Passenger Bus, Rail and Motorcoach Industry News

More than 8,000 Hoosiers have signed petitions, encouraging lawmakers to authorize the referendum to place mass transit on the ballot so local voters can decide on how to fund an expanded transit system.

Twenty-one measures with a significant transit component were considered by voters in 12 states. Fourteen measures were approved; one remains undecided as votes continue to be counted in Pierce County, Wash.; and two more public transit measures will be decided in Los Angeles and Kansas City, Mo. next month.

If all measures are approved, more than $100 billion in new local funding would be invested in transportation.

The decision comes just under a year after Durham called the Triangle’s first transit referendum, approving its own half-percent sales tax surcharge with a 60% majority. Durham County is waiting to impose the tax until after similar measures are approved in both Orange and Wake counties.

The members in favor of the block prefer a broad public vote in November asking residents to help pay for light rail in Vancouver.

The City and County of Honolulu's rail agency collected $49.02 million from the surcharge for the rail project for the quarter that ended Dec. 31, 2011, which was $12.08 million more than the $36.94 million projected.