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metro briefs PORT AUTHORITY OF NY/NJ DEBUTS TRAIN CONTROL CENTER Port Authority of New York and New Jersey offi cials marked the 50th anniversary of the acquisition of the commuter rail system with a tour of the new, $66 million PATH Train Control Center, currently undergoing testing, according to the Daily Record. The new control center will allow PATH trains to operate on four- minute headways, which along new signals and extended station platforms, will add 20% more capacity from current levels. The station is set to open in January. OMNITRANS REBRANDS San Bernardino, Calif.-based Omnitrans unveiled its new logo, slogan and fl eet graphics at the transit agency's main transfer center downtown. Two New Flyer Xcelsior 2012 40-foot transit buses on display were decked out with a bold new fl eet design in bright green and blue. Twenty of the new buses will be deployed in coming weeks to replace retiring models. The remaining 144 buses in the Omnitrans fl eet will get a simplifi ed color refresh. The new buses also feature three-capacity bike racks. FLA.'S ESCOT BUS NAMED 'OPERATOR OF THE YEAR' BY IMG Escot Bus Lines received the prestigious honor of Operator of the Year, 2012 during the fi nal evening event of the International Motor Coach Group's (IMG) 15th Annual Strategic Alliance Meeting in Minneapolis. Each year, IMG recognizes one of their own, based on operational excellence, safety record, best practices, community and industry involvement and engagement within IMG. METROLINK STATION TO GET REVITALIZED Montebello, Calif.'s Montebello Bus Lines received approval for a $537,000 proposal to revitalize the Montebello/Commerce Metrolink Station. The eco-friendly plan calls for "an attractive, yet sustainable landscape that conserves water and is based on sound horticultural practice." Improvements will consist of sidewalk and pavement repairs, the replacement of grassy areas with sustainable landscaping and the removal of diseased trees. NEARLY 1 MILLION USED PUBLIC FLA.'S HART BREAKS GROUND ON BUS RAPID TRANSIT The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority broke ground on MetroRapid North-South bus rapid transit system. The 17.5-mile line, which runs through downtown Tampa to Telecom Park/Hidden River Corporate Park, will feature Transit Signal Priority technology and improve travel-time savings by 10 to 15%, according to The Tampa Tribune. 12 < mETRO mAGAZINE SEPTEMBER • OCTOBER 2012 TRANSIT DURING OLYMPICS According to London 2012 organizers, 900,000 people used public transit pro- vided by the Olympic Delivery Author- ity, including shuttles, special light rail and bike routes. The subway saw a re- cord 60 million users during the Games, according to a Business Insider report. metro-magazine.com Photo courtesy of Montebello Bus Lines. Photo courtesyPort Authority of New York and New Jersey. Photo courtesy London 2012