Passenger Bus, Rail and Motorcoach Industry News

In addition to the funds, the agency also announced a flexible new policy, known as Safety Management Systems, which the U.S. DOT has officially adopted to help guide states and transit agencies alike in managing safety risks in a proactive, cost-effective way.

The line, which officially opened on Jan. 28, has already generated $2.7 billion in development along the streetcar’s new corridor, including new apartments, condominiums, and an entertainment/sports complex.

Construction of the rail line, which parallels the highly congested I-4 corridor in Orange, Seminole and Volusia counties, has put about 800 people to work and spurred a $250 million investment in a 176-acre Health Village at Florida Hospital.

The 9.3 mile LYNX Blue Line light rail extension will add service along what will become an 18.6-mile corridor in Northeast Charlotte and will help to reduce congestion along Interstate 85 and US 29, where commercial and residential growth is expected to continue.

The two-day public meeting brings together transit industry officials, transportation safety experts, transportation labor groups, and academics to provide advice and recommendations on implementing the new law.

The city's $10 million grant will be used to replace aging Metrobus diesel vehicles with new hybrid-electric buses that will reduce fuel costs, lower emissions, and provide a more comfortable, reliable ride in one of the most populated counties in the Southeastern U.S.

The project, which received $8.5 million in 2010 from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s TIGER program, created more than 80 jobs during the facility’s construction, according to the Ames Transit Agency.

The FTA anticipates that for certain transit projects, the streamlined review process would be five times faster, making it the most efficient it has been in 20 years.

By giving greater emphasis to evaluation criteria concerning environmental benefits and local economic impact, it would be possible for FTA to consider a variety of smaller-scale projects that might better meet a community's needs, including streetcars and rapid bus services.

The two-day round-table discussion was held to assist transportation planners from 13 cities around the country to learn how to best implement federally-funded streetcar projects in their communities.