Reporter
Katie Johnston covers travel, tourism, and the workplace for the Globe Business section. She has also worked as the Globe’s music and entertainment editor.
Latest stories
Renovated Boxer Hotel embraces Boston’s past
By Katie Johnston , Globe Staff
The Bulfinch Hotel near TD Garden is unveiling a new, more upscale identity when the recently renovated property officially becomes the Boxer.
New Logan signs to encourage passengers to use high-occupancy vehicles
By Katie Johnston , Globe Staff
New electronic signs announcing bus arrival times will be installed at Logan International Airport this fall as part of the airport’s attempts to encourage passengers to use high-occupancy vehicles. The Massachusetts Port Authority on Thursday approved a partial $4 million budget for signs announcing buses that will take passengers to the Blue Line MBTA station, Logan Express satellite parking lots, and the new rental car facility opening in the fall. Signs showing arrival times for the Silver Line were installed last year. The $4 million will also cover signs directing passengers to high-occupancy ground transportation at all four terminals to better accommodate these vehicles. Massport has been promoting high-occupancy vehicle usage to help deal with the parking crunch at the airport, where lots could exceed capacity 40 days this year.
FlightCar brings peer-to-peer car sharing to Logan
By Katie Johnston , Globe Staff
If you don’t mind letting a stranger drive your car, you could make money instead of paying to park at the airport.
Amtrak to replace locomotives starting this fall
By Katie Johnston , Globe Staff
Amtrak plans to start replacing its fleet of locomotives in the Northeast this fall, eventually phasing out all but its high-speed units by 2016. The 70 new electric locomotives, built by Siemens Rail Systems in Sacramento, Calif., use 20 percent less energy than the existing fleet, with a projected savings of $300 million over a span of 20 years, said Michael Cahill, president of Siemens Rail Systems. The new ride along the Northeast and Keystone corridors will be quieter and more reliable, said Joe Boardman, president of Amtrak, noting that the old locomotives have been in service for up to 35 years, each traveling an average of 3.5 million miles. Amtrak plans to start looking for a manufacturer to replace its high-speed locomotives this year.