RTD

Gov. Hochul, MTA Chief Executive Officer Janno Lieber, and Demetrius Crichlow, Senior Vice President of NYCT Subways tour a 7 train with newly installed high- resolution security cameras at the Corona Maintenance Facility in Queens, Tuesday Sept. 20, 2022. Eventually, all 6,500-plus subway cars in the NYCT system will be outfitted with two high resolution video cameras to ensure safety for straphangers. (Kevin P. Coughlin / Office of Governor Kathy Hochul)

Transit Briefs: NYMTA, LA Metro, OKC Streetcar, RTD, Boston’s South Station, Metro-North, LIRR

Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to install security cameras in every subway car. Also, LA Metro releases new photos of the K Line’s Hyde Park Station artwork; the OKC Streetcar reaches one million rider milestone; the Regional Transportation District (RTD) closes financial transaction reducing its annual debt service by more than $144 million over 200 years; officials celebrate the next chapter in the redevelopment of Boston’s South Station; and Metro-North Railroad and Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) will get their own police detail.

  • News

Rail Safety Week Initiatives Accelerate (UPDATED)

As Rail Safety Week (RSW) (Sept. 19-25), a collaborative effort among Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI), state OLI programs and rail safety partners across the U.S., Canada and Mexico, continues to be observed, North American carriers and organizations are mobilizing to raise awareness about rail safety and to help stop track tragedies during this annual week-long event. Here is a roundup of the week’s initiatives.

On Sept. 12, 2022, the MBTA will launch a new, year-long pilot to test interest in weekday Commuter Rail service to Foxboro.

Transit Briefs: MBTA, CTA, BART, Amtrak, MDOT, RTD

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) Foxboro Weekday Commuter Rail Service Pilot is scheduled to begin Sept. 12. Also, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) signs contract for new K-9 teams to be deployed across rail system; Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) commemorates its 50th anniversary with vintage arcade games; Amtrak breaks ground on two Americans with Disabilities (ADA) station upgrade projects and celebrates the completion of another; Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, U.S. Rep. Richard Neal and head of Amtrak take train tour to see what needs to be done to bring Springfield’s rail lines back; Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) will ramp up activities on the Purple Line project; and the Regional Transportation District (RTD) selects Dr. Joel Fitzgerald Sr. as Chief of Police and Emergency Management.

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.

Denver RTD’s new strategic plan, “Change, Challenge, and Connections,” covers four agency priorities: community value, customer excellence, employee ownership and financial success.

Transit Briefs: Denver RTD; Sound Transit; WMATA; WSP-USA

Denver Regional Transit District’s (RTD) Board of Directors has adopted a new five-year strategic plan. In addition, Sound Transit is teaming with the city of Seattle to address homelessness; Washington Area Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMATA) will redevelop the West Falls Church (Va.) Metro Station site; and WSP USA’s Tanya Adams and Ruben Landa have been elected to the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials’ (COMTO) National Board for the 2021-23 term.

Nadine Lee, incoming President and CEO of Dallas Area Rapid Transit

DART Taps Nadine Lee as New Chief

Nadine Lee will become the next President and CEO of Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) on July 12, succeeding David Leininger, who has served in an interim role since November 2020.

Fitch: Five Transit Agencies on “Rating Watch Negative”

Fitch Ratings has placed the ratings of five large U.S. public transit agencies on “Rating Watch Negative.” Fitch said it “expects widespread and sharp declines in transit ridership and fare revenues to create significant near-term stress in the U.S. public transit sector with the [agencies] identified here at the greatest risk. Some transit agencies in major urban areas that have already been impacted by the pandemic are reporting ridership declines of as much as 70% to 90% amid efforts at social distancing, a widespread shift to telecommuting and shelter-in-place orders.”

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