NEWS HEADLINES

UTA’s Airport TRAX Light Rail Enters Service in Salt Lake City

The Utah Transit Authority (UTA) in Salt Lake City introduced TRAX light rail service to the Salt Lake City International Airport April 13 with a community celebration of the opening of the Airport TRAX Line. Regular service began April 14. [More]

 

Green Power: Earth Day 2013

What is your public transportation agency or business doing to celebrate Earth Day on April 22? It’s so easy being green! [More]

Still Riding at Age 100

Cincinnati Metro recently recognized a 100-year-old woman for her many years of ridership on the system. [More]

Castillo Advocates for Women at White House Forum

Women leaders—those with a leadership title and those with a leadership temperament—stay in organizations that value their talents and support their careers, APTA Chair Flora Castillo said at “Articulating the Business Case for Women in Transportation,” a recent White House forum that focused on developing strategies to increase the number of female executives in the industry. [More]

APTA to Discuss Public Transit at Energy Forum

Energy efficiency experts from the public and private sectors will gather May 20-21 in Washington, DC, for EE Global 2013, a forum that will address some of the most pressing questions related to the global economy and the environment, including strengthening investments in energy efficiency technologies, climate uncertainty, and the role of emerging markets in energy policies. The forum is hosted in part by the Alliance to Save Energy, a longtime APTA partner. [More]

FHWA Report: Planning Requires Many Voices

A recently released report from the Federal Highway Administration addresses the importance of bringing together design professionals from all modes—including public transit—when planning and developing major transportation projects. [More]

Reopened ‘Old’ Station Returns Service to Manhattan’s South Ferry

MTA New York City Transit resumed service April 4 on the 1 subway line to South Ferry Station by reopening a closed loop platform while the main station continues repairs necessitated by Hurricane Sandy. [More]

Haney Named President/CEO of Wendel

Wendel, a design and construction firm headquartered in Buffalo, NY, has named Stewart C. Haney, P.E. LEED AP, PMP, as its president/chief executive officer. [More]

RIPTA Names Studley CEO

The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) Board of Directors in Providence has selected Raymond B. Studley to serve as its chief executive officer. [More]

APTA MEMBER PROFILE

Meet Helen L. Callier!

This is the latest in an ongoing series of columns showcasing APTA members. The subject of this profile is Helen L. Callier, president, Bradlink LLC, Kingwood, TX; member, APTA Business Member Board of Governors; Business Member Small Business Committee; and Sustainability Committee. [More]

MEET THE APTA STAFF

Meet Marcus Eng!

This is the latest in an ongoing series of columns showcasing members of the APTA staff. The subject of this profile is Marcus Eng, meeting planner, Member Services Department. [More]

AROUND THE INDUSTRY

St. Louis Metro Adds Artwork to Stadium Station

In anticipation of the St. Louis Cardinals’ new baseball season, Metro in St. Louis recently dedicated an 18-foot-long aluminum sculpture with a baseball and Gateway Arch theme at the MetroLink light rail Stadium Station. [More]

SunLine Breaks Ground for Administration Building

The SunLine Transit Agency in Thousand Palms, CA, recently broke ground for its new Administration Building and Transit Hub. The 25,000-square-foot facility is scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2014. [More]

BART Awards Grant for Workforce Development Apprentice Program

Local workers make up the bulk of employees building the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District’s (BART) Oakland Airport Connector (OAC), and—thanks to a newly awarded BART grant—some of those workers will come from an apprentice program aimed at training young Oakland men and women looking to learn a trade. [More]

Public Transit Firms Honored Among ‘World’s Most Ethical’

Five public transportation-related companies—ABB, AECOM, CH2M HILL, Cummins Inc., and Parsons Corporation—are among the 145 “2013 World’s Most Ethical Companies” (WME) recently announced by the Ethisphere Institute.  The annual list, now in its seventh year, highlights companies from around the world that outperform industry peers when it comes to ethical behavior. [More]

LBT Thanks Customers at 50th-Anniversary Event

Long Beach Transit (LBT) held a customer appreciation event in honor of the system’s recent 50th anniversary. [More]

COMMENTARY

Transit for Everyone
BY JARED GREEN, The Dirt, American Society of Landscape Architects

For the daily subway, rail, or bus rider, accessibility is a huge issue. If a public transit system is difficult to use, then people simply stop using it unless they have no other options. This is equally true for those walking or biking to mass transit. [More]

APTA NEWS

June Rail Conference Schedule in Philadelphia Features New Sessions

The 2013 APTA Rail Conference, June 2-5 in Philadelphia, features several new sessions this year focused on training for frontline employees, passenger rail safety, careers for veterans, and funding strategies for public transit. [More]

Report Examines Business Case for Public Transportation

A new publication from the APTA Business Member Board of Governors, Open for Business: The Business Case for Investment in Public Transportation, focuses on the issues ­critical to private investors as they consider the public transportation industry as an investment destination. [More]

APTA Seeking Comments for New, Revised Standards

The APTA Standards Program is seeking comments on several new and revised standards covering a wide range of issues and topics. [More]

TRB Seeks Transit IDEA Proposals

The Transportation Research Board (TRB) is accepting proposals through May 10 for the Transit IDEA Program, which supports the development and testing of innovative concepts and methods for advancing transit practice. The Transit IDEA Program is funded by FTA as part of the Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP), a cooperative effort of FTA, TRB, and APTA. [More]

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

Who’s Doing What in the Industry

Passenger Transport announces the following hirings and promotions in public transportation agencies and business members. Items appear in People on the Move in the order in which they are received. [More]