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COVERAGE OF THE 2012 APTA RAIL CONFERENCE
‘What’s Next?’ Panelists Consider Service ‘Game Changers’
BY CHAD CHITWOOD, Program Manager-Communications

Gary C. Thomas, APTA chair and president/executive director, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), convened a June 5 luncheon session titled “What’s Next? Game Changers for Rail Service” at the APTA Rail Conference in Dallas. DART was host system for the conference.

The session, sponsored by HNTB, featured panelists from across the country: Uwe Brandes, senior vice president, initiatives, Urban Land Institute; Dave Kubicek, deputy general manager of operations, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority; Jacky Grimshaw, vice president of policy, Center for Neighborhood Technology; and James M. Crites, executive vice president, operations, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW).

Each panelist examined a specific issue or trend that will help determine the future of the public transit industry. For example, Brandes noted that increasing numbers of young people—who could live anywhere—are “choosing to live in cities and use public transportation.”

Kubicek’s remarks provided insight into life in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. He described balancing the need of a public transit system to maintain a state of good repair while also “focusing on changes to service to reflect how they provide a car-free lifestyle.”

He also pointed out the role of public transit development in changing an area’s economy: a developer in the Washington area is investing $1 billion in a single location near a specific Metrorail station because of the boon public transit brings to a community.

Grimshaw talked about the flexibility of public transit, reporting that the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) helped the city accommodate NATO world leaders, tourists, a Cubs/White Sox baseball game, protesters, workers, and worshippers—all on the same day.

While “survivor” guides for visitors to the city strongly suggested that people refrain from using public transit on that day, Grimshaw said, CTA nonetheless continued its service.  Aside from rerouting on 37 bus lines, the agency’s service continued, she said, “and rail ran as expected with CTA employees working 12-hour shifts to accommodate riders.”

Crites emphasized the simultaneous growth of DART and DFW: “We want to create a 24/7 airport center, providing information with a focus on real-time plane and transit arrivals. That includes common apps and integration, providing a whole kit to allow better planning. If your train or plane is late, you can relax at the airport, your home, or hotel with up-to-the-minute information.”

Thomas offered a personal moment about the intersection of DART expansion and DFW growth. On a recent trip to the airport, he said, “I was running late for a flight and saw construction as I arrived. My first thought was, ‘Oh no, I’ll never make it.’ But then I realized—this construction was part of the new Orange Line station—and I was thrilled!”

All told, the session and the panelists, reflecting on a promising future for public transportation, agreed on one salient point: that no single issue will define where the industry is headed.

Also at the session, Huelon Harrison, vice chair, American Public Transportation Foundation (APTF), and principal, Legacy Resource Group, and Robert E. Furniss, vice president, Bombardier Transportation, reported on the foundation’s activities at the Rail Conference, including a fundraising golf tournament and a silent auction at the host reception.

Joseph Casey, general manager, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, invited rail professionals to the 2013 Rail Conference in Philadelphia, hosted by his agency.

 

Panelists at the General Luncheon, from left: Gary C. Thomas, Uwe Brandes, Dave Kubicek, Jacky Grimshaw, and James M. Crites. 

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