News Archive
Nigro: Dialogue is a two-way street
By Joe Nigro, SMART General President – The First SMART General Convention represented a new beginning for all of us. So, now is the time to take advantage of the opportunity and begin forging a path to ensure the dialogue between the leadership and convention delegates at o [...]FMCSA awards $1M to help train vets as bus operators
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Oct. 21 announced it has awarded $1 million in grants to nine technical and community colleges across the country to help train returning military veterans for jobs as commercial [...]Medicare Part B premiums remain the same in 2015
The standard Medicare Part B monthly premium will be $104.90 in 2015, the same amount as in 2014. Some beneficiaries will continue to pay higher premiums based on their modified adjusted gross income, but these amounts are also remaining the same as in 2014. The monthly premi [...]Pa. legislative board calls members to action
Pennsylvania State Legislative Director Paul Pokrowka is asking all SMART Transportation Division members from Pennsylvania to take action and contact the office of Gov. Tom Corbett, requesting he sign House Bill 2354 into law. The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA [...]MBTA pushes subway car contract with Chinese firm
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) will recommend to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s board that CNR MA Corp. manufacture 284 new subway cars for the agency’s Red and Orange lines, Gov. Deval Patrick announced yesterday. The boar [...]Class I railroads announce third quarter results
In a press release Oct. 14, CSX announced record third quarter profits. The railroad said that operating income increased 16 percent and operating ratio improved 220 points. Operating income came in at $976 million with an operating ratio of 69.7 percent. CSX also saw volume [...]Social Security benefits to go up by 1.7 percent
Monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for nearly 64 million Americans will increase 1.7 percent in 2015, the Social Security Administration announced today. The 1.7 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits that more t [...]Hotel converts Pullman rail cars into luxury suites
Guests at an upscale U.S. hotel can choose to stay in historic train cars that have been transformed into luxury suites and rest on their original tracks. Built within a major rail station, the Crowne Plaza in downtown Indianapolis, Ind., features 13 authentic 1920s Pullman t [...]