APTA President & CEO Michael Melaniphy, second from left, participated in a panel on transportation and health care during the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Second Annual Transportation Summit on Feb. 20. He described the efforts of the National Center for Mobility Management to maximize transportation access to health care facilities. "Each year, we see about 3.6 million appointments that are missed because of transportation issues,” he said. “If we’re able to enhance and improve that transportation connectivity, people can get to those appointments and they can stay healthy."

Other panelists included, from left, Dr. Patrick Quinlan, Ochsner Health System; Dr. Damon Kralovic, Cleveland Clinic; John Gray, Healthcare Distribution Management Association; and moderator Janet Kavinoky of the chamber.

DOT Secretary Anthony Foxx, who presented the keynote address, said that Congress should look for a new funding source for transportation projects as income dwindles from the motor fuels tax, adding: "We should stop aiming just to get the Highway Trust Fund level again. We should aim to cut into a bigger piece of our infrastructure deficit by investing more - now."