Reverbiage: Stories from NPR tagged 'commute'

Bush Grants 19 Pardons, Commutes 1 Sentence

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 16:10:00 EST

None of the actions involved high-profile individuals. The list included a posthumous pardon for Charles Winters, who aided the Jewish resistance in the 1940s and was convicted of violating the Neutrality Act.

On 'The Stoop': Little Jackie Unplugged

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 10:38:00 EST

It was a short commute for Brooklyn's Little Jackie when it performed at the Bronx studios of WFUV. The band strips away Adam Pallin's lush production in this session with an acoustic guitar, percussion and back-up vocalists. Vocalist Imani Coppola even pulls out her violin on a Shangri-Las cover.

Calif. Passes Ban On Train Operators' Cell Phone Use

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 16:33:00 EDT

Federal investigators say a Metrolink commuter train engineer was sending text messages when he ran a stop signal and slammed into an oncoming freight train. It has prompted California to pass a temporary ban on train operators from using their cell phones while on the job.

Year After Tragedy, New Minneapolis Bridge Opens

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 16:20:00 EDT

Thirteen months after a bridge collapse in Minneapolis killed 13 people, a replacement has opened for traffic. Some Twin Cities commuters marveled at the speed of the reopening, but others say they can't bring themselves to drive over it.

Whales Approach New York City

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 13:00:00 EDT

Scientists say they've recorded whale calls within commuting distance of New York City. Christopher Clark, director of the Bioacoustic Research Program at Cornell University's Lab of Ornithology, shares the program's findings and some of the whale sounds.

Metrolink Spokeswoman Resigns Over Comments

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 16:40:00 EDT

Metrolink's spokeswoman has resigned after coming under fire from her superiors for revealing that the engineer failed to stop at the red light in last Friday deadly crash. A smaller number of commuters than usual returned to the Los Angeles' commuter rail line Monday.

Metro Official Resigns Over Crash

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 13:00:00 EDT

Federal investigators in the north L.A. suburb of Chatsworth are still poring over the deadly scene of Friday's head-on collision between a commuter train carrying 225 people and a freight train. As of this morning, 25 people have died and 135 are injured—40 of them critically.

L.A. Train Crash Inquiry Targets Engineer's Actions

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 07:48:00 EDT

Federal investigators say a Los Angeles commuter train engineer missed two verbal safety checks just moments before he slammed head-on into a freight train Friday. They're also trying to determine whether the engineer — who died in the crash — was using his cell phone.

Cause Of Los Angeles Train Crash Debated

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 11:22:00 EDT

Authorities say a commuter train's engineer missed a signal light and his MetroLink train crashed head-on with a freight train in the San Fernando Valley community of Chatsworth. But a union representing rail workers raised the possibility that the signal malfunctioned.

Death Toll In Calif. Train Wreck Expected To Climb

Sat, 13 Sep 2008 16:16:00 EDT

At least 18 people were killed in a collision between a commuter train and a freight train in the Los Angeles suburb of Chatsworth on Friday. Transit officials said the commuter train engineer apparently failed to stop at a red light.

Real Estate Agents Cater To Bicycle Commuters

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 06:00:00 EDT

Steve Inskeep has this morning's Last Word in Business News.

Monkey Eludes Police In Tokyo Train Station

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 06:00:00 EDT

A cheeky little monkey made his way into a Tokyo train station Wednesday and perched on a ledge high above the morning commuters, many of whom grabbed their cell phones and snapped videos. The mischievous creature can now be seen all over the Internet. Dozens of police tried to get him to jump into nets, but the wild monkey skipped out of the station toward a nearby park.

U.S. Military Admits Killing Baghdad Commuters

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:35:00 EDT

The U.S. military has acknowledged that soldiers accidentally killed Iraqi civilians last month. Initial U.S. claims that the victims were "criminals" stirred outrage among the Iraqi public.

Navigating The Science (And Sociology) Of 'Traffic'

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Traffic congestion is the bane of any commuter's morning ride to work. Tom Vanderbilt, the author of Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do, talks about the behavior that leads to gridlock — and other vehicular annoyances.

Oil Prices Fluctuate

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:15:00 EDT

Oil prices have been rising all year. This week, however, prices fell before climbing again Friday. Phil Flynn, vice president and senior market analyst at Alaron Trading Corporation, says what that means for everyone from oil traders to the commuters.

'Bit o' Lit' Founder Provides Quick Reads

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 09:38:00 EDT

Metro riders in Washington, D.C., have a new distraction for their morning commute — Bit 'o Lit, a free commuter 'zine filled with short excerpts from fiction and non-fiction books. Bit O' Lit founder Shannon Macdonald tells Linda Wertheimer that her mission is to spread her love for books among the people.

Eight Signs the Economy is Slumping

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 13:58:00 EDT

The economic downturn has had an impact on everything from charitable giving to patronage of brothels in Nevada. With gas prices at record levels, Americans are adjusting to some new paradigms at home, on their commutes and in their free time.

RV Drivers Hit the Road Despite High Gas Prices

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 06:00:00 EDT

Soaring gasoline prices are painful for commuters, but imagine how the guy behind the wheel of a bus-sized motor home feels. The average big motor-home gets somewhere between 7 and 9 mpg, but RV drivers are staying on the road despite high gas prices. Patty Murray reports from Wisconsin Public Radio.

Bicycle Friendly: Commuting with a Congressman

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 06:00:00 EDT

Co-host Ari Shapiro commutes to work with Democratic Congressman Earl Blumenauer. He is head of the bipartisan Congressional Bike Caucus. Blumenauer says creating a culture of biking to work in every state is essential to fixing America's oil woes.

More Workers Telecommuting, Seeking Closer Jobs

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 06:00:00 EDT

As gas prices hover around $4 a gallon, surveys show that more companies are making changes to help commuters cope. That includes more telecommuting and even condensing the work week from five days to four days of 10 hours each. Workers and employers are trying to cut fuel costs but still remain relevant in their workplaces.

More Commuters Opting for Mass Transit in Boston

Thu, 08 May 2008 16:00:00 EDT

Motivated by high gas prices, a record number of Boston-area commuters are deciding to "dump the pump" and take the train to work.

L.A. Drivers Ditch Cars for Subway

Thu, 08 May 2008 16:00:00 EDT

Southern California commuters are being hit hard by some of the highest gasoline prices in the nation. And, like commuters elsewhere in the country, many of them are turning to mass transit for relief.

Miami Motorists Joining Carpools

Thu, 08 May 2008 16:00:00 EDT

Park-and-ride lots in Miami overflow with cars, 1,000 additional people have recently signed up to carpool and more employers now offer transit incentives. Still, in Miami, 97 percent of commuters drive to work alone.

'Zen Driving' and Other Gas-Saving Tips

Thu, 01 May 2008 13:00:00 EDT

With gas prices hovering around $4 a gallon we asked our listeners for their gas-saving tips. They suggested everything from adjusting their commute time, to driving under the speed limit. Jon Linkov, managing editor of autos at Consumer Reports, scrutinizes the tips and explains what really works.

Home Prices Drop Most in Areas with Long Commute

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 08:07:00 EDT

Median home prices across the nation continue to decline, but some experts are noting a link between falling housing prices and commuting distances. Suburbs where commuters drive an hour or more to work are seeing some of the sharpest drops in prices.