Transit Briefs: VIA Rail Canada, ADOT, SEPTA, San Diego MTS
VIA Rail
VIA Rail on Dec. 9 reported launching the RFQ for locomotives and cars to replace its Long-Distance, Regional and Remote (LDRR) fleet outside the Québec City–Windsor corridor. Most of that equipment, it said, is 70 years old and the “useful life has long since expired.”
The government of Canada announced new funding for replacement project in its 2024 budget.
“It is the largest project in VIA Rail’s history,” said VIA Rail, a federal Crown corporation that is mandated to operate passenger rail in Canada. “More than 40 locomotives and 300 cars [such as panorama cars and dining cars with full kitchens] will be built specifically to provide unparalleled accessibility and comfort to our passengers while being able to withstand Canada’s world-renowned winters and scorching summers and covering exceptional distances year after year” (download fact sheet, top).
VIA Rail noted that the RFQ launch builds on the Siemens Venture trainsets’ “successful entry into service” on the Quebec City–Windsor Corridor, and “marks the first time in the corporation’s history that a new fleet will be deployed across the entire country, ensuring an unparalleled level of service and connectivity for Canadians and tourists alike.” In ten years, VIA Rail said, all its older trains will be replaced.
“We are thrilled to launch the RFQ for our pan-Canadian fleet, a key step in VIA Rail’s ongoing transformation,” said VIA Rail President and CEO Mario Péloquin, who in August discussed the corporation’s “path for transformation” and 2030 strategic plan with Mark Simmons, Deputy Editor of IRJ, a Railway Age sister publication. “This milestone, made possible by the government of Canada’s commitment, ensures we can maintain coast-to-coast services, continue to connect communities, and inspire more Canadians to choose passenger rail. These new trains are central to our vision of offering a modern, accessible, and sustainable travel experience for all regions of Canada.”
According to VIA Rail, highlights and benefits of the new pan-Canadian fleet include:
- “Accessibility: Designed to meet the highest accessibility standards, the new trains will provide a seamless travel experience for passengers of all abilities.
- “Comfort and Innovation: Featuring nine different types of cars, the fleet will offer enhanced comfort and modern amenities, setting a new benchmark for passenger rail services worldwide.
- “Sustainability: The new fleet underscores VIA Rail’s commitment to sustainability, reducing the environmental impact of rail travel while connecting communities across Canada.
- “Rail as an Essential Service: This new fleet will allow VIA Rail to continue to provide essential connections for many remote and Indigenous communities.
- “Economic Impact: Boosting regional economies and supporting tourism by providing a world-class travel option across Canada.
- “National Connection: Continuing to unite communities from coast to coast to coast, reaffirming rail as a vital part of Canada’s national transportation infrastructure.
Further Reading:
- VIA Rail Plots a Path for Transformation
- Confirmed: VIA Rail Fleet Replacement for Outside Québec City-Windsor Corridor
- Meet VIA Rail’s One-Off Lumi Trainset
- New VIA Rail Siemens Fleet More Than 50% Complete
- VIA Rail Unveils 2030 Strategic Plan
- VIA Rail Adventures: Atlantic Canada’s Only Passenger Train
- VIA Rail Adventures: Two Routes in Quebec
- VIA Rail Adventures (Third of a Series)
- Amtrak-VIA Rail May Return to Detroit River Tunnel
ADOT
ADOT on Dec. 6 announced that an Executive Leadership Team will guide the continued study of potential Phoenix-to-Tucson passenger rail service (download fact sheet above). The group comprises the Governor’s Office; ADOT; and metropolitan planning organizations for Maricopa, Pima, and Pinal counties (Maricopa Association of Governments/MAG, Pima Association of Governments/PAG, and Sun Corridor Metropolitan Planning Organization). The move, ADOT said, will “help ensure that planning for passenger rail aligns with regional priorities” and “facilitate coordinated decision-making and advocacy.”
The proposed 158-mile corridor (see map, right) would reconnect Phoenix (Buckeye) to Tucson. It would reinstate service on an existing alignment over which Amtrak discontinued service in 1997, rerouting the long-distance Sunset Limited to a more southerly alignment through Maricopa, Ariz., according to FRA, which noted that the corridor would use the same route as the existing Sunset Limited/Texas Eagle between Picacho and Tucson. The route was selected through the Final Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision completed for the corridor in 2016.
ADOT, corridor sponsor, was to enter Step 1 of the Corridor ID Program to develop a scope, schedule, and cost estimate for preparing, completing, or documenting its service development plan, FRA said.
Using the $500,000 Corridor ID Program grant, ADOT on Dec. 6 said it has “completed and submitted a proposed scope, budget, schedule [including three daily round trips] and planned steps to prepare the Service Development Plan,” which the FRA will review before determining “a federal grant, with a 10% state match, for ADOT to move on to completing the Service Development Plan.”
“Investing in passenger rail between Phoenix and Tucson holds enormous promise for economic growth and employment, and would mean more transportation options for more Arizonans,” Gov. Katie Hobbs said during the Executive Leadership Team announcement. “Regional collaboration is critical to advancing this effort, and having key partners at the table will help us move full speed ahead as we continue to study this project’s potential.”
