Peter M. Rogoff, administrator of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), announced a new federal grant program offering $775 million in competitive grants for bus state of good repair—open to all bus operators, “large, small, urban, and rural”—during his keynote speech May 2 before an audience of approximately 630 transit professionals at the Opening General Session of the APTA Bus & Paratransit Conference in Cleveland. [More]

New Bus Guidelines Are Unveiled

At the Bus & Paratransit Conference in Cleveland on May 3, APTA unveiled its new, expanded, and comprehensively updated bus guidelines. It is anticipated that the use of these guidelines, first produced in 1997, will not only save money, but will also result in standardized implementation of quality. [More]

Metra Executive Director Pagano Dies

Phil Pagano, executive director of Chicago’s Metra commuter rail service since 1990, died on Friday, May 7. [More]

Livability Funds for Public Transit Crucial, LaHood, Donovan Tell Senate Subcommittee

Public transportation systems will have an opportunity to receive $307 million in the president's proposed Fiscal Year 2011 budget if Congress heeds the urging of DOT Secretary Ray LaHood. [More]

High-Speed Rail: Benefits, Challenges

BY JOHN R. BELL, Program Manager-Communications

The benefits of a future U.S. high-speed rail system, as well as possible impediments to financing and building such a system, were addressed at a May 4 panel discussion on Capitol Hill convened by the APTA and the Environmental and Energy Study Institute. [More]

Mineta Institute Report Examines Rail Attacks

The Mineta Transportation Institute has released a research report titled Off the Rails: The 1995 Attempted Derailing of the French TGV (High-Speed Train) and a Quantitative Analysis of 181 Rail Sabotage Attempts, reporting on ways high-speed rail operators can keep their services secure from possible attack: for example, physical barriers, surveillance, alarms, and cyber security to prevent tampering with electronic controls. [More]

Visiting the Senator’s Office

APTA members visited the Cleveland office of Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH) during the Bus & Paratransit Conference. [More]

Walk & Roll

Dozens of APTA members donned yellow T-shirts to participate in the first-ever Walk & Roll event. [More]

TriMet Promotes McFarlane to General Manager Post

The Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) in Portland has promoted Neil McFarlane, the agency’s executive director for capital projects since 1998, to be its next general manager. He will succeed Fred Hansen, who has served in the post for more than 11 years and will step down June 30. [More]

Schrader New Chairman of PB

Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB) has announced the appointment of Richard A. Schrader as its next chairman. He succeeds Keith J. Hawksworth, who is retiring after 33 years with the firm. [More]

New Flyer Acquires TCB Industries

New Flyer Industries Inc. announced its acquisition, through a wholly owned subsidiary, of TCB Industries LLC of Elkhart, IN. The acquisition price was approximately $1 million and the purchased business will be operated by New Flyer’s subsidiary, TCB Enterprises LLC. [More]

EARTH DAY - TELLING OUR STORY

U.S. Transit Agencies Share Earth Day Message

As sustainability and environmental protection become increasingly important, public transportation agencies throughout the U.S. joined APTA April 22—the 40th annual celebration of Earth Day—to make sure that transit is an integral part of a green society. [More]

COVERAGE OF 2010 BUS & PARATRANSIT CONFERENCE

State of Florida Wins Top Honor at Bus Roadeo

 Award presentations are a major component of the APTA Bus & Paratransit Conference, recognizing the top operators and maintenance teams, the agencies with the strongest safety records, and the leaders in superior customer service. Here is a roundup of the award winners. [More]

Host Forum: Working Smarter, Conserving Resources

BY SARAH HOLLANDER, For Passenger Transport

Shorter waits for phone callers, more miles between bus breakdowns, less overtime: these are just a few of the results the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) attributed to data-driven performance management at its May 3 Host Forum during the APTA Bus & Paratransit Conference. [More]

Buoniconti Shares Insights at ‘Champion’ Forum

BY SARAH HOLLANDER, For Passenger Transport

Twenty-four years ago, Marc Buoniconti walked onto a football field the way he’d done hundreds of times before. This particular game, however, changed his life forever. [More]

Operators, Suppliers Consider the Tight Market

BY SARAH HOLLANDER, For Passenger Transport

Public transit riders know when their bus no longer shows up—but they might not know why.

Even in the best of times, most bus and rail riders don’t comprehend public transit financing, according to panelists at the May 5 closing session of the APTA Bus & Paratransit Conference in Cleveland. [More]

Additional Scenes from the Bus Conference

Here are a few additional scenes from the APTA Bus & Paratransit Conference in Cleveland.

All conference photos by Sam Adamo  [More]

COMMENTARY

Transit Is About Creating Jobs, Not Ideology

BY ROGER CARON, President, Racine Area Manufacturers and Commerce, and JEFF VAN KONINGSVELD, President, IBEW Local 430, and Co-Chair, Racine Transit Task Force

Transit is about economic growth and jobs—JOBS, not ideology.

If we want jobs and a stronger economy, we must pass Regional Transit Authority legislation in Wisconsin and not let politics hinder progress and prosperity. Let’s take constructive action that will build us up as a county and region. [More]

Clarification

We would like to clarify an item that ran in the April 26 issue of Passenger Transport. [More]

AROUND THE INDUSTRY

American Seating Recipient of Two Design Awards

American Seating recently accepted international design awards on behalf of two of its transportation seating designs. [More]

Partnership with Fashion Institute Leads to New Transit Museum Annex at Grand Central

The New York Transit Museum opened its newly renovated Gallery Annex and Store at Grand Central Terminal with an exhibit showcasing archeological finds at the site of the reconstructed South Ferry Terminal in lower Manhattan—but the new facility is itself noteworthy for the partnership with graduate students at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) that led to its updated design. [More]

King County Metro Transit Selects Eurotech Mobile Router

King County Metro Transit in Seattle has entered into a 24-month contract with Eurotech, valued at more than $7.5 million, for installation of the DuraMAR Mobile Access Router in more than 1,000 buses. [More]

APTA NEWS

AdWheel Entries Due June 4

APTA is accepting nominations through June 4 for the 2010 AdWheel Awards competition. [More]

More Speakers for Rail Conference

APTA has announced that Dr. Rick Hartley, an expert in nuclear safety, will keynote the June 9 Closing General Session at the 2010 APTA Rail Conference, June 6-9 in Vancouver, BC. Hartley is principal engineer with B&W Pantex, a nuclear security firm that works for the U.S. Department of Energy. [More]

Dump the Pump Day Is June 17; Public Transit Systems Plan Events to Show Cost Savings

We’re gearing up for the fifth annual National Dump the Pump Day on June 17! Tell us your story on how you are highlighting the many benefits of taking public transportation. [More]

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

People on the Move

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]