Passenger Bus, Rail and Motorcoach Industry News

Critics said they could harm the quality of the Los Angeles-to-San Francisco high-speed rail project. The agency tentatively selected a team to build a segment of track even though it had the lowest technical score. The team had the lowest-cost bid, at just under $1 billion.

Will provide $4 million for an agriculture preservation fund to resolve claims that part of its project could violate state environment law. Will also pay about $1 million in attorneys’ fees to county farm bureaus and other groups that sued.

Extensions were needed because of delays. The expense was anticipated and budgeted according to guidelines approved by voters under Proposition 1A, project officials said.

Half of the bond money would go to the first segment of the line. The project still needs to weather lawsuits over the next couple of months. The lawsuit rulings could stall the funds.

Objecting to political compromises that they say undermine legal safeguards for the massive investment, notably a design that would move passengers between urban destinations faster than air travel.

Will clarify the timeline for commuter train electrification between San Francisco and San Jose. The CHSRA board of directors approved an MOU with the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board to enhance the rail tracks to accommodate future high-speed rail service.

A Sacramento County judge upheld the California High-Speed Rail Authority's environmental-review process for the controversial rail project in spite of an effort by Peninsula-area cities to stop it.

The rail authority agreed to consider the city's concerns about the route options in and around the city and cover up to $300,000 of the city's legal fees associated with the lawsuit. The settlement removes one hurdle from construction plans this year on the first segment in Madera and Fresno counties.

Bid requirements state that the independent contractor that would design and build the first phase of the project would hire the inspectors charged with testing the work on that segment. Critics, including a union that represents state engineers and some lawmakers, say that the arrangement could present a conflict of interest.

Partnership advances each of their respective HSR programs, and could create efficiencies by ordering trains of similar specifications and develop a U.S. standard for HSR train equipment that can be manufactured and supplied domestically and produced for the rest of the world. An RFP could be issued by September, 2013 with an order placed during 2014.