free through Dec. 31."

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MARTA Safety video - well done

Koch brothers team with ALEC to attack renewable energy | BlueNC

Koch brothers team with ALEC to attack renewable energy | BlueNC: "So if something is working as designed, and the benefits to our society are obvious, why would there be such fierce opposition? Because renewable energy is by its very nature distributed, making mega utilities less relevant, and it also has the potential to put the fossil fuel industry on a strict fiscal diet. We're talking billions in profits, encouraging millions in investment in astro-turf and pseudo-science:"

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