Metro could shut down lines for maintenance

The Washington Post reported that Metro’s top officials warned that its transit system is in such need of repair that entire rail lines might have to be shut down for maintenance, for as long as six months. This could potentially impact thousands of daily commuters and worsen traffic congestion in the region. Read the entire…


March 31st 2016
Big labor win: Supreme Court rules in favor of union fees

Reuters reported that the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 4-4 split decision, ruled in favor of public sector unions by preserving the legal precedent of agency fees, which are a vital source of cash for organized labor. Read the entire story here.


POLITICO mentions SMART TD poll

In their morning transportation tip sheet, POLITICO mentioned a poll recently conducted by DFM Research and SMART Transportation Division. The poll was conducted in Missouri and asked Missourians how they feel about issues in the transportation industry. Click here to read the poll results. Click here to read POLITICO’s write up (bottom of the page…


March 30th 2016
Engineer killed on the job during shift change

A Canadian Pacific Engineer Trainee Jeffrey Harsh, was fatally injured early Sunday, in St. Paul, Minn. “The Minnesota legislative board wishes the family of Mr. Harsh, members of locals 525 (Grand Forks, N.D.) and 911 (Minneapolis), our deepest condolences,” said Minnesota State Legislative Director Phil Qualy of the incident. Services for Harsh will be held…


FTA announces $266 million in funding to improve bus service

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced the opportunity to apply for approximately $266 million in competitive grant funding for bus programs nationwide. The funding consists of $211 million in grants for buses and bus facilities projects, as well as $55 million specifically for FTA’s Low and No Emission (Low-No)…