Parsons has appointed Harjinder S. “Harj” Dhaliwal as Senior Vice President, International Rail Transit & Systems, with responsibility for the business unit and its operations outside of the U.S. He is based in Parsons’ Abu Dhabi office.
VIA Rail released its annual report on May 6, 2016, and for the first time in seven years, posted both ridership and revenue gains.
Continuing efforts begun in 2012 with the purchase of a wind turbine generator at the Kingston rail layover facility, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority projects a further reduction of energy costs in the coming fiscal year, thanks in part to renewable energy efforts.
In a bid to make good on a promise to promote community engagement for the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) Expansion Project, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo laid out plans for public meetings, launched a new website and committed to expedited grade crossing improvements.
On May 5, 2016, the Caltrain Board of Directors adopted an agreement that invests an additional $211 million in the Caltrain Modernization Program. The seven-party agreement increases funding commitments from Caltrain’s state and local partners, including an additional $113 million commitment from the California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA).
The Federal Aviation Administration opened public comments on May 3, 2016 for a proposed funding change that could benefit passenger rail development around airports.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced on May 3, 2016 an opportunity to apply for $8 million in federal funding for projects “that demonstrate innovative approaches to mobility issues in public transportation.”
The South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) has launched a new free app, “Tri-Rail Tracker,” that allows passengers to know the exact location of their Tri-Rail train and when it will arrive at their station.
The members New Jersey Transit’s two largest unions, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and SMART Transportation Division-United Transportation Union (UTU), have voted against the tentative agreement reached in March between NJ Transit and a coalition of its 16 railroad unions.
Michael P. Melaniphy has resigned as President and CEO of the American Public Transportation Association, effective April 29. APTA Vice President-Member Services Richard A. White is Acting President and CEO until a permanent replacement is selected.
