Registration is now open for SWTA's 2021 Summer University Conference in Santa Fe, this July 18 - 22. Details below. Click here or above to register.
DART Board of Directors Announces Nadine Lee as New President & Chief Executive Officer
The Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Board of Directors announced the appointment of Nadine Lee as its new president & chief executive officer. Lee, an experienced transit industry leader and engineer who has worked in the transportation industry for nearly 30 years, Read More
Countdown to Santa Fe
We’re excited to head to Santa Fe for our 2021 Summer University Conference – July 18-22, 2021. As is the hallmark of this event, we’ll again feature 3 tracks of 2-day seminars: Community Mobility, Marketing and Transit Law. Registration for attendees & exhibitors is now open!
Plus a 3-Day Maintenance Train-the-Trainer Session and a 1-Day CEOs Forum. See our 1-Page Flyer for an easy-to-print overview of key conference details.
Planner, Regional Transit & Mobility - CAPITAL METRO
Transit Operator - CITY OF GALVESTON
Accountant II - VALLEY METRO
Assistant General Manager of Facilities and Maintenance - FIRST TRANSIT
Transit & Parking Program Manager – CITY OF NORMAN
Program Manager, Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) - CAPITAL METRO
Mobility Planner - NACOG
Systems Safety Engineer - CAPITAL METRO
Manager, Project Controls Office - CAPITAL METRO
RFP: Kansas City Streetcar Main Extension - KCATA
RFP: Consulting Services for Retirement Plan - VIA METRO
RFP: Architectural Services for Design of Transit Bus/Street Car Operations and Storage Facility - CITY OF CRIPPLE CREEK
RFQ: Architectural & Engineering Services for Bus Storage Facility – Gunniston Valley RTA
Sole Source Procurement: Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) of Light Rail Vehicles or Maintenance of Way alignments - VALLEY METRO
RFEOI: Vanpool Services - VALLEY METRO
CATS announces October 9 ballot to include renewal of agency's ten-year millage
Capital Area Transit System (CATS) officials announced the agency will place a proposition on the October 9, 2021 ballot to renew its ten-year millage, which serves as the agency’s main source of funding. This funding supports the daily operations and allows CATS to provide service to tens of thousands of customers each month. The proposition will appear on the ballots in the City of Baton Rouge and City of Baker limits. Read More
RTD TO BEGIN SYSTEMWIDE FARE STUDY, EQUITY ANALYSIS
Recognizing that its fare structure is one of the most expensive in the transit industry, the Denver Regional Transportation District(RTD) this summer is embarking on a comprehensive, system-wide study of its fares and a fare equity analysis to ensure that the agency is doing all it can to make its services more accessible. Read More
RTA enters new buses into service; debuting new bus design
The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA) held an unveiling ceremony for the agency’s 22 newly designed 35’ New Flyer buses that began service on Thursday, May 6th. The unveiling featured the Warren Easton Charter School band and included an inaugural processional down Canal Street. The agency purchased 22 vehicles to replace vehicles that are at the end of their useful life, many of which were purchased after Hurricane Katrina. Read More
NCRTD Breaks Ground on New Maintenance Facility Wash Bay and Fueling Station at Its Española Headquarters
The North Central Regional Transit District (NCRTD) has broken ground on the construction of a new maintenance facility to include maintenance repair bays, equipment, vehicle wash bays, and a fueling station. Read More
FTA Extends Mask Mandate for Transit Providers & All Transportation Networks Thru September 13. Read Full Details.
Transit News from Across the SWTA Nation
• Without many riders returning from COVID, some transit agencies are in desperate need of money (Bloomberg CityLab)
Oklahoma City's EMBARK To Build Bus Rapid Transit System (News 9)
FirstGroup Sells U.S. School Bus and Transit Units (Barrons)
ModivCare acquires WellRyde, moves to create nationwide, private Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) Network (Businesswire)
Federal News, Legislation & Policy Updates
While we await further activity on the Biden Administration's American Jobs Plan proposal – which House Speaker Nancy Pelosi hopes to have passed Congress by July 4 – as well as insights on how it will interact with reauthorization of the FAST Act, some key developments & events have occurred in Washington impacting transit nationwide.
First, U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (the Majority Leader, from New York) and Sherrod Brown (Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, Ohio) introduced the Clean Transit For America Plan, which would provide $73 billion in additional investment for a 100% zero-emmissions transit bus & cutaway fleet. It's possible the measure may be combined with the American Jobs Plan. Analysis can be found here.
Meanwhile, this past Tuesday (May 11), FTA Acting Administrator Nuria Fernandez appeared before a Senate Banking Committe hearing ahead of a vote to confirm her in the Administrator role. A video of the hearing and her prepared remarks are available here.
Additionally, FTA has selected consultant and digital services provider ICF to automate and update the National Transit Database (NTD), improving data visibility, analysis and tracking. Details on the project can be found here.
Finally, on May 6th, the House T&I Committee's Railroads Subcommittee held a hearing on high-speed rail in the U.S., including Texas Central Railway CEO Carlos Aguilar. Video & testimony from the hearing are provided here.
UPCOMING EVENTS FROM STATE & NATIONAL TRANSIT ASSOCIATIONS