Metro-Magazine.com News

US Railcar to resume DMU production

The US Railcar DMU was prototyped through a demonstration project in 2002 and is currently the only FRA-compliant DMU operating in revenue service in North America.

Southern California adds NABI buses to fleet

The 30 buses feature low floors for quick, easy boarding, disc brakes, LED lighting and automatic next-stop announcements.

San Diego to consider outsourcing bus operations

In order to partially alleviate NCTD's financial situation, staff is recommending the board consider the complete outsourcing of bus operations and maintenance as a significant cost savings measure.

Minnesota disabled vets ride free

Disabled veterans simply need to show the proper identification card to bus operators of any fixed-route service in the state, including Metro Transit and suburban transit providers in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.

Maine's Nadeau named FHWA deputy administrator

Since 2002, Nadeau served as Maine Department of Transportation's deputy commissioner for Policy, Planning and Communications.

L.B. Foster to equip CTA rail

The supplier has begun delivery of 80-foot rail sections, direct fixation (DFF) fasteners, insulated joints and contact rail insulators for the construction on the project, which will eliminate slow zones on CTA's Blue Line.

Trailways outsources fuel management to Sokolis

Company's group of passenger-transport service providers utilizes over 4,500 for-hire transportation vehicles; of which, more than 2,000 are luxury-styled, full-size motorcoaches.

SEPTA launches schedule info on Google Transit

Other web tools in the works include real-time arrival information for the agency's Regional Rail system and providing customer updates on Twitter.

METRO Briefs

Rosenker: NTSB better without enforcement power. Iceland’s hydrogen-powered plans postponed. Bus manufacturers relocate, bring jobs to Tenn. N.J. Transit to charge for mailing tickets.

HSR group unveils Chicago-St. Louis proposal

Midwest High Speed Rail Association is asking the state of Illinois to seek $10 million in ARRA funds to conduct a detailed alternatives analysis and environmental study for the route.

Bombardier to supply TTC streetcars

Contract represents the largest single order ever for light rail vehicles worldwide. Final assembly of the new vehicles will take place at production facilities in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

ARRA to fund Ind. transit center

Money will be used to build the $20.9 million, 167,000-acre Emil “Lucky” Reznick Operations, Administration and Maintenance Facility, the largest transit project to be built in Indiana in more than a decade.

Amtrak renovates Pa. train station

$12 million project includes a complete rehabilitation of interior and exterior; a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system; new restrooms; improved landscaping and increased parking capacity.

Alstom equips Greece with signaling system

Company will design, engineer and manufacture the equipment as well as supervise its installation and testing.

Report: states not filling transit needs with ARRA

More than 60 percent of funding committed to highway system preservation, while .9 percent to public transportation.

Prevost delivers Volvo 9700s to Ariz.

Coach chosen for its 'fantastic design and high level of integration.'

D.C. Metro investigates train collision cause

Contacted experts in the field of track signaling to conduct an independent review. Other actions include staff realignment; shifting the position of the 1000-series cars; and operating all trains manually.

APTA: more transit investment needed in climate bill

Per the bill, states can use less than 1 percent of emission allowances to fulfill matching requirements to receive federal funds for projects such as building new subway lines or acquiring new clean fuel buses.

W. Virginia U. constructing new transportation center

Completed station will have a parking garage, new office space for WVU Parking Office employees, bike racks and will be a bus stop for the Mountain Line public transit.

N.C. town receives "livability" award for transit program

Since Chapel Hill Transit became fare free in 2002, it has become the second-largest transit system in North Carolina.

Cambus provides fare-free routes to parking, campus

Growth over the years has been in providing transportation to remote parking facilities for the university’s faculty and 30,000 students, as well as employees of and visitors to the university’s hospital.

Bombardier completes Taiwan rail extension

Large-scale project involved the design and supply of the 9.3-mile line and fleet of 202 vehicles, as well as the simultaneous retrofit of the Muzha Line. Ultimately, the new and existing vehicles, operating as married pairs, will run compatibly on both lines.

Baylor facility earns LEED certification

Is the first university in Texas to earn a coveted environmental rating by meeting stringent standards set out by an international building council.

BART, unions agree to 9-day contract extension

Extending the ground rules of negotiation, which require the unions to give the public 72 hours notice if they decide to strike.

ASU transit pass no longer free to students

Subsidized U-Pass, the cost for one month is equal to $8.88, or $0.25 per day, compared to $55 per month and $3.50 per day for the cost of a pass from Valley Metro. The cost of an unsubsidized Valley Metro pass for the semester would be $195.

SFRTA passes amended Tri-Rail budget

The budget that was passed uses the total county contributions to maintain service. The mandated amounts include $1.567 million for operations and $2.6 million in tax contributions.

