News
OCTA Awards $220.5-Million Contract to Build County's First Modern Streetcar Line
Orange County Transportation Authority board members recently awarded a $220.5-million contract to a construction firm to build the first modern streetcar in Orange County.
Corona-based Walsh Construction is expected to begin work later this year.
The streetcar will span a 4.1-mile route between the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center and Harbor Boulevard in Garden Grove, stopping at bus stops along the way. Cars will serve the busy downtown area of Santa Ana, which includes county and local government offices and courthouses.
MassTransitmag.com/12431611
Amtrak Pacific Surfliner, Caltrans Introduce New, Cleaner Locomotives at Los Angeles Union Station
With a blast of the locomotive's horn and a shower of biodegradable confetti, the Los Angeles — San Diego — San Luis Obispo Rail Corridor Agency and the California Department of Transportation introduced new, cleaner locomotives to the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner service at Los Angeles Union Station.
State and local officials in attendance had an opportunity to step aboard one of 14 new Charger locomotives that will begin operating starting this fall. The Charger locomotives, manufactured by Siemens, will power the next generation of Pacific Surfliner trains between San Diego, Los Angeles and San Luis Obispo.
The Charger is the first passenger locomotive to receive the stringent Tier IV emissions certification from the Environmental Protection Agency, making the Charger one of the cleanest diesel-electric passenger locomotives currently in operation.
MassTransitmag.com/12432153
California Could be Rolling all Electric Buses by 2040
Despite worries about how well environmentally friendly electric buses will withstand the pounding of everyday traffic, the California Air Resources Board held the first of two hearings on committing to begin transitioning to a full fleet of zero-emission buses in two years.
Northern California agencies already testing the clean-burning vehicles include AC Transit, MUNI, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority and Monterey-Salinas Transit with SamTrans joining the list next year.
The message is clear. This will be the green light of an electric revolution for public transit with the goal to have only electric buses on all city streets by 2040.
MassTransitmag.com/12431759
New Orleans RTA is Awarded $6.3M Grant for 17 New Buses
The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority has landed a $6.3 million federal grant for 17 new diesel-powered buses, a boost for the agency's aging bus fleet.
The RTA was one of more than 100 agencies nationwide chosen to get grants under a Federal Transit Administration program that helps states and transit agencies replace buses and bus barns.
The government awarded $366 million total in the 2018 fiscal year. Federal officials received applications this year from more than 250 agencies, totaling $2 billion in requests.
MassTransitmag.com/12431492
Consultants See Half-Billion Dollar Potential in Durham, Orange Light-Rail Stations
The jobs, affordable housing and other community benefits Chapel Hill gains from the Durham-Orange light-rail project will depend on local decisions made now, say town and GoTriangle staff members.
Hitchings and GoTriangle planner Patrick McDonough detailed one scenario for one of Chapel Hill's planned stations -- with buildings up to 15 stories tall and a mix of business and recreation uses -- to the Chapel Hill Town Council and the Orange County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday night . They gave a similar presentation to the Durham and Orange county commissioners in June.
MassTransitmag.com/12432403
Decatur to Get $4.6 Million for New City Buses
The city of Decatur is set to receive $4.6 million in federal funds to replace 18 of its public transit buses over the next five years, officials said Thursday.
The money comes from a competitive grant program through the Federal Transit Administration. U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, announced the award in a statement. Bloomington was also awarded $6 million through the program to help pay for new battery electric buses, bus shelters and benches, and a new downtown transfer center.
Decatur Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe said in a statement that the city council has struggled to maintain its public transit system during hard financial times. The federal grant, along with state Department of Transportation money, will make it possible to replace much of the aging fleet, she said.
MassTransitmag.com/12430899
Briefs
The U.S. Department of Transportation has released new Federal guidance for automated vehicles, advancing its commitment to supporting the safe integration of automation into the broad multimodal surface transportation system.
MassTransitmag.com/12432324
U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao was joined today by Governor Bruce Rauner (R-IL) and members of the Illinois congressional delegation for a grant announcement marking the award of $132,034,680 to the Illinois Department of Transportation.
MassTransitmag.com/12431968
A major funding boost for Valley Metro will be used to improve transportation facilities outside the UT Regional Academic Health Center at Harlingen.
MassTransitmag.com/12431636
INIT, Innovations in Transportation Inc. has been contracted by the Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority to deliver the next generation ORCA electronic fare system for the Central Puget Sound Region.
MassTransitmag.com/12432618
The Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority is consulting with business organizations and other stakeholders to bring electric bus service to downtown that will link businesses, attractions, and residential developments by as early as this spring, said TARTA General Manager Jim Gee.
