分類: 大西雅圖地區

自從公車上那個 ORCA Reader 開始作用以來, 總是很好奇它是怎麼知道使用者有多少錢在卡上, 尤其是當公車在谷地裡或郊區行駛時. 會有訊號嗎? 因為以前在搭計程車時, 有些地區計程車司機因訊號無法使用車內的信用卡機器. 總是要另外駕到高一點的地方才行. 當無法收到訊號時, ORCA 上的資訊是暫存式的嗎? 如果是暫存式的, 那不就讓人有機會可以搭免費車? 另外這 Reader 似乎也知道公車目前的位置. 當公車在西雅圖市中心 Ride Free Area 時, 它會顯示 Ride Free Area. 當公車跨過 Ride Free Area 那個站點時, 它也會自動的轉換為 Off Peak 或是 Peak. 這種使用 RFID 的 SmartCard 當然有壞處. 由於每張卡都是獨一無二的, 公車單位可以查出某張卡在某個站點的某個時間用了上某班的公車. 這根本就已經是被跟蹤了… 我想這就是方便的代價了.

ORCA 是 One Region Card for All 的簡稱, 於今天起慢慢的推廣做最後的測試, 並於六月份起全面的使用. ORCA 是大西雅圖地區七個交通運輸單位繼 PugetPass 之後更廣泛的合作. 結合七個交通運輸單位所以各式各樣的車票, 月票, 老年票, 華大 U-Pass, 轉乘票等, 慢慢的整個大西雅圖將全部使用這個 ORCA. 搭乘公車, 火車, 輕鐵, 渡船等只要一張卡就可以, 免除了算錢和轉乘等的麻煩. [img=images/orcacard.jpg popup=false] 照片出處: ORCA 網站 ORCA 網站: 從這裡可以購買儲值, 從 $5 至 $300 不等. 當然這對於來西雅圖觀光的人也許是個負擔, 因為必須先付 $5 購買卡, 才可以加值. 這段最後測試期間, 可以免費獲取一張 ORCA. 如果你就讀的學校或上班單位有發像 U-Pass, EdPass, FlexPass Ship-to-Shore 等的車票, 那直接等學校或上班單位換發即可. ORCA 適用於下列的公車系統: Community Transit Everett Transit Kitsap Transit Metro Transit Pierce Transit Sound Transit Washington State Ferries

146 年之後, 明天就是 Seattle P-I 的最後一天印刷版了. 也許買份留個記念…如果能買到的話!!! 網路版的 P-I 還會繼續… The pioneering P-I slips into the past Seattle P-I to publish last edition Tuesday Last edition of print P-I set for Tuesday, Hearst says Side Note: State’s jobless rate shoots up to 8.4% in February Snohomish County’s unemployment rate rises to 9.9 percent Many teens report alcohol use; is yours one of them?: “Drinking remains a problem for nearly one in five 10th-graders both in Snohomish County and across Washington, who report having five or more drinks in a row at least once in a two-week period.” US births break baby boom record, topping 4.3 million; 40 pct of babies born out-of-wedlock

No reports of damage as 4.6 quake rattles Seattle: 一點都沒有感覺到… Side Note: King County property taxes to rise 6.16 percent overall Annual survey finds a homeless shift to South King County State earns C minus on teacher quality

Sound Transit: Photo of the Week “Spanish, Mandarin and English will be in ticket vending machines used by Sounder commuter rail and Link light rail passengers.”: in-house translation… Sound Transit 的輕鐵測試將會越來越頻繁. 目前看起來除了 Tukwila Int’l BLVD Station, Mt. Baker Station, Beacon Hill Station (地下)和往機場的部份還在趕工外, 其他的車站似乎都已經完成. Sound Transit 也提供中文的輕鐵安全手冊. 輕鐵在 2009 年中通車從西雅圖市中心到 Tukwila Int’l BLVD Station. 連結到 Sea-Tac 國際機場的部份則預計在 2009 年底通車. 在這期間(Airport Link 完成前), Sound Transit 將會提供接駁公車連接 Tukwila Int’l BLVD Station 和 Sea-Tac 國際機場. Seattle Channel News Brief: Sound Transit Side Note: Many applying to refinance, but few are chosen Do I have to stop for pedestrians waiting at a crosswalk? In tough times, prove your worth 529 college investors get leeway How to get out of the debt hole

Fred Meyer, QFC recall ice cream: “Fred Meyer and QFC have recalled Private Selection Peanut Butter Passion Ice Cream sold in select stores in Washington and elsewhere in the West, because it might be contaminated with salmonella (沙門氏菌).” Peanut recall spreading FDA 關於這次 Salmonella Typhimurium Outbreak 的網站. Side Note: Advice for frustrated job hunters: Stay focused Food-stamp demand up 42 percent More MRSA in kids’ ear, nose infections Study: Women less able to suppress hunger than men New test results on dioxin source raise alarm in South Park State’s jobless rate jumps to 7.1 percent

在 YouTube 上找到這個從 Ballard (Seattle) 到 Mukilteo Station 前的影片. 剛剛好和我三年半前寫的 Blog 對應一下. 不過這影片是從 Ballard Locks 前的升降鐵橋前開始的, 一直到 Mukilteo Station 前的 Mile Point 27. 影片景點順序: * 影片一開始 Ballard Locks 前的鐵橋 * 2:00 – Golden Gardens Park * 3:13 – Carkeek Park * 4:33 – Richmond Beach Park * 4:47 – NW 195th Street * 5:02 – Port Wells Road (之後就是 Peter Point 了) * 6:03 – Edmonds Station * 7:46 – Meadowdale Park * 8:17 – Picnic Point Park * 影片最後就在 Mile Point 27 之前, 約 Mukilteo Station 前兩英哩的位置 Side Note: Colon cancer gap widens between blacks, whites State’s jobless rate rises to 6.4% in November A jelly belly can lead to dementia