PEOPLE & PLACES THE LASTEST INDUSTRY NEWS
A FOUR-STORY elliptical oculus skylight is encircled by an 180-foot-long LED
screen displaying scrolling digital text, an installation by artist Jenny Holzer.
Salesforce Transit Center Opens
Th e Salesforce Transit Center celebrated its long-awaited grand opening in
San Francisco, California, August 11, starting with a formal ribbon-cutting
before a public party, and culminating with inaugural Transbay bus service.
Th e ribbon-cutting was held in the Grand Hall, a bright hub that gleams all
the way from its 20,000-square-foot terrazzo fl oor up to a four-story elliptical
oculus skylight.
At the mid-level bus deck, transit agencies from around the Bay showcased
a range of contemporary and vintage buses, spanning time from a fabulously
retro pickle-and-mustard-colored 1958 Key System bus to a brand-new,
double-decker AC Transit bus that could go into service on certain transbay
routes by the end of this year.
10 | Mass Transit | MassTransitmag.com | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018
Metro Awards Contract for
New Bus Facility in Virginia
▶ The Washington Metropolitan Area
Transit Authority (Metro) awarded a contract
for the maintenance and operation
of buses from its new Cinder Bed Road
bus facility in Lorton, Virginia, in a move
expected to control cost growth while
delivering quality service and preserving
current employees’ jobs.
The contract was awarded to Trans-
Dev. The contract includes a mobilization
period prior to the facility opening in
December, three base years, and two,
one-year options.
MassTransitmag.com/12423327
UTA/DART Transportation
Leadership Academy
Celebrates Inaugural Year
▶ Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s partnership
with the University of Texas at Arlington
provides real-world learning opportunities
to develop students into tomorrow’s
leaders in the transportation industry. The
academy addresses a guiding aspiration
of UTA’s strategic plan: to provide a
meaningful internship to each student
prior to graduation. Offi cials are adding
a paid summer DART internship to the
academy’s plan in its second year.
MassTransitmag.com/12425070
Metro
Valley Metro
METRO AWARDED a contract for the
maintenance and operation of buses
from its Cinder Bed Road bus facility.
FROM LEFT: Mesa Mayor John Giles,
Tempe Vice Mayor Robin Arredondo-
Savage, Gilbert Councilmember
Brigette Peterson, Glendale Vice
Mayor & Valley Metro RPTA Chair
Lauren Tolmachoff, Chandler
Councilmember Kevin Hartke,
Phoenix Mayor & Valley Metro Rail
Chair Thelda Williams, Scottsdale
Councilwoman Suzanne Klapp and
Valley Metro CEO Scott Smith.
Karl Nielsen
Valley Metro and Waymo
Announce Partnership
▶ Valley Metro and Waymo joined forces
to introduce a new partnership that will
help drive the future of transportation.
Valley Metro will begin utilizing the
self-driving vehicle technology for fi rst-
and last-mile transit trips in September.
MassTransitmag.com/12423316
Quebec Orders More Electric-Hybrid
Systems from BAE Systems
▶ BAE Systems announced the Association
du Transport Urbain du Quebec ordered
497 electric-hybrid buses using the BAE
Systems Series-E electric drive propulsion
system. The fi ve-year contract includes an
option for up to 1,028 additional systems.
MassTransitmag.com/12425309
MassTransitmag.com/12425083
UTA-DART
DART PRESIDENT/EXECUTIVE Director
Gary Thomas, UTA Associate
Vice Provost in the Division of
Student Success Ashley Purgason,
and Assistant Vice President for
Institutional Advancement Rose
Youngblood attended the UTA-DART
Transportation Academy’s reception.
/MassTransitmag.com
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