Passenger Transport - January 5, 2009
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LaHood Chosen as Next DOT Secretary

President-elect Barack Obama introduced his nominee for U.S. secretary of transportation, outgoing U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood (R-IL), on Dec. 19 in Chicago, placing in the hands of the 63-year-old grandson of a Lebanese immigrant and the son of a restaurant manager what may become one of the higher-profile jobs in Obama’s cabinet: overseeing the enormous public works program Obama has already begun detailing to turn around the nation’s economy.
During the campaign, Obama promised to make significant investments of federal spending on infrastructure projects to combat unemployment. He said he would like to see high-speed rail linking Chicago with Detroit, Milwaukee, St. Louis, and other cities. In addition, he has promised to support Chicago’s bid for the 2012 Olympics, an effort that will require a massive modernizing of the city’s rapid transit system.

“Now we need to remake our transportation system for the 21st century,” Obama said. “Doing so will not only help us meet our energy challenge by building more efficient cars, buses, and subways or make Americans safer by rebuilding our crumbling roads and bridges—it will create millions of new jobs in the process.” As transportation secretary, LaHood will be the key driver in advancing those and other initiatives.

“Few understand our infrastructure challenge better than the outstanding public servant that I'm asking to lead the Department of Transportation, Ray LaHood,” said Obama. “Throughout his career, Ray has fought to improve mass transit and invest in our highways.”

LaHood, whose district includes Peoria, said he shares Obama’s philosophy on infrastructure, adding that Obama’s “agenda for the Department of Transportation is my agenda.” During his tenure in Congress, LaHood worked extensively with state and local leaders to improve the infrastructure of Illinois; he served six years on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Tom Lucek, general manager of CityLink in Peoria, commented on LaHood’s support for public transit in the city and throughout the state. “I know from my short tenure here—he calls me personally on the phone, doesn’t have his aides do it—he was very supportive of our multi-modal transportation center downtown with our child care center. He was the backer behind that,” he said.

Lucek recalled LaHood’s support when CityLink decided to make a commercial about how taking public transit reduced a person’s carbon footprint, including photos of several people riding the bus and saying, “I’m one of them.” “Ray made a special trip to Peoria to be part of the commercial,” he said. “For a U.S. Congressman, taking the time to come here to make the commercial—and show his support for transit by taking the bus—is a real positive thing.”

In the past, Lucek said, public transit has not necessarily been a priority of the U.S. secretary of transportation, and this time around “it’s good to have a DOT secretary who is supportive of transit."  William L. Volk, managing director of the Champagne-Urbana Mass Transit District and chair of the APTA Legislative Committee, described the extensive interaction between the Illinois Public Transit Association and LaHood. “He’s been very supportive of downstate transit,” Volk said. “I think he’ll be very multi-modal; he’s been very supportive of Amtrak and public transit. I don’t think there’s any mode bias.”

Volk suggested that LaHood will be “a team player. If there’s going to be a change in how things are funded, LaHood will be working with the Administration in terms of carrying out their priorities.”  Personally, he added, LaHood is “a very approachable guy. He’s fair-minded, and he’s a decent human being—a good quality to have. Parties won’t be a factor with him; he’s not an ideologue.”

LaHood has made clear his philosophy about the importance of transportation. “I understand firsthand what good infrastructure and transportation means to communities and understand it is the local folks who know best their transportation needs,” he said. “I will bring that same approach to the Department of Transportation.”

He continued: “We have a task before us to rebuild America. As a nation, we need to continue to be the world leader in infrastructure development. Amtrak, mass transit, light rail, air travel, and our roads and bridges all play a vital role in our economy and our well-being as a nation. We cannot stand by while our infrastructure ages and crumbles.”

“Ray’s appointment reflects that bipartisan spirit—a spirit we need to reclaim in this country to make progress for the American people,” Obama said.

Oberstar Plan Proposes $12 Billion in Transit Funding

U.S. Rep. James Oberstar (D-MN), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, has released a plan to invest $85 billion in federal funds in the nation’s transportation and environmental infrastructure, including $12 billion for transit and $5 billion for rail. The transit figure includes $7.5 billion in transit urban and rural formula grants, $2 billion in transit energy funding, and $2.5 billion in transit New Starts construction.

The plan cites a December 2008 APTA survey that identified 736 public transit projects, with a total cost of $12.2 billion, that were ready to go to construction within 90 days if additional funding became available. APTA also stated that an estimated $32.4 billion in transit investment projects could be underway within two years. Another survey, by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, identified 628 projects in 427 cities ready to go to construction in 2009, at a total cost of $7.1 billion.

Under the Oberstar plan, states, cities, and public transit agencies would receive transit capital and operating grants for ready-to-go projects according to existing statutory transit formulas, with a requirement that at least half of the funds go to contracts within 90 days of the date of allocation. These investments are projected to create more than 208,000 jobs and $37 billion of economic activity.

