The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration, or FTA, has recently awarded CapMetro with $20 million as part of its Bus and Bus Facilities Grant Program. The funding will go toward establishing a permanent North Demand Response Operations and Maintenance facility. “As CapMetro continues to grow as an agency and as a regional partner,…
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) has launched a new pilot program that will substantially increase the agency’s commitment to riders to provide a safe and clean transit experience. The DART Clean Team Initiative will utilize onboard contract cleaning personnel from the United Community of Faith to remove trash and debris aboard DART light rail vehicles…
The Unified Transportation Program (UTP) is TxDOT’s 10-year plan that guides the development of transportation work across the state. Organized into 12 funding categories, with each one addressing a specific type of work, the UTP authorizes the distribution of construction dollars expected to be available over the next 10 years. Within the UTP framework, TxDOT…
Governor Greg Abbott recently announced the adoption of the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) 2023 Unified Transportation Program (UTP), advancing a record $85 billion, 10-year statewide roadway construction plan. The 2023 UTP reflects an unprecedented level of projected transportation funding dedicated to improving transportation safety, addressing congestion and rural connectivity, and preserving roadways for Texas…
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) By the Numbers report for 2021 showcases the annual performance of the architecture and engineering firm signatories of the 2030 Commitment. The By the Numbers report can be explored on AIA’s website at AIA.org. With buildings contributing almost 40 percent of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, architecture and design firms…
Demand for design services from U.S. architecture firms grew at an accelerated pace in August, according to a new report from The American Institute of Architects (AIA). AIA’s Architecture Billings Index (ABI) score for August rose to 53.3 compared to 51.0 in July (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). During August, the…
The price of materials and services used in nonresidential construction jumped 12.6 percent in September from a year earlier despite a dip of 0.2 percent last month, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data released recently. Association officials note that the construction industry was suffering the most from…
Jobs come, and jobs go. There isn’t much of a call for harpooners on whaling ships anymore. Of course, ten years ago, most people couldn’t imagine anyone working as a cryptocurrency investigator. It’s not just innovation, though. Economic forces can squeeze people right out of certain fields. With a recession looming or already here, MerchantMaverick.com…
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced that contracts have been awarded for the purchase of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) following a Notice of Sale announced on September 19, 2022. The contract awards are part of President Biden’s announcement on March 31, 2022, to release as much as 180 million…
The Biden-Harris Administration, through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), recently issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking public input on a new $1 billion program to improve energy generation in rural or remote communities across the country. Funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas (ERA) program…
Black Buffalo 3D Corporation, a leading provider of large-scale 3D printers for construction, recently announced that its NEXCON printers and proprietary 3D concrete ink mix—sold through its partner MAPEI Corporation as PlanitopTM 3D in North America—have been approved by the ICC Evaluation Service (ICC-ES), meeting AC509 requirements for 3D printed bearing, nonbearing, and shear walls…
Scarlet Tech, a leading instrumentation and construction technology company, recently announced the launch of the Hercules Wireless Hook Crane Camera System. Hercules is a crane safety monitoring equipment for tower cranes, luffing cranes, mobile cranes, and other heavy-duty cranes. The whole system is an active safety technology that provides crane operators and safety managers with…
With Fiscal Year 2022 in the books, the Railroad Commission continued its track record of surpassing critical goals that help protect public safety and the environment while also helping the state maximize the use of its natural resources. The RRC – which regulates the state’s oil and gas industry; critical natural gas infrastructure; intrastate pipelines;…
By Helen Callier, Contributing Writer A few months ago, I was a featured workshop speaker providing insights and tips for navigating the construction industry. Most folks that have heard me speak before or have read any of my articles know that I am a storyteller sharing real-life stories from experiences from projects and often makes…
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced the addition of a new organization to its OSHA Training Institute Education Center network and the renewal of 25 existing education centers. OTI Education Centers are non-profit organizations that offer training courses on OSHA standards and occupational safety and health topics to workers and…
OSHA’s On-Site Consultation Program offers no-cost and confidential occupational safety and health services to small- and medium-sized businesses in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and several U.S. territories, with priority given to high-hazard worksites. On-Site Consultation services are separate from enforcement and do not result in penalties or citations. Consultants from state agencies…
Bexar County’s Small Business & Entrepreneurship Department (SBED), led by Renee Watson, continues its concerted effort to connect small businesses with billions of dollars in contracting opportunities. One of the SBED’s initiatives serving Small, Minority, Women, and Veteran Business Owners (SMWVBO) is its annual Bexar County Business Conference held on Wednesday, December 7, 2022, at…
CapMetro has established a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program in accordance with regulations of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), 49 CFR Part 26. CapMetro’s overall DBE goal for FY2020-22 is 19% of the Federal financial assistance expended in DOT-assisted contracts, exclusive of FTA funds to be used for the purchase of transit vehicles. It…
METRO’s Board of Directors voted recently to create two programs to ensure equal access and opportunity for veterans and people living with a disability seeking to do business with the Authority. The Veteran Owned Business Enterprise (VOBE) and the Disability Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE) programs will be run by the Office of Economic Business Opportunity,…
While architecture firm billings grew for the 18th consecutive month in July, the pace of growth continued to slow. The Architecture Billings Index (ABI) score of 51.0 for the month is the lowest since January and marks the fourth straight month with a lower score than the previous month. With a variety of economic storm…
