Illinois State Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) and Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado (D-Chicago) have introduced the Metropolitan Mobility Authority Act that seeks to combine RTA, CTA, Metra and Pace into a new Chicagoland entity and provide it with a $1.5 billion annual boost, according to a WGN9 report on April 29. (Metra Photograph)

Transit Briefs: Metra, NYMTA, City of West Palm Beach, MBTA

Chicago’s Metra speaks out on the Metropolitan Mobility Authority Act that proposes merging the commuter railroad, Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Pace bus, and Regional Transit Authority (RTA). Also, New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) outlines its nearly $300 million in capital program savings; City of West Palm Beach, Fla., adopts a “Rail S.A.F.E.” policy, aiming for zero railway fatalities; and Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) weighs Haverhill station shutdown during bridge replacement project.

Starting May 21, a second daily Amtrak train will be offered between St. Paul and Chicago, via Milwaukee, the state-sponsored Borealis, whose name “was determined in a collaborative process,” Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari told Railway Age. “It is a reference to the north direction, in Latin.” (Amtrak Map)

Transit Briefs: Amtrak, NYMTA, SMART, WMATA

A second daily Amtrak train is launching between St. Paul, Minn., and Chicago, via Milwaukee, Wis., the state-supported Borealis. Also, New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and New York City Department of Social Services (DSS) unveil the Fair Fares pilot program; Northern California’s Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) logs record commuter rail ridership; and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) announce a transit planning initiative for the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.

MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber and MTA Construction and Development President Jamie Torres-Springer (pictured, left) on April 25 announced the agency’s Climate Resilience Roadmap at the Metro-North Railroad Mott Haven Yard. (Marc A. Hermann / MTA)

Transit Briefs: NYMTA, Sound Transit, TransLink, Tren Maya

New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (NYMTA) unveils its Climate Resiliency Roadmap. Also, Washington’s Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority (Sound Transit) earns a sustainability award for its Federal Way Link light rail extension; metro-Vancouver’s TransLink approves a 2024 investment plan to address overcrowding; and the final sections of Mexico’s Tren Maya project are expected to be completed in August.

DART riders will now be able to access real-time vehicle locations, arrival time predictions, and alerts such as detours and cancellations on Google Maps, the Transit app, and various other apps. (DART Photograph)

Transit Briefs: DART, NJT, NYMTA

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) expands the use of real-time data so more riders can track vehicle locations, delays, and service changes. Also, New Jersey Transit (NJT) renews a supplier contract for fare collection system upgrades; and New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) seeks a “master tenant” to develop and manage retail at MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) Grand Central Madison.

New York MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber joined New York City Mayor Eric Adams and NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban at Fulton Transit Center on March 28 to announce a pilot program of weapon detectors, manufactured by Evolv, that can be deployed at subway entrances. (Marc A. Hermann / MTA)

Transit Briefs: MBTA, NCDOT, NYMTA, BART

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) plans a low-income fare program and graduates another large class of heavy rail (rapid transit) engineers. Also, North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) revises the design for a new passenger railcar maintenance facility; New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will pilot firearm detection technology; and San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) reports a surge in arrests.

NYMTA: ‘Best Ever’ February Performance for MNR, LIRR

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on March 11 announced that a record number of Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and Metro-North Railroad (MNR) trains operated on time in February.

New York MTA officials were joined by “Equity in Infrastructure Project” (EIP) founders Phillip A. Washington and John D. Porcari, and Chicago Transit Authority President Dorval R. Carter, Jr., who also serves as EIP Chair, to sign the EIP pledge on March 7. (New York MTA Photograph).

Transit Briefs: NYMTA, SacRT, Metrolink, WMATA, NJT, Houston Metro

New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) signs the “Equity in Infrastructure Project” Pledge. Also, Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) is developing mobility hubs at three light rail stations; Southern California’s Metrolink extends its fare-free pilot program for students; Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) marks improvements in ridership, customer satisfaction, public safety and fare collection while reducing expenses; New Jersey Transit (NJT) expands its partnership with Comcast Business; and Houston Metro (Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Tex.) selects Copperleaf to help improve asset management.

NYMTA photo

NYMTA Receives ‘AA’ Fitch Credit Rating

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on March 7 announced that Fitch Ratings has upgraded the agency’s Transportation Revenue Bonds rating from A to AA with an outlook of “Stable.”

CTA has launched its latest Innovation Studio program seeking proposals from the private sector to address business challenges through new technology. (CTA Photograph)

Transit Briefs: CTA, NYMTA, TTC, WMATA

Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) seeks innovators to test new technologies that improve rail safety, asset management and real-time information. Also, New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) boosts subway security; Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) releases a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Bloor-Yonge Capacity Improvements project; and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and Hitachi Rail are offering a “sneak peek” of the new 8000 series rapid transit cars.

“The tremendous growth in ridership is a result of the substantial investments North Carolina and Virginia are making to expand and improve passenger rail,” Amtrak Vice President Ray Lang said on Feb. 28. “Customers are taking advantage of a sustainable way to travel to the many destinations our network offers.” (Amtrak Photograph)

Transit Briefs: Amtrak, NYMTA, Metrolinx

Virginia and North Carolina are home Amtrak’s busiest stations in the Southeast. Also, the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) provides an update on expanding Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer; New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) Chief Accessibility Officer earns Presidential Volunteer Award; and Metrolinx’s maintenance and storage facility for the Finch West LRT project in Toronto receives LEED Silver Certification.

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