Motor Coach Industries (MCI) would like to see a stable, long-term federal investment in public transportation. Obviously, the key to achieving that is a new six-year surface transportation bill that would provide transit agencies with the horizon they need to plan for multi-year capital procurements. This is good for the agencies, the communities they serve, and business members dedicated to this industry.

As the economy improves, transit agencies need to be prepared to give better service to existing and new ridership. One of this country’s key take-aways as a result of the recession is a new appreciation for the true costs of personal transportation.

Americans are demanding lower-cost, high-quality alternative modes of transportation to access jobs, medical appointments, and quality-of-life activities. Agencies serving outlying suburban areas are poised to reap significant benefits due to the positive economic appeal of park-and-ride commuter service. Yet luring suburban commuters out of their SUVs and onto public transportation takes modern equipment with amenities like Wi-Fi and power outlets that allow riders to be productive while commuting to work.

Companies like Google and Apple, with their own transportation divisions, see returns by offering these types of commuter coaches. Transit agencies can do the same for their communities, and many already are.

Thousands of MCI Commuter Coaches serve express routes around the country in communities both large and small. A significant number of those were purchased with federal funds. Last year, many federal transportation programs were augmented with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act stimulus funding. Those enhanced programs made a positive difference in U.S. communities, both for the transit agencies that serve them and the industry suppliers located there. Investment in public transportation is good policy for our country and the economy, as well as a great investment in jobs related to our industry.

MCI’s coach assembly operation in North Dakota employs hundreds of full-time employees, supported by a network of 3,000 suppliers located throughout the U.S. and Canada. The funding of a new transit commuter coach for one city generates jobs all across North America. With the inclusion of after-market support, the network increases to 10,000 suppliers over the 12- to 15-year lifetime operation of a coach. The building of public transportation vehicles, especially hybrids, supports jobs in the “green economy” and often brings new, high-tech skill sets to small, rural communities.

The Federal Transit Administration’s Buy America and Altoona requirements also have positive effects on job retention. It’s important to use U.S. tax dollars to purchase equipment assembled here.

During this transitional time legislatively, it is critical that all APTA members share their stories with their own congressional delegations. MCI is doing its part by meeting with each of the senators and representatives for states where we have significant operations. In addition, we recently participated in a local business roundtable with two members of Congress representing Illinois.

This past summer I was also honored to represent APTA’s business members while testifying before the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, urging swift passage of the next surface transportation authorization bill.

The typical transit bus procurement takes 18 to 24 months from concept to delivery. With a long-term capital program in place, agencies will be in better position to prepare for a successful future.

MCI representatives Tom Sorrella, second from right, president and chief executive officer, and Michael Melaniphy, third from right, recently participated in a local business member roundtable hosted by Reps. Melissa Bean (D-IL) and Bill Foster (D-IL), center. Centergy, a Siemens company, hosted the event.

 

« Previous Article

Return to Top | Return to Main

Next Article »