METRO Briefs
MTA to close platform gaps Government employees selling fare cards online Boston to improve underground communications Maglev to replace Japanese "bullet" trains
N.Y. MTA to close platform gaps
NEW YORK — The New York Public Transportation Safety Board has told the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to reduce the danger of gaps between trains and station platforms through an awareness campaign, greater oversight and better engineering. "The gap" has been blamed for hundreds of injuries at commuter railroad stations in and around New York City. To read the full story, click here.
Government employees selling fare cards online
WASHINGTON — Federal employees are fraudulently selling their government-provided mass transit fare cards online, congressional auditors say. Investigators from Congress' Government Accountability Office have found at least $17 million in fraudulent transit benefits that were claimed in the Washington metropolitan area during 2006. To read the full story, click here.
Boston to improve underground communications
BOSTON — City, state and Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) officials have agreed to pay for a state-of-the-art emergency communications system in subway tunnels. The $16 million project will allow first responders and dispatchers to talk to one another above and below ground, and also allow commanders on the surface to communicate with those inside the T's 29.6 miles of tunnels. To read the full story, click here.
Maglev to replace Japanese "bullet" trains
Japan has said it aims to launch its first magnetic levitation (maglev) rail service by 2025. With a top speed of more than 310 mph, the trains will run between Tokyo and the central city of Nagoya, and then will be extended to Osaka, replacing the famed Shinkansen "Bullet" trains. To read the full story, click here.
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Southern California's Metrolink Debuts Contactless Fare Payment Pilot
Customers traveling between Redlands and Los Angeles can now tap their preferred payment method, including a credit or debit card, mobile wallet, or wearable device, at station validators before boarding and again while exiting.
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California's BART Approves FY27 Budget While Maintaining Service Levels
The budget covers July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, a period when pandemic emergency funds run out, the District faces a structural deficit of $375 million, and a regional transit funding measure may appear on the November ballot.
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STL Metro Transit To Launch Next-Generation Fare Collection and Security Gates
The St. Louis transit agency will begin the phased rollout of gated station access and integrated fare technology to improve security and the customer experience.
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CATS FY27 Budget Prioritizes Safety, Service
New investments in security, service expansion, and rail development aim to improve the rider experience while keeping fares flat.
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Transit Agencies Nationwide Gear Up to Move World Cup Crowds
As millions of fans prepare to descend on host cities, transit leaders are turning a month-long global event into a proving ground for the future of customer experience, mobility, and crowd management.
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OCTA Approves $2 Billion Budget for FY 2026-27, Prioritizing Transit Investments
More than half of the agency’s upcoming spending plan is dedicated to transit as OCTA balances infrastructure investment with fiscal stability.
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Joshua Schank on Transportation Innovation, Risk, and the Future of Mobility
In this edition of METROspectives, Joshua Schank discusses lessons from launching LA Metro’s Office of Extraordinary Innovation, the challenges of advancing new mobility technologies, and much more.
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Reinventing Fleet Maintenance with Real-time Visibility and AI
Transit leaders need to know what needs fixing, where to look, who is responsible, when work is completed, and what it costs without having to chase information across disconnected systems.
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Alstom Acquires Delaware Site to Support Amtrak NextGen Acela Fleet
The company is investing more than $55 million to acquire and improve the property and will employ approximately 100 people at this site once it is operational.
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SamTrans Sets Priorities for Potential Connect Bay Area Revenue
The board-approved framework allocates future funding to maintaining service, rider improvements, equity initiatives, and infrastructure repairs.
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