As Passenger Transport went to press, two bills were pending before the U.S. Senate that contained provisions of importance to the public transportation industry. [More]

On March 8, President Barack Obama nominated retired Army Maj. Gen. Robert A. Harding to lead the Transportation Security Administration as assistant secretary for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The nomination now goes to the Senate for confirmation. [More]

Americans took 10.2 billion trips on public transportation in 2009—the fourth year in a row the figure topped 10 million—according to APTA’s most recent statistics. [More]

Talgo, a manufacturer of railcars based in Spain, has announced that it will locate its first U.S. assembly plant at the former Tower Automotive site in Milwaukee. The facility will work with train car shells imported from Spain, but Talgo is expected to create 125 direct jobs in Wisconsin and about 450 indirect jobs through vendors throughout the Midwest. [More]

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will lead the speakers at the 2010 Annual Conference of the Women’s Transportation Seminar, May 19-21 in Washington, DC. “The Right Place @ The Right Time” is the theme of the conference. [More]

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has named Richard Sarles its interim general manager; he will begin his duties March 29. He succeeds John B. Catoe Jr., who is leaving the post April 2. [More]

Jeffrey Wharton, executive vice president and general manager of IMPulse NC LLC in Mount Olive, NC, a Marmon Group/Berkshire Hathaway Company, has been promoted to president of the firm. [More]

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Shaun Donovan, secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) joined representatives from government at all levels, businesses, nonprofits, and community organizations, on March 3 for a White House Clean Energy Economy Forum to discuss the relationship between livable, sustainable communities and increased development and creation of jobs. [More]

Jim Gleich, 66, deputy general manager with AC Transit in Oakland, CA, died March 7. [More]

“Transit is at the heart of so much of what makes communities great,” Peter Appel, administrator of DOT’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), told the audience at the March 2 Transportation Tuesday program at the APTA offices in Washington, DC. “There is no better path to livability.” [More]

Imagine adding 100 million or more people to the U.S. population and having them compete for access to our already congested highway, rail, and aviation systems. You thought you already had a tough commute! And what about their consumption of non-renewable resources and the associated impacts on the environment? [More]

With the APTA Legislative Conference convening this weekend, I wanted to take a look back at where we’ve been, where we are, and—most importantly—where we’re going.

The past year has been an incredibly complicated one, a whirlwind of legislative activity kicked off by debate on the economic stimulus bill that ultimately provided $8.4 billion for public transportation and $8 billion for high-speed rail. [More]

With transportation authorization still on the table before Congress and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act providing thousands of transit-related jobs in its first year, participants in the 35th Annual APTA Legislative Conference have a lot to consider as they meet in Washington, DC, March 14-16. [More]

Too often, people unfamiliar with the federal legislative process may feel as if they’re walking into uncharted territory when they want to express an opinion on an issue. The fact is that the legislative process—from introduction of a bill to enactment—is an orderly progression of steps, if not always in the same direction. Here’s a path to help visitors make their way forward. [More]

Question: How can APTA members participating in the 2010 Legislative Conference make the most of their time in Washington?

Answer: They can state their case for increased federal investment in public transportation by visiting their members of Congress or their staff. [More]

As part of its “Telling Our Story” initiative, APTA has partnered with the organizers of the annual Earth Day movement, which marks its 40th anniversary on April 22 of this year, to develop outreach tools and creative advertising. [More]

ABC Companies joined with its employees and business partners to raise $10,730 for earthquake relief in Haiti through the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, which gives 100 percent of donations to charities on the ground in Haiti—and partnered with a private bus operator and a charity organization to transport medical professionals and supplies to the island nation. [More]

The SunLine Transit Agency in Thousand Palms, CA, continued to demonstrate its ongoing support of alternative vehicles when it unveiled its newest one—a sixth-generation hydrogen fuel cell bus—Feb. 19 at the agency’s third annual “State of Public Transit” luncheon. [More]

Community Transit (CT) in Snohomish County, WA, has entered into a partnership with county government to promote healthier commuting options along three high-congestion roads in the agency’s service area. “Curb the Congestion” invites residents and commuters along these routes to get out of their cars, offering information and personalized assistance to plan a bus trip, find a biking or walking route, or join a carpool or vanpool. [More]

Two Phoenix Police employees, part of the Transit Bureau under the Homeland Security Division—Matt Brandt and Terrell Grandberry—were on duty the night of March 2, waiting for a southbound train at a Valley Metro Rail light rail station in Phoenix, when an inebriated man stood up from his bench, lost his balance, and tumbled onto the tracks—with a train no more than 100 feet away. [More]

When the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority (TransLink) carried record numbers of riders during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, BC, INIT, Innovations in Transportation Inc., helped the effort with its fleet management software. [More]

For the 12th consecutive year, Metro Transit in Minneapolis/St. Paul is partnering with MillerCoors to provide free rides home on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, as a safe transportation alternative to driving. [More]

Spring is just around the corner and so is the 2010 APTA Bus & Paratransit Conference & International Bus Roadeo, May 2-5 in Cleveland, OH. Early bird registration ends March 19, so make plans now to participate in a program featuring numerous speakers and events geared towards those in the bus and paratransit industry. [More]

Iris Bernard-Glover of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority took top honors in APTA’s 2010 Call Center Challenge, held Feb. 23 during the APTA Marketing and Communications Workshop in Fort Lauderdale, FL. [More]

The Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) reminds public transportation researchers of the following events and deadlines. [More]

The APTA Business Member Board of Governors (BMBG) Nominating Committee is accepting nominations until 5 p.m. Eastern time March 26 from individuals interested in representing APTA’s private sector members in leadership positions. [More]

The APTA Awards Committee has announced that it will accept nominations through April 19 for the 2010 APTA Awards program. [More]

 APTA is accepting abstracts through March 25 to be considered for presentation at the 2010 Multimodal Operations Planning Workshop, July 26-28 in New York City. [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]