aprilmay2021 - 9

federally funded $25-million project expanded what was once a 3,800-squarefoot satellite office into a three-story,
roughly 34,000-square-foot facility with
cutting-edge technology. Palm Tran now
has the initial infrastructure to charge
fully electric, zero-emissions buses and
is currently seeking grant funding to
purchase electric vehicles. The building
also provides Palm Tran with a public
meeting room, offers a greater area for
employee training and allows for more
administrative office space. " As Palm
Tran celebrates 50 years in service, we
are waking up to the dawn of a new era
in public transit, " said Executive Director
Clinton B. Forbes. " The world is finding
a new normal and we are tasked with
innovating how to get there. "
MassTransitmag.com/21215881

UTA's Ogden BRT Project
is in motion
▶ Construction

Transit Authority's (UTA) new Ogden/
Weber State University Bus Rapid Transit
(BRT). The 5.3 mile fixed guideway will
run from the Ogden FrontRunner Station through downtown Ogden down
25th Street to Harrison Blvd., through
the WSU campus and to McKay-Dee
Hospital. Once complete, Ogden BRT
(formerly route 603) will provide riders a
clean-air ride in an electric bus aided by
a section of dedicated bus lanes. Buses
will stay on schedule with the help of
signal priority at traffic lights thanks to
the Utah Department of Transportation. Buses will arrive at stations every
10-15 minutes on weekdays and 15-30
minutes on weekends. The project will
benefit the community by reducing
vehicle trips, supporting the economy
and providing transportation choices.
The Ogden BRT line is planning to be
operational by late 2023.
MassTransitmag.com/21216887

has begun for the Utah

Continued ▶

MORE NEWS AT A GLANCE
▶ Alstom

will provide Metra with an initial
order of 200 push-pull rail cars.
MassTransitmag.com/21215158
The first of six new Liberty® NXT
Streetcar vehicles from Brookville
Equipment Corporation have been
delivered to Valley Metro for its Tempe
Streetcar System.
MassTransitmag.com/21214518
▶

▶ The

Memphis Area Transit Authority
selected ENGIE Solutions Navineo to
deploy across its fleet as an Intelligent
Transport Systems and Services solution.
MassTransitmag.com/21215703
▶ First

Transit has been awarded a contract to manage and operate fixed-route
and paratransit services for Jump Around
Carson Transit.
MassTransitmag.com/21215156

People in the News

Monica Jones

Kim Goggans Britton

Miguel Ephrem Rendon

Kevin McCann

Central Ohio Transit
Authority (COTA)

STAR Transit

Corpus Christi Regional
Transportation
Authority (CCRTA)

Metra

Monica Jones has been
named COTA's first chief
equity officer, where she
will oversee the conception,
design, implementation,
growth and evaluation of
the organization's strategy
surrounding equity, diversity
and inclusion. She will also
partner with leaders to
develop and implement
strategies, programs, policies
and metrics that successfully
attract, retain and advance
diversity within and outside
COTA. As a former associate
dean of students and chief
diversity officer for Marietta
College, she provided key
campus leadership on initiatives designed to ensure
inclusive excellence on
campus, with a focus on underrepresented populations,
including first generation,
low income and racial or
ethnic minority students.

MassTransitmag.com/21211824

Kim Goggans Britton has
been promoted to deputy
executive director of
STAR Transit. She will be
responsible for the marketing
department's day-to-day operations and she will oversee
the mobility management
department, asset management department, transportation department and call
center. She will also serve as
project manager for special
assignments. Prior to joining
STAR Transit in 2014, she was
an account executive with
The Marketing Arm, working
with the AT&T Northeast and
Southeast local markets.
Most recently, she served as
the agency's vice president,
planning and development.
She was given STAR Transit's
Outstanding Leadership
Award for 2020. She is also
the past chair of the Terrell
Chamber of Commerce
Board of Directors.

MassTransitmag.com/21215532

CCRTA has promoted
Miguel (Mike) Ephrem Rendon to managing director
of executive affairs. In this
position, he will oversee the
organization's legislative and
governmental activities at
the local, state and national
levels. He will continue his
duties as director of safety
and security and will also
serve as acting CEO when
the current CEO, Jorge G.
Cruz-Aedo, is unavailable.
Rendon possesses more than
35 years of experience in
public transportation, safety
and security and legislation.
He previously served on the
CCRTA Board of Directors for
eight years, including four
years as board chair. Rendon
earned a Bachelor of Science
degree in Criminal Justice
from Texas State University.

MassTransitmag.com/21215329

Metra has selected Kevin
McCann to be the next
chief operating officer.
McCann, who most recently
was the head of the mechanical department, will start
his new role July 1, 2021,
when the current COO Bruce
Marcheschi retires. As chief
mechanical officer, he oversees all activities of Metra's
Mechanical Department,
including field operations.
The chief operating officer/
deputy executive director for
operations leads all aspects
of Metra's operations, including Metra's three operating
arms: the transportation
department; the mechanical department; and the
engineering department. The
COO also oversees safety,
rules, regulatory compliance,
environmental compliance,
operations training, T&E
training and certification.

MassTransitmag.com/21215129

APRIL/MAY 2021 | MassTransitmag.com | Mass Transit |

http://www.MassTransitmag.com/21215158 http://www.MassTransitmag.com/21214518 http://www.MassTransitmag.com/21215703 http://www.MassTransitmag.com/21215881 http://www.MassTransitmag.com/21216887 http://www.MassTransitmag.com/21215156 http://www.MassTransitmag.com/21215129 http://www.MassTransitmag.com/21215329 http://www.MassTransitmag.com/21215532 http://www.MassTransitmag.com/21211824 http://www.MassTransitmag.com

aprilmay2021

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