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The Source for Public Transportation News and Analysis October 21, 2011
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COMMENTARY
It’s Been a Great Ride!
BY WILLIAM MILLAR, APTA President

So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, adieu.

You know, no matter what language you use, it’s never easy to say goodbye.

I have to tell you I’m finding it tough to acknowledge that this is the last time I’ll write a commentary for Passenger Transport.

It’s been an incredible journey—these last 40 years in transit, and especially the last 15 at APTA.

I’ve made life-long friendships; I’ve been fortunate to work with thousands of talented people, and sincerely hope I have left a positive mark on public transportation across North America.

To APTA members …
I’ve loved visiting with many APTA members as I traveled to your systems and gone to your offices and manufacturing facilities to meet with you and the fine people who work, govern and use public transportation.

Because, by doing that, I got to see the real backbone of our industry.

I was privileged to see what all of you do—every day—to keep our industry moving forward.

I have also been fortunate to work with hundreds of APTA members who make APTA work. All volunteers, to be sure, and what giving volunteers they are!

I have served under 16 APTA Chairs, 78 different Executive Committee members —and hundreds of APTA Board members, and regular APTA members participating in committees, subcommittees, working groups, technical forums—not to mention such things as awards and EXPOs.

I certainly appreciate your service to our organization. But more than that, I appreciate your guidance, your suggestions, your frankness and your friendship. We accomplished great things together!

To APTA staff …
I also want to thank my incredible APTA staff who work tirelessly year after year to serve our APTA members.

It has been an honor to lead you—and to work alongside you.

I shall miss our all-staff meetings, our office events, our fundraisers—from Toys for Tots to Suited for Change. But most of all, I shall miss my day-to-day interaction with you—from helping advance advocacy campaigns to planning conferences and workshops to strategizing on authorization funding. And just plain talking and laughing with a terrific group of people.

I take pride in …
As you might imagine as I retire from APTA, I have been asked, “What are you most proud of?”

Top of the list—when we honored Civil Rights pioneer Rosa Parks with our first ever Lifetime Achievement Award. That was a huge moment for me personally—and for all of us in the industry and the nation.

Then there was securing record federal funding for transit investment in TEA 21 and SAFETEA-LU and ARRA. When I started at APTA, annual federal funding was less than $4 billion a year. Last year, even with the tight federal budget, it was more than $10 billion.

So I am very proud to have been part of the process of elevating the status of public transportation on the local, state, and federal level. Proud to have helped make it part of the nation’s conversation.

Proud that we increased the standing and effectiveness of APTA in Washington. Proud of the excellent relationships we have built with FTA, FRA, RITA, TSA, NTSB, and other agencies.

Proud that we expanded APTA’s reach with the 1999 move when our members voted to change the “T” in our name from “Transit” to “Transportation.”

Proud that we grew APTA membership from less than 1,100 to more than 1,550 while shrinking the growth of APTA’s administrative costs and stabilizing the dues rate for five years.

Proud to have delivered 15 balanced APTA budgets—in good times and in bad.

Proud of our advocacy efforts, accelerated through the Public Transportation Partnership for Tomorrow, or PT squared.

Proud that we took an idea from APTA Chair Les White and turned it into Leadership APTA.

Proud that we have developed and published more than 200 standards to guide our members’ operations.

Proud that you changed APTA bylaws to give business members full membership benefits.

Proud of our contribution to transportation exhibits at the Smithsonian Institution and the National Building Museum.

Proud that we expanded EXPO, so it is now the largest public transportation exhibition in the world.

Proud that we have a new focus on high-speed and intercity passenger rail.

Proud of the coalition building we have done with: AASHTO, COMTO, CTAA, ENO, WTS, ARTBA, TRB, AGC, Chamber of Commerce, ITS America, AARP, Sierra Club, Environmental Defense Fund, Natural Resources Defense Council, the League of American Bicyclists, and a host of others.

Proud of our workforce development efforts that include reaching out to youth to promote careers in public transportation with Youth Summits, this year’s “Careers with a Purpose” at EXPO, and numerous other activities.

Proud of our international relationships with CUTA, ALAMYS, UITP, ANTP, ASSTRA, and others.

Yes, I’m proud of all these actions and more, that we have done together.

And so, I “bequeath” to the extremely capable Michael P. Melaniphy—your next President and CEO—a solid, strong, focused, forward-looking APTA.

Michael, you have my full support, and that of the excellent APTA staff.

As I begin this new chapter in my life, I will have more time for sailing—one of my passions, which is why I want to share with you some words from Mark Twain:

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.

So throw off the bowlines.

Sail away from the safe harbor.

Catch the trade winds in your sails.

Explore. Dream. Discover.”

That’s what my wife Barbara and I expect to do.

My heart is full, my thanks are many, and—my time here is over.

It’s been a wonderful public transportation ride.

I wish all the best for all of you. Keep up the good work and keep in touch.


Editor’s Note: Bill can be contacted here.

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