The Regional Transportation Authority (Chicago, Ill.) on Dec. 18 voted to adopt the 2025 Regional Transit Operating Budget and 2026-2030 Capital Program following the signing of the Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Chicago Transit Board on Nov. 12 unanimously approved a balanced $2.23 billion operating budget for the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), which, the agency says, “holds the line on fares, avoids layoffs, enhances existing services, expands vehicle cleaning measures, and more.” The operating budget is $75 million—or 3.2 percent—more than the 2025 budget.
Société de transport de Montréal (STM) in Canada seeks an end to the Metro and bus strikes. Also, Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) will offer 24-hour rapid transit service to Midway Airport; Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) in North Carolina is providing mobile transit passes to community members with SNAP and WIC benefits; and the government of Canada’s Budget 2025 proposes a renewal of the Canada Strong Pass for the holiday season.
Metra earlier this month unveiled a $1.1 billion budget for 2026 that it said includes “an RTA-mandated fare increase and other measures to cover a projected $68 million shortfall, but no service cuts will be needed” for its 11-line commuter rail system in the Chicagoland area. Also proposed: a $575.3 million capital plan that invests in bridges, stations, and new and rehabilitated rolling stock.
More than 300 freight rail industry representatives—from Class I’s and short lines to suppliers and contractors, and the major associations that represent them—are coming together in force on and around Capitol Hill on May 7.
Railway Age Engineering Editor and RT&S Editor-in-Chief Bill Wilson talks about the state of the industry for the Maintenance-of-Way sector. Special guests on this podcast are Chuck Baker from the ASLRRA and Nate Irby from the RTA.
Chicago’s Metra has proposed a $900 million operating budget and $263 million capital budget for 2022; there is no fare increase.
The Railway Tie Association (RTA) Executive Committee has named Nathan (Nate) Irby, Ph.D., as the association’s next Executive Director.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) will distribute $1 billion among 70 surface transportation infrastructure projects in 44 states through its Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Transportation Discretionary Grants program. The Fiscal Year 2020 program is for planning and capital investments.
The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) is taking additional measures to protect customers and employees from the spread of the coronavirus by adding ultra violet technology (UV-C) to its arsenal of disinfectant procedures.
