NJ Transit
NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri provided the following statement regarding the BLET vote on tentative agreement:
“I am disappointed that the tentative agreement was not ratified but respect the outcome of the vote. My focus remains on reaching a fair and sustainable agreement that works for everyone and ensures NJ Transit can continue to provide the reliable service our customers count on. I believe a deal is still within reach, and I am committed to returning to the bargaining table immediately and meeting every day, for as long as it takes, to get it done.”
Denver RTD
Denver RTD on April 16 released its Call for Projects Partnership Program with $3 million available annually over a three-year period. Funding will be available for the years 2026-2028 for projects determined to help improve local mobility.
The Partnership Program, RTD says, provides an opportunity for local governments and transportation management associations/organizations (TMA/Os) within the district to apply for funding for services or enhancements that complement existing RTD services or fill a transportation need.
Eligible organizations can apply for RTD partnership funding through 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 14. RTD will hold a virtual Q&A session at 11 a.m. Monday, April 21, for those who have questions about the application process or project criteria. Other entities interested in the 2025 Partnership Program funding must partner with an eligible organization to apply. Selected projects will be announced on Aug. 1.
RTD says it will consider innovative ideas for projects within the agency’s district boundaries; however, infrastructure projects are not eligible. Projects that seek the expansion or provision of RTD services identified in the System Optimization Plan are also not eligible for funding. More details can be found on RTD’s Partnership Program page. A minimum 20% local match is required, and RTD will commit up to three years of funding for selected projects, with a start date of 2026. Applicants can request funding for one, two or three years, depending on project needs.
RTD’s Partnership Program funding, the agency says, can aid community partners in creating transportation services designed to help better meet local mobility needs, as well as enable customers to better access RTD bus stops and stations.
Eligible projects include:
- Fixed-route transit service – operating on a specific route.
- On-demand transit service – demand responsive service operating in a specific area.
- Other mobility service that does not fall into the above categories.
- Other projects that enhance mobility through other means.
Prior projects RTD has funded from its Partnership Program include the Lone Tree Link-on-Demand from its 2023 and 2024 Calls for Projects. The Partnership Program has also supported the expansion of the City of Englewood’s fixed route trolley that provides service between the Englewood D Line light rail stop through the HCA Health One and Craig Hospital medical centers and downtown Englewood.
Other initiatives supported by prior Partnership Program Call for Projects include on-demand services such as RIDE Longmont, which launched in December 2024 to provide low-cost transit; Denver Connector, which provides free microtransit services; and support Smart Commute in establishing micromobility hubs at select locations.
“Since the first Call for Projects in 2023, RTD’s Partnership Program has introduced meaningful collaboration with local governments and organizations that brought new and enhanced transit services to communities,” said General Manager and CEO Debra A. Johnson. “Projects that are selected and funded this year have the potential to receive an increased annual investment as compared with prior years, demonstrating the agency’s commitment to grow the program as resources allowed and in direct response to comments that some projects need a larger allocation to be successful.”
Applications will be evaluated on the following criteria:
- Alignment with RTD’s Strategic Plan – specifically, Community Value, Customer Excellence and Customer and Community Connections.
- Local support and ability to meet local needs.
- Complements existing RTD services.
- Provides service where there is a gap in existing service.
- Provides service to equity populations.
- Potential ridership.
- Project readiness.
SFMTA
As Muni ridership grows, SFMTA says it continues to make changes so that it can provide the best possible experience for its customers.
Programs like Muni Forward, the agency says, are a great example. An in-depth report shows Muni Forward projects have reduced travel times by up to 35% and resulted in up to 51% more reliable transit service.
Fare compliance is another area where SFMTA says it has seen room for improvement and reached out to riders to understand their needs.
Many riders told SFMTA that visible fare evasion is a serious concern. In a recent focus group, a rider from San Francisco’s east side noted that: “You have to fix fare evasion first.” Our community asked us to address this issue, and we responded.
SFMTA made a series of changes to increase fare compliance. Now, its transit fare inspectors:
- Perform 86% more inspections per hour than they did in July 2024.
- Report a nearly 30% decline in observed fare evasion compared to July 2024.
This work, the agency says, helps SFMTA continue to provide reliable service, especially as it faces an upcoming $320 budget deficit. Fare revenue directly supports Muni service, and SFMTA’s fare discount programs for people with no or low income, the agency noted.
More information is available here.
Metrolink
Metrolink recently announced that it has upgraded the Juniper Avenue crossing in the City of Fontana with Wireless Crossing Nearside Station Stop (WCNSS) technology “designed to eliminate unnecessary activations when trains stop at the nearby Fontana Station. “The newly installed ‘smart’ system, which launched Monday, April 14, will reduce traffic congestion on Juniper Avenue between Orange Way and Ceres Avenue, while improving safety for drivers and pedestrians along the corridor, the agency noted.
Previously, as westbound Metrolink San Bernardino Line trains approached the Fontana Station, the safety features at the downstream Juniper Avenue crossing would activate. While the train was stopped at the station, the gate arms would reset before they were triggered a second time once the stop was complete, and the train was back on the move. With WCNSS technology now in place, the crossing’s safety mechanisms won’t activate until the train leaves the Fontana Station following its stop, eliminating the first, superfluous cycle, according to the agency.
Metrolink’s WCNSS technology was first developed for use at seven crossings along the Arrow service between San Bernardino and Redlands and has been in operation since Arrow launched in October 2022. Last June, Metrolink implemented WCNSS at the Del Obispo crossing near the San Juan Capistrano Station in Orange County. Additional upgrades, Metrolink says, are currently under way at the Moorpark Avenue crossing near the Moorpark Station on the Ventura County Line and the Columbia Avenue crossing near the Riverside-UCR/Hunter Park Station on the 91/Perris Valley Line.
“Thanks to this much-anticipated enhancement, frustrated Fontana residents will no longer experience delays at the Juniper Avenue crossing caused by trains preparing to stop at the station,” said Metrolink and San Bernardino County Transportation Authority Board Member Alan Wapner, who also serves as a council member for the City of Ontario, which borders Fontana.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) supported the installation of WCNSS technology at Juniper Avenue through a Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant awarded in 2020. Metrolink staff are working to procure the funding and resources needed to equip a total of 52 crossings across the six-county network with WCNSS capability.
