• Per Politico: Chelsea and Somerville, MA, have asked a federal judge to temporarily block DoT from enforcing part of a January directive from Secretary Sean Duffy that orders grant officials to prioritize projects that “require” local compliance with federal immigration enforcement. They also want a pause on the implementation of an April letter from Duffy that told awardees they risk having their funding yanked if they don’t cooperate with ICE.

  The cities allege that the various agency directives are unconstitutional and usurp Congress’ power of the purse by “attempting to unilaterally withhold” funding. The judge in the case has ordered DOT to respond to the cities’ motion by June 18; a hearing is set for July 9.

• Per Politico: The Office of Management and Budget has called a recent GAO opinion “wrong and legally indefensible” and directed DOT to disregard the guidance. The Government Accountability Office, or GAO, is the investigative arm of Congress. At the center of the conflict is a finding that the Trump administration violated impoundment law by suspending new obligations under the $5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program, or NEVI. Thirty Democrats wrote to DOT saying that “contrary to views expressed by [OMB], the Administration’s actions clearly do not align with Congressional intent.”

• Gregory Zerzan has been tapped as DOT general counsel. He is currently at the Interior Department, where he also served in the first Trump Administration. Zerzan was at Treasury during the George W. Bush Administration. His nomination will be vetted by the Senate Commerce Committee.

• According to Eno’s Jeff Davis, as of last week, the Federal Transit Administration’s head count was 30.1% below the level it was on January 20. FRA staffing is down by 11.3% over the same period.

• John Cline’s CRC Legislative Update for June 5 has a complete run-down of the president’s budget request. You can find a copy HERE.

The SEPTA Board this week voted to appoint Scott Sauer as the Authority’s General Manager. Per an agency press release, he received a unanimous vote from the Board following a nationwide search for candidates and a review process.

Sauer has served as Interim General Manager since November 2024 and boasts a nearly 35-year career with the agency.

Moving toward a long-term goal of returning to 15 weekday round trips, Capitol Corridor’s Rob Padgette has announced the restoration of 14 weekday trains between Oakland and San Jose, and two additional midday trains between Sacramento and Oakland. Eleven round trips are available on weekends.

Earlier this year, Capitol Corridor implemented its first major fare update since 2019, reducing fares for trips under 50 miles and making shorter rides even more affordable. And they’re expanding participation in the contactless payment pilot program, allowing riders to tap on and off using your registered bank card —no ticket needed.

WHAT WE’RE READING

• IL: Latest transit proposal would hike tolls, tax ride-shares to avoid $771M fiscal cliff (Mass Transit)

• The cutting edge: Transit agencies begin planning 40% service reductions (Streets Blog Chicago)

• Chicago area public transit faces up to 40% service cuts (Smart Cities Dive)

• Next stop, fiscal cliff: Advocates respond to Illinois legislators’ failure to fund transit before the deadline (Streets Blog Chicago)

• MN: Republicans seek to gut federal funding for three Minnesota transit projects (Mass Transit)

• Alstom Opens Plant 4 Manufacturing Facility in Hornell, N.Y. (Railway Age)

• Alstom Unveils Fourth Hornell Manufacturing Plant (WENY TV News-YouTube)

• Alstom to produce Metra rail cars at newly opened New York plant (Progressive Railroading)

• After nationwide search, SEPTA removes ‘interim’ from GM Scott Sauer’s title (WHYY PBS)

• PA: Josh Shapiro and top Democrats say SEPTA and mass transit funding is a priority, but won't say whether they'll hold up the budget over it (Mass Transit)