The International Association of Public Transport, 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.
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. 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,” Andrew Bata, UITP Regional Manager for North America said.
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