TRANSIT SYSTEM NEWS

Neil S. Yellin, Senior Vice President for Administration/Chief Safety Officer at the Long Island Rail Road, and an active NYPTA member, has been appointed the new Deputy Executive Director of NJ TRANSIT. “Neil Yellin is a transportation veteran whose distinguished career includes executive experience in both rail and bus management, in his most recent position as Senior Vice President of Long Island Railroad, and previously having served as President for MTA Long Island Bus said NJ TRANSIT Executive Director Veronique “Ronnie” Hakim.

The federal Department of Transportation has awarded the Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) $15 million to replace its outdated dispatch and vehicle communication system. CDTA President Carm Basile says funding for new transportation technology positions the Authority to provide riders with real-time data including bus arrival times, traffic delays and navigation. "The communication system is the foundation for the infrastructure needed to run the system and provide customers with the information they need," Basile said.

STATE NEWS

Landlord SL Green unveiled its vision Monday for $210 million in transit improvements it is required to make as part of a deal to build a 65-story tower at the corner of Vanderbilt Ave. and 42nd St. The One Vanderbilt proposal includes a towering glass atrium containing a wall of lush vegetation, new staircases to the station's difficult-to-find subway platforms, an expanded and refurbished mezzanine level, a new waiting room for commuters, and a connection to the long-delayed Long Island Rail Road’s East Side terminus. In exchange for permission to build such a mammoth tower, the city will require that all transit improvements are completed before the developer can open its doors to tenants.

FEDERAL NEWS 

The transportation sector gained 1,200 jobs in August as the national unemployment rate remained stagnant at 6.1 percent, according to statistics released by the Department of Labor on Friday. The Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics said there were 4,633,400 jobs in transportation in August, compared to 4,632,200 in July. The transportation sector with the highest employment increase was transit and ground passenger transportation, which gained 3,300 jobs in August. The sector had 463,600 jobs in August, up from 460,300 in July.

Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx is leading a DOT effort to create a 30-year outlook for the state of transportation in the U.S., an ambitious effort he hopes will shift the country out of its stubborn, single-track focus on the short-term needs of keeping solvent the Highway Trust Fund. Instead, he wants to take a broader look at how the country plans on moving an additional 100 million people by 2050 — and all the goods those Americans will buy.

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Washington, DC - As part of a long-term, $200 million plan to radically change Metro’s fare-collection system, the transit agency says it will launch a pilot program next year that will allow passengers at some subway stations and bus stops to use smartphones and other mobile devices, as well as debit and credit cards, to pay for their rides. Metro has said in the past that by 2020, as part of its $200 million riders will be able to pay with credit or debit cards or mobile devices without removing the plastic or devices from their pockets or bags. In the first phase of the overhaul, the agency plans to eliminate paper fare cards at the end of 2015.

Newark, NJ - NJ Transit’s newly appointed bosses of rail and bus operations hit the ground running after their appointment Wednesday, detailing plans to replace single level rail cars with multi-level cars, which are more popular with riders, and buying 1,388 new cruiser buses to replace those now on suburban routes. A plan for the bus operation would replace the current 40-foot-long cruiser buses in service with 45-foot-long buses which would provide 8 more seats per bus, and increase over-all seating capacity by 7 percent when the cruiser bus fleet is replaced.

Philadelphia, PA - The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) launched its new “Dude It's Rude” passenger etiquette campaign. The new initiative takes a direct approach in an effort to get riders thinking about their own personal travel habits. Using strong visuals and minimal words, the new campaign purposely takes an edgier tone. SEPTA intentionally did not include its name or logo on decals and posters to get customers thinking more about the messages instead of who is delivering it.

NYPTA TRAINING AND EVENTS

Three hundred transit professionals are converging on Saratoga Springs for the New York Public Transit Industry SOLUTIONS Fall Conference and Expo, Wednesday and Thursday at the Saratoga Springs City Center.

This year’s event features Wednesday’s NYPTA Talks on Innovation, a new program featured in a Ted Talks format in which forward thinking industry leaders describe their successes in implementing innovation solutions and strategies in their respective industries. Thursday is highlighted by the Transit Solutions Open Forum luncheon in which attendees will have an interactive role in a group discussion.

The conference also marks the launch of the New York Public Transit Leadership Institute (PTLI). Six transit industry professionals are in the inaugural class, and will embark on a year-long program designed to prepare them for a future role as an upper level transit industry executive.

On-site Registration for the Conference and Expo Opens Wednesday Morning. PTLI registration is closed.