Free Republic

Amtrak has replaced a diesel-powered bus on the Pacific Northwest’s Cascades route with its first electric bus. Amtrak, which partnered with the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to roll out its new electric bus, will run it between Seattle and Bellingham, filling the gap between the morning and evening trains on the Cascades route. It uses buses all over the US to run thruway connecting services, which are scheduled to connect with Amtrak trains. Amtrak’s first electric bus is a 45-foot Van Hool CX45e. It has a 660 kWh Proterra lithium-ion battery system and 260 miles of range. It’s owned...

ALBANY LOBBYING FOR "NY SAFE ACT" (Day of Action) Governor Cuomo and our legislature passed the "NY SAFE ACT." It will reduce gun violence in our state. Predictably, it is under attack by the National Rifle Association and allied groups. :::We are joining with the SEIU 1199 to lobby in Albany. This free bus trip will last from 8:00 to 4:30 with breakfast and lunch included. Meet up at 250 S Clinton St. Park in the M Lot at the corner of W Fayette and S Clinton Sts. (Parking in that lot may be validated. No sure yet.) Show your...

GALESBURG - A Galesburg man was arrested Wednesday afternoon for allegedly stealing over $5,000 from his employer. Steven R. Peck, 32, 455 N. Broad St., was arrested at 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Public Safety Building for theft. He is accused of stealing about $5,718 from Trailways Bus Co., 14 W. Main St., where he was the manager. According to police, the Galesburg office was audited after the corporate accounting office noticed daily deposits were not being made. The district manager told police since July 1, 16 daily deposits had not been made and so far, $5,718 was missing. When...

A driver for San Francisco's Municipal Railway has been snared in an investigation into whether he was using his city bus as a delivery vehicle for drugs. The 43-Masonic driver was detained this past week after wheeling his empty bus to a spot South of Market to meet a woman who police believe is a cocaine dealer, according to sources at the Hall of Justice. The pair -- whose names had popped up repeatedly in a related drug investigation -- had been under police surveillance for a couple of weeks. The cops said they had regular bus hookups where drugs...