Passenger Bus, Rail and Motorcoach Industry News

The new Henderson & Downtown Express route and the Boulder Highway Express route were funded in part by ARRA and will provide faster service and enhanced connectivity throughout Southern Nevada. Both routes are scheduled to begin service on Sept. 18.

Manufactured by Gillig Bus, in partnership with Cable Car Classics, each vehicle seats approximately 32 passengers and cost $696,959.50. FTA grants funded the base cost of the trolleys, and ARRA covered the incremental cost of the hybrid propulsion system.

The Illinois DOT will invest the funds in the Englewood Flyover, a grade separation project south of Chicago Union Station that eliminates one of the most delay-prone intersections in the entire Amtrak system. It separates Rock Island District Metra commuter trains from Amtrak passenger trains traveling on the Norfolk Southern corridor.

Environmentally-friendly features include motion-sensor controlled lighting and a 50,000-gallon rainwater harvesting tank for bus wash operations. Agency used $14 million of a $24.5 million Recovery Act grant in building the $57 million facility.

The reconstructed Puritas Rapid Transit Station features a 6,500 square foot main building, along with a 130-foot bridge connecting passengers to the train’s platform, and nearly 600 parking spaces, with a row of dedicated overnight spaces. Construction funding came from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.

Since ARRA was signed into law on Feb. 17, grants totaling more than $6.7 billion have been made available for transit improvements throughout the country.

Will renovate the current Elizabethtown Amtrak station building, reconstruct and triple the size of each rail platform, and provide other upgrades.

Will cover the salaries, equipment and related expenses for 12 new police officers. This will increase the number of law enforcement officers in the SEPTA Transit Police Department from 256 to 268.

Rail crash safeguards not always used. Foreign rail firms looking to stimulus . Motorcoach from 1937 rescued, renovated.

Midwest High Speed Rail Association is asking the state of Illinois to seek $10 million in ARRA funds to conduct a detailed alternatives analysis and environmental study for the route.