Commentary

Second in a Series: Complete Streets, Incomplete Transit

In my last report, I looked at Pete Buttigieg, President-elect Biden’s nominee for Secretary of Transportation, and what he would bring to the post. I looked at his own concepts as he expressed them in his acceptance speech, how he might serve USDOT’s business constituents, and his background. Part of that background is the time he spent as mayor of South Bend, a post he occupied starting in 2012. As I will describe in this article, he can claim some credit as an urbanist with his “Smart Streets” policy for the city’s downtown area, but local bus service remains limited, and the passenger trains that ostensibly run to South Bend do not go anywhere near downtown.

Commentary

First in a Series: Does DOT’s New Face Signal New Policies?

President-elect Joe Biden has selected Pete Buttigieg to be the next Secretary of Transportation, as Railway Age reported on Dec. 15. This news report noted his experience, particularly as mayor of South Bend, Ind., and included a number of laudatory statements from industry leaders, including one from labor. Indeed, it would be unwise for any of those industry leaders to appear less enthusiastic than that concerning any such nominee, and risk the ire that could result. The question in my mind is, what will Buttigieg’s appointment mean for Amtrak and rail transit customers, or anyone who represents those constituencies.

Amtrak Cuts Keystone Service (Updated)

Amtrak and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) on Dec. 16 slashed service on the Philadelphia-Harrisburg Keystone Corridor nearly 50%. Thirteen weekday one-way runs were suspended, along with three on weekends. Despite the trains coming out of the system in December, no media advisory was issued until Jan. 4.

MBTA Board Softens Blow, But Service Cuts Still Coming

Transit riders throughout the country are facing severe service cuts, as ridership and revenue remain low, and state and local governments face severe financial woes. Earlier this month, Railway Age reported that Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA, known locally as the “T”) announced a lengthy litany of services to be slashed. The Fiscal & Management Control Board (FMCB), which is acting as the Board for the Boston agency these days, has now finalized and approved the cuts by a 3-2 vote.

Bostonians Fight MBTA Service Cuts

As the COVID-19 virus continues its relentless march across the nation and around the world, U.S. transit is quickly becoming one of its casualties. The picture will probably get worse as the $24.9 billion that transit got from the CARES Act runs out next year.

Commentary

Eighth in a Series: Can You Still Get There From Here?

Until less than two months ago, most of Amtrak’s long-distance trains operated every day.

VIA Rail Still Struggling

VIA Rail, Canada’s counterpart to Amtrak and a much-smaller system, is not doing well and seeking emergency government funding. It recently reported an 82% drop in ridership and an 84% decrease in revenue compared with last year, as well as a savings of 27.5% in operating expenses. Some of the savings came from reducing service, both on the railroad’s corridors in Ontario and Quebec, and on other trains. Here is a detailed rundown of the service currently offered.

Update: Amtrak in the Age of COVID-19

Since COVID-19 disrupted much of the world in March, Railway Age has followed developments, documenting transit’s decline in the spring and its slow recovery in October. Recent reports from Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., indicate that the slow recovery may soon wither and become a transit holocaust. What about intercity rail service?

Voters Have Their Say on Transit Initiatives, With Mixed Results

In an election like no other, voters in a number of metropolitan areas decided whether their transit districts would raise taxes to spend more money on local transit.

Commentary

Rail Transit In Slow Recovery

It has now been more than six months since the COVID-19 virus hit the United States and Canada, and also hit transit hard in both nations. The riders disappeared. On some systems, ridership dropped as low as 5% of prior levels. Service plummeted in many places, too. Here at Railway Age and its sibling publications, we kept track of the downward progress of everything on rails: freight and passenger/transit. This writer was on the team that documented rail transit’s decline. Ridership is beginning its slow upward climb; how far up it will eventually go is anybody’s guess. So is service; in some places more than others. This article will present a comprehensive look at how rail transit is returning.