The incident occurred at approximately 2:15 a.m. when a blaze in a building under construction near the West Oakland Station damaged electrical and communications systems on the elevated BART tracks and forced the transit agency to cancel Transbay service just hours before the start of the morning commute.
The contract includes a first option order for 150 cars that BART intends to order later this month and additional options which, if exercised, would bring the total number of cars ordered to 775 and the total value of the order to approximately $1.5 billion.
As a nationally recognized leader, Melaniphy’s entire career has been in public transportation, with more than 24 years of both public and private sector experience. Always a strong advocate for giving back, he also serves on a number of higher education and non-profit boards.
Designed for advanced mobile surveillance applications, the TX8 gives bus operators powerful features like geo-fencing and a built-in G-sensor essential for AVL integration and monitoring driver behavior.
Says one reason for recent fare hikes and service cuts is financial arrangements that the MTA made with banks on 10% of its $33 billion in debt. The agency is losing almost $114 million a year.
Massachusetts House lawmakers approved a bailout bill, which, if approved by the state Senate, would transfer to the agency $49 million from a state fund.
Key initiatives highlighted include bringing the region’s system to a state of good repair; expanding real-time bus and train arrival information; modernizing fare payment systems; expanding technical assistance and funding efforts related to TOD; studying and piloting more efficient locomotives, trains and buses; and installing additional pollution control technologies on buses and trains.