Passenger Bus, Rail and Motorcoach Industry News

Bob Buckhorn also alluded to Gov. Rick Scott's decision to turn away $2 billion from the Obama Administration to build high-speed rail from Tampa to Orlando, by saying that he will try to find people in Tallahassee that will support his plan.

State DOT report says that the high-speed rail project that Gov. Rick Scott canceled last year would have made an annual surplus of $31 million to $45 million within ten years of operation.

SunRail will run along a 61-mile stretch of existing rail freight tracks in Central Florida. The major funding partners for the project are the Florida Department of Transportation, the FTA, Orange, Seminole, Volusia and Osceola counties and the city of Orlando. The first phase, at 31-miles, will serve 12 stations.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal said that the state applied for $227 million for its 62-mile rail project.

The trains, which were rejected by Gov. Rick Scott, would carry more passengers and operate at a greater financial surplus than projected in a 2009 federal application. Report indicates a $10.24 million surplus from high-speed rail operations in 2016, with ticket revenue of $60.8 million, $12.3 million more than previously predicted.

Whether or not the Orlando-to-Tampa rail line is actually built, argues U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, the state will have to reimburse $110 million to $130 million to the federal government. Nelson also says the project will not cost the state any money.

Ruling on Friday says that Gov. Rick Scott did not violate Florida’s constitution by not accepting the $2.4 billion in federal money that would have funded a proposed high-speed rail system in the state.

Backers of the proposed Orlando-to-Tampa high-speed rail line fought last week to restore funding rejected by the Governor, asking to divert the money to a regional group. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has given the advocates until Friday to come up with a new plan.

Gov. Jerry Brown is asking for the money to be redirected to California’s project, despite protests from critics. New York Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer echoed the request for their state.

Stating that cost overruns related to plans for a high-speed rail line between Tampa and Orlando could up taxes for Florida residents by $3 billion, Gov. Rick Scott rejected $2 billion in federal funds.