Chicago Transit Board approves 2017 CTA operating, capital budgets
The Chicago Transit Board (CTA) on November 16 approved a $1.524 billion operating budget.
Commuter Regional
Cuba orders Russian long-distance coaches
The director of Cuba’s foreign trade agency Tradex, José Antonio Arias, signed a contract with Andrei Solovey, CEO of Transmashholding subsidiary Tver Carriage Works (TVZ), on Nov. 10 for 68 passenger coaches for Cuban Union Railways (UFC).
Cubs’, and CTA’s, celebrations continue
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) announced November 11 that it set a new record of 1.1 million rides on its rail system for the Cubs World Series parade and rally on Friday, Nov. 5. Total system ridership across bus and rail surpassed 1.9 million rides that day, making it the second highest ridership day on record.
Four proposals received for LIRR at Penn Station
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) announced that it has received four design proposals from qualified engineering firms for the modernization of the LIRR’s level in Penn Station as part of plans to transform Penn Station and the historic James A. Farley Post Office into a transportation hub.
Nearly 70% of transit measures pass on Election Day
Public transportation across the United States came out a winner of the Nov. 8 election as 33 of the 48 local and statewide public transit measures up for a vote were approved; a passage rate of 69%, based on unofficial results.
APTA: Trump-up public infrastructure investment
The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) issued this statement on November 9 to congratulate President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence:
MBTA launches new anti-sexual harassment campaign
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), as part of a coalition of organizations, launched a new information campaign to enhance passenger safety and encourage the public to report incidents of sexual harassment. The campaign’s message is that sexual harrassment will not be tolerated on the T or anywhere else.
Brown joins WSP | PB in safety role
Long-time transportation system safety engineer Louis J. Brown has been named a senior engineering manager in the Washington, D.C. office of WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff, serving as a principal safety consultant supporting the firm’s transit and rail practice.
Trains, transit—and Uber
The North Carolina Department of Transportation has embarked on a three-month pilot program with technology provider TransLoc to integrate the state’s Amtrak train stations with public transit and Uber through TransLoc’s Rider app.
Timing of Philly transit strike questioned
As of 12:01 a.m. Nov. 1, one week before Election Day, when thousands of Philadelphia inner-city residents would be using the city’s transit system to get to the polls, 4,738 TWU (Transport Workers Union) Local 234 members walked off the job following expiration of the union’s contract with SEPTA (Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority).