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.
New Jersey Transit has awarded a $45.5 million contract for Perth Amboy commuter rail station renovations, and installed 558 new ticket vending machines. In addition, passengers can now ride the WAVE (Whitby Autonomous Vehicle Electric) shuttle to Metrolinx’s GO Train; and Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) has provided an update on the recent cybersecurity attack that impacted a number of its internal and customer-facing functions.
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) in Texas has been named a Forbes “Best in State Employer.” In addition, Metrolinx’s recent pilot in Ontario that tested transit surfaces for the SARS-CoV-2 virus has received an “all clear” from experts; the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) has earned an award from the Canadian Urban Transit Association; and Vancouver’s TransLink is beginning a system-wide rollout of free Wi-Fi for customers.
The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) has awarded ICF a contract for up to $30 million to provide environmental services for Link21. In addition, Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and Vancouver’s TransLink are installing antimicrobial copper coatings on high-touch vehicle services as part of a pilot; and the Southern Rail Commission (SRC) will award federal grants to four cities for passenger rail station upgrades in anticipation of Amtrak’s Gulf Coast service restoration.
Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx have issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the Scarborough Subway Extension’s Stations, Rail and Systems (SRS) package, advancing the $4.5 billion (C$5.5 billion), three-stop project in the Greater Toronto Area.
The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) celebrated its centennial on Sept. 1.
The first Alstom Citadis Spirit light rail vehicle has arrived for the C$2.5 billion (US$1.95 billion) Finch West LRT project in northwest Toronto. The 11-kilometer (6.8-mile) line is slated to open in 2023.
New subway cars with reduced-friction braking and communications-based train control (CBTC) have contributed to improved air quality on Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) trains and platforms, according to a report from the University of Toronto (UofT), Health Canada, and National Research Council Canada.
Chicago’s Metra is offering an onboard rider satisfaction survey; Southern California Regional Rail Authority (Metrolink) has launched a Small Business Partnership Program (SBPP); Phoenix’s Valley Metro has introduced a real-time light rail and bus tracking and trip planning app; Sound Transit has debuted a Northgate Link website ahead of the 4.3-mile light rail extension’s Oct. 2 opening; and Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) has opened a new Fare Inspector and Special Constable Complaints (FISCC) Office.
Transportation Technology Center, Inc., President Lisa Stabler has announced her retirement, after more than a decade of service at the wholly owned Association of American Railroads (AAR) subsidiary.
