December 18, 2015
BREAKING NEWS
House Approves Tax, Spending Bills, Senate to Vote Next; Measure Places Transit Commute Benefit in Parity with Parking, Alternative Fuels Tax Credit Extended

As Passenger Transport went to press, the House voted 318-109 on Dec. 17 to approve the $680 billion tax extenders bill. Early on Friday, Dec. 18, the House voted 316-113 to pass a $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill that would fund the government through September 2016. The bills were combined in the House and sent to the Senate, which is expected to pass the measure Dec. 18. [More]

CLASSIFIEDS
» Houston METRO has an opening for a chief financial officer. [More]
» Go Triangle is looking for a manager, community and intergovernmental relations. [More]
» The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority seeks proposals for 40-foot and 60-foot hybrid buses. [More]
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NEWS HEADLINES

L.A. Metro Launches Silver Line Express

In the shadow of the World War II battleship USS Iowa, Los Angeles Metro Chief Executive Officer Phillip Washington joined other officials on Dec. 14 to launch the Metro Silver Line Express, which serves both as a weekday, rush-hour express line and an off-peak hours line that makes the same run with a few additional stops. [More]

JTA Introduces BRT; Receives FTA Grant to Expand

As the Jacksonville (FL) Transportation Authority (JTA) introduced service Dec. 7 on the first of five First Coast Flyer BRT corridors, the agency received a $19.1 million Small Starts Grant Agreement (SSGA) from FTA for a future expansion of the service. [More]

Moline's MetroLINK Opens 'Mega Stop' at Mall

The Rock Island County Metropolitan Mass Transit District (MetroLINK) opened a Metro Mega Stop located at SouthPark Mall, Moline, IL, on Dec. 7, created through a community partnership between the agency and Macerich, which operates the mall and is implementing major redevelopment. [More]

SORTA Plans 'Reinvention' of Metro Service; APTA's McCall, FTA's Flowers Attend

The Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA), operator of Metro in Cincinnati, described the reinvention of public transit in its community at the 2015 State of Metro annual meeting Dec. 11, with APTA Chair Valarie J. McCall and FTA Senior Advisor Carolyn Flowers in attendance. [More]

Metrolink Dedicates Perris Valley Line; Opens to Passengers in 2016

The Southern California Regional Rail Authority, operator of Metrolink commuter rail, held dedication ceremonies Dec. 11 at the Downtown Perris Station for the 91/Perris Valley Line, which will be the agency’s first service extension since 1994. [More]

Blue Water Area Transit Opens Downtown Facility

Blue Water Area Transit (BWAT) in Port Huron, MI, held ribbon-cutting ceremonies Dec. 11 to open the Blue Water Transit Bus Center, a downtown facility designed to improve ease of transfers among the seven routes that travel through the city and neighboring Fort Gratiot Township. [More]

LTD Introduces Airport Connector

The Lane Transit District (LTD), Eugene, OR, recently introduced Airport Connector service to the Eugene Airport in partnership with the airport and Lane Community College. [More]

Omnitrans Transports Evacuees in Wake of San Bernardino Shooting

In the aftermath of the Dec. 2 terrorist attack in San ­Bernardino, CA, where 14 people were killed and more injured, Omnitrans buses helped evacuate more than 460 people from the scene of the incident. [More]

New CEOs Named

Two public transit agencies, one state DOT and one state public transit association have announced new chief executives and two other agencies have announced interim CEOs. [More]

Campion Dies; Former Head of Golden Gate District

Carney Campion, 87, head of the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District from 1984 until his retirement in 1999, died Dec. 5 at his home in Terra Linda, CA. [More]

MEET THE APTA STAFF

Meet Mark Teschauer!

