The San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC) appoints Chris Orlando as CEO. Also, Kathryn B. “Katie” Thomson is Acting Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), following the departure of Paul J. Wiedefeld; and Pete Semenek is retiring as National Vice President of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET).
The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) launches a new Capital Program Dashboard. Also, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s (PANYNJ) PATH commuter rail records its second-busiest month since the pandemic; all five of LA Metro’s rail lines post gains in weekend ridership; the Ontario government extends the OneFare program to keep transit costs down for riders; the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority (SJJPA) restores the seventh Gold Runner round trip; and Austin Light Rail receives a “medium-high” rating from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
After three decades of service and more than 10 million trips, the Breda light rail vehicles at San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) are being retired. Also, New Jersey Transit (NJT) marks a renovation milestone at Mahwah Station; San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority (SJJPA) rebrands the Amtrak San Joaquins service in California; Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) extends discounted fare card benefits amid the government shutdown; California’s Caltrain releases its customer satisfaction survey results; Denver (Colo.) Regional Transportation District (RTD) is developing a comprehensive plan for additional, dedicated event service; and Alstom will hire more than 100 employees at its Plattsburgh, N.Y., plant to meet increased railcar demand.
“California Dreamin’” was one of the iconic songs of the sixties. It was about an Angelino enduring a New York winter and dreaming about his warm hometown (the inverse of the scenario in Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas”). Barry McGuire recorded the original version in 1963, and the 1966 version by The Mamas & the Papas with Bud Shank’s flute solo defined the song. Nostalgia aside, there seems to be a new custom in part of the Golden State: “California Starvin’” as practiced on Amtrak’s San Joaquin trains between Bakersfield at the south end and the Bay Area and Sacramento at the north end.
The San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC) on April 30 announced that Executive Director Stacey Mortensen will step down from her role, effective Aug. 31, 2025, after more than 27 years of leadership.
Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) warns of service cuts without increased state funding. Also, New Jersey Transit (NJT) debuts a new fare card; and the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority (SJJPA) Board approves a new brand name for its intercity passenger rail service.
*UPDATED PER REVISED SJJPA AND SJRRC PRESS RELEASES, ISSUED 1/6: The San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority (SJJPA) and the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC) on Jan. 6 announced several grant awards
The San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority (SJJPA) and San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC) have been awarded $71 million from the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) Cycle 7 Transit and Intercity Rail
The San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority (SJJPA) and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) on Oct. 30 reported securing $54.5 million through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Mega (National Infrastructure Project Assistance)
The California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) recently announced that $1.3 billion from the Transit and Intercity Capital Rail Program (TIRCP) funded by the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (cap-and-trade) will go to 27 projects following a statewide competitive grant application process for Cycle 7, according to a Streetsblog California report.
