“Transportation is, and always has been, the bloodline of our economy,” FRA Administrator Joseph Szabo, the first of two keynote speakers along with FTA Deputy Administrator Therese McMillan, told a packed audience numbering more than 1,000 at the Opening General Session of the APTA 2012 Rail Conference in Dallas.

DART President/Executive Director and APTA Chair Gary C. Thomas; APTA President & CEO Michael Melaniphy; Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings; DART Chairman John Carter Danish; and Tom Waldron, senior vice president and America’s director for transit and rail, AECOM, also spoke.

Szabo recognized “APTA’s tireless promotion of public transportation.” He then talked about the future of the country—and how transportation needs will affect the economy.

He noted that the message of the UIC 8th World Congress on High-Speed Rail, taking place in Philadelphia July 10-13, is that “high-speed and intercity passenger rail must be an integral part of our multimodal transportation system.”

“Today,” Szabo said, transportation is “saddled with gridlock and heavily dependent on foreign oil.” That notwithstanding, he pointed out that public transportation is both economically and environmentally efficient, observing that two railroad tracks can carry as many people in one hour as can 16 lanes of highway.

He cited an analysis that showed the changing travel habits of Americans: for instance, they drive 6 percent fewer miles today than they did in 2004, and young people in particular are driving less and riding public transit more. “Americans want—and, more importantly, they deserve—transportation choices,” he said.

“It is time,” Szabo said, “for Congress to understand that these are facts and we have to prepare for this trend.”

The FRA administrator also covered other topics, including the importance of the Buy America initiative, how economies of scale can continue to result from the standardization of specifications, concerns expressed by the industry about implementing positive train control, and the safety risk reduction program through which railroads can proactively identify and eliminate risks.

“Having a safe rail network that can ensure mobility and provide alternatives for the ever-escalating prices at the [gasoline] pump—these things are not luxuries, they are necessities,” he stressed.

Thomas’ response to Szabo’s speech was succinct and focused. “We heard your challenge,” he said. “We appreciate it, we’re up to the task, we’re ready.”

McMillan said that despite the many challenges facing the industry, “I think it’s an incredibly exciting time for public transportation. It’s becoming a gateway of opportunity for all ages, but particularly the young people.”

She noted that new public transit riders are becoming regular riders, saying this is because the attendees “are putting out a quality product. It means your hard work to bring more rail service to your communities is paying off.”

McMillan described the current circumstances as “under duress, without new federal legislation in an era of fiscal austerity—and at a time when citizens are questioning whether officials of government at any level can work together.”

She continued: “This much is clear. It is time to put aside the partisan posturing and end the gridlock and do what’s right for the American people.”

Thomas, wearing his host hat, began by thanking his staff profusely: “My DART colleagues have worked tirelessly for the last 16 years to deliver outstanding service day in and day out. You are the reason customers get on DART Rail!”

He next told the audience what he and Melaniphy had done at 5:30 that morning, which was to welcome Don Johnson, the passenger making the 250 millionth weekday trip on DART’s light rail system, at Dallas Union Station. (See sidebar.)

“A quarter of a billion represents a lot of firsts,” he said. “First time on a train, first trip to the first job. It’s really 250 million individual moments.”

Noting that DART has the most track miles of any light rail system in the country, he then showed a brief video.

Thomas spoke about the importance of APTA continuing to be the voice for public transportation—a policy and thought leader. As its chair, he noted, he is also working to increase the value of an APTA membership. “We have designed this conference, therefore, to provide you with valuable information as well as time for invaluable networking,” he said.

He also stressed APTA’s flexibility to respond to breaking events: “Perhaps the best example of our agility was how quickly we reacted when the House of Representatives declared an assault on dedicated funding for public transit.”

In his remarks, Melaniphy noted that Dallas is a city of many firsts: inventors of the drive-through bank, automated teller machine, car radio, 7-11 convenience store, even the first integrated circuit that led to the first microchip. As if that wasn’t enough, he said, the term Super Bowl was coined there!

He next briefly reviewed the state of rail: “We’re making technological leaps in many areas, including cyber security standards that incorporate defenses against intruders and train control and communications systems to combat them. We’re leading in rail wayside energy storage systems, which helps both our agencies and local utilities by reducing peak energy supply costs and adding revenue. We’re working to implement positive train control as this new technology is developed, and we’re also working on many industry standards for such elements as procurement, farecards, tracks, escalators, and worker safety.”

His biggest news, however—“introduced” with a trumpet fanfare—was the just released ridership numbers showing a 5 percent increase for the first quarter of 2012. (See related story on page 1.)