The $2 billion included in the transit energy funding provision will use General Fund money for transit operating and capital grants to public transit agencies to meet increased fuel costs and to purchase clean fuel or alternative fuel vehicles. Those projects ready to go to construction that can be underway within 90 days will receive priority.

In announcing the $2.5 billion for New Starts, Oberstar noted that U.S. DOT signed no federal funding agreements for New Starts projects during 2008, although SAFETEA-LU had authorized approximately 300 such projects. Public transportation authorities have many New Starts projects either now under construction or ready within 90 days if additional funding becomes available.

Rail Funding
Oberstar’s proposal would distribute the $5 billion in rail funds as follows:
* $1.5 billion for capital grants to Amtrak;
* $3.4 billion for high-speed and intercity passenger rail capital grants to states; and
* $100 million for capital grants to short line and regional railroads.
 The Passenger Rail Working Group of the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission reported in 2007 that the total capital cost for re-establishing the national intercity passenger rail network between now and 2050 is $357.2 billion, annualized at $8.1 billion. Also, U.S. DOT has estimated the demand for rail freight transportation, measured in tonnage, as increasing 88 percent by 2035.

Amtrak, the States for Passenger Rail Coalition, the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission, and the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association all have listed ready-to-go rail projects. Amtrak’s alone will cost at least $500 million.
While the final version of a stimulus package won’t be known for some time, transit properties need to take steps to implement job creation projects as soon as the final legislation is approved by the President.

“While the exact amount of funding is not yet known, as most of the money will likely flow through the urban and rural transit funding formulas, all U.S. transit agencies should be preparing now to move quickly once funds are allocated,” said APTA President William W. Millar. “Job-producing projects should be identified and as much preliminary work as possible should be undertaken.”

WMATA Faces Looming Inauguration Challenges

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) is gearing up for something it’s never experienced before: moving an expected 1.5 million people on Inauguration Day, which is nearly twice its previous ridership record.
And WMATA is not just focusing on the events of Jan. 20. The opening ceremonies on Sunday, Jan. 18, are expected to draw 500,000 people, and Jan. 19, the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, will have numerous events as well.

Add to that bridges and road closures, and a recognition that the city will be cut in half at Pennsylvania Avenue because that is the parade route. This means that bus riders will need to understand that many of WMATA’s regular bus routes will hit a dead end and have to detour, making any trip longer.

Some of the 1.5 million people coming into the city will arrive on charter buses. WMATA will allow parking for those buses at just six of its lots, and any charter bus must register and pay in advance. No early registration and payment? Expect to be turned away. This step, said Lisa Farbstein, WMATA spokesperson, “is to allow our bread-and-butter regular customers to be able to park in our lots.” The capacity is 60,000 cars; on Jan. 20, 40,000 spaces will be available.

Even so, the word to regular commuters is to allow an extra hour travel time to get to work. And for the comfort of all riders, especially since there will be long waits for trains, WMATA will place 150 port-a-johns at stations where they own the immediate property surrounding the entrance, which generally means stations with big parking lots.

“One of the things we’re trying to do—because there will be so many people from outside the area not familiar with our system—is encourage them to have their fare media purchased in advance of their arrival,” Farbstein said. Whether riders choose a commemorative SmarTrip card, farecard, or one-day pass, they can buy them in advance and have them in hand for their travel around town.

WMATA has compiled a listserve that will issue special inauguration alerts, such as the fact that people can now order their commemorative fare passes online. It will cease operation as soon as the inauguration is over.

Expect Long Waits—or Walk
WMATA cannot bring in extra trains from other systems because its trains are custom built. What the agency can do, however, is run trains as often as possible, which means rush-hour service for 17 consecutive hours, from 4 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Inauguration Day. Still, the maximum number of people the system can move in an hour is 120,000.

“So we’re telling people from the start,” said Farbstein, “there may be lines a few hours long after the inauguration swearing-in, if all of a sudden a few million people stand up and say—let’s go!”

For the first time in its history, WMATA is encouraging people who live up to two miles away to consider walking. It is printing Metro guides that show the downtown Mall as the center of the map, with rings extending outward in half-mile increments.

Crowd Control and Crowding
To help maintain safety, WMATA will bring in an additional 200 transit police officers from other systems. These individuals “are experts in the transit environment. They understand crowd control on a platform, why that’s critical and why that’s a safety issue,” said Farbstein.

