PUBLIC transport and road networks in the US are in urgent need of investment, according to the 2015 Urban Mobility Scorecard released by the American Public Transportation Association (Apta) on August 26.
THE Regional Transportation Council (RTC) for north-central Texas has allocated $US 4.5m to fund the planning, design, and preliminary engineering for the construction of a high-speed rail link between Dallas and Fort Worth.
RESIDENTS of Mesa, a suburb of Phoenix, Arizona, and Sacramento, California, are celebrating the latest additions to their city's light rail networks which opened on August 22 and 24 respectively.
MARYLAND Transit Administration (MTA) has decided to phase out its fleet of four AEM7 and six HHP8 electric locomotives used on Marc commuter services on the Northeast Corridor (NEC) and replace them with eight new 200km/h Siemens Charger diesel locomotives.
THE United States sent its latest status report on the rollout of Positive Train Control (PTC) to congress on August 7, warning policymakers that despite seven years of strenuous efforts by the industry most railways will not complete installation by the federally-mandated December 31 deadline.
THE first new railway bridge between the United States and Mexico for more than 100 years became operational on August 7, with the opening of the West Rail link between Brownsville, Texas, and the neighbouring town of Matamoros in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas.
ALL Aboard Florida, the inter-city passenger subsidiary of Florida East Coast Railway (FEC), moved a step closer to completing financing for its Miami - Orlando service on August 5, when the Florida Development Finance Commission voted unanimously to allow the company to issue $US 1.75bn in tax-exempt bonds.
AN initial public consultation will begin on August 11 on proposals to expand the light rail network in Charlotte, the largest city in the US state of North Carolina.
CANADIAN transport minister Mrs Lisa Raitt and Mr Yves Desjardins-Siciliano, president and CEO of Via Rail, announced on July 31 that the Canadian government will invest $C 102.5m ($US 77.6m) over two years to improve the safety and efficiency of passenger operations on the 187km Ottawa - Montreal corridor.
BOTH Siemens Mobility and Bombardier Transportation have reported reductions in revenue and profit in their latest quarterly results, while Bombardier has denied reports in the financial press of a merger.