Public Transit Pays Final Respects to the Late Sen. Lautenberg

Public transit leaders nationwide paid a final tribute to the late Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), one of the country’s strongest advocates for public transportation, at a special ceremony June 5 at the New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ Transit) commuter rail station in Secaucus, NJ, that bears his name. Lautenberg died June 3 at the age of 89. [More]

 

HART Introduces New MetroRapid Route

Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) in Tampa Bay officially opened its new bus service, MetroRapid North-South, on June 10. Agency officials say the service is the first of its kind in Florida. [More]

OCTA Launches ‘Bravo!’ Rapid Bus Service

On June 10, the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) in Orange, CA, launched Bravo!—a new 12-mile limited-stop bus service stretching from Fullerton to Costa Mesa. The new line is designed to help commuters reach their destination more quickly and efficiently. [More]

Ridership Approaches 2.6 Billion Trips to Date

Public transportation ridership nationwide approached 2.6 billion trips for the first quarter of 2013. This was a slight decline of 1.9 percent from the first quarter of 2012. However, the 2013 ridership number is 2.5 percent higher than the first quarter of 2011, according to an APTA report released June 13. [More]

MCTS Names Giugno Managing Director

The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) has named Michael Giugno managing director following the retirement of Lloyd Grant Jr. [More]

Freeman-Manzanares Is New GM in Olympia

Ann Freeman-Manzanares is the new general manager of Intercity Transit, Olympia, WA. She has worked for the agency since 1993 and served in this position on an interim basis for the past eight months. [More]

Transit Expert Ziv Dies

Jean-Claude Ziv, 63, public transit researcher, writer, consultant, and teacher, died May 27 after a battle with cancer. [More]

APTA MEMBER PROFILE

Meet Richard Maxwell!

This is the latest in an ongoing series of columns showcasing APTA members. The subject of this profile is Richard Maxwell, assistant vice president, marketing, Fort Worth Transportation Authority, a member of the APTA Board of Directors and chair of the APTA Marketing & Communications Committee. [More]

MEET THE APTA STAFF

Meet David Bruening!

This is the latest in an ongoing series of columns showcasing members of the APTA staff. The subject of this profile is David Bruening, database administrator, Corporate Affairs Department. [More]

COVERAGE OF THE 2013 APTA RAIL CONFERENCE

Panel: No Easy Answers for Funding Challenges
BY JORDAN SMITH, Program Manager/Speechwriter

The challenges of developing the revenue streams that make public transit possible have no easy answers—but solutions do exist. That was the takeaway of a June 4 session at the APTA Rail Conference in Philadelphia called “Funding, Financing & Revenue.” [More]

Resilient Rail Agencies Cope with Hurricane Sandy
BY SUSAN BERLIN, Senior Editor

Representatives of four of the rail agencies hit hardest by Hurricane Sandy shared their experiences at the June 5 Closing General Session of the APTA Rail Conference in Philadelphia. [More]

SEPTA Prepares for Seamless Fare Payments
BY SUSAN BERLIN, Senior Editor

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is preparing to institute a multimodal electronic fare payment system that will eliminate the use of tokens, tickets, and paper transfers when it enters service next year, system representatives said at the June 2 Host Forum during the APTA Rail Conference in Philadelphia. [More]

Maintenance Shop Honors SEPTA’s LaForce

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) honored the legacy of John P. LaForce, a 58-year agency employee who died in November 2012, at ceremonies June 1 during the 21st Annual APTA International Rail Rodeo at the SEPTA Fern Rock Maintenance Facility. SEPTA named the signal tower at Fern Rock the LaForce Signal Tower in his memory. [More]

APTA Presents Rail Safety & Security Awards

For the first time, APTA recognized rail agencies for their efforts in safety management and building a safety-oriented culture, presenting the Rail Safety & Security Excellence Awards at a June 4 luncheon. [More]

Cutler: Seize Opportunities; Lead with Courage

Rina Cutler, Philadelphia deputy mayor for transportation and utilities and a member of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority Board of Directors, offered her perspective on public transportation administration and her place in it when she addressed the June 4 General Luncheon at the APTA Rail Conference. [More]

A Night at the (Art) Museum

SEPTA hosted a gala reception at the Philadelphia Museum of Art prior to the opening of the APTA Rail Conference. [More]

SEPTA Takes Top APTA Rail Rodeo Award

Teams from 18 public transportation systems across North America competed in the 21st annual APTA International Rail Rodeo, held June 1 in conjunction with the APTA Rail Conference in Philadelphia. Winners of rodeo events received recognition at the June 2 Rodeo Banquet. [More]

FRA Officials Speak on ‘The Mode of Opportunity’

FRA representatives called for an end to underinvestment in rail and increased connections among modes of transportation at a session titled “Rail: The Mode of Opportunity,” which echoed a quote from FRA Administrator Joseph C. Szabo, during the APTA Rail Conference. [More]

Scenes from the APTA Rail Conference

Here are more scenes from the 2013 APTA Rail Conference in Philadelphia. [More]

AROUND THE INDUSTRY

T&I Committee Holds Hearings on NEC

Five members of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure took a ride June 6
on Amtrak’s Acela from Washington to New York City to hold a “field hearing” on the Northeast
Corridor. [More]

PSTA Provides Training for Guide Dogs

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) in St. Petersburg, FL, recently joined with Southeastern Guide Dogs to host its first-ever guide dog training session. The purpose of the program is to acclimate guide dogs to the sights, sounds, and feel of riding public transit and teach the animals to properly board, alight, and ride PSTA vehicles. [More]

Truth, Justice, and Freedom from Traffic

During recent location filming in Cleveland for Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority made its own impact by introducing a public transit-savvy superhero—“Captain RTA”—to promote using the rail line that runs parallel to the closed road. [More]

APTA NEWS

Nominations Committee Seeks Recommendations for Slate

Do you have what it takes to serve on the APTA Executive Committee or Board of Directors, or know someone who does?

The APTA Nominating Committee, appointed by APTA Chair Flora Castillo, is accepting nominations through Aug. 2. The committee will then recommend a slate of nominees, who will stand for election at APTA’s virtual annual business meeting and election Tuesday, Sept. 24, a few days before APTA’s Annual Meeting, Sept. 29-Oct. 2 in Chicago. [More]

Global City Advocate Is Annual Meeting Opening Speaker

Internationally renowned urban consultant and advocate Gil Penalosa is the keynote speaker for the Oct. 1 Opening General Session of APTA’s Annual Meeting, Sept. 29-Oct. 2, in Chicago. [More]

APTA, UITP Sign Agreement

APTA President & CEO Michael Melaniphy, left, and Alain Plausch, secretary general of the International Association of Public Transport (UITP), signed a new APTA-UITP cooperative agreement at the recent UITP World Congress in Geneva, Switzerland. [More]

COMMENTARY

Now Is the Time To Be an Infrastructure Hawk, Not a Deficit Hawk
BY EZRA KLEIN, The Washington Post

There’s a far better case right now for being an infrastructure hawk than a deficit hawk. [More]

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

Who's Doing What in the Industry

Passenger Transport announces the following hirings and promotions in public transportation agencies and business members. Items appear in People on the Move in the order in which they are received. [More]