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Congress Passes CR, Sends to President
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The House and Senate approved a two-week extension of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 Continuing Resolution (CR), which originally would have expired at midnight Dec. 3, and sent it to the president for his signature.
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Deficit Commission Report: Raise Gas Tax for Trust Fund
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A dedicated fuel tax increase—rising to 15 cents per gallon from 2013 to 2015—to fund the federal Transportation Trust Fund is among the recommendations of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform in The Moment of Truth, the report it released Dec. 1.
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Obama Marks 55th Anniversary of Rosa Parks
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President Barack Obama released a statement Dec. 1 commemorating the 55th anniversary of the day in 1955 when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat and move to the back of a bus in Montgomery, AL, leading to a bus boycott that lasted for more than a year and, eventually, promoting the cause of federal civil rights legislation.
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FTA Awards a Total of $164.7 Million for Green Transit Projects
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The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has awarded $164.7 million for 63 environmentally sustainable public transportation projects which, according to Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, “will reduce our nation’s dependence on oil and create many good-paying green jobs for American workers.”
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DOT Releases Positive Train Control Grants of $50 Million
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DOT has announced the release of $50 million under the new Railroad Safety Technology Grant fund program to seven projects—all related to Positive Train Control (PTC) collision avoidance systems and other advanced technologies. PTC systems use Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to monitor and control a train’s movements, enforce speed limits, prevent train collisions, and help keep rail workers safe.
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GAO: Improve Delivery and Focus Federal Funds
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A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released last week found that, since 1998, the U.S. has gone through two economic recessions that caused cities and counties to dramatically decrease their budgets, which has meant a marked reduction in available funding for public transportation infrastructure repairs and expansions.
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Report: ARRA Contributes 2.7 Percent to Nation’s GDP
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The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) added 2.7 percent to the third-quarter Gross Domestic Product level and by some measures has exceeded the original goal of creating or saving 3.5 million jobs by the end of 2010, according to a report released last month by the federal Council of Economic Advisers (CEA).
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APTA Executive Committee Gives Back (Energy and Time) in New Orleans
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At the conclusion of APTA’s Executive Committee retreat, members of that committee and guests spent an afternoon rebuilding houses devastated by Hurricane Katrina.
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Promotion at Kawasaki Rail Car
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Kawasaki Rail Car Inc. in Yonkers, NY, has named longtime employee Hiroji Iwasaki as its chief executive officer.
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The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) in Providence has named Charles Odimgbe to the newly created position of chief executive officer, effective Dec. 6.
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Transit Agencies Reach Out Across the Nation
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With the approach of the holiday season, public transportation agencies across the U.S. are hosting food and clothing drives, collecting toys, and providing youth outreach activities. Here are a few examples.
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Milwaukee Invites Public to Help Decorate Its Anniversary Bus
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As part of its year-long celebration of the 150th anniversary of public transportation in Milwaukee, the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) invited the public to help decorate its newest fully wrapped bus with their signatures—and received about 4,000 of them.
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Red Rose Transit Rededicates Operations Center in Lancaster, PA
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In ceremonies Nov. 15, the Red Rose Transit Authority (RRTA) in Lancaster, PA, marked the completion of renovations to its 30-year-old operations center. RRTA board members, transit staff, and local officials gathered to rededicate the building, which now showcases many “green” energy savings features.
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SARTA Considers Creating CNG Through ‘Anaerobic Digestion’
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Who would think that the backyard compost pile could ultimately lead to a way to fuel buses?
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German Students Help Conduct Customer Service Study in Ontario
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York Region Transit (YRT) in Richmond Hill, ON, operator of the VIVA bus rapid transit system and a large fixed route bus fleet, recently partnered with INIT to fly students from the Heisenberg Gymnasium [high school] in Ettlingen, Germany, to conduct a customer satisfaction survey on how well passenger information displays tell the story of where and when the buses operate.
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Ann Arbor Promotes Employee Wellness
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BY LOIS CRAWFORD, Community Relations, Ann Arbor Transportation Authority/TheRide, Ann Arbor, MI
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The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (TheRide) revved up the concept of employee health awareness with its recent “Keep Your Motor Running Health Fair.” The event gave participants the opportunity to enjoy a variety of hands-on activities, and not just from the chair and table massage therapists!
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The Art of Internal Oversight: Why Do We Need It? How Do We Do It?
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BY KAM SHADAN, M.S., P.E., Vice President, Gannett Fleming, Inc.
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Project management oversight (PMO) is a tool used for the oversight of major capital projects. PMO verifies that the program management team responsible for the project has the adequate capacity and capability to manage risks and deliver the project within the scope, budgets, and schedule in a safe and reliable manner.
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Retaining the Current Commuter Transit Benefit Level
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The federal commuter transit benefit will drop from the current $230 per month to $120 per month if Congress does not act. Below are excerpts from recent commentaries across the nation addressing the urgency of this issue.
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Passenger Transport announces the following hirings and promotions in public transportation agencies and suppliers. Items appear in People on the Move in the order in which they are received.
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