New York Rolls Out Electric Buses

Living near public transportation is traditionally considered a boon. But talk to New Yorkers who live above bus stops, and you'll likely hear horror stories of round-the-clock beeping, braking, rumbling and honking.

They're not imagining it. Researchers from Columbia University and the University of Washington found that noise levels at a Metropolitan Transit Authority bus stop reached 101.6 decibels (dBA). To put this number in perspective, consider that conversation typically hovers between 60 to 70 dBA, while gunfire reaches 140 dBA.