It is 100 degrees, let the cooling begin at the NRG solar-powered light rail station

It is 100 degrees, let the cooling begin at the NRG solar-powered light rail station.

Earlier than scheduled, passengers can now take advantage of a cool wait

PHOENIX, AZ — At the 3rd St./Washington light rail station in downtown Phoenix, passengers can now enjoy the chill of a solar-powered cooling system as they wait for the next train. The system, which launched last summer, is being activated earlier than scheduled due to the heat spike. The system typically operates May 1 – September 30. 

Via a public-private partnership between the City of Phoenix, METRO light rail and NRG Energy, Inc., the company’s NRG Thermal and NRG Solar subsidiaries built the innovative system using solar power and the company’s downtown district cooling system. The district cooling system also air-conditions such prominent downtown facilities as Chase Field, Symphony Hall and the Phoenix Convention Center. 

The 3rd St./Washington station is a highly-trafficked platform thanks to the busyness of downtown Phoenix and especially during Arizona Diamondbacks games. The station features push buttons near each seating area that provides blasts of cool air on demand. 

About METRO

METRO is responsible for the development and operation of the region’s high-capacity transit system. The first 20-mile light rail line opened December 2008 and served 13.2 million riders in 2011, exceeding the prior year by four percent. METRO serves an average of 40,000 riders per weekday. It is also planning for six extensions that will create a 57-mile system by 2031. 

About NRG
 
NRG is at the forefront of changing how people think about and use energy. A Fortune 500 company, NRG is a pioneer in developing cleaner and smarter energy choices for our customers: whether as one of the largest solar power developers in the country, or by building the first privately funded electric vehicle charging infrastructure or by giving customers the latest smart energy solutions to better manage their energy use. Our power generating facilities can support over 20 million homes and our retail electricity providers—Reliant, Green Mountain Energy Company and Energy Plus—serve more than two million customers. More information is available at http://www.nrgenergy.com. 

Source Metro Light Rail

Bus riders warned about possible strike‏

Transit riders who use or transfer to the 33 bus routes operated by the City of Phoenix’s contractor Veolia Transportation Services should have back up plans for alternative travel to work, school, and other destinations beginning Monday morning, October 4, 2010.

No agreements have resulted from the negotiations between Veolia and its labor unions and the most recent extension ends midnight Sunday, October 3, 2010 for two of the three unions. A number of actions could be taken including a call for a strike.

If the strike is affirmative, Veolia is contractually obligated to provide 60 percent of current service; however, there may be a gap of time in which no service is provided. As soon as possible, contingency plans based 30 percent, 45 percent, and 60 percent of current service will be put into effect depending on the resources available.

Under the 60 percent plan, Veolia-operated routes will run on other schedules: local bus routes will use the Sunday bus schedule and RAPID I-17, I-10-East and SR-51 will have fewer trips. Express Routes 581, 582, and 590; the DASH Phoenix downtown business circulator; and the SMART neighborhood circulator in Sunnyslope will be suspended. A list of those affected routes can be found at ValleyMetro.org or by going directly to http://www.phoenix.gov/publictransit/strikeinfo.html.

Veolia operates bus service via a contract with the Phoenix Public Transit Department which also provides some service into the cities of Glendale, Peoria, Scottsdale, and Sun City.

The following are some alternative transportation suggestions to bus passengers who may be affected if labor agreements are not resolved:

Use the Trip Planner on ValleyMetro.org for bus and METRO schedules
Go to ValleyMetro.org to check the schedules of non-affected bus routes and for the METRO schedule - passengers may be able to use an alternative route. Also check a map of unaffected bus routes available via ValleyMetro.org.

Carpools or vanpools

Valley Metro offers a ride matching system that allows commuters to quickly and securely find a carpool partner based on proximity, destination and travel route by going to ValleyMetro.org.

If you want to meet your carpool partners at a neutral site, check out the list of Phoenix owned and operated sites at www.phoenix.gov/publictransit/bldgs.html

Taxis, limos, and shuttles

Sky Harbor, operated by the Phoenix Aviation Department, has a list of transportation companies on their website at http://www.skyharbor.com/transportation-and-parking/limos-and-taxis.html

Tips for Employers:

Help your bus-riding employees in advance by providing them with alternatives for getting to work. Following is a list of tips to help get employees to work should the labor negotiations affect bus service.

1. Once you’ve identified your regular bus riders, provide them with a list of other employees that live in or in close proximity to their zip code. Encourage them to contact fellow co-workers about carpooling if their bus service is affected.

2. If you have an internal carpool matching system, identify your regular bus riders and have them “matched” for carpools with co-workers.

3. Suggest that co-workers who set-up “contingency carpools” make arrangements in advance by discussing pick-up times and locations, and have them exchange phone numbers.

4. Consider working with companies that are in close proximity to help place your regular bus riders in existing carpools or with drive-alone commuters.

5. Promote the Web site, sharetheride.valleymetro.org, to regular bus riders and other commuters and encourage them to receive a match list of potential carpool partners.

6. Arrange for employees to telework if they have the types of jobs allowing them to work remotely.

For strike information and general transit information, go to ValleyMetro.org or call a Valley Metro customer service representative at 602-253-5000; TTY 602-261-8208 for persons with text telephones.

Source: Valley Metro