TTC, GO Transit Flooded by Record Rainfall

GO Transit and the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) were cleaning up and restoring service following severe rains July 8 that caused flash flooding and power outages throughout the Toronto region. The storm dropped almost four inches of rain in the city—more than the monthly average for July. [More]

 

APTA, Others Request Clarity in New Buy America Policy for Utility Relocations

Applying Buy America requirements to utility relocation agreements has the potential to “create substantial delays and increased costs for transportation projects across the country with attendant adverse effects on jobs and the economy,” according to a recent letter from APTA and nine other affected organizations to Sec. Anthony Foxx. [More]

TSA Commends 16 Agencies for Highest Security Levels

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently honored 16 U.S. public transportation agencies for achieving the highest rating—“Gold Standard”—on their most recent Baseline Assessments for Security Enhancement (BASE) for their dedication to building a strong security program. (Fifteen of the 16 agencies are APTA members.) [More]

Cherriots Opens Transit Center in Keizer, OR

Salem-Keizer Transit (Cherriots), Salem, OR, officially opened the new Keizer Transit Center in ribbon-cutting ceremonies July 1. More than 100 business, community, and transportation leaders and citizens attended the event. [More]

Renovated MBTA Station Reopens

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) in Boston recently cut the ribbon to open the Littleton Commuter Rail Station, which underwent extensive improvements as part of the Fitchburg Double Track Project funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. [More]

Metrolink Breaks Ground at Bob Hope Airport

Representatives of the Southern California Regional Rail Authority, operator of Metrolink commuter rail, and Los Angeles Metro recently broke ground for a new Metrolink station near the Bob Hope Airport in Burbank. [More]

Arndt to Head VIA

The VIA Metropolitan Transit Board of Trustees, San ­Antonio, TX, has selected Jeffrey Arndt as the agency’s new president and chief executive officer. He has served in this capacity on an interim basis since Keith Parker left in November 2012 to head the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid ­Transit Authority. [More]

Kupferman Dies; Senior Advisor to N.Y. MTA Chairman

Susan Kupferman, 54, senior advisor to the chairman of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), died June 26 following a long illness. [More]

AROUND THE INDUSTRY

Los Angeles Metro to Acquire First Electric Buses

Los Angeles Metro has approved a contract with BYD Motors for the manufacture and delivery of up to 25 new all-electric buses as part of a $30 million clean air bus technology pilot project. These will be the agency’s first electric zero-emission public transit buses. [More]

APTA NEWS

Calling All Leaders: Nominations Open

Are you a natural-born leader—or do you know someone who is?

Put your talents to work by running for a seat on APTA’s Executive Committee and Board of Directors or the Business Members Board of Governors. [More]

COMTO and APTA Collaborate to Strengthen DBEs

Clear, effective communication is key to improving partnerships between Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) and prime contractors. As such, it is one of the best practices at the center of a multi-year partnership between APTA and the Council of Minority Transportation ­Officials (COMTO). [More]

Multimodal Workshop for Planners and Schedulers in San Francisco

APTA will hold its 2013 Multimodal Operations Planning Workshop July 28-31 in San Francisco, hosted by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) and the San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans). [More]

COMMENTARY

American Exceptionalism and High-Speed Rail
BY AL ENGEL, Principal, Al Engel Consulting

French historian and author Alexis de Tocqueville was the first writer to describe the United States as “exceptional” more than 170 years ago, because it was founded on a set of ideals, including liberty and equality, rather than on a common heritage, ethnicity, or religion. [More]