This is the latest in an ongoing series of columns showcasing members of the APTA staff. The subject of this profile is Mark Teschauer, program manager, environment and infrastructure, Policy Department. [More]
2015: THE YEAR IN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Following Public Transportation in 2015: Openings, Ground Breakings, Improvements and Acquisitions

Public transportation agencies and businesses achieved numerous milestones during the past year, from the openings of new rail, bus and BRT lines to the beginning of high-speed rail construction in California and top-to-bottom overhauls of entire bus route systems.Here’s a month-by-month look at these events as they appeared in Passenger Transport[More]

Public Transit Gets First Long-Term Bill in 10 Years

A year of APTA member advocacy to Congress on behalf of a long-term surface transportation bill bore fruit with the December enactment of the five-year Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. [More]

Trend Spotting: APTA's Committees Address Industry Issues, Opportunities

What were the public transportation industry’s hottest trends, major accomplishments and biggest opportunities in 2015?

For answers, APTA turns to its nearly 150 committees, technical forums and task forces. Passenger Transport asked the chairs of a few APTA committees to report on their initiatives. [More]

APTA Rallied Its Members to Promote Public Transit

Here’s a brief review of some of APTA’s 2015 initiatives and programs as they were covered in Passenger Transport[More]

APTF 2015 - Year in Review

The year now ending was a particularly good one for the American Public Transportation Foundation (APTF). [More]

2015: A Year of New Public Transit Service and Legislative Advocacy

Click here to see examples of APTA members' activities and advocacy efforts during 2015. [More]

Trends in Public Transportation Vehicle Fleets; APTA's Vehicle Database Tracks Innovations

Click here to see what innovations and changes are coming to public transportation, as reported in the APTA Vehicle Database. [More]

APTA NEWS

APTA's December Transit Report: Transit Riders Save $9K Annually

Individuals who take public transportation instead of owning a car and driving to work can save an average of $9,247 annually, or more than $770 a month, states APTA’s December Transit Savings Report[More]

Save the Date for APTA Conferences

APTA has announced information for the 2016 Transit CEOs Seminar, Jan. 30-Feb. 2 in Orlando, FL, and the Bus & Paratransit Conference, May 15-18 in Charlotte, NC. [More]

APTA Welcomes New Members

APTA welcomes its newest members who joined between Sept. 1 and Nov. 30, 2015. Click here to see the complete list. [More]

AROUND THE INDUSTRY

Public Transit Employees Go the Extra Mile

Employees of APTA member public transit systems have saved lives, helped reunite lost children with their parents, supported the homeless, and set examples of safe driving over a career. Learn more here.  [More]

Sharing Joy, Helping Others During the Holiday Season

From food and clothing drives to festively decorated vehicles and visits from Santa Claus, public transit agencies bring the holiday spirit to their communities. See some examples here[More]

Capital Metro Encourages Commuters to 'Cheat on Their Cars'

To help combat the region’s increasingly congested streets, the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Capital Metro) in Austin, TX, has launched a creative new initiative urging commuters to skip the traffic drama and become “Two-Timers” by taking public transportation twice a week. [More]

First BRT Bus Arrives for Metro Transit

Guests recently toured the first of 12 new buses that Metro Transit in Minneapolis-St. Paul will operate on the A Line, the region’s first BRT service, when it opens next year. [More]

N.Y. Subway Ridership at Record Levels

MTA New York City Transit (NYC Transit) announced in early December that a record number of customers, 6.2 million, entered the New York subway system on Oct. 29—50,000 more than the previous one-day record, set Oct. 30, 2014. [More]

CASE STUDY

Carefree, Car-free: How Nashville's MTA worked with a neighborhood group to give up cars in favor of public transit for a week

Residents of the Nations neighborhood near downtown Nashville created the "We Don't Car" campaign, went carless for a week and tried public transportation and alternate travel modes (including walking and biking) to see what would be the most effective ways of getting around and how that might impact their lives. Read the whole story here[More]

COMMENTARY

The Silver Tsunami Is Making a Splash in Public Transit; Succession Planning Can Help Manage the Shift

Around 10,000 baby boomers in the United States will turn 65 every day until the year 2030, according to the International City/County Management Association (ICMA).

To put this into perspective, imagine filling Michigan Stadium, the largest American football stadium, almost two-and-a-half times. That is how many American workers are becoming eligible to retire each month.

This emerging demographic, known as the Silver Tsunami, will present many challenges. But can it also offer opportunities for the transit industry? [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]

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