Passenger Bus, Rail and Motorcoach Industry News

The tentative agreement establishes federal highway, transit and highway safety policy and keeps programs at current funding levels through the end of fiscal year 2014. If a majority of House and Senate conferees approve the conference report, both bodies are then expected to take up the measure before the end of the week, prior to the expiration of the current extension of transportation funding on June 30th.

U.S. DOT received 848 project applications from all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., requesting a total of $14.29 billion, far exceeding the $511 million made available for grants under the TIGER III program.

Higher gas prices will be one significant impact on the cost of operations. The agency purchases approximately six million gallons of fuel annually, and the overall increase in fuel cost is expected to be $6 million for the year.

Looking for firms to contract with directly or as a subcontractor in areas including architects and engineers, construction and security to help with a variety of small and large projects including major infrastructure projects. Amtrak is currently seeking to find and pre-qualify companies that can bid and perform as prime contractors for these contracts.

The 2,000th project is a $68 million project in Kalamazoo County, Mich., which involves the widening of I-94 from two lanes both east and westbound to three lanes in each direction. The project will improve safety and ease congestion by providing a more efficient interchange.