The House and Senate adjourned for the weekend on Feb. 26 without passing a further extension of the authorizing law for federal surface transportation programs. As the current extension of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) expires at midnight Feb. 28, most Federal Transit Administration (FTA) programs, Federal Highway Administration programs, and other programs funded by the Federal Highway Trust Fund will lapse beginning March 1. [More]

The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure held a hearing Feb. 23 to review the success of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) in funding transportation projects to support and create jobs in the year since its passage. [More]

On Feb. 24, the Senate Budget Committee, chaired by Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND), held a hearing on the Fiscal Year 2011 budget request for DOT. [More]

At the request of DOT Secretary Ray LaHood, on Feb. 22 Rep. James L. Oberstar (D-MN), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee, introduced H.R. 4643, the “Public Transportation Safety Program Act of 2010,” which would give the federal government jurisdiction over transit-rail safety. [More]

Dallas—a city not used to severe winter weather—had to cope with more than a foot of snow in a February storm, but Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) continued to operate its buses and light rail vehicles. [More]

At the recent Winter Meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, DOT Secretary Ray LaHood was among the featured speakers, discussing a variety of issues affecting public transportation. [More]

DOT Secretary Ray LaHood discussed “The Future of Surface Transportation” Feb. 21 during the National Governors Association (NGA) Winter Meeting in Washington, DC, at a session convened by the NGA Economic Development and Commerce Committee. [More]

Thomas R. Kuesel, 83, an authority on tunnel and bridge engineering and former partner at Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB), died Feb. 17. [More]

 Several years ago, the Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) endeavored to describe how the transit agency of the future might be organized and how it might function—to craft a new paradigm for public transportation service design and delivery. [More]

APTA’s Go Green Go Public public service announcement (PSA) campaign recently received the association industry’s highest award for its “superior quality and excellent creativity.” [More]

 APTA has formally launched its sustainability commitment following a successful pilot phase in 2009 with 44 members. [More]

The Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA), the public transportation operator for 10 communities in a 70-mile service area between Aspen and Rifle, CO, is telling its story with the February photo of the 2010 APTA Calendar. [More]

Thanks to the Obama administration and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, high-speed rail is suddenly a prominent part of the American transportation landscape. But California was examining this option long before it hit the nation’s headlines: in November 2008, the state’s voters approved Proposition 1A, which authorized $9.95 billion in state bonds to finance high-speed rail. [More]

The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County in Houston has announced that a notable member of its transit police force will have many more years of service thanks to a local veterinary surgeon. [More]

The Redding Area Bus Authority (RABA) in Redding, CA, announced the success of its first Helping Hearts campaign for Valentine’s Day. RABA invited local businesses to give cash to cover the cost of discounted bus fare tickets, which the agency then donated to nonprofit agencies serving populations in need of transportation. [More]

 Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, formerly a member of Congress representing Peoria, IL, took time out during a recent visit to the city to inspect the first of 20 paratransit vans purchased by the Greater Peoria Mass Transit District (CityLink) with part of a $4.2 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grant. [More]

Rep. James Oberstar (D-MN), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, toured the St. Paul headquarters of Global Traffic Technologies (GTT) on Feb. 17. [More]

VANCOUVER – Vancouver’s Olympics might be bombing in events like chain-link fences or snow on mountains.

But when it comes to running a transit system, it appears to be headed for gold. [More]

Passenger Transport announces the following hirings and promotions in public transportation agencies and suppliers. Items appear in People on the Move in the order they are received. [More]