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. FEB 24

    All Eyes High Speed Rail and Congestion Charges

    The Trump administration is rescinding an agreement for New York’s Congestion Pricing and intends to cancel the program that reduces congestion and air pollution by charging a toll for vehicles to drive through Manhattan’s Central Business District. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority filed papers against the motion in federal court, and Governor Kathy Hochul vowed to keep the program and cameras operating in the meantime. Source: Mass Transit Magazine Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has put California’s high speed rail bullet train on alert. Secretary Duffy has ordered the Federal Railway Administration to perform a “compliance review” into federal funding. The review will direct if $4 billion in taxpayer money should remain committed to the Central Valley project. Source: Fortune And Canada’s Prime Minister Trudeau announced plans for a high-speed rail project that will connect Toronto and Quebec City in only three hours. Source: Daily Hive This Transit Unplugged News Minute is being brought to you by Modaxo.

    1 min

  2. FEB 10

    New FTA Administrator, drug testing for TNCs, no smoking means less crime, and it was a Super Transit Super Bowl

    Welcome to your Transit Unplugged News Minute. Former New York Congressman Marcus Molinaro has been tapped to become the next administrator of the Federal Transit Administration. He has served on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Source: Gothamist The FTA has released a Notice of Proposed Policy Statement, requiring transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft to comply with drug and alcohol testing regulations if they have a contract to provide services to transit agencies. Public comments are being accepted through February 13th. Source: FTA Metro Transit in Minnesota reports that crime has dropped 6 percent and is being connected to the agency's crackdown on smoking. Source: Mass Transit And New Orleans Regional Transit Authority rolled out a new service plan called “Roll to the Bowl” to ensure everyone could seamlessly travel with the Super Bowl in town. Source: WDSU The Transit Unplugged News Minute is being brought to you by Modaxo.

    1 min

  3. FEB 3

    New DOT Secretary sworn in, more police on the subway in NYC, COTA stops fares cold

    Sean Duffy has been sworn-in as the 20th Secretary of the US Department of Transportation. He said, “We're in a global race to out-innovate and out-compete the rest of the world. We will craft clear regulations which balance safety, innovation and cutting-edge technology.” Source: CBS News To increase safety and public confidence in New York, they have added a surge of 300 police officers to the subway system during overnight trips. The surge puts two NYPD officers on every overnight train to make people feel safer. Source: AM NY The Central Ohio Transit Authority Board of Trustees approved a measure that will waive all transit fares during extreme weather that produces unsafe temperatures. COTA said it does not want anyone to risk their health because they might not have the bus fare to reach shelter. Source: COTA This Transit Unplugged News Minute is being brought to you by Modaxo.

    1 min

  4. JAN 27

    Trump’s impact on transit, congestion charging, and take a train to the airpoirt

    On inauguration day, Donald Trump released 26 executive orders. Orders that will impact transit are the ones that impose a regulatory freeze, streamline the environmental review process, and roll back diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Source: APTA Early data is in from New York City’s congestion pricing where a toll has been implemented in a part of Manhattan to reduce gridlock. According to Government Technology, excessive delays are gone. One example is the intersection of Park Avenue and 57th St… where it used to take three light cycles before vehicles could get through the intersection. Now, the delays have disappeared. Source: Government Technology And, Ottawa, Ontario has joined the list of cities that have direct train transportation from downtown to the airport. OC Transpo has opened a new rail rapid transit line to make the connection. Source: Daily Hive This Transit Unplugged News Minute is being brought to you by Modaxo.

    1 min

  5. JAN 20

    U.S. DOT Will Focus on Safety and Infrastructure

    During his confirmation hearing to be the next Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Sean Duffy said his priorities would be improving safety and building big infrastructure projects, if confirmed. Source: Mass Transit Magazine The American Public Transportation Association released a statement thanking outgoing DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg for his strong investment in public transportation. Source: APTA In observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, many transit systems will be operating on a holiday schedule and Chatham Area Transit Authority in Savannah, Georgia is providing zero fare service. Source: CAT And the Mineta Transportation Institute is hosting a poster designing contest. It's for elementary students to show a green future with public transportation. Source: APTA Passenger Transport Newsletter

    1 min

  6. JAN 13

    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

  7. 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

  8. 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
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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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