Amtrak has recently requested additional funds to cover operating costs and reduced revenue because of the Covid-19 pandemic. A corollary to this request is a plan to reduce long distance service from daily (in most cases) to three or four times a week. RailPAC President Steve Roberts replies: Amtrak’s request for funds – How should…
Click here for Metrolink May 29, 2020 meet agenda link showing the Item 8, draft recovery plan. May 28, 2020 Chair Brian Humphries and BoardSouthern California Regional Rail AuthorityLos Angeles, CA SPECIAL BOARD MEETING FRIDAY 29 MAY, 2020 PUBLIC COMMENT RailPAC, the Rail Passenger Association of California and Nevada has been a consistent supporter of…
May 28, 2020 Honorable Vito Chiesa, Chair San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority 949 East Channel Street Stockton, CA 95202 May 29, 2020 SJJPA Board Meeting Agenda Item 7, Thruway Bus Network Changes Dear Chair Chiesa and Board Members. At this difficult time the Rail Passenger Association of California and Nevada recognizes that with the reduction…
California High Speed Rail Authority’s Draft 2020 Business Plan was issued February 12, 2020. The public comment period is open until June 1, 2020 RailPAC’s submitted public comment letter is below: California High-Speed Rail Authority 770 L Street, Suite 620Sacramento, CA 95814 May 21, 2020 Dear CHSRA Board Members: After review of the 2020 California…
May 14, 2020 Dear Mayor Breed, This letter comes from groups committed to the idea that that getting Caltrain connected to 10 other rail lines and over 40 bus lines in downtown San Francisco would be a major move toward seamless transit and therefore deserving of a high priority. The attached report…
RailPAC has been urging LA Metro and Metrolink to double truck the line between Burbank and Santa Clarita for more than two decades. We finally have a down payment from the State, with some matching funds from other sources. Why am I less than excited by this news? Two and a half decades have passed…
This past week the California State Transportation Agency announced the 2020 grants distributed as part of the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP). Created by SB 862 in 2014, the TIRCP utilizes revenues from the State of the California’s cap-and-trade program and vehicle registration fees to fund capital projects that reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs)…
In late March 2020, RailPAC was one of over 240 signers from across the country (including elected officials, cities and organizations) on a letter written by Transportation for America (T4America) and the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). The letter urged Congress to provide $13 billion in emergency funding for public transportation and passenger rail service.…
By Steve Roberts – RailPAC President [Originally published in Steel Wheels, 1st Quarter 2020] Greetings! In early January, members of the RailPAC Board developed options and came to a consensus on RailPAC’s policy priorities for 2020. The two major ground rules were that the priorities had to be focused and actionable in 2020. A list…