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FTA's K. Jane Williams Says Public Transit 'Literally Saves Lives'

FTA Acting Administrator K. Jane Williams called public transit agencies—including the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART), one of the host systems for the APTA Bus & Paratransit Conference in Tampa, FL—“the lifeline” that “literally saves lives” and is “simply irreplaceable” in her May 7 remarks during the “FTA Update” General Session.

Williams explained that she witnessed HART’s efforts to support the community during Hurricane Irma last year, noting that FTA expedited emergency relief funding to the system because “We want to be your partner.”

FTA officials Henrika Buchanan, associate administrator for program management, and Region 4 Administrator Yvette Taylor provided support during the session and took questions from the audience.

The balance of Williams’ speech focused on federal funding increases for public transportation—including $13.4 billion in the Fiscal Year 2018 budget, which she called “a high-water mark for FTA”—and the agency’s support for the industry’s technical and funding innovations.

The specific funding levels she noted include FTA’s Section 5310 for older people and persons with disabilities, which will receive $274 million; the Low-No Emissions program, which increased by $30 million to $84 million; and an 84 percent increase in funding for the competitive bus program.

Williams said she feels optimistic about the industry’s ongoing innovations, such as the growing acceptance of electric buses. “When it comes to innovation, I’m everyone’s biggest fan,” she said.

She noted the 11 projects underway through FTA’s Mobility on Demand Sandbox, funded at $8 million, and said a second round of funding will follow soon. Another example she cited is the Strategic Transit Automation Research (STAR) plan, about which she said, “To obtain the future, you must invest in it.”

Williams pointed to the administration’s infrastructure proposal, which would use a $200 billion federal investment over 10 years to leverage $1.5 trillion in project spending, through methods including value-capture financing and eliminating constraints on P3s. “Innovation goes hand in hand with regulatory reform,” she said, noting that the current administration has eliminated more regulations than any previous one. She cited U.S. DOT Secretary Elaine L. Chao, who has challenged modal administrators to use the streamlined grant process to boost efficiency without hindering innovation.

From left: APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas, APTA Vice Chair David Stackrow Sr., Henrika Buchanan, Yvette Taylor, K. Jane Williams, moderators Kevin Quinn and Adelee Le Grand and APTA Chair Nathaniel P. Ford Sr.

She also repeated her call that all states and territories with rail within their boundaries complete the federal certification process for their rail transit State Safety Oversight programs well in advance of the April 15, 2019, deadline, to allow FTA time to review the submissions and complete the paperwork. If a state fails to meet the deadline, FTA is prohibited by law from awarding any new federal transit funds to public transit agencies within the state until certification is achieved.

Kevin Quinn, administrator, Maryland Transit Administration, and Adelee Le Grand, vice president, Transdev, and chief strategy officer, Regional Transit Authority, New Orleans, moderated the session.

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