PHIA News Digest – Vol. 90
Traffic fatalities rise nationally; Pennsylvania bucks trend
Traffic fatalities are up nationally compared to this point a year ago, according to a recent Associated Press report. However, in Pennsylvania the number of traffic-related deaths were the lowest on record in 2014, and preliminary data suggests this year’s numbers will fall close within that range.
The national indicators estimate about 19,100 people have been killed on the nation’s roads through the first six months of 2016. Another 2.2 million people were seriously injured in that span, the AP report noted.
Philadelphia begins returning sidelined rail cars to service
The Philadelphia area’s main transit agency has begun returning some of its sidelined rail cars to service following repairs. It’s projecting the fleet will return to full service by mid-November.
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority pulled more than 100 coaches from service in its regional system just before the Fourth of July weekend after defects were found in the suspension systems of its Silverliner V fleet.
Four ways technology will change how we commute in the future
Mark Dowd, a deputy assistant secretary at the US Department of Transportation, said that the competition gave city planners an opportunity to work with technology developers and figure out a blend of technologies that suit their specific needs.
For Lyft and Uber, more women behind the wheel
Before October 2014, the odds of finding a female driver in Philadelphia were slim. Of the city’s 3,370 taxi drivers, 24 are women, says the Philadelphia Parking Authority. That changed almost two years ago when Uber came to town, soon followed by Lyft.
Ride-hailing apps connect drivers to riders, and take a cut of the fare. In the process, they have opened to women a field long dominated by men.
