Transit Unplugged Weekly News Minute with Julie Gates

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Transit Unplugged Weekly News Minute with Julie Gates

Hosted by Julie Gates, The Transit Unplugged Weekly News Minute gives you insight into top headlines facing the transit industry today. For more transit insights and career journeys, subscribe to Transit Unplugged https://www.transitunplugged.com/

  1. 5 DAYS AGO

    New FRA administrator announced and LA Metro helps fire evacuations

    David Fink has been nominated by President-elect Donald Trump as the incoming Federal Railroad Administration administrator. He brings more than 45 years of experience, including with Pan Am Railway and General Motors. Source: Progressive Railroading In California, unprecedented wildfires in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties have burned roughly 40 thousand acres, forcing evacuations of hundreds of thousands of people, and destroying more than 12,000 homes and businesses. To help with evacuation efforts, LA METRO suspended bus and train fares, and provided the Los Angeles Police Department with buses to safely evacuate residents in the Hollywood Hills. Service has also been interrupted in various locations due to the fires, downed power lines, and debris on tracks. Riders are encouraged to monitor LA Metro’s social media and website for updates. Sources: LA Times and KTLA This Transit Unplugged News Minute is being brought to you by Modaxo.

    1 min

  2. JAN 6

    Celebrating 200 years of rail

    After hurdles and delays, New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority launched congestion pricing on Sunday. Adding a $9 toll to motorists entering Manhattan below 60th Street. It is expected to bring 80,000 fewer vehicles a day to the area, while also providing $15 billion to the MTA. As we ring in the new year, 2025 brings the 200th year of railways. Source: MTA Last week, Amtrak joined over 50 railways and 200 locomotives around the world in the Railway 200 Whistle Up, where they sounded train horns and whistles to kick off the year long celebration. Source: Amtrak (via LinkedIn) Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority is the first in the nation to retrofit all of its buses with new barriers that fully enclose and protect bus operators. According to the Federal Transit Administration, bus driver attacks have tripled across the U.S. Source: LA Metro

    1 min

  3. 12/30/2024

    Hydrofoils for Lake Taho, BRT in Salt Lake, and Santa in Phoenix

    It can be a two-hour slog to drive by car around California and Nevada’s Lake Tahoe. But a proposed flying electric ferry, the first of its kind in the US, could take 30 passengers across the lake in under 30 minutes. The ferry will use hydrofoil technology to lift the hull above the waves, and the vision is to implement the service at the end of 2025.  Source: KTVU Utah Transit Authority has been awarded $63M for a new bus rapid transit line in Salt Lake County, thanks to the Federal Transit Administration. The seven-mile, 15-station line will connect to commuter rail and light rail service. Source: FTA And for its 8th year, Valley Metro in Phoenix delivered its popular Mesa Santa Express train ride, transporting kiddos on a special light rail car while singing carols, eating cookies, and meeting Santa.  Source: Mesa Santa Express

    1 min

  4. 12/16/2024

    Who came out on top of APTA's Wrapped 2024?

    The American Public Transportation Association released its “Transit Wrapped 2024” report, listing the transit agencies with the largest ridership increases this year. The top of the list included the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, Seattle’s King County Metro, and San Francisco Muni. Source APTA/Instagram Houston METRO has broken ground on its new, 30,000 square-foot Maintenance of Way facility. This key project will enhance efficiency, safety, and reliability across the METRORail system. Source: METRO And Taylor Swift Era’s concert Tour wrapped in Vancouver, BC. TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn said he couldn’t be more proud of the important role his team played to move tens of thousands of concertgoers safely and efficiently, while having fun along the way.” Source: Kevin Quinn/LinkedIn

