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UITP Summit Features Special APTA/CUTA North America Day
An APTA delegation of more than 12 members participated in North America Day May 16, sponsored jointly by APTA and the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) during the International Organization for Public Transport’s (UITP’s) Global Summit and Exhibition in Montréal.
Many APTA business members exhibited at the global summit.
Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) Chief Executive Officer Andy Byford opened the day with an assessment of his system, which he said was “fundamentally sound but somewhat stuck in the ’70s.” Even though TTC moves a lot of people, he said, chronic underfunding, archaic processes, many cynics and a lack of a strategic plan are real challenges.
Byford, CEO since 2012, immediately set about to create a five-year plan to completely modernize and transform his agency in three areas: people, processes and infrastructure. Employee and managerial accountability were a part of the change.
There was no strategic plan when he came on board so, Byford said, one of his first priorities was to create a vision statement with the “goal of a transit system that would make Toronto proud.”
By the end of this year, Byford said, “nearly all of it will come together, like a beautiful jigsaw puzzle. The pieces will suddenly add up and people will be able to see the results.”
APTA Vice Chair Nathaniel P. Ford Sr., chief executive officer, Jacksonville (FL) Transportation Authority (JTA), talked about the transformation of public transit in his region and the goal of giving residents “world class” solutions to public transit. Jacksonville, he said, is the largest city in the U.S. in terms of land mass “so public transportation can be somewhat challenging in terms of our size.”
JTA, he explained, is unique in that it was initially responsible for building roads and bridges and later also providing public transit.
Ford is particularly proud of the First Coast Flyer—the agency’s BRT system, the first two corridors of which launched in 2015 and 2016. When completed, it will be the largest BRT system in the southeastern U.S. and will cover 57 miles.
The “crown jewel,” Ford said, is the Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center, which will house fixed-route bus service, Skyway, Megabus, Uber and ultimately Amtrak. JTA officials are expected to present a construction plan to the agency’s board at the end of May. Also, APTA honored JTA in 2016 with the Outstanding Public Transportation System Achievement Award.
Kevin Desmond, chief executive officer, TransLink, Vancouver, British Columbia, said ridership is up on his system, which provides all modes of travel. He attributed this to a strong local economy and added that his system has one of the highest farebox recoveries in the country. With the expectation that more than one million people will be moving to the area by 2040, he said, TransLink is focused on how to manage capacity while still remaining competitive.
Many North American and international APTA members showcased innovations, buses and autonomous vehicles at the exhibition.
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Prior to North America Day, APTA Chair Doran J. Barnes, executive director, Foothill Transit, West Covina, CA, spoke about his system on the panel, “Growing Electrification of the Urban Transport System,” during the summit.
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APTA Signs MOUs with International Partners
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During their co-sponsored North America Day at the UITP global summit, APTA and CUTA signed a three-year cooperative agreement reaffirming a commitment between the associations. From left are Sue Connor, CUTA chair; Patrick Leclerc, CUTA president and CEO; APTA Acting President & CEO Richard White; and APTA Chair Doran J. Barnes.
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APTA and France-based GIE Objectif Transport Public (GIE) signed a one-year collaborative agreement on May 15. Attending the event are, from left, Jean-Luc Rigaut, GIE chairman; APTA Chair Doran J. Barnes; Acting President & CEO Richard White and Vice President-Strategic & International Programs Petra Mollet. Also attending but not pictured were Sophie Castagne, GIE general manager, and Nadine Lee, Los Angeles Metro. GIE promotes mass transit and raises awareness about sustainable mobility among industry professionals and the general public.
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