All in technology

Driving Green: the Real Cost of Electric Vehicles

Driving Green: the Real Cost of Electric Vehicles

Victoria Peguri
planning & design, infrastructure, technology

Imagine: you are a hip, wealthy citizen of the US in the year 1900, and you flaunt your fiscal superiority by cruising in a motorized vehicle rather than slum it in a horse-drawn carriage, or worse, by walking. You have a few options: gas, steam, or electric powered. Gas-powered vehicles are loud, difficult to drive, and stink up the air. Steam vehicles are an attractive idea, but the hour-long start up times and limited range make them unappealing. Electric cars are smoother, quieter, and easy to handle.

You go for the electric car, and you're the talk of the town. However, problems arise: there aren’t enough reliable electricity sources — it is 1900 after all — and the batteries are unpredictable. Meanwhile, gas-run vehicles are becoming more operator-friendly, and Texas discovers the joys and wealth of crude oil. Car and gas prices drop, and now, gas-run vehicles are more affordable and appealing. Electric vehicles are left in the dust.

Greenride Bikeshare Gets Everything Right, Except Bikes

Greenride Bikeshare Gets Everything Right, Except Bikes

Anthony LaSalle
infrastructure, Community, technology

When I first heard the University of Vermont was getting electric bikes on its campus at the end of the 2021 school year, I was fired up. I had never ridden one before but what part of the term “electric bike” doesn’t sound cool? It combines two very exciting words into one phrase, kind of like “free food” or “cookie cake”. The bikes would be coming to UVM and the Burlington area through the Greenride Bikeshare program. As a student without a car on campus, this news was exhilarating. Even though I had a bike, the thought of being able to finally ride back up the hill from downtown Burlington to UVM without using every ounce of energy I had was an incredible prospect.

How to Become a Bus Riding Champion

How to Become a Bus Riding Champion

Sian Hernit
technology, planning & design, infrastructure

Every day, Green Mountain Transit riders around Vermont use the Transit app to help them plan their next bus ride. When they select their route and hit ‘GO,’ they are provided with a map of their route and all the essential information they’ll need to have a successful bus riding experience. At the top of this screen, a small green oval displaying a smiley face next to a bar graph or number can be found. When clicked, users are greeted with a pop-up that may be puzzling.