Subject: Passenger Transportation

• Wanted: A Positive Story About Light Rail in Phoenix

  August 13, 2008

• US Airways faces class action lawsuit from America West pilots

  September 12, 2008

• Downtown Phoenix scenesters want the light rail to run past midnight (and so should you)

  September 17, 2008

• Maglev Comes To Phoenix

  February 7, 1990

• FLASHES, 4-27

  April 27, 1995

• Will America West Fly Away?

  Prospectus' fine print reveals that if America West decides to sell, Continental is in the pilot's seat

  May 16, 1996

• Trainplotting

  Transit-plan backers say they see a bus in your future--so how come they've been working on the railroad?

  July 3, 1997

• Flashes

  July 30, 1998

• Flashes

  September 30, 1999

• Letters

  March 16, 2000

  March 16, 2000

• Letters 03-23-2000

  March 23, 2000

• Art Scene

  A peek at five Valley exhibits

  June 10, 2004

• Art Scene

  Reviews by Gina Cavallo Collins and Kathleen Vanesian

  June 24, 2004

• Local Politicians and Journalists Help Test Out Light Rail Before Tomorrow's Grand Opening

  From left: Mesa Mayor Scott Smith, Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman, and light rail CEO Richard Simonetta. Mesa Mayor Scott Smith called Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman a game show host, light rail CEO Richard Simonetta called Spawn's Todd McFarlane "Scott," and Hallman called potential light rail vandals pigs - all before dawn at the METRO media preview held this morning in Tempe.

  December 26, 2008

• Twentysomethings Are Out Protesting The Light Rail's Midnight Stop Time

  The mobile protesting pair of Erin Searle (left) and Kevin Sweet at the light rail's Central Avenue and Roosevelt Street station. It's not all sunshine and roses at crowded light rail stations today. Kevin Sweet and Erin Searle, a pair of college-aged sweethearts, are out protesting the fact the light rail ends its service at around midnight. The duo is armed with a couple hand-drawn posterboards and are planning on demonstrating at several stations along the light rail's eastbound route (if

  December 27, 2008

• Roger Clyne Delivers Solid Show At Frustrating Light Rail Debut

  Valley Metro pulled out all the stops for yesterday's debut of the 20-mile light rail system we've been writing about all month. They had parties scheduled at pretty much every stop on the line -- though, honestly, I'm not sure there was anything beyond an unmanned purple tent full of fliers at the ghetto fabulous 24th Street/Washington Stop, where I foolishly disembarked at one point -- the biggest in Tempe, where native son Roger Clyne managed to deliver a satisfying set in broad daylight.So

  December 28, 2008

• Over the Weekend: Light Rail, Club Candids, Night Train and More

  Welcome back! We hope you had a sufficient amount of ho-ho-hoing and present opening to last another twelve months. Just in case you haven't, here's a package of some of the stories and photos you may have missed during the holiday.  Light Rail Launch Hundreds of thousands turned out to celebrate the long-awaited debut of Valley Metro's light rail system on Saturday, December 27, 2008. The trains were packed and so were the various parties that occurred around the PHX...see more images Read:

  December 29, 2008

• Graffiti on the Light Rail? Hey, I Told You So...

  If these two were around today in P-town, the knuckledraggin' KTAR-types'd shoot 'em on sight: Keith Haring (above) and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Ah, let the provincialism roll like a mighty wave of something brown through our benighted Valley, where every time someone hacks a loogie or lets fly an air biscuit on the new Metro Light Rail, it makes the evening news. And so shall it be, ad nauseam: the first collision with a bluehair, the first time a rail-snoozing inebriate gets decapitated, the f

  December 30, 2008

• District Offers Discount to Light Rail Riders

  Everybody's doing it, man. Riding the light rail, that is. Whether for a daily commute or just a joy ride, people seem to be packing the cars, and it's not even the free ride period anymore. The folks at District, the restaurant at the downtown Sheraton, hope even more people get into it for environmental reasons. So for the whole month of January, they're doing a "Go Green, Save Green" promotion. Just show up for breakfast, lunch, or dinner -- with a light rail receipt from that 

  January 6, 2009

• 'Til 2: Staging a Sit-In To Protest Light Rail's Early Closing Time

  The fervor over the light rail's early closing time continues to get bigger. As we've previously written about here and here, a growing number of Valley urbanites are pissed off over the fact the light rail system stops at midnight instead of running until 2 a.m. and providing the drinking crowd with a way of getting home. (Currently the last trains of the night depart the eastern and western termini at 11 p.m.). And now they're taking a page from the 60s protest playbook to try and get

  January 7, 2009

• Things I Learned Riding the 'Rail

  I rode the light rail for the first time last night, from downtown Phoenix to downtown Tempe and back again. For my money (which is to say, free, because I have a student pass that allows me to ride public transit to my hearts content) it was a most excellent experience. A few things I learned:

  January 8, 2009

• Light Rail Sit-in Called Off As Organizer Loses His Nerve

  Is it just us, or have people in this town lost their balls? For instance, we reported on Wednesday about local photographer Morgan Bellinger's plan to stage a light rail sit-in later this month as a way to protest the fact that the trains stop running at midnight. But now he's pulled an complete about face on the matter and cancelled the event following a con-fab with Valley Metro officials.

