Passenger Bus, Rail and Motorcoach Industry News

RTA’s proposal would almost double the size of the city's existing system. However, the plan depends on new federal grants or tax revenues. The agency projects the cost of all the new lines at more than $800 million.

Monies are part of $255 million in federal funds currently available for the Honolulu rail transit project this fiscal year. The project to date has $320 million available in federal funds under the Full Funding Grant Agreement.

Iowa City’s amount will be cut by about $360,000 while lowering the funding to Coralville by more than $100,000, as of July 1. The board, however, expressed an openness to continue paratransit discussion.

Funds for the acquisition efforts will be available starting July 1, 2013, and the city and RTC anticipate the entire process — from surveying to project completion — to take between one to two years to complete.

Will support the Chicago DOT and Chicago Transit Authority’s research, technical support, project management and community engagement.

Adopted was a $193.9 million operating budget, a $64.3 million capital budget and $16.2 million to fund interlocal agreements and other expenses.

On-demand system in Peoria County that has seen ridership grow over the last 15 months expects to be in the red by March or April 2013. MV Transportation, which operates the service, may renegotiate its contract.

The county’s bus service, C-Tran, would have been funded had the so-called T-SPLOST referendum been passed by voters in July. The agency ceased operations in 2010 after commissioners voted against funding the service.

The improvements covered by the grant will save more than an estimated $80,000 a year in utility and operations costs and allow the agency to leverage an additional $175,000 in utility rebates.

He also announced the establishment of the Project Finance Center to help state and local government project sponsors analyze financial options for highway, transit, rail, intermodal and other surface transportation projects facing funding challenges.