The 2021 on-time performance of MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) in New York has surpassed the previous record set in 2020. Also, this summer, Sacramento (Calif.) Regional Transit District (RTD) will start Gold Line light rail improvements; Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) has partnered with Magnusmode on a new rider app; and VIA Rail Canada has selected Icomera to deploy Wi-Fi and an onboard digital platform for riders on its new trainsets.
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART); consultancy HDR; New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA); transit system manager and operator RATP Dev USA and WSP USA have appointed new executives.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has directed the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to move forward on a proposed Interborough Express service running from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn to Jackson Heights, Queens; a yearlong study confirms service feasibility.
Twenty projects—10 rail-specific—will share $11.03 million in Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grants through the Pilot Program for Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Planning.
Railway Age is pleased to announce the 25 “Fast Trackers” selected for this year’s 25 Under 40 awards program.
Alstom recently completed delivery on a major rapid transit railcar order for Société de Transport de Montréal (STM), which, like RATP in Paris and Sistema de Transporte Colectivo (STC) in Mexico City, uses rubber-tired vehicles. The 639 MPM-10 cars, configured in 71 carsets of nine and named “AZUR” (“Sky Blue”) by the public in 2012, were ordered from Bombardier and completed by Alstom. They entered service in 2016 and completely replaced the original MR-63 model. They feature an open gangway design similar to the Toronto Transit Commission’s Rocket cars, also built by Bombardier.
The Federal Transit Administration is awarding American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021 grants for COVID-19 response to the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT, $332.5 million); Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA, $1.24 billion); New Jersey Transit (NJT, $1.6 billion); and New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (NYMTA, $6.2 billion).
Luke Bridle has been named Director of Transportation for HOK, a global design, architecture, engineering and planning firm. In addition, Transit Wireless has elevated Anthony Mazzarella to Vice President of Analytics and Advertising.
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) now includes canceled rail and bus trips on its transit app. Also, California’s North County Transit District (NCTD) is launching a first-mile, last-mile pilot program for COASTER regional/commuter rail riders; and Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) at the end of 2021 fired 354 workers who did not comply with its mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Build America Bureau is making available up to $5 million in grants for its Regional Infrastructure Accelerators (RIA) Demonstration Program.
