On Sept. 18, the House voted 319-108 to approve H.J. Res. 124, a short-term continuing resolution (CR) to extend the funding of federal operations until Dec. 11, 2014. The Senate voted later in the day to approve the CR by a 78-22 margin. President Obama is expected to sign the measure. [More]

NEWS HEADLINES

New TIGER Grants Help Build Neighborhoods Throughout U.S.

Each of the 72 transportation projects that received federal funds in the most recent round of TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) grants will have an immediate impact on the neighborhood and the city where it is located. Here are a few examples. [More]

DOT Rulemaking in High Gear

FTA and other DOT modal administrations are working hard to implement MAP-21 and other legislative mandates. APTA and its members continue to track and respond to this ever-growing number of regulatory actions. [More]

Szabo, Denham Meet with APTA Leaders

FRA Administrator Joseph Szabo and other FRA officials discussed safety, technology, risk management, funding, high-speed and high-performance rail, and other issues during a recent meeting at APTA offices with members of the APTA Commuter Rail CEOs Committee. [More]

Most in Nation Support Increase in Federal Funds; Survey Shows Upward Trend

Almost 68 percent of ­Americans now support increasing federal public transportation investment levels, an increase of almost 2 percent from last year, according to a recent survey conducted by the Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) for APTA. [More]

House T&I Committee Approves Amtrak Bill

The House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee has approved a four-year Amtrak reauthorization and extension of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (PRIIA) without any amendments on Wednesday, Sept. 17, with a unanimous voice vote. The bill was introduced by the bipartisan leadership of the committee. [More]

VRT Launches Saturday Shuttle Service; First Step in Complete Bus Plan

 Valley Regional Transit (VRT), Meridian, ID, launched a free shuttle, the “Meridian Saturday Fun Bus,” on Sept. 6 to provide service to various employment, shopping, recreation, and entertainment destinations within the city limits, including the downtown area. [More]

VIA Breaks Ground on Multimodal Transit Plaza

VIA Metropolitan Transit in San Antonio broke ground Sept. 5 on the second phase of its Westside Multimodal Transit Center, a state-of-the-art public transit hub designed to improve accessibility to the University of Texas at San Antonio’s Downtown Campus and the University Health System’s Robert B. Green Campus and better serve the fast-growing population in the city and county. [More]

DOT: Transit Important Part of Bike, Pedestrian Safety Plan

DOT has announced safety plans for public transit agencies and ­riders as part of its new initiative to reduce the number of pedestrian and bicyclist injuries and fatalities. [More]

New CEOs Named

Passenger Transport announces the appointments of three chief executives at public transit agencies and businesses. [More]

APTA MEMBER PROFILE

Meet Hector Garcia!

This is the latest in an ongoing series of columns showcasing APTA members. The subject of this profile is Hector Garcia, government relations specialist, MTA Long Island Rail Road, Jamaica, NY, a member of the Leadership APTA Class of 2013, Diversity Council, Legislative Committee, and Early Career Program Mentor 2014 and 2015. [More]

MEET THE APTA STAFF

Meet Brandon Whitaker!

This is the latest in an ongoing series of columns showcasing members of the APTA staff. The subject of this profile is Brandon Whitaker, staff accountant-accounts payable, Finance Department. [More]

APTA NEWS

U.K. and U.S. Public Transit Experts Trade Best Practices

Rt. Hon. Patrick McLoughlin, secretary of state for transport in the United Kingdom and a member of Parliament, along with several other guests from the U.K. Department of Transport and the British Embassy, made a special visit to APTA’s offices in early September to discuss opportunities and challenges ­facing public transportation in the United States, with a focus on funding structures. [More]

Putting It Together: Annual Meeting & EXPO Highlights

 As the date nears for the 2014 APTA Annual Meeting & EXPO, Oct. 12-15 in Houston, final details of the event are falling into place. Register and learn more by clicking here. [More]

