October 2023 I Will Ride Update
Greetings I Will Riders!
As we move into the Fall season, we have more great updates to share. Over the weekend, California Governor Gavin Newsom took a ride on Chinese high-speed rail! We are excited to share some highlights of his ride and how we are progressing high-speed rail in California. We’re continuing progress on train design and want your input. We attended some great events this month and have some new spooky coloring pages for the season. Read below for more!
Governor Takes a Ride on Chinese High-Speed Rail
Earlier this month on a delegation trip, Governor Newsom had the opportunity to ride high-speed rail from Yancheng to Shanghai in China. A 200-mile trip done in two hours; the governor emphasizes the potential of high-speed rail travel. In a Press Release, the governor shared how California is progressing with high-speed rail train and station designs and has written a letter to President Biden thanking his administration for a $202 million CRISI grant and further reminding the President the need for a pending $3 billion federal grant application necessary to continue advancing the first operating segment.
*Images courtesy of Office of California Governor website.
Small Businesses Get a Chance to Work on High-Speed Rail
Earlier this month the Authority’s Small Business team hosted the Small Business Diversity and Resources Fair. With close to 100 in-person participants, small businesses from around California joined for a full day of networking and panel discussion with prime contractors on the California High-Speed Rail Program. Many prime contractors were in attendance and made themselves available to chat with small businesses on one-on-one meetings as well as tabling to answer general questions. The Authority has an aggressive 30% small business participation goal on the project, and to date has worked with over 800 small businesses. Small businesses present another opportunity for students to work on high-speed rail. Students can work or intern with one of the many small businesses working on high-speed rail! You can learn more about the high-speed rail Small Business Program here. Who knows, one day you may even start a small business and do work on high-speed rail! Make sure to watch the recap video on the event and the super spunky reel about the event on our social media.
High-Speed Rail at Fresno’s Transportation and Innovation Summit
We were proud partners of the Fresno International Transportation Innovations Summit / PEDAL 2023 held last week in Fresno. The purpose of the PEDAL Conference is to “promote and encourage sustainable transportation in the greater Fresno region and beyond”, and attracted transportation professionals, policy makers, and those interested in more sustainable transportation solutions. PEDAL 2023 was organized in collaboration with Fresno’s “sister city” of Münster, Germany, which is sometimes referred to as the bicycle capital of Germany. The conference featured talks from city planners and transportation experts from both California and around the world. California High-Speed Rail was the subject of one of the sessions, which focused on construction progress in the Central Valley. In addition to having a session, the Authority is also proud to have been one of the sponsors of the conference and had a table at the expo hall.
Preliminary Train Interior Designs
Earlier this month on social media we shared preliminary designs for train interiors. Before we purchase any trains, we are taking input from various stakeholders to get all the thoughts and ideas to build first in the nation high-speed rail trains. Take a look at our social media to see these designs! You can provide your comments at traininteriors@hsr.ca.gov.
Professional Associations in Transportation Virtual Event
WTS-SF Bay Area and the Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) of San Jose State invites you to join for a free virtual event “Connect for Your Career: An Introduction to Professional Associations in Transportation.” It will introduce university students and emerging professionals to Northern California transportation organizations that offer networking, professional development opportunities, and/or scholarship opportunities. This event is Wednesday, November 8, 2023 online from 5:30pm to 7:30pm.
California Expands Sustainable Transit With Intercity Hydrogen Passenger Trains
This month, a plan for hydrogen trains to be used to carry passengers between Sacramento and Merced was announced by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). Caltrans placed an order for 4 hydrogen multiple units with the Swiss company Stadler Rail. Hydrogen trains have various environmental benefits when compared to running more traditionally used diesel trains.
The new trains are to be used in the expansion of two passenger rail services: the Altamont Corridor Express (ACE), which currently serves commuters traveling between Stockton and the Central Valley, and the Amtrak San Joaquins which currently runs 5 daily round trips between Bakersfield and Oakland, with a 6th roundtrip between Bakersfield and Sacramento. ACE and San Joaquins are planning on expanding their service between Sacramento and Merced, with the goals on increasing mobility in the region and connecting to the future California High-Speed Rail Station in Merced. These improvements are part of the California State Rail Plan’s vision to create an integrated rail system across the state, with High-Speed Rail serving as its backbone.
*Photo courtesy of Caltrans
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New Graduates of High-Speed Rail Pre-Apprentice Training Program Pathway to Construction Jobs
The Central Valley Training Center is a pre-apprentice training program that provides hands-on construction industry training. At no cost, this program serves veterans, at-risk young adults, minority and low-income populations who are interested in building the nation’s first electrified high-speed rail system. The 17 recent graduates were part of the 10th cohort of the Central Valley’s Pre apprenticeship program. Since 2020, over 1,000 people have inquired about the program and 151 have graduated. The recent graduates completed a 12-week program that provided exposure to 10 different construction trades and offers more than a dozen industry certifications. As of July 2023, 11,474 jobs have been created to help build California High-Speed Rail. Program investments continue to make a significant impact on the Central Valley economy generating 34,530 job-years of employment, $2.02 billion in labor income, and $6.43 billion in economic output.
