Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) emphasized the importance of continued federal investment in public transportation projects in her remarks at the July 6 ground breaking for Community Transit’s Swift Green Line BRT project in Snohomish County, WA—the largest capital project in the agency’s 40-year history. [More]

DOT Issues $537.1 Million TIFIA Loan for NYC's Moynihan Train Hall Redevelopment

DOT Secretary Elaine L. Chao announced July 6 a $537.1 million Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan from DOT’s Build America Bureau to the New York State Urban Development Corporation D/B/A Empire State Development (ESD) for construction of the Moynihan Train Hall Redevelopment Project, located across the street from Penn Station in Manhattan. [More]

APTA Begins Recruitment for Next President & CEO

APTA has ­initiated its recruitment for its next president and CEO. In the recruitment advertisement that appears in this issue of ­Passenger Transport, APTA seeks a strong communicator with a high degree of integrity, who is open, transparent and capable of unifying a large and diverse community with varying needs and interests. [More]

FTA Announces Funding Availability; Agency Also Issues Supplemental Guidance

On July 5, FTA posted to its website the Supplemental Fiscal Year 2017 Apportionment Notice and tables making available more than $12 billion in formula and discretionary funds for public transportation. [More]

Hall Named to FRA Leadership

Heath Hall, former president of Strategic Marketing Group, a public relations firm, was sworn in as FRA deputy administrator by DOT Secretary Elaine L. Chao on June 23. He is also serving as acting administrator; the deputy position does not require Senate approval. [More]

Maywood Opens New Metra Station

Metra commuter rail in Chicago recently opened a new station in the village of Maywood, replacing an existing, smaller outdoor shelter. [More]

Capital Metro Breaks Ground for TOD

The Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Capital Metro) recently marked the beginning of construction for the Plaza Saltillo District, a TOD project adjacent to the Plaza Saltillo MetroRail Station, with a “flag-planting ceremony” representing the three organizing partners: the agency, the city and a local real estate firm. [More]

DCTA Launches Voucher Program in Collin County

The Denton County Transportation Authority, Lewisville, TX, recently introduced taxi voucher service in neighboring Collin County under an agreement with the city of McKinney, county seat of Collin County, and the McKinney Urban Transit District. [More]

APTA Supports Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Security

Reps. Dan Lipinski (D-IL) and ­Barbara Comstock (R-VA), co-chairs of the U.S. House ­Public Transportation Caucus, have introduced the bipartisan Securing America’s Facilities, Equipment and Rail: Taking Responsibility for American National Security in Transit (SAFER TRANSIT) Act to strengthen public transit systems and infrastructure. [More]

New CEOs Named

Passenger Transport announces new chief executives at Amtrak and Transdev North America and an interim general manager at Capital Area Transit in Harrisburg, PA. [More]

FRA Issues Draft EIS for Hudson River Tunnel Project; Project Leaders Hold Press Conference

On July 6, FRA published the draft Environmental Impact Statement review (EIS) for the Hudson River project to construct an additional tunnel to alleviate congestion in the Northeast Corridor and replace the existing 106-year-old tunnel damaged by Hurricane Sandy. [More]

SNC-Lavalin Acquires WS Atkins

SNC-Lavalin Group Inc., a design, engineering and project management firm headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, has completed its acquisition of WS Atkins plc, a company that offers similar services based in the United Kingdom. [More]

Hampton Roads Receives 'Super Grant'

Hampton Roads Transit (HRT), Hampton, VA, has received a series of federal, state and local grants totaling $49.2 million to help rebuild, repower and purchase public transit buses, improve the quality of bus stops and invest in information technology. [More]

NTI Announces Safety Webinar Based on TCRP Report

Public transit professionals can learn about safety efforts and training initiatives in a 90-­minute webinar hosted by the National Transit Institute (NTI), July 19, beginning at 2 p.m. Eastern time. [More]

July 4 in Vancouver: Star-Spangled Bus, Beautiful Summer Day

C-TRAN, the public transit agency in Clark County, WA, provided free shuttle service to this year’s Independence Day celebration at historic Fort Vancouver, a longtime tradition in the city. [More]

St. Louis Metro Bus Celebrates Farming, Fresh Food

Metro in St. Louis recently invited the public to help turn one of its buses into a “rolling work of art” by painting two murals on the exterior of the vehicle. [More]

TCRP Report on P3s

The Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) recently released Research Report 191, Public Transportation Guidebook for Small- and Medium-Sized Public-Private Partnerships (P3s), which provides information on why and when public transit agencies should consider P3s for small- and medium-sized initiatives, what types of initiatives may be undertaken and how to effectively undertake these initiatives. [More]

APTA Nominations Process Open

The APTA Nominating Committee continues to accept nominations through July 17 to fill leadership positions on the recently expanded Executive Committee and Board of Directors. [More]

Riders 'Dump the Pump'

More than 135 public transit agencies and organizations participated in APTA’s 12th National Dump the Pump Day. Here are a few examples. [More]

COMMENTARY

GCRTA's Journey to Performance Excellence BY JOE CALABRESE

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 as space permits. [More]