HDR Taps McClure for Transportation Communications
Theresa McClure has been promoted to Strategic Communications Director of the HDR Transportation Practice.
Rapid Transit
USDOT Appointments Announced
The Biden Administration has appointed 39 key members of the U.S. Department of Transportation, with more to come. Among them are Amit Bose, Deputy Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and Nuria Fernandez, Deputy Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Both have held the positions previously.
People News: MARTA CFO, AGM, Labor; Cando CCO
Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) has hired Raj Srinath as Chief Financial Officer and Patricia M. Lucek as Assistant General Manager of Labor and Employee Relations, a newly created position. Additionally, Cando Rail Services has promoted Steve Bromley to the newly created role of Chief Commercial Officer.
FTA Awards Grants to Help Transit Tackle COVID-19
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is distributing $15.8 million to 37 transit projects through its new Public Transportation COVID-19 Research Demonstration Grant Program.
Report: Massachusetts Governor Signs $16.5B Transportation Bond Bill
Massachusetts’ $16.5 billion transportation bond bill, recently signed into law by Gov. Charlie Baker, will support rail, bus and roadway improvement initiatives. The new law earmarks funds for the South Coast Rail, Green Line Extension and East-West rail projects, among others.
Third in a Series: Advocates Uncertain as Politics Comes Into Focus
My two previous reports in this series showed that companies and a union who could benefit directly from various DOT grants made highly favorable statements about Pete Buttigieg. That means little on its face, because the statements came from entities who could say little else. Advocates for the riders on Amtrak and transit are not bound by that constraint, and they have endured other DOT heads who have not been particularly favorable to the riders who are their constituents. I will conclude this series by reporting some comments from those advocates, examining Buttigieg’s political future, and proffering some suggestions about how he can help the riders (assuming that the Senate confirms his nomination).
Santamaria Appointed SVP Rail, Clever Devices
Clever Devices, an Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) provider, has named John Santamaria Senior Vice President of Rail.
New USDOT Deputy: Polly Trottenberg
Former New York City Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg has been tapped as U.S. Deputy Secretary of Transportation.
Railway Age Announces 2021 ‘Fast Trackers’ 20 Under 40 Honorees
Railway Age is honoring 20 “Fast Trackers” from a pool of more than 100 strong nominations for this year’s 20 Under 40 awards program.
N.Y. Governor Outlines $306B Infrastructure Plan
New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has proposed $306 billion in infrastructure improvements as part of his 2021 agenda.