DIY Girls Receives $1.5 Million Grant to Advance Mission
DIY Girls, an organization founded by Assemblywoman Luz Rivas to encourage and prepare more women to go into STEM careers, was recently awarded $1.5 million! The Authority has been a proud partner of DIY Girls, providing a classroom presentation and interactive train and station planning activity in Pacoima, CA. Authority staff enjoyed hearing all the innovative ideas from the students and is happy to return for more sessions if invited back. The Authority was also happy to be a sponsor DIY Girls annual gala, fundraising to further expand the mission of DIY Girls. As high-speed rail progresses in California, we will need a dynamic and diverse group of people ready to take on STEM careers and advancements in passenger rail!
ICYMI: Train Interior and HSR Station Design Video
On Friday, the Authority released a very cool video to show some of the work that we have been doing around train interior and station design. Take a look at the short video now up on social media.
ICYMI: HSR Receives APA Award for Environmental Justice Work in NorCal
On Friday, the Authority released a very cool video to show some of the work that we have been doing around train interior and station design. Take a look at the short video now up on social media.
Halloween and Day of the Dead Activity Sheets!
Check out our website for some new Halloween and Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) themed colored pages!
In the News: Fresno Bee Talks HSR Planning in Downtown Fresno
Fresno Bee writer Tim Sheehan discusses the ongoing station planning work in Downtown Fresno, and some of the key aspects of development in and around the future high-speed rail station. The Authority is working hard with city partners to ensure the benefits of building a high-speed rail station in the heart of Fresno will bring meaningful social and economic benefits to the station area and spur a downtown renaissance.
Creating a Path to Success (CAPS) Leadership Academy
CAPS is a six-month leadership training program for college students. CAPS aims to empower and train the next generation of successful Hispanic civic and business leaders through training, network-building, and ongoing engagement with leaders in business development. Students do not have to have any specific area of focus in school, and students of all academic backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Learn more and apply https://creatingapathtosuccess.my.canva.site/
COMTO National Scholarship
COMTO’s National Scholarship Program supports our strategic goal of ensuring the continuing legacy of minorities in transportation. COMTO annually awards multiple national academic scholarships, ranging from $500 to $6,000 each to minority graduate and undergraduate students from across the country. Scholarship awardees are represented in all academic backgrounds and are pursuing various careers in the transportation industry.
Learn more and apply https://comto.org/programs-events/national-scholarship-program
WTS Sacramento Scholarships
WTS is committed to the advancement of women in the transportation industry, and one of the many effective ways they actively enable this advancement is through their scholarship program. Since 2005, the Sacramento Chapter has awarded over $125,000 in scholarships to 100 young women pursuing careers supporting the transportation industry through the generous donations of supporters and members.
Learn more and apply https://www.wtssacramento.org/scholarships
WTS International Strategic Partners Scholarships
The WTS Foundation awards scholarships to students pursuing careers in transportation through undergraduate and graduate programs. The scholarships are competitive and based on the applicant’s specific transportation goals, academic record and transportation-related activities or job skills. Minority candidates are encouraged to apply.
Learn more and apply https://www.wtsinternational.org/about/wts-foundation/scholarships
California Transportation Foundation Scholarships
The California Transportation Foundation’s (CTF) mission is to educate the future of the transportation profession through scholarships, educational programs, mentoring and internships. To learn more about the various scholarship opportunities offered by CTF make sure to check out their website linked below.
Learn more and apply https://www.the-ctf.org/scholarships
Amtrak
The National Passenger Corporation, also known as Amtrak, is a corporation striving to deliver a high-quality, safe, on-time rail passenger service that exceeds customer expectations. For 50 years, Amtrak has connected businesses and communities across the country and as Amtrak celebrates its 50th anniversary it looks to the next 50 years and beyond to move America’s workforce toward the future.
The Amtrak Scholarship Program provides academic scholarships to undergraduate and graduate college students who have an active interest in the railroad industry. This program has been established to provide support to help encourage academic achievement within railroad programs, ensuring a future in this industry.
Learn More and Apply https://careers.amtrak.com/content/Academic-Scholarship-Program/?locale=en_US
Capital Fellows Program Applications Open
The Capital Fellows Programs is a nationally recognized public policy fellowships which offer unique experiences in policymaking and development in each branch of government. Capital Fellows are placed at some of the highest levels of California state government and assist state legislators, senior-level executive staff, and court administrators with a broad range of public policy issues and projects and are typically given assignments with a significant amount of responsibility and challenges.
Applications for the Capital Fellows program close on February 6, 2023 at 5:00pm.
The Authority is a proud partner of the Capital Fellows program having welcomed various fellows for their service year within our Communications team.
Learn more and apply https://www.csus.edu/center/center-california-studies/capital-fellows/
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