Time Zones Across America... Eastern, Central, Mountain, Pacific and 'Massachusetts' (You got to be kidding me!)

by Norman E. Hooben

 

Back before 1883 most, I dare say all, cities and towns in the United States had their own set times.  This was approximately fifty years after the first successful railroad in America.  And so, what do railroads and time zones have to do with one another?  

Well if it was 12 noon in Boston and the train was scheduled to leave for, let’s say, Springfield (if such a route existed), it might be 11:45 in that town (exactly the same time it left Boston).  When the train arrived at its destination the arriving passengers would have to reset their pocket watches (for those that had them) backwards by 15 minutes.  The reason for this discrepancy was that most towns set their time by the sun…generally ‘high noon’ on the sundial. 

As the railroads expanded across the country scheduling became a problem so they developed the time zones we know and use today.  More importantly, the people accepted this new uniformity in time-keeping; even the government liked the concept.  Commerce improved and businesses were now able to ship their products on a dependable schedule. 

The idea of uniform time zones makes it easier for large masses of people to determine some sense of order in their lives.  But one does have to remember what time zone they’re in.  I once missed an event in the eastern time zone that was to be held at 2 P.M. while I lived one hour away in the central time zone…I forgot to plan my trip with the one hour difference and arrived at 3 P.M.

Meanwhile, most people would agree that the current time-zones across America are efficiently utilized by the transportation industry and travelers in general.  That is most normal people!  Once the government people stick their nose into what free enterprise developed things become more complicated.  Take the following proposal by the state of Massachusetts…they want to create a 5^th time zone in America.  Eastern, Central, Mountain, Pacific, and Atlantic! (There is already an Atlantic Time zone; that’s where Nova Scotia is located)  About the only reason that I could come up with as to why they would want to do this is, they really don’t want to do it, they just want some commission to study its feasibility.  It’s a way politicians have to pay off political favors… Here, we’ll put you on a commission and pay you large sums of money to study something nobody wants.

 

The following from: The 189th General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Resolve SD.2227 189th (Current)

Resolve An Act relative to studying the impacts of changing the Massachusetts time zone

Resolve Title: Resolve An Act relative to studying the impacts of changing the Massachusetts time zone

By Mr. Keenan (by request), a petition (accompanied by resolve, Senate, No. 0000) (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Thomas Emswiler for legislation relative to studying the impacts of changing the Massachusetts time zone. Economic Development and Emerging Technologies.

Sponsors:	John F. Keenan (By Request)
Status:	Referred to Joint Committee on Rules

 

SECTION 1. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, a special commission is hereby established to conduct a comprehensive study relative to the practical, economic, fiscal, and health related impacts of changing the Massachusetts time zone from the eastern time zone to the atlantic standard time zone. Said study shall focus on the impact to local and regional economies, public education, public health, transportation, energy consumption, commerce and trade if the time zone is altered. The commission shall report on its findings and make recommendations to the general court on whether it would be beneficial for the commonwealth to enter into the atlantic standard time zone.

The commission shall consist of 8 members: 1 member of the senate who shall be the chair of the joint committee on economic development and emerging technologies or a designee who shall serve as co-chair of the commission; 1 member of the house of representatives who shall be the chair of the joint committee on public health or a designee who shall serve as co-chair of the commission; 1 member of the senate who shall be chair of the joint committee on transportation or a designee; 1 member of the house of representatives who shall be chair of the joint committee on education or a designee; the secretary of the executive office of education or a designee; the undersecretary of the office of consumer affairs and business regulation or a designee; the secretary of health and human services or a designee; and the secretary of transportation or a designee;

(b) The commission shall convene its first meeting on or before January 1, 2016 and shall submit its final report, along with any recommendations for legislative reforms no later than January 1, 2017, to be filed with the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives who shall forward a copy of the report to the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on economic development and emerging technologies, the joint committee on public health, and the joint committee on education.

(c) The commission shall be dissolved within 180 days after the submission of the final commission report pursuant to subsection (b).

 

SECTION 1. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, a special commission is hereby established to conduct a comprehensive study relative to the practical, economic, fiscal, and health related impacts of changing the Massachusetts time zone from the eastern time zone to the atlantic standard time zone. Said study shall focus on the impact to local and regional economies, public education, public health, transportation, energy consumption, commerce and trade if the time zone is altered. The commission shall report on its findings and make recommendations to the general court on whether it would be beneficial for the commonwealth to enter into the atlantic standard time zone.

The commission shall consist of 8 members: 1 member of the senate who shall be the chair of the joint committee on economic development and emerging technologies or a designee who shall serve as co-chair of the commission; 1 member of the house of representatives who shall be the chair of the joint committee on public health or a designee who shall serve as co-chair of the commission; 1 member of the senate who shall be chair of the joint committee on transportation or a designee; 1 member of the house of representatives who shall be chair of the joint committee on education or a designee; the secretary of the executive office of education or a designee; the undersecretary of the office of consumer affairs and business regulation or a designee; the secretary of health and human services or a designee; and the secretary of transportation or a designee;

(b) The commission shall convene its first meeting on or before January 1, 2016 and shall submit its final report, along with any recommendations for legislative reforms no later than January 1, 2017, to be filed with the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives who shall forward a copy of the report to the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on economic development and emerging technologies, the joint committee on public health, and the joint committee on education.

(c) The commission shall be dissolved within 180 days after the submission of the final commission report pursuant to subsection (b).