METRO Celebrates Launch of ‘One Ride at a Time’ with Special Public Event
Santa Cruz County transportation, environmental and civic leaders gathered on March 29, 2023, to launch METRO’s One Ride at a Time (ORAT) campaign to the community, an innovative campaign to showcase the environmental benefits of transit, encourage bus ridership and protect Santa Cruz County’s extraordinary natural resources with every logged ride on a METRO bus donating to program partners in protecting the environment, the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and the Bay of Life Fund.
The event, which was held at the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center in downtown Santa Cruz, offered the public, press, environmental advocates and local leaders an opportunity to learn about and sign up for the program, view the beautifully wrapped ORAT buses, and hear from the organizations leading the effort.
One Ride at a Time is made possible by a partnership between METRO, Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (SCCRTC), Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, Bay of Life Fund, and renowned photographer-writer team Frans Lanting and Chris Eckstrom.
To participate in One Ride at a Time, bus riders must create an account on the online ridesharing portal administered by the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (SCCRTC)’s GO Santa Cruz County program. Once enrolled, riders will use the portal or the app to log their bus trips, earning 10 points for each trip with a maximum of two rides per day that count towards point accruals. When a rider reaches 250 points, or 25 rides, they can use the portal or the app to select one of METRO’s nonprofit partners to receive a $10 donation. Riders can also see the greenhouse gas emissions reductions they’ve made by riding public transit and compete against each other to see who can make the biggest impact.
Sacramento Regional Transit Offers Free Rides and Holds Events to Celebrate 50 Years of Service
The Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) is celebrating 50 years of service and is offering free rides and hosting a series of events for riders to commemorate the moment.
“For 50 years, our dedicated, hard-working employees have kept this region moving by providing the most equitable, accessible and innovative public transportation options,” said SacRT General Manager/CEO Henry Li. “This is a milestone worth celebrating, and we look forward to celebrating with our employees, customers and community.”
In addition, SacRT has launched a specially decorated 50th anniversary edition bus and light rail train, sponsored by Siemens Mobility and GILLIG, each of which provides an immersive experience for riders. The special bus and train feature interior decals with QR codes that connect to stories and videos about our history and achievements.
Those QR codes offer insights into the early days of SacRT, why it was formed, and includes fun facts, including how the agency dealt with the OPEC oil embargo. It also includes insights into major changes SacRT has been making since the Great Recession to position itself to better serve the region as it grows. For those who want to know where that bus and train are operating each day, check the schedule at sacrt.com/50years.
Culver City Transportation welcomes new Chief Transportation Officer
Diana Chang has been named new CTO of Culver City Transportation. Diana began her career with the Department of Transportation as a Senior Management Analyst/Transportation Planner in 2005. As a key member of the management team, Diana led the Department in many innovated mobility and Capital Improvement projects including, but not limited to, MOVE Culver City, the Metro E-Line (Expo) Light Rail Culver City station, the CityBus Comprehensive Service Analysis, the Micromobility Program, Transportation Demand Management, and NextCCBus. Diana was instrumental in implementing the Culver CityBus Rapid Line as he first project with the team. Diana’s expertise in strategic planning and innovative mobility solutions will help take the Culver City Transportation Department into the future. We welcome Diana to her new position!
OCTA Takes the Wheel with First Responder Safety Training
The Orange County Transportation Authority held a recent training for local fire and law enforcement agencies to help first responders understand potential hazards involving OC Bus vehicles and components when responding to incidents.
First responders arriving at the scene of incidents involving a bus may not always have information on how to operate the vehicle. This includes how to control the doors to get inside, disabling the engine and shutting off the fuel and high voltage systems. The sharing of this knowledge makes it possible to get ahead of any potential risks.
Maintenance Training Manager Michael Tingley and Instructor Pat Courchaine of OCTA’s maintenance training team help familiarize first responders with the systems on OC Bus. Approximately 60 firefighters, including several fire captains and battalion chiefs, attended a recent training exercise to demonstrate how different vehicle components operate.
Tingley and Courchaine covered various training topics including door controls, parking brakes, fuel and battery shutoffs, fire suppression, gas detection and interlock braking systems, high voltages in the hydrogen and battery electric buses and hydrogen fuel hazards.
AC Transit honors 11 bus operators with the Safe Driving Award
The Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) is proud to announce the 2022 recipients of the Safe Driving Award. AC Transit established the Safe Driving Award to recognize Bus Operators who have maintained a minimum of five years safe driving with no preventable accidents.
Receiving this award is a significant achievement for our transit safety professionals. Anyone who lives or even visited the San Francisco Bay Area's East Bay understands that AC Transit Bus Operators navigate scores of challenges while safely maneuvering coaches that start at 40-foot-long, 11-feet-high, and nearly 31,000 pounds: all the while maintaining a timed schedule and avoiding unpredictable behavior from others sharing the road.
This year 11 Bus Operators with an astounding 295 years of combined safe driving service were honored.
Capitol Corridor announces new board leadership
BART board member Robert Raburn has been named chairman of the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority for 2023-24, and Roseville Mayor Bruce Houdesheldt was elected vice chairman, the JPA announced.
Raburn, as a Bay Area Rapid Transit board member, has served on the Capitol Corridor JPA board since 2013.
Houdesheldt joined the board in 2021, serving as a Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority representative from the Placer County Transportation Planning Agency.
Suisun City Mayor Alma Hernandez and Dixon Mayor Steve Bird are board directors, and Vallejo Mayor Robert McConnell is an alternate member representing the Solano Transportation Authority.