“We have a good story to tell everywhere in this country about record ridership numbers,” Melaniphy said. He held up that morning’s copy of USA Today, which featured a story on record-breaking ridership statistics in public transit systems across America.

The 5 percent increase, he said, means that “125 million more people rode our systems in the first quarter of this year vs. last year. We are on a tear—this is fantastic.”

He also noted another measure of support for public transportation: the ongoing success of ballot initiatives across the country, with people sending the message that they want more public transportation.

While citizens voting to tax themselves to increase their mobility is critical, Melaniphy said, he emphasized that “our job is to fight for an authorization bill because continued investment of capital is critical to our industry.” He was the first of several speakers to make that point.

He reiterated the need to keep up the pressure on Congress to pass a surface transportation authorization bill and urged attendees to participate in the planned Congressional phone bank the next day. “Let them know,” he said, “how important it is to invest in public transit.”

In support of the upcoming high-speed rail conference, he showed a brief video—and everyone donned 3-D glasses.

Rawlings told the audience that “people will not come to any urban center anymore unless we have multimodal transportation options and make sure they can get around easily. We want to make sure that the DART system is an economic driver for us.” He called DART “a prime example of how people with vision come together to create a transit system that works for everybody.”

The mayor delineated his approach to transportation: “We care about growth, about taking care of customers, and about our long-term vision to be a great city. Take care of the customers and do what’s right—and I think the rest will take care of itself.”

Said Thomas after Rawlings concluded his remarks: “Isn’t it great to have a mayor who gets it?”

Danish came right to the point: “Throughout our nation, the transit renaissance that started 10 or 15 years ago is really picking up steam. There are just so many startups and new and existing systems out there. The message is clear: the public wants transit. Light rail is being planned, built, or expanded, and the public is clamoring for more!”

AECOM, represented by Waldron, sponsored the Opening General Session.

“There’s much to be gained when executive directors and general managers and their lieutenants can meet eye to eye to discuss lessons learned—and when leadership from the FTA and FRA can be with us to point out the path forward,” he said.

He then quoted a Bruce Springsteen lyric about “a little of that human touch,” saying that “human touch needs to be integral to everything we do because, folks, we’re in the people business.” He added: “We are a vital component of America’s economic engine.”

Thomas, in closing the session, told the audience: “It’s you, doing your part, every day, to make our nation and our world run better.” Then he urged everyone to be sure to attend the Products & Services Showcase.

Thomas, left, responds to a media question about the high first-quarter ridership level as, to his right, Melaniphy, Szabo, and McMillan listen. The media conference call convened immediately following the Opening General Session.	Opening General Session speakers, from left: Thomas, Waldron, Rawlings, McMillan, Danish, Szabo, and Melaniphy.

DART Celebrates 250 Millionth Rider on Light Rail

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) recognized Don Johnson as its 250 millionth light rail rider in ceremonies June 4 at Dallas Union Station. APTA President & CEO Michael Melaniphy and DART President/Executive Director Gary Thomas, also APTA’s chair, greeted Johnson as he left a Red Line train at the station, joined by a crowd of spectators and news cameras.

“I started riding DART because of gas prices about 10 years ago,” Johnson said. “But it’s comfortable and gives me a chance to read while I’m on the train so I stayed. I love DART.”

DART randomly selected Johnson, who is from DeSoto, TX, and works at Vent-a-Hood in Richardson, from among its Monday morning commuters to represent all riders of the 72-mile, 55-station system throughout the past 16 years. He received four monthly DART regional passes good for use in July, along with tickets to popular destinations such as the Dallas Zoo, Children's Aquarium at Fair Park, Hawaiian Falls, Dallas Summer Musicals, and the Museum of Nature & Science.

"This is a great day and a neat milestone for us,” Thomas said. “But I’m also thinking about the individual trips and special moments that preceded this one. School kids made their first trips to the zoo, or a Mavericks or Stars game, on DART. People have met, gone on first dates, and found their spouses on DART. Our customers plan special outings around our service. We’ve really become woven into the fabric of the region and that’s what’s exciting to me.”
 
DART opened the first 11 miles of its 20-mile Light Rail Starter System in 1996, and the system continues to grow. The next opening—a five-mile section of the Orange Line, from Bachman Station in northwest Dallas to Irving—is scheduled for July 30. A second section of the Orange Line, as well as a five-mile extension of the Blue Line from Garland to Rowlett, will open Dec. 2.
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Don Johnson, right, poses with Gary Thomas, president/executive director of Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) and APTA chair, after being declared DART's 250 millionth light rail rider the morning of June 4 at Dallas Union Station.

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