Hotline
Your weekly source of fresh takes on news affecting America's passengers. See also the RPA Blog.
Hotline #853
March 14, 2014
By Sean Jeans-Gail The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) revealed that Americans took 10.7 billion trips on public transportation in 2013, reaching heights in public transit ridership not seen in 57 years. That’s the equivalent of a 1.1 percent increase over total ridership in 2012, yet again outpacing growth in automobile travel. “There is a fundamental shift going on in the way we move about our communities. People in record numbers are demanding more public transit se
Hotline #852
March 7, 2014
By Sean Jeans-Gail On Tuesday, the Obama Administration released details about a $302 billion transportation package that includes $19 billion over four years for passenger trains. The proposal also includes $72 billion for transit over four years—a 70% increase over current levels—that will fund commuter rail systems, streetcars, and light rail lines across the U.S. The President’s transportation plan is paid for through corporate tax reform—a principle that is being supported by lead
Hotline #851
February 28, 2014
By Sean Jeans-Gail In a visit to St. Paul’s restored Union Depot, President Barack Obama outlined an ambitious $302 billion, 4-year investment plan for America’s roads, bridges, railways, and transit. $19 billion of that will go towards rail, with another $72 billion directed to transit. The $302 billion surface transportation plan relies on a one-time infusion of $150 billion in revenue from corporate tax reform. That will be a heavy lift for Congress, but the President has found a ca
Hotline #850
February 21, 2014
By Sean Jeans-Gail New Mexico’s State Legislature adjourned yesterday without identifying a solution for the continuation of the Southwest Chief over its current route, although legislators have vowed to fight on until the necessary funding is secured. As we’ve reported previously, the Southwest Chief’s existing route is endangered because BNSF has announced that declining demand for freight capacity on a portion of a mainline in Kansas, Colorado, and New Mexico means they will no longer
Hotline #849
February 14, 2014
By Sean Jeans-Gail A massive storm blanketed the U.S. on Wednesday night, snarling transportation systems across the eastern seaboard as far south as Georgia. Amtrak operated at half of its normally scheduled frequencies on Thursday, and heavy ice accumulation forced the company to cancel operations in much of the Southeast. Amtrak was forced to cancel a number of trains in the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast, with downed trees causing major blockages. However, the railroad was able to
Hotline #848
February 7, 2014
By Sean Jeans-Gail Image courtesy the White House A new chapter began on the Northeast Corridor today when Amtrak Northeast Regional #171 departed Boston this morning with the first of 70 new advanced Siemens electric locomotives to enter service on America’s busiest rail corridor. Vice President Joe Biden joined Amtrak yesterday at Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station to welcome the new locomotives. He stressed the importance of trains to the Northeast Corridor, where one in six America
Hotline #847
January 31, 2014
By Sean Jeans-Gail Following months of serious delays to the Empire Builder service, NARP issued a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx asking him to bring together stakeholders to address the ongoing problem. The Empire Builder connects communities in eight states, providing an important economic link for towns along the route, and connecting rural residents to vital health and public services located in urban centers. Beginning in late Spring 2013, the train beg
Hotline #846
January 24, 2014
By Sean Jeans-Gail Amtrak and the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CAHSRA) issued a joint request for proposals today for 43 high-speed trainsets, a critical step in meeting the booming demand on the Northeast Corridor and turning California’s statewide high speed rail system into reality. The 28 high-speed Amtrak trainsets, with 400 to 450 seats each, will be a critical short-term solution for the overburdened corridor linking Washington, D.C., New York City, and Boston, MA. Even wit
Hotline #845
January 17, 2014
By Sean Jeans-Gail The U.S. Congress passed a compromise $1.1 trillion omnibus 2014 budget this week, with a continued tightening of the fiscal belt on discretionary spending. Amtrak’s funding numbers were a mixed bag, with increases to capital numbers paired with cuts to its operating budget. President Obama is expected to sign the bill into law. Total Amtrak funding actually increased by 3.4%. Amtrak gets $1.39 billion, which is $46 million higher than the FY 2013 level. However, this incr
Hotline #844
January 10, 2014
In a National Press Club luncheon talk today that C-Span broadcast, and likely will rebroadcast, Amtrak President & CEO Joseph Boardman said it is time to replace the highway program with a surface transportation program. He said the Highway Trust Fund is dead, not just because it is out of money but because it is built on an outmoded vision. The new program must be based on results rather than individual modes, and focus on truly national priorities. He said existing funding levels let u