Biz Briefs: Lochner Director Receives Big Honor, TRC, and More

Lochner, The Routing Company, and Southern Teton Area Rapid Transit recently announced news from their respective companies.

Lochner Director Enters Hall of Honor, Company Acquires Triunity, Inc.  

Gary Thomas, the former president and executive director of Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) and current Transit & Rail Market Director at Lochner, was inducted into the Texas Transportation Hall of Honor on Oct. 16.

This honor, established by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the advancement of transportation in Texas through their dedication, vision, and leadership.

Thomas joins the ranks of other Hall of Honor recipients including Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lady Bird Johnson, and 48 other leaders who have improved the lives of Texans and set an example for the entire industry.

Lochner also announced it is expanding its professional talent and service offering in the Transit & Rail and Municipal Services markets with the acquisition of Triunity, Inc.  

Founded in 2003 by brothers Jonnie Thomas and Marvin Thomas, Triunity delivers program/project management and controls, construction management, and specialized communication systems/electrical engineering services for transit and rail agencies, as well as road and highway, aviation, water and wastewater, and municipal clients throughout the U.S. 

The company is headquartered in Denver, with additional offices in Los Angeles, Calif.; Seattle, Wash.; and Boston, Mass.

TRC Signs First Partnership in New York State

The Routing Company (TRC) announced it has received a contract from Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) to provide on-demand transportation in Albany, New York. 

CDTA is a regional mobility provider, providing mobility solutions that connect the region’s communities. It oversees the provision of multimodal public transportation in the Capital District of New York State and supports more than 10 million passengers each year. 

The new deployment is anticipated to commence in early 2024 and is expected to initiate transit service between downtown Albany and the Joseph L. Bruno Rail Station (formerly the Rensselaer Rail Station).

START Launches Mobile Ticketing System

Southern Teton Area Rapid Transit (START) announced the launch of a contactless mobile ticketing solution powered by Masabi.

The next-generation mobile ticketing system uses Masabi’s platform to enable riders to purchase tickets for START services through the Transit app. START serves more than 800,000 riders a year, serving both residents and visitors.

Masabi has also installed validation units running its Justride Inspect software on START buses, meaning passengers can scan their phone when boarding, validating their pass in the Transit app. 

The agency’s new “Plan. Pay. Ride.” ticketing process will help to speed up boarding times, making services more efficient for riders, while providing START with data insights enabling improved services in the future.

In the future, Masabi will provide START smart cards and deploy a next-generation Account-Based Ticketing system across the entire START network, powered by the Justride platform. 

Passengers will no longer need to select fares or purchase tickets before boarding and instead tap their mobile devices or smart cards to travel.