MassTransitmag.com/12432515
The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority’s Board of Directors made history by unanimously approving the More MARTA Atlanta program which represents the region’s largest transit investment in more than four decades.
MassTransitmag.com/12432615
For the sixth consecutive year, the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority has received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for its FY2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada.
MassTransitmag.com/12432320
Anderson Mayor Thomas Broderick Jr. asked the Anderson Redevelopment Commission on Tuesday to consider providing $1.8 million in Tax Increment Financing funds to finalize the necessary funding for the proposed $8.3 million facility.
MassTransitmag.com/12432271
Ricardo Diaz, Penny Scott and Robert Leyse walked into cheers and applause at a surprise ceremony today at Atlantic-Central Base where they were named King County Metro’s Transit Operators of the Year.
MassTransitmag.com/12431675
Mobile ticketing has arrived at the Maryland Transit Administration. The agency on Thursday introduced "CharmPass," a mobile app that allows transit riders to purchase tickets and passes for buses, the light rail, MARC trains and commuter buses, and the metro subway with a smartphone.
MassTransitmag.com/12431760
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation has been awarded $4.28 million in federal grants to help upgrade rural public transportation fleets and facilities, U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao announced last week.
MassTransitmag.com/12431887
An exceptionally fast transportation system may be a step closer to Ohio. Hyperloop Transportation Technologies and German insurance company Munich Re said that a set of core safety requirements and certification guidelines for the fledgling mode of transportation have been created.
MassTransitmag.com/12430716
Longmont city staff has included money in the proposed 2019 budget to continue paying the Regional Transportation District to provide free bus rides on local RTD routes within the city. However, a set of fare changes the transit agency's board approved on Tuesday could increase the amount RTD will seek from the city for the Ride Free Longmont service next year.
MassTransitmag.com/12430938
Honolulu must increase the official price tag for construction of the 20-mile rail project by another $134 million for the Federal Transit Administration to be satisfied that the city has enough money to complete the project, according to Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation Executive Director Andrew Robbins.
MassTransitmag.com/12431501
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's Fiscal and Management Control Board is scheduled to vote on whether to approve a $4 million contract to design a fully accessible center platform at Union Station. The center platform project would be a major upgrade to Union Station, enabling two commuter rail trains to enter the station at a time.
MassTransitmag.com/12431889
People in the News
Kimberly Sewell
TriMet
TriMet’s Kimberly Sewell has been promoted to executive director of the Labor Relations & Human Resources Division. Sewell moves into the role from TriMet’s Legal Services Division and takes over for the outgoing executive director, Randy Stedman, who will be retiring.
Sewell has been with TriMet for 16 years. She served as our director of legal services for the past seven years and, prior to that, was TriMet’s deputy general counsel. In her roles in the Legal Services Division, Sewell has developed a keen insight and understanding of employment and labor laws.
MassTransitmag.com/12432369
Edward Naczek
WAGO
WAGO has hired Edward (Ed) Naczek as the product manager for DIN Rail Mount Terminal Blocks. From the Greater Milwaukee Area, Naczek obtained his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Cardinal Stritch University.
Naczek previously worked for Storage Battery Systems, LLC from 2011-2018 as application & product sales engineer/marketing for three years and the marketing director for four years.
MassTransitmag.com/12432316
Natalie Cornell
LTK
Natalie Cornell, LTK’s director of business development, was selected as the 2018 Outstanding Public Transportation Business Member by the American Public Transportation Association.
Cornell was honored at an awards ceremony and luncheon on September 25th in Nashville, Tennessee, as part of APTA’s Annual Meeting. Cornell serves as co-chair of APTA’s Procurement Steering Committee, chair of the Business Member Procurement Committee, and vice chair of the Rolling Stock Equipment Technical Forum.
MassTransitmag.com/12432318
Julie D’Orazio
WSP USA
Julie D’Orazio, senior vice president and national market leader for transit and rail for WSP USA, has been elected to the board of directors of the American Public Transportation Association as a business member at-large. D’Orazio is focused on three key areas that align with APTA’s mission. These are safety and security, innovative mobility solutions and service network optimization and efficiency.
MassTransitmag.com/12432312
Jason Mayfield
WSP USA
Jason Mayfield has been named to a lead architect position working on transportation facilities in the St. Louis office of WSP USA.
In his new position, Mayfield will be responsible for working on numerous projects with WSP’s transportation facilities group, including the Texas Bullet Train, where WSP is providing engineering support for the high-speed rail line between Houston and Dallas.
MassTransitmag.com/12432310
