Passenger Bus, Rail and Motorcoach Industry News

The new multimodal, regional facility is expected to be completed in October 2012.

Will serve as the first installment of the $545 million ARRA grant awarded to the state in January to continue its development of high-speed intercity rail.

Together, departments will award up to $75 million in funding — $35 million in TIGER II Planning Grants and $40 million in Sustainable Community Challenge Grants — for localized planning activities that ultimately lead to projects that integrate transportation, housing and economic development.

Among specific findings, the reports suggests reducing the number of vehicle-miles traveled through a combination of strategies, including improved public transportation, coordinated transportation and land use strategies, and greater opportunities for walking and biking — practices emphasized in the Department's livability initiative — could reduce transportation greenhouse emissions 5 percent to 17 percent by 2030.

U.S. Department of Transportation workers were furloughed in early March when Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky) temporarily blocked funding for federal highway and transportation projects.

Transportation elements include an underground bus terminal with 22 bays, a light rail station for current and future light rail routes, a commuter rail station that will serve Amtrak and possibly a ski train, and public plazas to integrate transit service.

The budget includes an additional $1 billion for high-speed rail, coming on the heels of President Obama and Vice President Biden's January 28 announcement of $8 billion in Recovery Act funds for states across the country to develop America's first nationwide program of high-speed intercity passenger rail service.

Core of plan is a program called IntelliDriveSM, a multimodal initiative to support safety, mobility and environmental enhancements by providing safe, interoperable wireless connectivity between vehicles (autos, buses, trucks, rail, and other fleets), infrastructure and passengers' devices.

Will serve as the administrative and operating facilities of the Brownsville transit system and national and international private transportation providers. It will also serve as a transfer point for rural and intercity operators and taxi cabs.

In this program, employees can report "close call" incidents without fear of sanction or penalty from the railroad or the federal government.