The Hub 12/20/19: Clean Air Council’s Weekly Round-up of Transportation News
“The Hub” is a weekly round-up of transportation related news in the Philadelphia area and beyond. Check back weekly to keep up to date on the issues Clean Air Council’s transportation staff finds important.
Plan Philly: Yassmin Gramian, incoming PennDOT Secretary sees ‘bright future’ for Philadelphia – Yassmin Gramian big plans for Pennsylvania’s Department of Transportation under her leadership. Gramian intends to prioritize community involvement in all local and statewide projects. She also plans to fight for more funding for public transportation.
Billy Penn: Amtrak might make it so Philly’s 4.4 million riders can’t change or cancel train tickets – Amtrak is floating a policy that would make their most affordable fares non-transferable and non-refundable. A leaked memo mentioning the policy change has brought Amtrak’s CEO under scrutiny. With Philadelphians taking 4.4 million Amtrak trips each year, the proposed change would impact the mobility of the region.
Philly Mag: You’ll Soon Be Able to Pay for a SEPTA Trip With Your Phone – SEPTA’s key card readers will be replaced with the latest in fare technology. The new machines will allow riders to pay a single fare with Apple or Google Pay from their smartphones, however you will still need a key card to use a Travel Wallet or Transpass.
City Lab: Will Free-Transit Fever Spread? – Miami is considering free transit in the wake of Kansas City, Missouri doing away with bus fare. The Miami-Dade County Commissioner Xavier Suarez has voiced his support of fare-free public transit in Miami to incentivise ridership. Suarez believes that fare-free public transit is an idea whose time has come.
Clean Air Council’s Clean Commute Awards honors a commuter and a workplace each year who do the most for sustainable commuting. You could win great prizes like a monthly Transpass or a gift certificate to your favorite bike shop. Nominate a commuter here or a workplace here.
Image Source: Billy Penn