  January 10, 2009

• To Anyone Thinking the Light Rail is No Fun: Try Taking Off Your Pants

  For seven years now New York improve troop Improv Everywhere has celibrated their own holiday on the New York subway system called No Pants Day. On January 10th Phoenix residents were finaly able to join the Holiday on our new Light Rail. 

  January 13, 2009

• The Top 10 Reasons Light Rail Should Run 'Til 2 A.M.

  The Phoenix Metro Light Rail has been the talk of the town since voters approved the $1.4 billion project in 2000. The public transit system opened on December 27, and Valley denizens have both praised and bemoaned the rail. The most common complaint is that Light Rail service stops at midnight, but should run later.

  January 16, 2009

• Joe Arpaio's Outrage Du Jour: Transporting His Prisoners Via Light Rail (w/Update)

  For the uninitiated, "Arpayaso" is a play on the word "payaso," which means "clown" in Spanish.Do you need another reminder that you live in a police state controlled by Sheriff Joe Arpaio and his brown-shirted goons? If so, just take a trip on the Valley Metro Light Rail, which our clownish top constable says he'll be using to transport inmates downtown, assuming this is not all some sort of pathetic joke on Arpayaso's part.Metro Light Rail doesn't think it's a joke. I phoned Hillary Foose, the

  January 27, 2009

• Joe Arpaio Caves, Backs Off Dumbass Plan to Transport Inmates Via Light Rail

  Sheriff Joe: He puts the CON into "Con Rail."Has Sheriff Joe's well-oiled media machine finally blown up in his aged face? Will Lisa Allen have to revert to grooming dogs full instead of part time, and leave Arpaio's upkeep to another PR handler? Below is the latest press release from the MCSO, backing off the Sheriff's ludicrous "Con Rail" plan. Although our corrupt top cop is not averse to negative publicity, usually there's a little positive pub mixed into the batch. Not on this one. Joe's be

  January 29, 2009

• This is What Happens to Bikes Locked Up Near the Light Rail in Tempe

                                         

  February 9, 2009

• Light Rail Electric Bill for January was 38 Percent of Fare Revenue; System Took in Estimated 69 Cents Per Rider

  The electric bill for the Metro light rail system is slightly different than yours, naturally. For one thing, it's not just one bill -- it's about 125 separate bills. There are bills for each station, bills for the juice in the overhead lines that make the 90-foot-long, 50-ton rail cars move around, bills for the lights in the park-and-ride lots and bills for the system's operations center.Metro officials say they're still sorting through all those bills and still don't know exactly what li

  March 5, 2009

• US Airways Ships Corpse to Pet Store Instead of Fish

  Wikimedia Commons Fish aren't usually shipped in coffins, but somebody at U.S. Airways was apparently confused.Tempe-based US Airways has already come under criticism for requiring flight attendants who complained about safety issues to handle their own defense in a lawsuit filed by a pilot. Now, they've pulled an even stranger stunt, flying a corpse to a pet store in lieu of the fish the business was supposed to receive.Confusing three boxes of fish with a coffin wrapped in cardboard sou

  March 11, 2009

• March 11 In Blogs: US Airways, No Age, Wasabi Mashed Potatoes and More

  We understand that in the 24-hour news cycle it can be difficult to keep up. Worry not! We have the solution. Check back on Valley Fever every evening for highlights from each of New Times' blogs. Today's entries: Valley Fever: US Airways Ships Corpse to Pet Store Instead of Fish UPDATE: City of Mesa Animal Control Investigating Dog Poisonings Feathered Bastard: John Conyers to Hold Hearings on Sheriff Joe Arpaio's Abuses, and Video from Today's Arpaio Pile On in D.C. Up on the Sun: No Age P

  March 11, 2009

• Hoping to See Kid Rock and Ride the Light Rail Home? Fear Not

  Fear not, Festival goers! Valley Metro has your back...for two nights.For an unprecedented third time since its December launch, the Metro Light Rail will be extending its hours to accommodate those patrons of the Tempe Music Festival (April 3rd & 4th) hoping to catch either night's later sets. The Tempe Music Fest now joins New Year's Eve and the NBA All-Star Game festivities as worthy of breaking the 'Nix's strict light rail curfew. It's a gracious move passed down by those in charge

  March 25, 2009

• A Trolley Car Named Desire

  County residents unwrap new $1 billion Christmas gift

  December 25, 2008

• Scenes From a Mall

  Et tu, Orange Julius?

  October 18, 2007

• Stop Your Railing!

  Sure, light-rail construction is painful, but it will be worth it in the long haul

  December 28, 2006

• Head Rolls Finally

  A Valley Metro Rail manager's fired after New Times confronts the agency about ignoring complaints that she'd pressured contractors to hire a particular firm

  October 19, 2006

• Spiked

  A wealthy jerk and uninspired name calling

  June 19, 2003

• Are You Ready to Testify?

