VIA Rail Canada

Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland on March 28 tabled Budget 2023.

Canada FY2023 Budget: $262MM for Rail

Among the proposals included in the Canadian government’s 2023 budget, tabled March 28 by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland, are those slated to “strengthen Canada’s transportation systems and supply chain infrastructure,” such as the establishment of a Transportation Supply Chain Office and a temporary extension, on a pilot basis, of the interswitching limit in the prairie provinces “to strengthen rail competition.” Also proposed: investing C$210.0 million over five years in VIA Rail Canada.

(Photograph Courtesy of VIA Rail Canada)

Canada’s Auditor General Issues Accessible Transportation Report

While VIA Rail Canada, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority and the Canadian Transportation Agency have “taken steps to identify and remove some of the barriers faced by travelers with disabilities, many remain,” concludes a report released March 27 by Canada’s Office of the Auditor General. Transport Canada responds.

The MBTA has launched a Speed Restrictions Dashboard that will provide riders with up-to-date information on speed restrictions across the agency's system. (Image Courtesy of MBTA)

Transit Briefs: MBTA, SEPTA, TTC, VIA Rail, NJ Transit, BART, PANYNJ

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) launches online Speed Restrictions Dashboard; awards contract for major track and signal upgrades at South Station; and invites public comment on the proposed Capital Investment Plan (CIP) for Fiscal Years 2024-2028. Also, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) awards design contract for Broad Street Line ADA Improvement project and approves proposal to install new fare gates; the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) formerly ends token sales; VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) improves diversity and inclusion policies; NJ Transit advances improvements at Mahwah Station; Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) moves forward with purchase of fare gates to be installed systemwide; and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) advances plan to replace AirTrain Newark with selection of three firms as part of multi-phase procurement process.

Canada Launches HFR RFQ

The Canadian Government has issued an RFQ (Request for Qualifications) for the High Frequency Rail (HFR) project for the Québec City-Trois-Rivières-Montréal-Ottawa-Peterborough-Toronto corridor.

VIA Seeks New L-D Rolling Stock

VIA Rail Canada announced Jan. 27 that it intends to renew its existing long-distance (L-D, regional and remote-territory fleet and has issued a formal Request for Information (RFI) for a supplier to “design, manufacture, test, supply, deliver and commission cars and motive power and ancillary equipment (onboard and offboard) with a prescribed capacity of car types (coaches, sleepers, diners, multi-purpose, baggage)” through the open competitive procurement process known as the “Long Distance Regional and Remote Fleet Renewal Project.”

“Despite weather events and a freight train derailment beyond our control, it is clear that lessons will be learned, and changes will be made,” Martin R. Landry, interim President and CEO of VIA Rail Canada said in a Jan. 10 statement.

VIA Rail Canada Issues Mea Culpa

“We didn’t meet your expectations and for that we apologize,” Martin R. Landry, interim President and CEO of VIA Rail Canada said in a Jan. 10 statement to riders regarding travel disruptions between Dec. 23 and Dec. 26 that he attributed to a “severe winter storm along with the derailment of a freight train” on host freight railroad CN.

New York MTA on Nov. 30 said it “needs to boost fares above its expected 4% hike and may be forced to cut service and implement layoffs if state and city lawmakers fail to direct more aid to the system to help fix an estimated $3 billion deficit in 2025,” according to a Bloomberg report. (Photograph Courtesy of MTA)

Transit Briefs: NYMTA, Sound Transit, VIA Rail

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has released its proposed 2023 budget and four-year financial plan. Also, live-wire testing continues for Sound Transit’s East Link light rail line, which will extend 14 miles from downtown Seattle to Redmond, Wash.; and VIA Rail Canada has released a third-quarter 2022 report and entered into a long-term agreement with CGI for work on its new online reservation system.

RailVision Founder and CEO Dev Jain. (Photo: Business Wire)
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RailVision Secures $4MM in Seed Funding

Canada-based RailVision Analytics, which was launched in 2020 with the objective of “helping the railway industry reduce its fuel consumption and lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions,” announced Nov. 30 that it has closed a $4 million seed funding round from investors to be used for technical hiring, growing the company’s development team, and expanding its product line and customer base.

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