Transporation Daily News April 16

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency approved a new $787 million budget Tuesday that will mean higher parking fees and Muni fares.  The budget calls for parking fines to increase $10 this year, and for Muni fares to go up next year. KCBS 4/15/08

 

Before they can create the world's largest airline, Delta and Northwest will have to navigate past plenty of turbulence, including opposition by labor unions and skepticism from the flying public. Among the challenges: Delta's only major unionized work group is its pilots, while Northwest is heavily unionized. Delta airline attendants will vote this month on whether they want to join a union. Bay Area union workers for Northwest said Tuesday they are against the marriage of Delta Air Lines Inc. and Northwest Airlines Corp. CC Times 4/16/08

 

Even as rising fuel costs are grounding weaker airlines -- including three this month -- airline competition is heating up for travelers flying the Pacific coast. Next month, the low-fare carrier JetBlue, popular with Southern California leisure travelers, is adding six flights from Long Beach to San Jose, Seattle and Austin, connecting some of the nation's top tech-heavy cities. Long Beach passengers can fly one-way to San Jose for $39. LA Times 4/16/08

 

Expanding the role California utilities play in clean transportation will accelerate the state's transition to low-carbon fuels and reduce petroleum dependency, according to officials from Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E). At the Low-Carbon Fuels 2008 conference held today in Sacramento, Hal Snyder, vice president of customer programs at SoCalGas and SDG&E, told state regulators and policy makers that the expanded use of natural gas and electricity in transportation will provide significant consumer benefits. CNN 4/15/08

 

When it comes to building a maglev train between Las Vegas and Southern California, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has remained a believer. This week, he is risking the wrath of the Senate anti-pork czars to secure $45 million to push the train project along. The money was approved as part of a massive transportation bill in 2005, but no money was authorized. The House strengthened the bill last year to allocate funds, which would go toward completing an environmental review now underway. Las Vegas Sun 4/15/08

 

The California Air Resources Board said it wants to encourage a "hydrogen highway" and is making $7.7 million available to help roll out a hydrogen network. The board said the funds are earmarked for the construction and improvement of hydrogen fueling stations in the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas. Cleantech 4/16/08

 

HSR Success Stories Keep on Coming  California High Speed Rail Blog 4/16/08