My friend Elmer used to be too cheap to buy gas much, so he stayed at home, mostly. Last month he got himself one of those new plug-in electric cars, and now you see him tooling all over the county.

Transportation Blog Posts

TRANSPORTATION: A HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR IMPROVEMENT

Depending on whom you talk to, we in Maine spend 50-70% of our energy dollars on transportation. So, we stand to gain the most savings by exploring all the ways we can conserve and convert our fuel usage for a more sustainable ride.

Jory Squibb's handmade mini-car, "Moonbeam"

Jory Squibb of Camden shows off his home-made,100 mpg microcar "Moonbeam" at the AltWheels festival in Boston.

Alternative Fueling Stations Locator Shows a Few in Maine

01/22/2012 - 5:49pm

Remember when AFDC stood for Aid to Families with Dependent Children? Well, today it stands for the Alternative Fuels (and Advanced Vehicles) Data Center, commonly known as the AFDC, a comprehensive clearinghouse of information related to advanced transportation technologies.

Everything Transportation

Take a Class on Alternative Vehicle Fuels

01/16/2012 - 4:15pm

Southern Maine Community College (SMCC) in South Portland offers a class in alternative fuels, called, "Clean Air & Energy Independence: An Overview of Alternative Fuels & Advanced Technology Vehicles" as part of its automotive training program. We could all learn something from it. Here is a summary of what the course covers from the syllabus:

Everything Transportation

A Plethora of Articles on Electric Vehicles

01/10/2012 - 9:53pm

Maine Clean Communities has compiled quite a list of articles related to electric vehicles, and is good enough to share them here. Let's start with their own feasibility study:

Maine Clean Communities’ EV Feasibility Study

Everything Transportation

A Surface Transportation Challenge for Students

01/05/2012 - 1:28pm

If you are a student or teacher of Science, Engineering or Automotive Trades and have great ideas for greener modes of ground transportation brewing in your brains, you may have an opportunity to test them out in the Surface Transportation Competition offered by the Real World Design Challenge.

Everything Transportation

Downeaster Train Still on Track Despite Grant Loss

12/23/2011 - 12:05pm

A crane hoists sections of concrete over the fence at Brunswick's Maine Street Station to construct the new train platform there. The federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program may have failed t

Everything Transportation

Tips for the Toughest: Winter Bicycle Commuting

12/21/2011 - 6:00pm

If it’s below freezing and you still think commuting by bike is a good idea, you are among a brave, noble and fun loving minority. GOMaine salutes you and has asked their bike guru to offer some tips on winter bicycle commuting to aid you in your noble pursuit.

Everything Transportation

A Workshop about Using Biodiesel for Fleets

11/30/2011 - 6:26pm

On January 25, 2012, Maine Clean Communities will hold a workshop for fleets focused on biodiesel as a transportation fuel. Attendees will hear from experienced Maine fleet operators who are using biodiesel in blends of 5% to 40% or greater.

The workshop will also address the basics of biodiesel including:

Everything Transportation

The Winners of Portland's Business Commuter Challenge Are...

11/29/2011 - 4:07pm

In October 2011, a record number of Mainers took the Portland Business Commuter Challenge and found a way to get to work other than driving alone in their car.

The Portland Business Commute Challenge was a collaborative effort by ReVision Energy, the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, the City of Portland and GO MAINE.

Everything Transportation

The Top Fuel Economy Vehicles for 2012

11/23/2011 - 4:46pm

The Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are releasing the 2012 Fuel Economy Guide. No surprise, three electric vehicle models top the list, followed by seven hybrid models.

Everything Transportation

Did You Miss the Launch of Maine's Clean Tech Corridor?

11/20/2011 - 3:25pm

On November 15, 2011, The Environmental and Energy Technology Council (E2Tech) and its partners held an event heralded as the launch of Maine's Clean Tech Corridor. While it was safe to witness this launch from a mere distance of 5 feet or so, the potential economic power of the Clean Tech Corridor may be formidable, indeed.

Everything Transportation