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UTU reaches tentative agreement with SEPTA

PHILADELPHIA – United Transportation Union Local 1594, which represents 280 bus and trolley operators on the Red Arrow district in suburban Philadelphia, has reached a tentative settlement on a new contract with SEPTA.

The tentative agreement was reached today after the contract expired at midnight last night.

However, there has been no progress in negotiating a new contract between the Transport Workers Union and SEPTA on a new contract for city workers and talks are stalemated. TWU officials have accused SEPTA of negotiating in bad faith and say that the transit agency’s actions may lead to a regional public transit walkout by 5,300 TWU workers.

House passes $217 billion transportation bill laden with pork

WASHINGTON – By a vote of 337-80, the House passed a $217 billion highway-spending bill that has more pork in it than a Bob Evans Farm sausage.

The bill will bring road-building projects into almost every congressional district in the country and create hundreds of thousands of jobs. It would also include billions in mass transit funding.

But the bill exceeds its agreed-upon budget cap by $26 billion because it has been loaded with many pet projects from congressmen. The White House has criticized many aspects of the bill, including many special interest projects.

The House and Senate must now work out the differences between their two bills.

Rail system recommended for Cincinnati transit

CINCINNATI – A $16 billion light-rail transit system running alongside Interstate 71 has been recommended as a way to relieve traffic congestion in this Ohio River city.

Last week, regional transportation committee officials voted to recommend the light rail system. Trustees of the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments are to review the decision and present it today at Cincinnati City Hall.

The proposed light-rail system would cover a 33-mile stretch of I-71 from the Cincinnati airport in northern Kentucky to Kings Island amusement park 20 miles northeast of the city.