Big collaboration news in the US capital region the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments launched a historic initiative, creating comprehensive regional transit planning for Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia.Congratulations to the winners of the APTA Bus Safety, Security, and Emergency Management Awards. Winners include CapMetro and Corpus Christi in Texas; Clark County in Vancouver, Washington; MARTA in Atlanta; and IndyGo in Indianapolis. And we might see a passenger rail line connecting Calgary, Alberta and Livingston, Montana. A feasibility report says rail service could create easy cross-border tourism between Banff, Calgary, Yellowstone National Park, and Glacier National Park. This Transit Unplugged News Minute is being brought to you by Modaxo.Sources:COG, Metro launch historic initiative, DMVMoves, to create a unified vision and sustainable funding model for public transit in the region | WMATA APTA Announces 2024 Bus Safety, Security, and Emergency Management Winners at Mobility Conference | Passenger Transport Alberta-Montana Passenger Rail Feasibility Report

The BBC reports an autonomous transit bus is being tested in Seoul, South Korea, the first of its kind in the world. The self-driving Night Bus still requires a safety driver at this time while testing is underway.Anaheim Transportation Network opened a new electric bus charging facility. As one of the first all-electric bus fleets in California, the new facility will manage the charging of over 80 electric buses.And don’t be surprised if you see Stormtroopers patrolling transit systems on Star Wars Day this Saturday. In the past, Vancouver’s TransLink put Jakku and Mos Eisley stops in their transit maps… and VIA Metropolitan Transit in San Antonio made a video of the Jedi forces needed to public transportation. Links are included in the description... and May the 4th be with you.BBC: https://www-bbc-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.bbc.com/news/business-68823705.amp Anaheim Transit Network: https://rideart.org/news-media/ Vancouver is Awesome: https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/local-news/heres-what-may-the-fourth-looked-like-on-vancouver-social-media-3750266 VIA Metropolitan Transit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rJdcaHPGAc 

Welcome to your Transit Unplugged News Minute. Brightline breaks ground in Vegas… Broward County Transit addresses homelessness with a compassionate approach… and Earth Day Canada is giving away year-long transit passes.Sources:https://www.brightlinewest.com/media/press-releases https://www.broward.org/BCT/Pages/default.aspx https://earthday.ca/april-22/campaign/leg-day/

An innovative trespassing system will be tested on passenger rail tracks in California… a new report says public transit is good for the environment… and a new group of graduates is ready to work on the California high speed rail project.Welcome to your Transit Unplugged News Minute.Southern California’s passenger rail, MetroLink, was awarded a DOT grant to develop a first-of-its kind intruder detection system on its tracks. The prototype will use (AI)-equipped cameras and sensors to identify track intrusions, and it will automatically slow or stop trains approaching that section of the rail line. https://metrolinktrains.com/news/metrolink-news/metrolink-receives-federal-funding-for-first-of-its-kind-track-intrusion-detection-system/A new report from the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission confirms public transit is good for the environment. It found public transit reduces up to 160,000 metric tons of C02 emissions in Northern Virginia each year. https://novatransit.org/uploads/studiesarchive/2024%20Climate%20Benefits%20of%20Transit%20in%20Northern%20Virginia.pdf?mc_cid=5b1c7046b5&mc_eid=8a85fd1fd3And congratulations to the 16 new graduates of the California High-Speed Rail Authority pre-apprenticeship program. They are now trained and ready to work on the high-speed rail project. https://www.facebook.com/CaliforniaHighSpeedRail/posts/pfbid0yRAUAufijaepZTsKRKQ7C21pFQz582pwoKC8uCzm3kqr6W4mDfC8kdtVEAHgPFUQlThis Transit Unplugged News Minute is being brought to you by Modaxo.I’m Julie Gates.

Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority successfully completed its five year tunnel drilling project to expand the D Line subway and connect downtown and West L.A. One of the engineering challenges included The program included drilling through prehistoric tar sands near the La Brea Tar Pits. Source: LA MetroLas Vegas is starting a pilot program to use artificial intelligence to reduce pedestrian related crashes. The program will be implemented in the busy Fremont Street corridor. It will detect real time pedestrian activity and adapt traffic signals to create safer pedestrian crossing times. Source: Office of Rep. Dina TitusCapMetro hosted a total solar eclipse event. Picnic for the public in Austin, Texas, the agency provided meals and viewing glasses and allowed its operators to stop their vehicles during the minutes of total darkness. Source: Cap Metro

The IBTTA extends support to Baltimore, New York is one step closer to congestion pricing, and the ThinkTransit Conference wraps up in Tucson. Welcome to your Transit Unplugged News Minute.In response to the tragic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, the International Bridge, Tunnel, and Turnpike Association has offered its support, saying we stand in solidarity with the Maryland Department of Transportation and our member, the Maryland Transportation Authority, which operates the bridge. Source: IBTTAIn New York, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board finalized its approval of congestion pricing, paving the way for the agency to implement a toll in Manhattan below 60th Street. The program will be implemented in June. Source: MTAAnd the Think Transit Conference has wrapped up in Tucson, Arizona. The event included an executive summit where industry leaders workshopped solutions for operator safety and increasing revenue generation. Source: ThinkTransitThis Transit Unplugged News Minute is being brought to you by Modaxo, passionate about moving the world’s people. I’m Julie Gates.

are evasion enforcement is heating up and the MBTA is celebrating transit driver appreciation month.With a fiscal cliff coming for many transit agencies who are nearing the end of COVID relief subsidies, farebox revenue is becoming increasingly important and now there are efforts to step up fare enforcement.Last year, the Toronto Transit Commission lost nearly $124 million dollars to fare evasion. Today, the TTC is rolling out a new campaign to remind riders about the importance of paying fares.Washington DC Metro Transit Police have additional support when dealing with fare evasion, thanks to a new District of Columbia law. Violators could face up to $100 fines.And the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is celebrating transit driver appreciation month by featuring operator stories on YouTube and collecting thank you notes for riders’ favorite bus drivers and rail operators.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded over $3 billion dollars in federal funding through the Reconnecting Communities Pilot and Neighborhood Access and Equity grant programs. This funding will reconnect communities that were divided by transportation infrastructure decades ago. Source: U.S. DOTA one-year multi-modal pilot is underway in Vancouver, BC. The RideLink smartphone app integrates rides between TransLink, car-share, and bike-share by providing trip planning and booking services. Source: TransLinkAnd Pittsburgh Regional Transit will conduct an independent review of the historic Monongahela Incline to better understand what has led to multiple breakdowns over the past year. The Mon is the oldest continuously operating funicular in the United States. Source: Pittsburgh Regional Transit

At the inaugural Public Transit Conference this May, cybersecurity will be at the top of the agenda. Cyberattacks have become an industry hot topic and have impacted many transit agencies, including San Francisco and St. Louis. The conference is being hosted by METRO Magazine. Source: METRO Magazine.North Carolina’s GoDurham has a new way for riders to alert the agency about trash at bus stops. QR codes have been posted on buses and bus stops that people can use to let the agency know about trash, graffiti, vandalism, or other items that need attention. Source: Mass Transit Magazine.And the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority’s (TARTA) Paratransit Division has become the first transit agency department in Ohio to become a Certified Autism Center. The designation was granted after TARTA paratransit staff took specialized training to better serve the needs of autistic and sensory sensitive passengers. Source: TARTA.Transit Unplugged is brought to you by Modaxo.

The city of Hoboken, New Jersey, has achieved an important milestone. It has been seven years since it has had a traffic death. They credit the success to their Vision Zero program, which has created dedicated spaces for different transportation modes, and added curb extensions to help pedestrians cross the street faster. Source: City of Hoboken.The U.S Federal Transit Administration announced $9.9 billion in federal formula funding. This will help maintain and operate trains, buses, and ferries. Upgrade stations and tracks, plan new transit corridors, and provide access for seniors and riders with disabilities. Source: U.S. FTA.And to ensure rider safety, the City of Santa Monica, California is introducing Transit Safety Officers, who will support riders traveling on the Big Blue Bus. Source: Big Blue Bus.