UITP has announced the creation of the International Urban Rail Platform for North America, which will bring together key rail industry players from the region and the rest of the world.
This initiative aims to bring the North American rail scene into closer contact with UITP’s worldwide membership, to share knowledge and expertise and further advance the North American ‘rail renaissance’ currently underway, which has seen 23 new light rail systems in the USA since 1985, alongside the existing 36 LRT and 16 metro systems.
The Platform, which has the endorsement of UITP member APTA (American Public Transportation Association), will hold its first official meeting in the fall of 2016. The gathering was a first get-together of the key players to launch the initiative and to discuss the priority topics for the fall meeting.
The move comes on the back of the signing of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST) in December 2015 to ensure a longer-term vision for mass transit financing coming from the US federal level, an initiative welcomed by UITP for the long-term stability it provides the sector.
“There is tremendous new recognition of the value that urban rail transportation brings to current societal needs,” said Andrew Bata, UITP regional manager for North America. “In North America, new rail starts and system expansions are redefining the urban landscape; ridership is booming and often well beyond projections. We are experiencing a true rail renaissance – a mode that offers a high quality, modern, truly green and efficient alternative to the automobile.”
This initiative aims to bring the North American rail scene into closer contact with UITP’s worldwide membership, to share knowledge and expertise and further advance the North American ‘rail renaissance’ currently underway, which has seen 23 new light rail systems in the USA since 1985, alongside the existing 36 LRT and 16 metro systems.
The Platform, which has the endorsement of UITP member APTA (American Public Transportation Association), will hold its first official meeting in the fall of 2016. The gathering was a first get-together of the key players to launch the initiative and to discuss the priority topics for the fall meeting.
The move comes on the back of the signing of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST) in December 2015 to ensure a longer-term vision for mass transit financing coming from the US federal level, an initiative welcomed by UITP for the long-term stability it provides the sector.
“There is tremendous new recognition of the value that urban rail transportation brings to current societal needs,” said Andrew Bata, UITP regional manager for North America. “In North America, new rail starts and system expansions are redefining the urban landscape; ridership is booming and often well beyond projections. We are experiencing a true rail renaissance – a mode that offers a high quality, modern, truly green and efficient alternative to the automobile.”
