APTA: Transit agencies need billions of dollars in aid due to coronavirus
With transit agencies feeling the hurt of the coronavirus in the U.S., many are now hoping Congress will step up and offer some relief.
Commuter/Regional
Boston halts all construction activities as coronavirus cases elevate to 33
The city of Boston is shutting down construction activity as fears about the spread of the coronavirus continue and officials attempt to flatten the infected rate.
Amtrak needs a bailout fast; Metro Transit cancels overnight service; S.F. transit does not alter much during lockdown
Amtrak and other passenger rail services say $1 billion is needed to help recover from the coronavirus pandemic sweeping through the U.S.
UPDATED MARCH 16: Rail Group Staff Report: Global railway industry response to the COVID-19 pandemic
The World Health Organization has declared COVID-19, otherwise known as the coronavirus, a pandemic, and the U.S. has declared a National Emergency. The global railway industry is ramping-up its response. Following is
Bells & Whistles Special—Saturday news update
Transit agencies suffer drop in ridership due to coronavirus fears. GoTriangle takes another angle with new commuter line. New transit line in Austin would cost taxpayers big time. Ottawa’s Confederation Line faces
Transit ridership drops significantly across the country amid coronavirus fears; some agencies cut service
With the coronavirus continuing to spread fear across the U.S., transit agencies are now starting to feel the effects of more people working from home and more people simply avoiding public gatherings.
Rail Group Staff Report: Global railway industry response to the COVID-19 pandemic
MARCH 12, 2020: The World Health Organization has declared COVID-19, otherwise known as the coronavirus, a pandemic, and the global railway industry is ramping-up its response. Following is a staff report from
Talk of Gold Line extension in California takes several turns
There is yet to be an approved line of thinking when it comes to extending the Gold Line in San Bernardino County, Calif. The San Bernardino Country Transportation Authority (SBCTA) says it
GoTriangle has new approach to a commuter rail line in North Carolina
GoTriangle is circling back on a new commuter rail line that would serve Durham and Johnston counties in North Carolina. GoTriangle tried to move forward with an 18-mile line last year, but
Rail union outlines its “demands” for the coronavirus
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) wants the rail industry to take the right steps regarding the coronavirus, and that means changing the sick leave policy and making sure everything
U.S. Senators propose bill to end Amtrak’s forced arbitration policy
During the fall of 2019, RT&S reported on the decision by Amtrak to end the right for passengers injured in an Amtrak accident to sue the passenger carrier, and said that any such
Minnesota’s Metro Transit suffers decline in ridership in 2019
Overall transit riders took fewer trips on Metro Transit in 2019, but there is plenty of blame to go around.
Measure would provide low-interest loans for passenger rail projects across the country
States might have some help when it comes to financing rail projects. U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas and U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster have introduced legislation that would give states low-interest loans for passenger
Amtrak cleaning trains more frequently and waiving change fees due to coronavirus fears
Amtrak is cleaning its trains more frequently to help prevent or reduce the spread of coronavirus on its trains. In addition, it is waiving any fees usually incurred by changing an existing
NJ Transit forms task force to deal with coronavirus; ridership down in Washington State
Following the lead of New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), NJ Transit is stepping up preventive measures in an effort to deal with a potential coronavirus outbreak.
Confirmed cases in N.Y. has MTA, rail agencies scrubbing stations, trains and cars
After two confirmed coronavirus cases in New York City, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is on sanitize alert.
King County, Wash., planning to up its sanitizing game on light rail cars following first coronavirus death; China now using thermal scanners at stations
Now that the coronavirus is behind one death in King County, Wash., officials are working to sanitize public transit in the hopes ridership does not suffer a decline.
Light rail projects in Texas benefit from FTA’s CIG Program
The U.S. DOT’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced that three project sponsors of Capital Investment Grants (CIG) Program projects are approved to use a combined $64.2 million of the federal share of
FRA Publishes Q4 2019 PTC Implementation Status Updates
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) today released a quarterly status update on railroads’ self-reported progress, as of December 31, 2019, toward fully implementing positive train control (PTC) systems