ADOT said this collaboration is “essential” as it moves toward creating the Service Development Plan, which would:
- “Identify the number and location of stations along the route based on travel demand, technical feasibility, local support, and considerations, such as access to critical facilities like airports and universities.
- “Locate needed infrastructure improvements such as additional track or maintenance facilities that will support the operation of the service.
- “Forecast ridership and revenues, determine service operations (such as number of trips and travel time), estimate capital and maintenance costs, and recommend a phased implementation for the service.”
According to ADOT, approval of the Service Development Plan would make it eligible to receive funding to develop preliminary engineering plans and complete requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in coordination with the FRA. The next step in the NEPA process would be completing a Tier 2 engineering and environmental study examining individual project phases in greater detail, it added.
“We are excited to work with our partners to study the potential of connecting Phoenix and Tucson by rail,” ADOT Director Jennifer Toth said. “Both rural and urban areas can benefit, along with historically underserved communities.”
SEPTA
Average daily ridership in November 2024 was 762,673 unlinked passenger trips across all modes, up 10% from November 2023, according to SEPTA, which offers bus, subway, trolley, trackless trolley, Regional Rail (commuter rail), ADA paratransit, and Shared Ride services in five counties in the Greater Philadelphia area, plus connections to transit systems in Delaware and New Jersey. On average, there were 72,004 more trips per day in November 2024 compared with November 2023. This is based on the calendar month. Apart from bus, all modes have experienced double-digit ridership growth in November.
The transit agency said system-wide ridership in November was 73% of pre-COVID November 2019 ridership. To date, it noted, October 2024 experienced the highest total ridership since the start of the pandemic and August 2024 experienced the highest recovery rate.
Following are November 2024 ridership highlights:
- Bus ridership recovery has been more robust on the weekends, according to SEPTA; ridership has also steadily grown throughout the day. Ridership has increased 12% on Saturdays and 11% on Sundays. Ridership during the 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m., 7 p.m., and 8 p.m. hours have the strongest recovery rates.
- Metro ridership increased 20% relative to this time last year, SEPTA reported. It is the highest since the start of the pandemic “indicating that our cleaning and security efforts are paying off,” the agency noted.
- Broad Street Line [B], Market-Frankford Line [L], and Norristown High Speed Line [M] ridership has grown 22%, according to SEPTA, which noted that ridership is at 69% of pre-pandemic levels.
- Trackless Trolley ridership (Routes 59, 66, 75) has grown 24% relative to November 2023, the agency said.
- Trolley Ridership has grown 11% or 5,589 unlinked trips relative to November 2023, according to SEPTA. Weekend trolley ridership recovery, it noted, has been stronger than weekdays. Ridership has increased 16% on Saturdays and Sundays. The G (15) has a recovery rate of 104%, T routes (10, 11, 13, 34, 36) have a recovery rate of 63%, and D routes (101, 102) have a recovery rate of 68%.
- According to SEPTA, Regional Rail Ridership has experienced strong growth over the past year. In November, average daily ridership increased 12% relative to the same time last year.
SEPTA reported that ridership typically declines in November and December relative to October due to colder weather and the holidays.
Further Reading:
- SEPTA Reprieve, But for How Long?
- SEPTA Postpones Second of Two Fare Increases
- SEPTA Board Approves 7.5% Fare Hike
- SEPTA, TWU Reach Tentative Agreement
- SEPTA GM/CEO Stepping Down
- SEPTA Taps Hitachi Rail for M5 Fleet Contract
San Diego MTS
San Diego MTS has hired Keen Independent Research to help develop an equity statement and policy that “reflect the agency’s commitment to equitably serving the public.” The firm will assess the transit agency’s current service delivery and collect input from riders, other local residents, and employees, according to San Diego MTS, which operates 92 bus routes and four Trolley lines in 10 cities and unincorporated areas of San Diego.
Public input will be “a critical component to the formation of the agency’s equity policy,” said San Diego MTS, which noted that it has “a strong history of seeking local input for projects relating to transit services and has relationships with many community-based organizations.” For example, in 2019 the agency held public forums and created a Community Advisory Committee to discuss the Elevate SD ballot measure. In 2022, it conducted a Social Equity Listening Tour to identify the needs and priorities of “hard-to-reach” community members. The agency used the information to fund improvements such as new shelters and lighting, improved trash cans to help address cleanliness, beautification and more.
Keen Independent Research is slated to build on these efforts in partnership with local firms SVPR Communications and Yen Tu Consulting. According to San Diego MTS, this study team will collect input from the community and transit agency staff through interviews, listening sessions, and virtual workshops where respondents can anonymously provide their impressions of San Diego MTS and how it serves the public. This outreach will involve community-based organizations, transit advocacy organizations, the MTS Community Advisory Committee, and constituents from “historically marginalized groups,” San Diego MTS said.
Results are scheduled for release at the end of 2025.
“MTS seeks a unified vision of a fair and balanced transit system that serves all members of the community,” San Diego MTA CEO Sharon Cooney said during the Dec. 9 announcement. “A critical part of this is developing a framework to help ensure our policy decisions and practices are consistent. By developing an equity statement and policy, MTS will solidify its commitment to using public policy as a platform for equity in our decision-making process.”
