The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) Board of Directors on April 25 approved a $4.8 billion capital budget, allowing the agency to avoid “drastic cuts” due to investments from Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia, and largely maintain rail and bus service levels when the new budget year begins on July 1.
With unanimous Board support, Michelle A. Zamarin has been formally appointed as the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) new Inspector General, effective June 17. She succeeds Kevin Muhlendorf, who will remain in the role until June.
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) officially retired its legacy fleet on April 20 in a public event.
“Our team delivered strong financial results in the first quarter as we navigated a challenging freight market and normal winter conditions,” Union Pacific (UP) CEO Jim Vena said during the Class I’s financial report on April 25. “These results build on the momentum we established as we exited 2023 and provide further proof of what’s possible as we strive to be the best in safety, service and operational excellence. This is a great start to the year, but we understand there’s work to be done to achieve our goals and meet our stakeholders’ expectations.”
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) officially launches a new chatbot to improve customer interaction. Also, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) begins the installation phase of its new wayfinding system; and the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) celebrates the 190th anniversary of the founding of the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR).
“The Wabtec team delivered a strong start to 2024, continuing the momentum experienced in 2023. This was evidenced by higher sales, margin expansion, and increased earnings in the quarter,” President and CEO Rafael Santana said in an April 24 earnings announcement. Sales were up 13.8% year-over-year, driven by sales growth in both the Freight and Transit segments.
Union Pacific (UP) collaborates with Vestas to ship the largest wine turbine blades across the country by rail. Also, CSX Assistant Controller Thomas McDuffie is named a Rising Star by the Florida Institute of CFOs (fiCFO); and the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) commends Norfolk Southern’s (NS) role in supply chain continuity amid Baltimore disruptions.
Zero-emissions rail solutions technology company Intramotev announced April 24 that it is partnering with global mining company Carmeuse Americas to deploy its TugVolt technology at a mining site in Cedarville, Mich.
“We exited last year with strong momentum and our performance in the first quarter, combined with an improving demand environment, has us well positioned to deliver on our 2024 guidance,” Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) President and CEO Keith Creel said in an April 24 earnings announcement. “As we enter the second year of our forever story, we are focused on safely executing on the unique and undeniable opportunities this franchise creates and delivering long-term value for our employees, customers and shareholders.”
“Our team of railroaders delivered to plan in the first quarter and our scheduled operating model continued to enhance our service to customers,” CN President and CEO Tracy Robinson said during the Class I’s first-quarter 2024 financial and operating announcement on April 23. “Looking forward, we are confident for 2024. We are seeing the expected improvements in the economy, and our CN-specific growth opportunities are materializing. We remain committed to delivering on our growth agenda and powering the economy.”
