Execs got six-figure bonuses while Amtrak struggled
Amtrak’s top executives received six-figure incentive bonuses in 2021, their biggest payouts in years, despite the service’s lackluster financial performance and weak ridership caused by the pandemic. Compensation data showed that annual incentive payouts to senior leaders have grown significantly in recent years. Nine top executives received bonuses exceeding $200,000 in the 2021 fiscal year, up from six executives in 2019. Far smaller bonuses were awarded in previous years. [nytimes.com]
Safety expert says MBTA close to federal takeover
The Federal Transit Administration, last month, ordered Boston’s MBTA to stop allowing any worker who was not safety trained from moving any train cars. It was a rare and serious step for the federal investigators who are probing safety violations at the T after a string of crashes and deadly incidents. With the number of serious incidents involving safety growing by the day, rail experts say that a federal takeover of the MBTA could be right around the corner. [cbsnews.com]
St. Louis Loop Trolley rolls back into weekend service
The St. Louis Loop Trolley has been revived by a new operator after a two-year absence.
After sealing a three-year agreement with the city and receiving final approval by the Loop Trolley Transportation development District, Bi-State Development Agency officially resumed trolley operations last week. A single trolley will operate along the 10-station, 2.2-mile route on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Service will be fare-free through Oct. 30. [masstransitmag.com]
More funds for Northern Manitoba Hudson Bay route.
The governments of Canada and Manitoba have pledged a combined $147M to support a rail line through northern Manitoba. The money comes on top of $157M in federal funds to change the ownership of the Hudson Bay Railway and the Port of Churchill, and to make repairs and upgrades. The railway.has a history of service disruptions and delays and was shut down after flooding in 2017. A consortium that includes First Nation communities, Arctic Gateway Group, took over ownership in 2018. [ctvnews.ca]
Atlanta will investigate fare-free transit options
Atlanta could join the ranks of cities experimenting with fare-free transit, pending the results of a study commissioned by the city council in June. The ordinance passed by the city council requests information on the cost of providing fare-free transit, the funding streams available, a timeline for implementation, a cost analysis of other U.S. cities that offer fare-free transit, and partnerships that the city can establish to bolster the effort. [planetizen.com]
Cleveland campaign to seek more Amtrak service
Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA), Downtown Cleveland Alliance (DCA), and Cleveland Neighborhood Progress (CNP) have joined forces to try and expand Cleveland’s Amtrak service into a central passenger rail line. The goal is to bring improved service to Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit, New York, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Washington D.C. Currently Cleveland’s Amtrak station only operates between midnight and 8 a.m. If approved, the expansion would include daytime trips. [cleveland19.com]