    1 min

  5. 12/09/2024

    APTA's Funding focus and it's not just Santa who's watching in Seattle

    AI is going to report you if you drive in Seattle's bus only lanes, APTA talks Trump Vance transit funding, and the TTC is turning a parking lot into over 1,400 homes. Welcome to your Transit Unplugged News Minute. Seattle's AI-Powered Bus Lane MonitoringKing County Metro in the Seattle area started a pilot project, installing cameras with artificial intelligence on buses to watch for drivers in transit only lanes. At this time, they are only gathering data, so no tickets will be issued to violators. APTA's Legislative Meeting HighlightsThe American Public Transportation Association held its winter legislative meeting. President and CEO Paul Skoutelas said we must continue to explain the economic and business benefits of investing in public transportation to the Trump Vance Administration as we push for appropriations. Toronto's Transit-Oriented Housing ProjectThe Toronto Transit Commission celebrates the development of a new transit oriented housing project. The plan will turn land that was used for parking into over 1,400 homes. Santa Clarita's Holiday Light ToursAnd California's Santa Clarita Transit is offering holiday light tours, showing the area's most magical light displays from the comfort of the Santa Clarita Transit Trolley. Sponsored by ModaxoThis Transit Unplugged News Minute is being brought to you by Modaxo.

    1 min

  6. 12/02/2024

    Take a class on high-speed rail and let's be kind out there

    Introduction and HeadlinesAPTA is asking the government to approve emergency relief funding for hurricane victims. You can take a college course this summer in France and Spain to learn about high speed rail, and CUTA will be teaching riders about good manners. Welcome to your Transit Unplugged News Minute. Emergency Relief Funding for Hurricane VictimsThe American Public Transportation Association is urging Congress to approve over 57 million in federal emergency funding to assist public transit agencies recovering from recent disasters, including Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Source: APTA Study Abroad Opportunity in France and SpainSan Jose State University is hosting a study abroad class this summer in France and Spain focusing on high speed rail station planning. The class is open to working professionals who have completed a four year degree and university students. Source: SJSU Canadian Urban Transit Association's New CampaignAnd the Canadian Urban Transit Association has launched a national campaign to promote safety, courtesy, and respect across all transit systems in Canada. Among many initiatives, the Transit Code will educate riders on general rider etiquette and prohibited conduct. Source: CUTA This Transit Unplugged News Minute is being brought to you by Modaxo. I'm Julie Gates.

    1 min

  7. 11/25/2024

    Trump Names His Transportation Pick

    According to the Associated Press, President elect Donald Trump is naming former Wisconsin Representative Sean Duffy as his nominee to be Transportation Secretary. Duffy is co host of the "Bottom Line" on Fox Business and was featured on MTV's "Road Rules" and "The Real World." Source: AP Amtrak has successfully completed its track renewal work on the Harrisburg line between Lancaster and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It includes over 43 miles of track upgrades built to last for over 50 years, and it should provide a smoother, more comfortable ride. Source: Amtrak (via LinkedIn) And AAA projects that 80 million Americans will travel for Thanksgiving this week, which is a record breaking number. Thanksgiving is the busiest holiday for travel in the United States. Source: AAA This Transit Unplugged News Minute is being brought to you by Modaxo, passionate about moving the world's people.

    1 min

  8. 11/18/2024

    Congestion Pricing is back in NYC

    Congestion pricing came back from the dead in New York City, and it's CUTA conference time. Welcome to your Transit Unplugged News Minute, where we cover the biggest stories in the transit industry. After being put on hold last summer, New York's congestion pricing just got the green light from the governor. The new $9 toll for the most gridlocked part of Manhattan will go into effect on January 5th. Congestion pricing has been successful in crowded cities like Singapore, London, and Stockholm, and proponents believe it will help New York City eliminate traffic, reduce pollution, and bring necessary revenue to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Source: NY MTA Canada's largest transit events take place this week in Toronto. The Canadian Urban Transit Association's annual conference, along with the one day Canadian Transit Show, run through Thursday. Source: CUTA And leading the way for innovation in transit, the Jacksonville Transit Authority Board, in partnership with the Florida Public Transportation Association, approved a shortlist for statewide procurement for autonomous transit vehicles. Source: JTA This Transit Unplugged News Minute is being brought to you by Modaxo.

    1 min
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About

Hosted by Julie Gates, The Transit Unplugged Weekly News Minute gives you insight into top headlines facing the transit industry today. For more transit insights and career journeys, subscribe to Transit Unplugged https://www.transitunplugged.com/

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