Passenger Bus, Rail and Motorcoach Industry News

City officials are considering alternate funding for a rail line along the Beltline and other projects after the failure of a transit referendum over the summer.

Citing mainly personal reasons and the great opportunity, VIA President/CEO Keith Parker said he will leave San Antonio to become GM of the Altanta-based agency, starting there by early December.

VIA Metropolitan Transit's President/CEO Keith Parker did not immediately accept the job and plans to meet with the VIA Board of Trustees at a special meeting early next week to discuss it.

Agency, which will likely exhaust reserves by fiscal 2018, should launch more aggressive advertising, charge parking fees and look to outsource up to a dozen functions to bring new revenues.

Finalists for the position are Beverly Scott, CEO/GM of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, and the agency's current deputy GM/COO, Dwight Ferrell.

VIA Metropolitan Transit CEO/President Keith Parker confirmed Monday that he's a candidate for the top job at the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority.

Supporters of the sales tax knew it was a tough sell, but told PBA-30 they were shocked by the margin of defeat, which with seven out of 10 counties reporting, was 63% to 37%.

Will equip transit and rail vehicles with digital video recorders, wireless network equipment and back-end fleet management software. Interior and exterior cameras will be placed throughout recording up to 11 cameras on-board each vehicle.

Will run 2.6 miles through the heart of the city's business, tourism and convention corridor and connect with the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority rail system and numerous area bus routes.

The first car is expected to be delivered in September 2012 with revenue service beginning in early 2013. These will be the first streetcars in Atlanta since 1949 and will mark Siemens entry into the streetcar market in the U.S.