The APTA Nominating Committee selected current Vice Chair Valarie J. McCall, a member of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority Board of Trustees, as APTA chair for 2015-2016 at a meeting Aug. 21 in Chicago. [More]

NEWS HEADLINES

Houston METRO Introduces New Bus Network

Houston’s Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) launched a substantially new bus network—78 updated routes, including 22 scheduled to run every 15 minutes or more often at least 18 hours a day, seven days a week—on Aug. 16. [More]

RTD Opens Boulder Junction at Depot Square Station; Station Part of Mixed-Use Plan

Denver’s Regional Transportation District (RTD) and the city of Boulder recently marked the opening of RTD’s Boulder Junction at Depot Square Station—part of a 160-acre area that is being redeveloped into a mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented neighborhood with regional public transit connections. [More]

GCRTA Opens Little Italy-University Circle Station

The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) opened its first new Red Line rail station in 46 years, Little Italy-­University Circle Station, at recent ribbon-cutting ­ceremonies. [More]

Sound Transit Executes Issuance of Green Bonds

Sound Transit recently executed the sale of nearly $1 billion of green bonds that will help fund voter-approved regional public transit projects, including construction of more than 30 miles of light rail extensions on track for 2023. [More]

Foothill Gold Line Dedicates First of Six Stations

The Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority in Los Angeles recently held a dedication ceremony for the Duarte/City of Hope Station, the first in a series of celebrations marking the substantial completion of construction for the six-station, 11.5-mile light rail project from Pasadena to Azusa. [More]

Central Arkansas Transit Rebrands

The Central Arkansas Transit Authority in North Little Rock recently held a special celebration to announce its new name, Rock Region METRO, a move Executive Director Jarod Varner said reflects the “citizen-focused, forward-thinking organization we are.” [More]

New, Interim CEOs Named

North Carolina DOT and AC Transit have announced their new top officials and two public transit agencies have named interim chief executives. [More]

AROUND THE INDUSTRY

WTS Creates LaHood Award

WTS International recently announced the creation of a new annual award—the WTS Secretary Ray LaHood Award—which will be bestowed on men in the U.S. who have been key to the organization’s efforts to attract, retain and advance women in transportation. [More]

USSC Enters Partnership with Investment Firm

USSC, a leading manufacturer of safety and survivability solutions for extreme duty, niche transportation markets, has entered into a strategic partnership with Dubin Clark & Co., a private investment firm. [More]

ABC Companies Founder Dies

Clarence “Clancy” Carl Cornell, 85, of Clermont, FL, founder and chairman emeritus of ABC Companies, died Aug. 15. [More]

APTA NEWS

APTA Encourages Continued Outreach to House Members

It’s August. Do you know where your member of the U.S. House of Representatives is? [More]

Many Annual Meeting Sessions Showcase In-Depth Learning

Approximately 35 concurrent sessions have been scheduled for APTA’s 2015 Annual Meeting, Oct. 4-7 in San Francisco, on topics ranging from alternate fuels to safety, MAP-21, procurement best practices and transformative technologies. [More]

APTA's New Research Provides Data, Info to Strengthen Industry

APTA published two research reports in August that feature analysis, best practices and statistics to help strengthen public transportation agencies and businesses. [More]

Additional Member on UITP Board

Bruce McCuaig, president and chief executive of Metrolinx, has been appointed to the policy board of UITP (the International Association of Public Transport), an international organization for public transportation authorities and operators, policy and decision makers, scientific institutes and businesses and suppliers. [More]

COMMENTARY

Uber and Public Transit Are Trying to Get Along; Partnerships hold promise, but also raise questions

Uber isn’t known for working peacefully with cities. Case in point: pretty much everywhere it’s ever launched a new service. But the e-hail cab company seems to be making an effort with public transportation agencies in the U.S., at least if a few early partnerships are any indication. [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]