Passenger Bus, Rail and Motorcoach Industry News

Issued within days of Maryland’s new P3 legislation being signed into law by Gov. Martin O’Malley.

Under the Invest in American Jobs Act of 2013, all future highway, bridge, public transit, passenger rail, and airport projects financed by U.S. taxpayers would be stamped “Made in America” and crafted with American workmanship.

It calls for the expansion of Marion County’s under-funded bus system and a rail line.

Washtenaw County officials no longer want to be a part of the coalition that would be in charge of coordinating SMART and DDOT bus routes under a proposed bill. Detroit lawmakers are opposed to the zoning and coalition powers in the legislation.

Under recently introduced legislation, the authority to regulate intercity bus service will be given to the Nova Scotia Minister of Transportation. The change will allow bus operators more flexibility to respond to market changes and demand.

Under the agreement, federal transportation funding will continue at roughly $54 billion a year, with public transportation funds set at $8.36 billion in FY2012, $8.47 billion in FY 2013 and $8.595 billion in FY 2014.

The legislation maintains funding at current levels, reforms the nation's transportation programs to make them more efficient and provides robust assistance for transportation projects under the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program to leverage state, local and private-sector funding, according to the EPW.

The "Bus Uniform Standards and Enhanced Safety (BUSES) Act of 2011" to increase safety and strengthen the U.S. DOT's oversight and ability to set uniform safety standards on new and existing buses and motorcoaches.

The pair planned on making the announcement Wednesday, which was the fourth anniversary of the Bluffton (Ohio) University baseball team bus crash that killed seven.

Prevention strategies include expanded educational outreach through OLI and the development of community action plans in concert with greater law enforcement action. Recommendations for railroad station safety include providing audible and visual warnings of approaching trains, station and platform structural improvements and, where feasible, fences to prohibit access to railroad tracks.