  Delta 72 bears witness to the enduring power of rock 'n' roll with 000

  June 29, 2000

• Traffic Thicket

  Will Phoenix voters finally get onboard a transit plan?

  March 9, 2000

• Deception and Denial at America West

  September 26, 1996

• POCKET CHANGEBANKRUPT AMERICA WEST SHUFFLES ITS DEBTS, BUT NEEDS MORE THAN FRANKE TALK TO SURVIVE

  October 14, 1992

• GO FOR BROKE

  AS AMERICA WEST GOES, SO GO PHOENIC AND TEMPE? GULP.

  August 5, 1992

• Light Rail Fare Collections Fall as Ridership Declines

    Fare collection for Metro light rail, like the system's ridership, is trending in the wrong direction. The system brought in an estimated $547,294 in March, says Metro Light Rail. That's slightly higher than the $528,000 it collected in February (more days in the month, remember), but still much lower than in January, its first full month of operation. Since opening, the system has been plagued by technical glitches at the fare boxes that resulted in an estimated

  April 20, 2009

• Light Rail Service to be Tested by Crowds on Wednesday; Obama and D-backs Cause Service Changes

  Light rail trains will not be allowed to run past Arizona State University's Sun Devil Stadium from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday because of President Obama's commencement speech. Metro Light Rail says shuttle buses will serve as a "bridge" around the service gap.On top of that, thousands of people are expected to use the light rail system on Wednesday to see Obama, slated to begin speaking at 7 p.m., or the Arizona Diamondbacks, which has a game against Cincinatti starting at 6:40 p.m. Metr

  May 11, 2009

• Metro Seeks Input on Plan for Interstate 10 Light Rail Stations

  Image: Metro Light Rail You can help guide the Valley's transportation future at a public forum on Wednesday to discuss how the light-rail system will connect and run alongside Interstate 10 West. The sequel to the successful launch of the 20-mile starter line is still in the planning phase, but Metro expects light rail to be blazing down Interstate 10 by 2019. The agency has identified a "study area" from 7th street to 99th Avenue -- if your house or business is near the freeway you might want

  May 21, 2009

• Light Rail Ridership at Lowest Level Yet; Summer Doldrums Take Major Toll on New System

    Light rail ridership dropped to its lowest level yet in June, averaging less than 30,000 boardings a day. [You can be sure unpaid boardings make up a healthy fraction of that number]. Metro Light Rail and its boosters have plenty of excuses for the dwindling ridership, some of which even make sense. For instance, Arizona State University students made up a significant portion of the onboard crowd during the spring, and now school's out.      

  July 14, 2009

• Metro and Valley Metro Honored for Helping People With Disabilities

    The Arizona Disability Advocacy Coalition, which has numerous Valley organizations as members, is giving Metro Light Rail and Valley metro an award for helping the disabled. Valley Metro runs the Valley's buses and oversees the light rail system. The public transportation agencies were chosen for the group's American Disabilities Act Liberty Progress Award because they involved passengers with disabilities "in the design, development and execution of Valley transit services," Metro anno

  July 23, 2009

• Phoenix's Light-Rail Cities Receive $90 Million Reimbursement from Feds

  www.valleymetro.org (image on left)​The hundreds of millions of dollars the cities of Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa fronted for the federal portion of the Light Rail Transit Project will soon be almost completely repaid, thanks to a $90 million reimbursement from the federal government. The $587.2 million bill paid by Valley taxpayers went toward a variety of light-rail costs, including 36 new light-rail vehicles, 27 passenger stations, and seven new parking lots. Of the $90 million federal r

  August 3, 2009

• Valley Metro Sees 15 Percent Increase in Ridership

  wikipedia.com​The piss poor economy is driving people across the Valley to the poorhouse, and apparently, they're taking the light rail to get there.Despite the struggling economy, Valley Metro ridership is up 15 percent from last year, partly due to the addition of the light rail, but also because people just can't afford to drive."Certainly, in the last six months, overall transit ridership has been boosted by the new Metro light rail service," says David Boggs, executive director of Valley

  August 7, 2009

• Light-Rail Rides on Rise, August Stats Show; Boardings Bottomed Out in July

  ​ It was a sluggish summer for Metro light rail, but ridership is ramping up again thanks to a new semester at Arizona State University. Officials estimate the trains were boarded 882,328 times in August, which was far more than in either June or July. Traffic on the rail dropped from a high of more than one million estimated boardings in April to the system's low-water mark of 750,551 in July. Officials had expected the heat and lack of tourists and students would mean fewer riders, nat

  September 15, 2009

• Hot Links: Toll Roads, Mercury Spills, and US Airways Jets

  ​Almost $250,000 was found in a spare tire last night, after an Arizona DPS officer stopped a 2003 Chevy Trailblazer for moving violations. Officers found the money in the tire after receiving consent to search the vehicle, and arrested and booked the driver on money laundering charges...Arizona is making way for private toll roads. Planners say the state needs new highways, but can't afford the multimillion dollar price tag. In July, Governor Jan Brewer signed a law allowing public-private pa

  October 16, 2009