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Va. appoints new DRPT director
Tiffany Robinson is the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation‘s new director, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Friday. Robinson succeeds Zach Trogdon, who has served as acting director since Jennifer DeBruhl retired July 1. Robinson has almost 15 years of experience in state and local government, according to a DRPT news release issued Tuesday. She […]
Metro passes $4.8B budget for FY25
Metro’s board of directors on Thursday passed a $4.8 billion capital and operations budget for fiscal year 2025, which avoids massive service cuts, although fares will increase by 12.5% beginning July 1. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, which oversees the Metrorail and Metrobus public transportation systems, had warned of “catastrophic” cuts to service because [...]
Transportation 2023: RANDY CLARKE
In July 2022, Clarke joined WMATA, the Washington, D.C., regional public transit system, which manages the Metro subway system and Metrobus. He took leadership of WMATA when it was struggling with lingering low ridership from the pandemic and the removal of 60% of its railcars due to a wheel defect. Things have picked up somewhat. […]
Cabbies cry foul over Va. Beach’s free ride service
Lynne Johnston’s business, All City Cab Co., took a hit from the pandemic. But when the city of Virginia Beach started offering free door-to-door rides in one of her busiest zones — the Oceanfront — during tourist season, it was like another punch to the gut. This year, Virginia Beach contracted with Miami-based microtransit service […]
Metro bringing back first group of 7000-series trains
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority announced Wednesday that it will return eight 7000-series trains to service on Thursday, months after all 748 railcars were taken off track due to a wheel malfunction that caused a derailment near Arlington National Cemetery. The return of eight trains — with eight railcars each — to service comes […]
Metro announces next general manager, CEO
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s new general manager and CEO is Randy Clarke, the current president and CEO of Austin, Texas’ Capital Metro. The board of the authority, which runs Metrorail and Metrobus, announced Tuesday that Clarke will assume the position in late summer. Metro’s current general manager and CEO, Paul J. Wiedefeld, announced in […]
Laying tracks for The Tide
Commuters are on board with Hampton Roads Transit’s plans to extend The Tide, its 7.4-mile light rail system, according to recent public discussions about proposed new routes. This fall, HRT held one virtual discussion and three pop-up sessions at transit stations in Norfolk to gather public input about expanding the light rail to Sentara Leigh […]
Metro to keep reduced service levels through end of year
Metro customers will see reduced rail service through the end of the year, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority announced Monday. The transit system authority attributed the disruption to its 7000-series fleet, the newest rail cars, still being out of service. These trains make up much of Metro’s fleet but have been sidelined since October. […]
Virginia public transit grapples with reduced ridership, zero fare
RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia public transit systems from Northern Virginia to Hampton Roads are looking for a path forward after losing riders and revenue during the pandemic. Some transit systems have been harder hit than others. “We are serving a market of essential workers that can’t stay home; they have to use our service,” said […]
Franconia-Springfield, Van Dorn St. stations to close during holidays
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority announced Thursday that the Blue Line Franconia-Springfield and Van Dorn Street stations will be closed for safety improvements from Dec. 19 through Jan. 3. “Doing this work during the holidays will help minimize the number of riders affected by the closures,” according to a WMATA statement. “Ridership at the […]
Metro Rail managers cleared of allegations, but workplace is ‘disrespectful and unprofessional’
Following a three-month investigation into Metro’s Rail Operations Control Center (ROCC), the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority announced Friday that complaints of racial discrimination, sexual harassment and retaliation by senior rail officials were unsubstantiated — but that disrespect and unprofessional conduct is commonplace there. San Francisco-based law firm Littler Mend[...]
Parsons Corp. lands $45M contract from San Francisco transit system
Centreville-based Parsons Corp. announced Thursday that the Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) public transit system in San Francisco has awarded the company a $45 million contract to support the implementation of the largest communications-based train control system in North America. The CBTC system will improve passenger carrying capacity and provide repair for a safer, […]