TransITech: Also in Houston for Transit Professionals

Hands-on technical personnel at public transit systems and businesses have an additional reason to attend the APTA Annual Meeting & EXPO in Houston. TransITech 2014—a comprehensive technology workshop covering bus, rail, information technology, Intelligent Transportation Systems, and electronic payment systems—meets Oct. 13-15 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in conjunction with the Annual Meeting & EXPO. [More]

APTA Awards Recognize Industry's Best

Learn more about the recipients of the 2014 APTA Awards: North America's exemplary public transit agencies, individuals, federal legislators, and--for the first time this year--educators. [More]

BMBG Announces Slate

The APTA Business Member Board of Governors (BMBG) Nominations Committee has announced the proposed slate of nominees for officers and board members. All APTA business members are invited to attend the Oct. 12 BMBG meeting and election ­during the APTA Annual Meeting & EXPO in Houston. [More]

APTA's John Neff: Four Decades of Service to Public Transportation

APTA staff recently cele­brated a milestone in the career of co-worker John Neff, who marked his 40th year of employment with the association in September. [More]

AROUND THE INDUSTRY

Proterra Honored as Global Technology Pioneer

The World Economic Forum (WEF) recently recognized Proterra, a manufacturer of battery-electric public transit vehicles, as one of 24 Technology Pioneers for 2015. Proterra is the only public transportation-related company honored on this worldwide list. [More]

MTA's Fix & Fortify Effort Restoring Tunnels

New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) recently reopened the Greenpoint tunnel between Brooklyn and Queens and the Montague tunnel between Brooklyn and Manhattan (both heavily damaged by Superstorm Sandy) after extensive reconstruction and restoration efforts to return the structures to pre-hurricane conditions. [More]

SEPTA Campaign Promotes Passenger Etiquette

Philadelphia’s Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) launched its new “Dude It’s Rude” passenger etiquette campaign to encourage riders to think about their personal travel habits. [More]

Live Music on Tampa's Streetcar

 The TECO Line Streetcar System, operated by the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority in Tampa, FL, has partnered with the Gasparilla Music Festival to present live concerts on board the streetcar the first Saturday of each month. [More]

KL Executive Search Merges with DVR Associates

Transportation-focused executive search firm KL Executive Search LLC, based in Kensington, MD, has merged with executive interviewing and research practitioners DVR Associates, Asheville, NC. The new entity, KL2 Connects LLC, will serve clients from those two locations. [More]

Introducing Young Pros to Cincinnati Metro

Cincinnati Metro recently introduced more than 300 young professionals to public transportation on a special “entertainment bus” that visited venues throughout the city. [More]

'Super Stop' Pulls Out All the Stops

Passengers on Port Authority of Allegheny County bus routes that serve the Robinson Township area, 10 miles west of downtown Pittsburgh, may do a double take when their buses pull in at the “Super Stop,” which stands on land donated by IKEA. [More]

Museum Exhibit Showcases Railroad Landscapes

The New York Transit Museum’s latest exhibit, “Railroad Landscapes: Photographs by John Sanderson,” traces the tracks of MTA Long Island Rail Road and MTA Metro-North Railroad through the natural and built environments of New York State. [More]

Industry Briefs

Here's a roundup of news from public transportation’s transit agencies and private sector companies. [More]

SPECIAL FEATURE

Jimmy Carter: A MARTA Supporter from the Start

How many public transit agencies have a close connection with a U.S. President?

Jimmy Carter voted to create the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) while he was a Georgia state senator, believing that the agency would “transform” the Atlanta region, and he continued to encourage it through its early years during his term as governor, 1971-75. During Carter’s tenure as president, he supported funding for public transportation. [More]

COMMENTARY

Infrastructure Investment Summit: Charting a Course Toward Mobilizing Private Capital

We all know the “road to prosperity” is a metaphor, but what if it were an actual road?

The fact is, investing in transportation creates value, and that means it’s a worthwhile investment—for public funds, yes, but also for the private sector. So, with public investments in our nation’s important transportation assets steadily declining, we need to find better ways to partner with private investors to help rebuild America. [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]