On July 30, the Senate Appropriations Committee voted by a 30-0 margin to approve the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies (THUD) appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2010. [More]

The Seattle region waited 40 years for the event that occurred July 18: the opening of Sound Transit’s new Central Link light rail line. More than 92,000 passengers rode free during the first weekend of service, approximately 45,000 of them on opening day. [More]

A groundbreaking report on how the United States can move toward a more sustainable transportation strategy was introduced by several members of Congress and representatives of nonprofit organizations at a July 28 event in Washington, DC, attended by more than 200 people. [More]

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the U.S. International Council on Disabilities, and APTA honored former Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta for his lifelong commitment to accessibility and disability rights at a July 26 event in Washington, DC. The event also commemorated the 19th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). [More]

Sun Metro in El Paso, TX, broke ground in July for the future Glory Road Transfer Center and Parking Garage and the Mission Valley Transfer Center, both scheduled for completion in 2010. [More]

The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (AATA) in Ann Arbor, MI, has named Michael G. Ford as its new chief executive officer, beginning July 20. Ford has more than 25 years of experience in both public and private transportation. [More]

On Friday, July 24, the Senate confirmed several transportation-related nominations. [More]

When I started to write this commentary, I thought I’d show how technologically savvy I am, so I Googled “sustainability”—and received over 30 million hits.

This issue is, clearly, on more than a few people’s minds! [More]

“For too long,” President Barack Obama said recently, “federal policy has actually encouraged sprawl and congestion and pollution, rather than quality public transportation and smart, sustainable development.”

Transit professionals are hopeful that a reversal of such policy will appear in the next authorization bill. [More]

How can a public transportation agency contribute to Los Angeles’ sustainability? How are we helping this paradise adapt to the issues of climate change and energy challenges? [More]

When Portland’s Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) began construction on its fifth light rail line, the agency took “green” practices to a whole new level. The construction of TriMet’s new Green Line, which opens in September, includes the reuse of materials, incorporation of renewable energy, and installing stormwater treatment features, making the line a model of the agency’s commitment to environmental stewardship. [More]

When Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) became one of the first public transportation agencies in the nation to sign on to APTA’s Sustainability Commitment, in January 2009, it would have been easy to see it as its first step toward a more socially responsible and environmentally friendly future. However, this medium-sized transit agency in southeastern Virginia already had begun working toward sustainability principles. [More]

The Pacific Northwest region that is home to King County Metro Transit boasts a wealth of natural resources and beauty, and the area’s residents strongly support efforts to protect our cherished environment. King County Metro Transit has long shared the public’s commitment to environmental stewardship; we have been doing our part by helping to build a robust public transportation system and by adopting green operating practices throughout our agency. [More]

Foothill Transit in West Covina, CA, is a leader in the movement toward sustainable transportation. [More]

The Transit Authority of River City (TARC) is not only working to make its operations and buildings less energy-consuming and more sustainable; it is also joining with community partners to make the transportation network in Louisville healthier and more livable. [More]

A novel blend of fuels devised by a small public transit agency has resulted in cleaner emissions and better cold-weather reliability. [More]

The Riverside Transit Agency (RTA), which has provided public bus service for California’s western Riverside County for more than 30 years, has long been a champion of cleaner, greener technologies and practices in public transit. [More]

On April 22, 2009, Greater Bridgeport Transit (GBT)—like hundreds of other public transit agencies across the U.S.—celebrated Earth Day by promoting the role public transportation plays in healthy communities. Through a series of events, the agency highlighted the environmental benefits of its bus services and broadcast them throughout the service area. [More]

VIA Metropolitan Transit in San Antonio, TX, has begun using wind-generated electricity for all its power needs through CPS Energy’s Windtricity® program. [More]

The nature of public transportation lends itself to increased individual sustainability. For years now, IndyGo, along with other public transit agencies, has been preaching the environmental benefits of riding the bus. [More]

Mary Steinert, deputy executive director of Paratransit Inc., has been a champion of environmentally friendly programs and activities throughout the organization’s history. She has encouraged and fostered an approach to business that promotes thoughtful consideration for the environment when processes or programs are implemented. [More]

Environmental issues and sustainability have become daily headlines all over the world. In 2008, another word also appeared regularly in speeches and news features, particularly during the presidential campaign: collaboration. These two trends in public and national values have shown up in all sectors of society and, in the case of public transportation, are especially important to its future success and sustainability. [More]

“I never worry about action, but only about inaction,” reflected Winston Churchill as the Second World War loomed. If applied to our own impending climate change crisis, Churchill’s words would be as prescient today as they were in London in the 1930s. [More]

Ben Franklin Transit (BFT), located in southeastern Washington State, has been showcasing its environmental leadership for the past 18 years. [More]

A variety of keynote speakers offered insights and information to board members and support staff who participated in APTA’s Transit Board Members Seminar and Board Support Employee Development Workshop, July 18-21 in Cincinnati. [More]

The APTA Rail CEOs Committee approved for adoption four sets of proposed rail training guidelines at its meeting during the recent APTA Rail Conference in Chicago. [More]

The prevalence of hybrid buses in America’s public transit fleet is increasing, according to APTA’s 2009 Public Transportation Vehicle Database. Nineteen percent of buses built in 2008 were hybrids, with a mix of fueled engine and battery power, compared to less than 5 percent of the total transit bus fleet. [More]