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FRA Status Report on PTC Implementation and Grants
U.S. DOT's Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has released a report on the status of Positive Train Control (PTC) installations by passenger rail and freight rail systems. The report underscored the need for additional federal funding to complete PTC
installation as quickly as possible. To read the PTC status report, click here.
In response to the FRA report, APTA released a statement reiterating the
commuter rail industry’s commitment to implementation. APTA Acting President & CEO Richard White said,
"… it is conservatively estimated that
$3.48 billion is needed to install PTC on the nation’s commuter rail systems."
Earlier this week, FRA awarded $25 million in grants to help install PTC equipment. Of the 11 grant recipients, seven are APTA members; the others are freight railroads. Recipients are: Metrolink, Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART), and Caltrain (all in CA); Amtrak and American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (DC); Providence and Worcester Railroad Co. (MA); Twin Cities & Western Railroad Co. (MN); Missouri Department of
Transportation (MO); North Carolina Department of Transportation (NC); Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Fort Worth & Western Railroad (both in TX).
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FTA Solicits Applicants for New Safety Grants
FTA announced this week that it will award $7 million in federal funding
to projects that demonstrate innovative approaches to improving safety for
public transportation workers and passengers. The grants, which are under the
Safety Research and Demonstration (SRD) program, will provide technical and financial support for transit agencies to pursue inventive approaches to eliminate or mitigate safety hazards. The SRD program supports research on safer vehicle design and new technologies
to prevent collisions, detect obstructions and protect operators
from assault. For more information about this funding opportunity, click here.
Mineta Report: Improving Access for Persons with Disabilities
The Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) released a new report titled Improving Pathways to Transit for Persons with Disabilities that explores effective ways to improve access to public transportation. Researchers conducted interviews and site visits at five transit agencies where policy initiatives, incremental enhancements and other modifications have significantly improved access for persons with disabilities or for those who rely on public
transportation. The agencies studied were: Broward County Transit (Broward County, FL); Memphis Area Transit Authority (Memphis, TN); NJ TRANSIT (Newark and New Brunswick, NJ); Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (Portland, OR); and Link Transit (Wenatchee, WA). See the MTI report here.
August Transit Savings Report
APTA released its monthly Transit Savings Report for August, showing that a person can save $9,634 annually — or more than $803 per month — by using public transit for daily commutes rather than a private car. The report shows how a two-person household can save a significant amount of money by having one less car and using public transportation. Read more about the August savings report here.
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