If public transit agencies are going to keep up with the redefinition of transit to include ridesharing, bikesharing, scooters and other new modes, they must “lean into their discomfort” and learn from other sectors that have gone through similar changes. [More]

FTA Announces CIG Funding for Five Projects

On Nov. 28, FTA announced that projects in Arizona, California, Minnesota and Texas will receive a total of $281 million in federal FY 2018 Capital Investment Grant (CIG) funding. [More]

OCTA Receives $149 Million FFGA for Streetcar Project

FTA announced a $149 million Full Funding Grant Agreement Nov. 30 with the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), Orange, CA, for the 4.1-mile Orange County Streetcar (formerly known as Santa Ana/Garden Grove Streetcar). Funding will be provided through FTA’s Capital Investment Grants Program. [More]

Calgary Welcomes BRT on Three MAX Lines

Calgary (AB) Transit introduced BRT service to the region with the recent launch of three MAX lines covering almost 50 miles—MAX Orange, MAX Purple and MAX Teal—with a fourth line to open in 2019. [More]

BART Marks Completion of First Station Canopies

The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) recently marked the completion of the first two canopies above station entrances along Market Street in San Francisco, at the BART and San Francisco Municipal Railway’s (Muni) Powell Street and Civic Center stations. [More]

'Hop' on Board Milwaukee's First Streetcar in Decades

For the first time in 60 years, Milwaukee residents can travel by streetcar with the recent launch of service on “The Hop,” owned by the city and operated under contract with Transdev. [More]

Sound Transit Breaks Ground on Tacoma Link Extension

Sound Transit in Seattle has broken ground on the 2.4-mile Hilltop Tacoma Link Extension, which will extend the current light rail line from the Theatre District in downtown Tacoma, WA, to two residential neighborhoods, including construction of six new stations and relocation of an existing station. [More]

Work Begins on Wilmington, DE, Transit Center

Delaware Gov. John Carney, Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE) and Wil­mington Mayor Michael Purzycki joined state Transportation Secretary Jennifer Cohan, Delaware Transit Corporation (DTC) Chief Executive Officer John ­Sisson and other state and local officials at recent ceremonies to mark the beginning of construction on the Wilmington Transit Center. [More]

APTA's Annual Meeting & EXPO Ranked 63rd in U.S.

APTA is pleased to announce that its 2017 Annual Meeting & EXPO has been ranked #63 in Trade Show Executive’s Gold 100 largest trade shows of 2017—advancing five places over EXPO 2014. [More]

New CEO Named: Harris, WRTA

The Western Reserve Transit Authority, Youngstown, OH, has named Dean J. Harris as its new executive director. [More]

COMMENTARY

Ridership: The Columbus Way

BY JOANNA M. PINKERTON
President/CEO
Central Ohio Transit Authority
Columbus, OH

There is a way of doing business in Columbus. In fact, it’s called the “Columbus Way,” a term coined in a Harvard Business School case study about the region. [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 as space permits. [More]

MORE NEWS HEADLINES

Free 'Flyer' Enters Service in Dayton Neighborhoods

Thousands of workers and students in the Dayton, OH, area can now make free, fast connections between downtown and the University of Dayton campus with the recent launch of the Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority’s free shuttle, The Flyer. [More]

APTF Establishes Scholarship In Honor of Paul Larrousse

As APTA mourns the Nov. 14 passing of Paul J. Larrousse, the American ­Public Transportation Foundation (APTF) Board of Directors has approved establishing a scholarship in his honor. [More]

In Memoriam: Rep. Ed Pastor, APTA Award Recipient

Former Rep. Ed Pastor (D-AZ), 75, of Phoenix, the 2014 recipient of APTA’s Local Distinguished Service Award, died Nov. 27. [More]

MTS' Free Ride Day Changes How San Diego Moves

BY PAUL JABLONSKI
Chief Executive Officer
San Diego Metropolitan Transit System

“Try it, you’ll like it” is the basis for any free giveaway. With public transit, it’s not so simple. To be successful, the free offer needs to be much more than turning off fareboxes and ticket vending machines and inviting people to climb aboard. There needs to be a cause to galvanize a region; there needs to be a call to action that cannot be delivered by the agency alone. [More]

Brookville Marks Centennial With 100th Modern Streetcar

This year is the centennial of the founding of Brookville Equipment Company in Brookville, PA, and the company has marked the anniversary with production milestones including delivery of its 100th modern streetcar vehicle to the city of Milwaukee, which introduced service on The Hop on Nov. 2, and of its 50th overhauled and modernized PCC streetcar to El Paso, TX, launched Nov. 9, since entering the streetcar market in 2002. [More]

UTA Introduces Trolley Bus

The Utah Transit Authority (UTA) recently added the first trolley-replica bus to its fleet, operating on the Midtown Trolley route that serves FrontRunner commuter rail stations in the communities of Layton and Clearfield, restaurants, shopping, hotels, medical centers and other community resources. The service is free, sponsored by local businesses. [More]

Citilink Enters Holiday Design Contest

Citilink in Fort Wayne, IN, has partnered with Media Entrepreneurship Training in the Arts students at the University of Saint Francis to create a holiday window display as part of the Downtown Improvement District’s annual contest. [More]

El Paso Launches Historic Streetcars in Service

Six refurbished and modernized PCC Streetcars returned to service recently in El Paso, TX, where they previously operated between 1950 and 1974. [More]

Operation Lifesaver Offers Rail Safety Education Report

Operation Lifesaver Inc. (OLI) announces the release of a new report for public transit agencies, Best Practices for Rail Transit Safety Education, supported by FTA and available for download here. [More]

WTS-DC Holds Workshop at APTA Offices

More than 40 public transportation professionals participated in a recent WTS-DC Chapter professional development workshop, “The Art & Science of Influence,” hosted by APTA at its Washington, DC, offices. [More]

LA Metro Receives Light Rail Cars At New Train Yard

Los Angeles Metro transported four light rail cars to its new Southwestern Yard (SWY) facility to begin testing. The facility, expected to be completed and operational in 2019, will house rail vehicles for the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project, which is in the final construction stages. [More]