Presto is one Metrolinx initiative and more specifically, a key component of Metrolinx’s strategic plan “The Big Move” to address congestion in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) for riders and to support the region’s economic development and quality of life. Presto is very similar to other global efare systems such as the Oyster card in London, UK or Hong Kong’s Octopus card. It is an advanced electronic payment system that is designed to allow transit riders to travel seamlessly and more conveniently throughout the GTHA. From Oshawa to Hamilton, Presto riders can move quickly and efficiently. Currently there are more than 400,000 active Presto card holders and growing at a rate of more than 22,000 per month on...

People looking to bring high-speed rail to the United States are meeting in Los Angeles, Calif., this week for the US High Speed Rail Association’s High Speed Rail Conference: Bringing High-Speed Rail to America. USHSR President & CEO Andy Kunz began the conference pointing out the five challenges facing HSR in America: Confusion to the public about what high-speed rail is, is it Amtrak, how fast is it? There’s a well-funded negative campaign out there by those industries that don’t want this to move forward There’s a lack of dedicated funding sources Benefits are not clearly articulated or consistent There are long lead times to seeing results so a lot of people lose interest during that time Over the next few days...

Forget the “saving the planet,” or the “reducing the carbon footprint.” To get people listening today it’s about “cutting costs” and “saving money.” With transportation being a hot political button as of late and scrutiny over money spent on any infrastructure project, many of the attendees at the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) 2012 Sustainability and Public Transportation Workshop were sharing how that message shift has helped them in generating community support. The afternoon started with a luncheon with a keynote by Federal Transit Administration Deputy Administrator Therese McMillan. While there was a definite battle in getting authorization out of the gate, she stressed that this was a...

It was with deep sadness I learned of the passing of a transit friend, Linda Somilleda. Linda had been with Foothill Transit in West Covina, Calif., for 17 years and was an instrumental part of the leadership team. According to Director of Marketing and Communications Felicia Friesema, Linda played a huge role in shaping Foothill Transit's brand and image and more recently, taking on challenges in operations and customer service. She was a Leadership APTA (American Public Transportation Association) graduate and believed strongly in APTA's goals and in the importance of Marketing and Communications. She will be deeply missed by her peers and our thoughts are with her Foothill Transit family, her husband Nick, and her daughter Natalie...