Passenger Bus, Rail and Motorcoach Industry News

Will use the existing annunciation system on buses to broadcast 10- to 15-second messages. The program is managed by transit media firm Commuter Advertising, which enables time and location-based commercials triggered by GPS systems. HART is one of 10 transit agencies in the U.S. to use the technology.

Transit officials are seeking opinions on the MetroRapid East-West project while they pursue funding for the final design and construction phases. The system will be the first rapid transit system in the Hillsborough County area.

The 17.5-mile line, which runs through downtown Tampa to Telecom Park/Hidden River Corporate Park, will feature Transit Signal Priority (TSP) technology and improve travel-time savings by 10 to 15%.

Within two years there will be 4,000 people working on the its rail project, HART says. Right now there are 1,400 people working on the rail project.

Received a multi-million dollar order from Ansaldo Honolulu JV to electrify the track for the new system. The system is the first for Hawaii and is scheduled to be completed in 2019.

Planners suggested implementing a policy Sept. 1 that children younger than 12 years old boarding a bus or paratransit van must be accompanied by someone older than 12.

Shortening the length of its 21 planned rail stations in an effort to lower the overall cost of the $5.3 billion project.

The $5.3 billion project is moving forward even though the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit still needs to secure a full funding grant agreement from the federal government expected to be worth $1.55 billion.

David J. Armijo will replace retiring Mary King, who led the transit district since October 2009.

The transit system's board voted 7 to 4 to terminate David Armijo, who had been placed on a month-long suspension while employee allegations against him were being investigated.