Obama signs ARRA provision

The new measure enables transit agencies to amend previously submitted applications to redirect ARRA funds toward operating needs.

N.J. Transit rolls out summer discounts program

The agency has partnered with several Atlantic City hotels, restaurants and businesses to offer discounts on meals, accommodations, shopping, fishing trips and other attractions. Package deals include discounts on beach and amusement park admission.

METRO Briefs

Similar D.C. Metro crash unlikely in other cities. White House: Transportation system overhaul must wait. London Tube drivers impart wisdom.

CVSA: OOS rates, seat belt violations drop

Approximately 17 trucks or buses were inspected, on average, every minute from Canada to Mexico during the 72-hour period from June 2 to 4, 2009.

BART unveils labor negotiations Website

The site will feature regular updates on negotiations, facts and figures about BART's budget and contract with organized labor, blog entries and video content.

Assetworks launches new Website

Enhancements to the Website include drop-down menus for improved navigation; more detailed information about the company, products and services; and an intelligent search bar.

First Transit awarded Pa. contract

The contract is a three-year agreement with two optional renewal years that includes the operation, maintenance and management of a fleet of 28 vehicles.

DART sets Orange Line connection to airport

DART's board vote also adds a future light rail connection from the Orange Line to the Cotton Belt, a DART-owned rail line that crosses through airport property north of SH 114, which would provide additional rail access to the airport.

D.C. Metro begins inspecting signaling circuits

Federal investigators found “anomalies’”' in a 740-foot-long circuit near the crash site that is part of the electronic control system. They are looking into whether a circuit malfunction might have sent one Red Line train crashing into another north of the Fort Totten station, killing nine and injuring about 80.

METRO Briefs

Lessons learned from past rail accidents. CVS reimburses N.Y. MTA for overcharging staff. Bus travel rediscovered by young.

Long Beach, Calif. debuts transit, visitor center

LBT is also utilizing the center, which is on track for LEED-EB certification, as an opportunity to pilot and create sustainable policies for the agency’s overall management and operations.

L.A. Metro breaks ground on BRT extension

The extension of the dedicated busway will begin at the line's current terminus in Canoga Park and extend four miles north to the Chatsworth Metrolink/Amtrak Station. The extension will add new north-south mobility options and create a vital connection between Metro Orange Line service and the broader inter-urban rail system.

Denver RTD adopting ‘thin client’ technology

Agency’s IT division has distributed 200 thin client computers to employees, and plans to have a total of 800 up and running by the end of 2009. Benefits include improved system reliability and reduced energy costs.

Bieber acquires Capitol Trailways, Rohrer Tour

Acquisition positions Bieber as one of the largest transportation companies in Pennsylvania.

ABA Foundation announces scholarship winners

The 19 recipients will each receive $2,500 scholarships for the 2009-2010 academic year, making the $47,500 total distributed for the upcoming year a record annual sum awarded in the Foundation’s 13-year history.

Sen. Boxer, Rockefeller request $50M for rail safety

Includes provision requiring installation of anti-collision technology – positive train control – on railways shared by passenger and freight trains.

OCTA taps Caltrans chief for CEO spot

Will Kempton served as head of Caltrans for the past five years, where he oversaw 50,000 lane miles of state highways, an annual budget of nearly $14 billion and $10 billion worth of transportation improvements under construction.

MCI delivers J4500s to Quebec, Utah

New coaches, powered by a Cummins engine, feature Blaupunkt entertainment systems.

ISE, ZF partner for hybrid drive line

Plan to collaborate on the development and supply of a complete line of parallel-electric hybrid-drive systems and components for the North American vehicle markets.

FEMA : Nine dead, 76 injured in D.C. crash

Metro officials are working with the National Transportation Safety Board, which on Tuesday said the trains were recommended for phaseout in 2006.

BusWest to sell Galaxy coaches

Galaxy will manufacture and warrant the buses ordered by customers through BusWest. BusWest will arrange for delivery, financing and provide factory authorized service and product support.

S.F. Muni launches new cable car

Car 15, which will serve the Powell-Mason Line, was built from the ground up using original blueprints by SFMTA artisans from the Woods Carpenter Shop, the Cable Machinery Support Shop, the Special Machine Shop and the Running Repair Shop.

MARTA FY 2010 budget approved

Budget totaling $787.6M includes a net transit operating budget of $399.1M and a total capital budget of $388.5M, which includes $134M allocated for debt service.

EPA releases clean energy guidebook

States spend about 10 percent of their operating budgets on energy bills, which can be greatly reduced by implementing well-designed energy management and greenhouse gas reduction programs.