The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Board of Directors has named Jack Requa, an agency employee since 1998, interim general manager and chief executive officer. [More]

NEWS HEADLINES

CHSRA Breaks Ground for High-Speed Rail in Fresno; Governor Calls It a Project to Bring California Together

The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) celebrated a major milestone Jan. 7 when it broke ground for the state’s high-speed rail line at ceremonies attended by California Gov. Edmund G. (Jerry) Brown and hundreds of supporters and government, student, community, transportation, business and labor leaders. The event was held at the site of a future high-speed rail station in downtown Fresno. [More]

Atlanta Streetcar Enters Service

The Atlanta Streetcar entered service Dec. 30 following a grand opening ceremony attended by Mayor Kasim Reed, hundreds of business and community leaders and officials from the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), one of the partners that worked to create the new system. [More]

MBTA Receives FFGA Worth Almost $1 Billion; Foxx, McMillan Attend Ceremony

Boston’s Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority received a $996 million federal Full Funding Grant Agreement at an event Jan. 5 to announce the extension of the agency’s Green Line light rail service by 4.7 miles. [More]

CTA Reopens Damen Blue Line Station

The Chicago Transit Authority recently reopened its Damen Station, one of 13 stations on the O’Hare branch of CTA’s Blue Line undergoing renovations and improvements as part of Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s $492 million “Your New Blue” program. [More]

Dearborn Opens Transit Center Named for Dingell

The city of Dearborn, MI, recently opened a new intermodal passenger rail station named in honor of former Rep. John Dingell (D-MI), the longest-serving member of Congress in U.S. history and a longtime transportation advocate. Dingell retired from Congress last year after 59 years of service. [More]

New CEOs Named

Three APTA business members have announced the appointments of new chief executives. [More]

APTA NEWS

APTA Conferences Focus on Best Practices, Networking

APTA announces two conferences that explore timely issues and trends, advance best practices and offer opportunities for peer-to-peer networking. [More]

APTA to Host ADA Conference Call

APTA will host a conference call open to all members Jan. 16 beginning at 11 a.m. Eastern time to discuss and refine its draft comments on FTA’s proposed Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) circular. [More]

AROUND THE INDUSTRY

DOT Webinar on Climate Change

DOT invites interested public transportation professionals to participate in “Climate/Weather Risk Management Tools—Learning from the Gulf Coast,” a 90-minute webinar Jan. 22 beginning at 2 p.m. Eastern time. [More]

Houston METRO Launches New Light Rail Cars

Tom Lambert, president & CEO, Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, joined dignitaries including Houston Mayor Annise Parker Jan. 7 on board one of METRO’s six newest light rail vehicles. [More]

Valley Metro Prepares for 'Super' Service

Valley Metro in Phoenix is spreading the word about its service to Super Bowl XLIX, Feb. 1 in Glendale, AZ. [More]

VCTC Welcomes New Intercity Bus Fleet

The Ventura County (CA) Transportation Commission recently welcomed its new fleet of 14 intercity buses from Motor Coach Industries, purchased with state Proposition 1B funds. [More]

TRB's Skinner to Receive Award

Robert E. Skinner Jr., who is retiring as executive director of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) at the end of January, is the 2015 recipient of the organization’s Frank Turner Medal for Lifetime Achievement in Transportation, which will be presented during the Jan. 14 Chairman’s Luncheon at the TRB 94th Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., Jan. 11-15. [More]

Industry Briefs

Here's a roundup of news from public transportation's agencies and private sector companies. [More]

Public Transit Reaches Out During Holidays

Public transportation agencies across the U.S. got into the holiday spirit with special outreach events and activities supporting their communities. Here are a few examples. [More]

COMMENTARY

Public Transit Thinkers Praise ODOT Report; Preliminary Report Holds Lessons for Other States

CLEVELAND, Ohio—At a slight four pages, a published “snapshot” of transit needs in Ohio hardly seems capable of reversing years of cuts to state funding of bus and local rail systems.

Yet public transit leaders statewide are hailing just such a report, commissioned by the Ohio Department of Transportation, as a key step in moving Ohio beyond its almost-last-in-the-nation funding of metro rail, bus routes and rural van service. [More]

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

Who's Doing What in the Industry

Passenger Transport announces the following hirings and promotions in public transportation agencies and business members. Items appear in People on the Move in the order in which they are received. [More]