Breakfast links: Solidarity

Taxi drivers (kinda) unionize

DC’s cab drivers will have a new voice in the form of the Washington DC Taxi Operators Association, which will be affiliated with Teamsters Local 922. It’s not technically a union, as drivers are independent operators. (DCist)

All hands on deck for Height Act hearings

The Committee of 100 is is rallying its supporters to testify against proposed changes to the Height Act at an upcoming forum. The DC Council is holding hearings on the subject this Monday, October 28. (City Paper)

Montgomery installs school bus cameras

Drivers passing stopped school buses in Montgomery County will get an unpleasant surprise in the mail. Cameras on 25 buses will be up and running by January, and the fine will be $125. (Post)

Math geeks make bikeshare better

Powerful algorithms help optimize rebalancing in the hundreds of bikeshare systems now operating worldwide. CaBi gets an extra 300,000 annual trips (a month’s worth of rides) out of the results. (Salon)

UMD golf course will stay

150 acres on the west side of the University of Maryland’s College Park campus will remain a golf course. A developer had proposed building an academic village on 50 acres but decided to shelve the plans, citing political opposition. (Post)

Amtrak unveils new cars

A new model of passenger car will be servicing long-distance Amtrak routes in 2014, including the Crescent and Cardinal routes connecting DC to New York, Chicago, and New Orleans. (Post)

SCOTUS will hear rail-trail case

The Supreme Court will take up a rail-trail case for the second time ever. At issue is a longstanding practice whereby abandoned railroad rights-of-way revert back to the public as multi-use trails. (Streetsblog)

And…

SOME announces details of affordable housing proposal on Benning Road. (WBJ) … Seattle is implementing a lower-cost version of San Francisco’s dynamic parking pricing system. (Atlantic Cities) … The Capitol Riverfront will be getting another hotel to go with the new Whole Foods. (JDLand)