Public Transportation Industry Loses Signals Maintenance Subject Matter Expert Carl Nelson VTA
It is with great sadness that we announce the loss of Mr. Carl Nelson, an experienced railroader, trainer and advocating member of the National Signals Training Consortium. Mr. Nelson began his career in Light Rail at PAT in Pittsburgh, PA in 1997. Since, he has worked at Greater Cleveland RTA, Charlotte Area Transit Systems (CATS) and most recently at Santa Clara VTA. As the Supervising Maintenance Instructor at the Guadalupe Division, Carl was leading a joint effort with VTA, JWI, and ATU in the Jr. Track Worker and Overhead Line Worker apprentice programs.
Carl first worked with the Consortium during his employment at CATS, serving as a Subject Matter Expert specifically on the topic of Highway Grade Crossings. After moving to VTA, Carl encouraged VTA's involvement in the Consortium work as he saw the great value it brought to the industry. Carl attended the recently held annual Consortium meeting for the first time as a VTA SME just last month at TriMet in Portland, Oregon. Through this work in the Consortium, his years of experience were incorporated into courseware which will be used to teach upcoming generations of signal maintainers
As a leader and dedicated subject matter expert, Carl left an immediate impression on his peers in the industry. His wealth of knowledge and welcoming demeanor was indisputable. We will miss him greatly.
Center's Director of Technical Training John Schiavone Presents at New York Public Transportation Association Conference
John Schiavone, the Center's Director of Technical Training, spoke at the New York Public Transportation Association (NYPTA) Conference and Expo held October 18-20 in Albany New York. His presentation focused on the National Bus Apprenticeship Program sponsored by the Department of Labor and being implemented by a joint or management committee structure organized by the Transportation Learning Center. Given that senior technicians are retiring in great numbers, bus technology is becoming increasingly complex, the pool of skilled replacements difficult to find, and sources for bus technical training extremely limited, it is imperative that transit agencies "grow their own" technicians. The task, however, is made extremely difficult for smaller agencies with limited resources. With many transit agencies short of the full complement of technicians needed to keep pace with daily maintenance requirements, finding time for training is quickly becoming a luxury that many agencies simply cannot afford. Yet without a skilled workforce able to identify defects during routine inspections and make needed repairs, fleet condition deteriorates and the need for maintenance multiplies over time.
The Bus Maintenance Apprenticeship Program is intended to assist transit agencies by presenting them with a ready-made training program, one that is competency-based, allowing training to be directed to needed skill areas. Completion of the apprenticeship program will give technicians a nationally recognized, portable credential; practical, useful and effective hands-on training; education without the debt; and a long-term career with good earning potential. Agencies receive a structured training program and qualified technicians. For more information about the National Bus Apprenticeship Program and to be placed on a mailing list to receive program correspondence, contact John at [email protected].
When it comes to improving Chicago transportation, city officials and advocates often focus on infrastructure, reasoning that street redesigns, public transit improvements, and better pedestrian and bike facilities will help make travel safer and more convenient for all residents. But decision makers sometimes overlook issues that are specific to Chicago's lower-income communities of color on the south and west sides. Many of these areas have poor mass transit service, unsafe conditions for walking, and limited or no access to bikeways and Divvy stations.
On Nov. 8, voters will get to decide if they want to support a new regional master transit plan that will connect Southeast Michigan's four counties - Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw and Wayne. The Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan states that its plan will improve quality of life and connect people to existing jobs with the potential to create 68,000 new jobs in our region over the next 20 years.
The Mayors of Niagara's three largest cities will be making a push starting next week, to amalgamate their three transit systems. The mayors who sit on the region's inter municipal transit working group, along with Regional Chair Alan Caslin will ask councillors and the public over the next few weeks for feedback on the plan.
Metra has completed the rehabilitation of the 111th Street/Pullman Station, the Chicago-area commuter railroad announced yesterday. The $250,000 project included replacing the warming house and repainting it in the colors of a classic Pullman rail car, according to a Metra press release. In addition, crews replaced the platform deck boards, removed an unused portion of the platform, replaced the stairway to the platform, and installed new LED lights, heaters and an electronic device charging station.
New Yorkers can have their subways - and buses too. A Queens native has drawn up a new transit map that brings the MTA's bus routes and subway lines together in one design called the "Bullet Map." "It makes sense that, if we have one fare system, it's displayed together on one map," said creator Anthony Denaro, 32. "When you visualize the system this way, people can really see their options, make better choices and use more efficient routes."
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) yesterday proposed a $3.5 billion five-year capital budget, along with a $1.5 billion operating budget for 2017. The capital plan would provide funds for rehabilitating rail stations and building new ones, modernizing rail and bus fleets, removing rail slow zones and adding new technology, CTA officials said in a press release.
Amtrak is banning all Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Smartphones. According to Amtrak's Pacific Surfliners Twitter post, people are not allowed to bring the Note 7 devices on the trains, platforms, thruway buses, stations and platforms. This emergency ban was issued because of the potential safety risks the devices could pose to passengers, employees and surrounding people.
The state should focus its priorities on reducing global-warming pollution in the transportation sector, particularly by using electric vehicles to move people and goods, according to clean-energy advocates. With transportation the biggest source of greenhouse-gas emissions, a report released yesterday by Environment New Jersey urged putting low-carbon options at the front of the line for public financing, including shifting funds from highway spending to public-transit alternatives.
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) yesterday opened the 3-mile Blue Line light-rail extension to the University of North Texas (UNT) at Dallas. The extension runs south of the Ledbetter Station in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas and includes two new stations. DART crews broke ground on the $104 million project in October 2014. The new route connects UNT Dallas, Paul Quinn College and Cedar Valley College with downtown Dallas, DART officials said in a press release. "This extension goes to a part of our community that is in need of more transportation choices. Now a young person starting out in life can pursue a complete, high-quality college education without the burden of car ownership," said DART President and Executive Director Gary Thomas.
Marion County voters are facing several referendums this election. One countywide question involves funding an expansion of mass transit. It asks voters to approve a .25-increase in the income tax that would raise $56 million a year for IndyGo. It would allow IndyGo to add more buses and bus routes, improving connectivity and decreasing wait times. The money would also fund expansion of the Red Line, the city's first rapid bus transit line.
