Denver Regional Transportation District

Amtrak and Connersville, Ind., held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the completion of an accessibility upgrade project at the city’s Cardinal-served passenger rail station. (Amtrak Photograph)

Transit Briefs: Amtrak, Denver RTD, LACMTA

Amtrak celebrates the completion of a $1.9 million station project in Connersville, Ind. Also, Denver Regional Transportation District’s (RTD) FasTracks bonds rating is upgraded; and Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (LACMTA) new Regional Connector project helps boost July ridership.

For first-quarter 2023, Virginia Railway Express commuter rail ridership rose 113.90% from first-quarter 2022. (VRE Photograph via Twitter)

APTA Releases 1Q23 Public Transportation Ridership Report

The American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) first-quarter 2023 Public Transportation Ridership Report finds that the light rail/streetcar, commuter rail and heavy rail (rapid transit) categories were up by double-digits over the prior-year

CTA is starting a nearly three-month project on the Blue Line’s Forest Park Branch that will replace 15,000 feet of track between the LaSalle and Illinois Medical District stations; demolish and begin rebuilding the Racine station to meet modern accessibility guidelines; and upgrade the traction power system. (CTA Photograph)

Transit Briefs: CTA, Denver RTD, Metrolinx

Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) launches a $268 million rebuild project on the Blue Line’s Forest Park Branch. Also, Denver (Colo.) Regional Transportation District (RTD) adopts revisions to the Customer Code of Conduct; and Metrolinx unveils a mobile-optimized website for the UP Express air-rail link in Toronto.

Brightline has teamed with Starlink to provide internet connectivity onboard its five trainsets serving South Florida between Miami and West Palm Beach. It will be added to Brightline’s five newest Siemens Mobility trainsets this summer when service to Orlando is slated to begin. (Brightline Photograph)

Transit Briefs: Brightline, Denver RTD, NYMTA, VIA Rail

Brightline, Florida’s private-sector passenger railroad, offers riders high-speed, low-latency broadband service from Starlink. Also, Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD) provides real-time train/bus arrival information through a new Interactive Voice Response (IVR) customer service system; New York’s MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and MTA Metro-North Railroad reach record average weekday ridership; and VIA Rail Canada releases 2022 annual report.

Ken Kessler, Chief Financial Officer, Valley Metro, Phoenix, Ariz. (left); Stuart Summers, Chief Communications and Engagement Officer, Regional Transportation District (RTD), Denver, Colo.

People News: Valley Metro, RTD

Valley Metro in Phoenix, Ariz., appoints Ken Kessler as Chief Financial Officer. Also, Denver (Colo.) Regional Transportation District (RTD) hires Stuart Summers as Chief Communications and Engagement Officer.

The Green Line Light Rail Transit project’s 11.18-mile (18-kilometer) Phase I will use CAF LRVs to connect southeast Calgary to downtown.

Transit Briefs: Calgary Green Line; Denver RTD; Vancouver SkyTrain

A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) has been released for Phase 1 of the Green Line Light Rail Transit project in Calgary. Also, Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD) has launched a system-wide fare study and equity analysis; and the Vancouver City Council has endorsed the proposed route and station locations for the Millennium Line SkyTrain extension from Arbutus Street to the University of British Columbia.

The Board of Directors at Denver RTD has authorized the agency’s General Manager and CEO Debra A. Johnson (pictured ninth from left) to enter into a successor three-year collective bargaining agreement with the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1001, which represents two-thirds of RTD employees.

Transit Briefs: Denver RTD, NJ Transit

The Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD) Board has authorized a new contract for union employees. Also, New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit) is creating its first-ever Sustainability Plan.

Pictured: Robert Grado, outgoing Chief of Police and Emergency Management, Denver (Colo.) Regional Transportation District, and Ann Holland, Vice President Operations, Railroad Consultants.
  • News

People News: Denver RTD; Railroad Consultants

At Denver (Colo.) Regional Transportation District (RTD), Chief of Police and Emergency Management Robert Grado is stepping down. Also, Murfreesboro, Tenn.-based Railroad Consultants has appointed Ann Holland as Vice President Operations.

“As our communities and system recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, planning becomes even more important,” DART said on Oct. 19. “The 2045 Transit System Plan is intended to be a more policy-oriented plan so DART can shape and influence the future.”

Transit Briefs: DART; Denver RTD; MTA Metro-North; VIA Rail Canada

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) has released a draft 2045 Transit System Plan. In addition, Denver (Colo.) Regional Transportation District is surveying riders to assess communication needs; MTA Metro-North Railroad is piloting a bike storage program in New York City; and Via Rail Canada will begin the final phase of its gradual service resumption plan in December.

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