Commuter Rail

NEWARK, N.J. — For the second straight year, Governor James E. McGreevey’s budget calls for N.J. Transit fares remain at their current level. "Public transportation must remain affordable for the hundreds of thousands of hard-working New Jerseyans who commute to work every day," McGreevey said. "This is an important addition to their quality of life – and yet another way we’re investing to keep New Jersey’s economy the strongest among the Northeastern states." In keeping the fares the same this year, McGreevey decided to allocate an extra $85 million to N.J. Transit. These additional funds, combined with internal cost efficiencies,

WASHINGTON — In testimony before the full Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, on the safety and security of passenger rail and public transportation systems, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) highlighted an identified $6 billion in critical security needs to keep America’s public transportation systems safe. “In the United States, more than 9 1⁄2 billion trips are taken on public transportation systems every year. 32 million times every weekday Americans board public transportation vehicles throughout the country-in urban, suburban, and rural communities,” said APTA President William W. Millar. “To put it in perspective, 16 times more Americans travel by

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – A proposed high-speed rail system through California’s Central Valley could cause an agricultural, environmental and financial “train wreck” if it promotes more urban sprawl, according to American Farmland Trust. At a public hearing held in March, Edward Thompson, Jr., the organization’s state director, said the environmental report underestimates the impact the rail project will have on agriculture. Thompson called on local and state officials to step up their efforts to manage the state’s growth by getting better control on development and by protecting the “best farmland on the planet. … This doesn’t mean we need more laws

NEW YORK – MTA New York City Transit’s legendary Redbirds have made their farewell journey – the last 11-car train of Tuscan-red cars operated Nov. 3 on the Flushing Line between Times Square and Willets Point before being permanently retired from service. About three years ago, there were more than 1,400 Redbirds of various vintages serving many of NYC Transit’s A Division routes (numbered lines). However, with the MTA’s $2 billion capital investment in more comfortable and reliable high-tech subway cars the number of Redbirds on the system has dwindled. Their last stronghold was along the No. 7 Flushing Line,

PHILADELPHIA – The passage of the Fiscal 2004 Pennsylvania state budget restores a 6 percent cut in SEPTA subsidies ($15 million), but does not alleviate the need for greater state support for public transit in the Commonwealth. “Passage of the 2004 budget essentially returns SEPTA to where we were last January,” said SEPTA Board Chair Pasquale T. Deon, Sr. “But we are facing an immediate $70-million dollar deficit going into the next budget year. “With the prolonged budget struggle hopefully over, there is the expectation that state government will quickly address the fundamental issue of providing a long term and