Most of the people taking Metro will likely gather on the Mall, where security will be very tight; items such as backpacks and strollers will not be allowed, but the rules that WMATA will enforce have to do strictly with space. The system will not allow bicycles on board trains, but bikes can go on buses if there is room on the racks. Riders cannot bring signs on board larger than 18 inches square—“Either fold it up or roll it up,” advised Farbstein—and the signs must not have large poles.  So, from planning to parking, from walking to waiting, WMATA has made every effort to cover every possible contingency—to enable however many people come to town to witness this historic event.
 
As Farbstein said: “There’s not one office in the transit authority that isn’t somehow involved in planning for this weekend of activities.”

Lawmakers Continue to Press for SILO/LILO Relief

Shortly before Congress recessed for the holidays, 31 members of the U.S. House of Representatives and two Senators sent a letter to President Bush, asking him to consider applying comparable “deliberations and actions” as he did in authorizing financial rescue and recovery funds to prevent GM and Chrysler from collapsing toward the SILO/LILO issue.
In the letter co-signed by U.S. Reps. James P. Moran (D-VA) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), the officials asked the President to direct the U.S. Treasury to intervene in SILO/LILO transactions to protect transit agencies from technical defaults caused by the downgraded credit ratings of AIG and other guarantor agencies.

The letter read in part: “We would very much hope that you would consider, as part of your Administration’s deliberations and actions, comparable actions to provide any affected transit agency lessee of ‘qualified transportation property’ an option to request that your designee (the government) serve as guarantor of the lessee’s obligations. As we had agreed in [H.R. 7321, the Auto Industry Financing and Restructuring Act, which passed the House but was defeated in the Senate], under this provision, the government would set the terms and conditions of such a guarantee within the next 14 days and would provide authority to the government terms and conditions, including a fee to recoup within three years any payments the government made to such a lessor in its role as guarantor … During this difficult period, Section 18 of the Auto Industry Financing and Restructuring Act reflects a bipartisan consensus that public transit agencies should not suffer collateral damage as a result of credit downgrades in the financial industry that the transit systems did not cause and which have nothing to do with their ongoing operations.”

President’s Perspective
Paul Weyrich: His Vision for America Included a Passion for Passenger Rail

By William W. Millar

Public transit just lost a good friend and true believer with the passing of Paul M. Weyrich.  At first glance, Paul would be an unlikely supporter, having devoted the past 35 years to building political coalitions that supported limited government, traditional values, and a strong national defense. He was one of the giants of the modern conservative movement, co-founding the Heritage Foundation in 1973 and founding the Free Congress Foundation a year later. Further, he was usually credited with coining the phrase “moral majority,” which became a label that rallied social conservatives.

You might not expect a conservative of this magnitude to be a strong supporter of public transit—but he certainly was.
His support began with his high school days when he worked to stop the elimination of a train between Milwaukee and Chicago. This evolved into a longtime advocacy of bringing back streetcars to communities. In fact, in 2002, he and William S. Lind wrote Bring Back the Streetcars! A Conservative Vision of Tomorrow’s Urban Transportation. This report explored how urban downtowns are reviving and how new towns are being built to traditional patterns, so the streetcar could not only serve these non-suburban areas, but also help them flourish.

For more than a dozen years, APTA has enjoyed a strong partnership with Paul and his Free Congress Foundation. He helped APTA make the case that public transit efforts were worth the support of conservatives around the country through his many reports, often sponsored by APTA business members. In addition to the one cited above, reports from him and his writing partner Bill Lind included:

* Does Transit Work? A Conservative Reappraisal
Explains why transit’s effectiveness is often measured erroneously.
* How Transit Benefits People Who Do Not Ride It: A Conservative Inquiry
Describes how non-users benefit, encountering less congestion, saving money, and watching their home values increase.
* Twelve Anti-Transit Myths: A Conservative Critique
Debunks misconceptions about rail transit, such as commuting by rail is slower than commuting by car or bus; rail transit does not spur economic development; and it would be cheaper to lease or buy a new car for every rider than to build a new light rail system.

Sturdy, Unwavering Support Year After Year
In 1996, making his first public appearance after injuring his back in January, Paul spoke at APTA’s March Legislative Conference in Washington, DC. He said that political conservatives who have criticized public transit as a creation of government intervention—with little relationship to conservative goals and little use to conservative constituencies—should take another look. At the conference, he introduced his report (written with Bill Lind), Conservatives and Mass Transit: Is It Time for a New Look?, which provided reasons for conservatives to take an interest in public transit policy.

“The trend is clear,” the authors wrote. “As more and more politically conservative, middle, and upper income suburbanites are offered, and begin to use, high quality mass transit, the conservative constituency interested in maintaining and increasing such transit service will grow.” 

At APTA’s Legislative Conference in March 2005, Paul spoke about how political conservatives were coming to understand that they have interests in common with public transportation advocates. “The issue,” he said then, “is that good transportation is not available to large areas of the country; a lot of people would use transit if they could use it. Some people ask, why they should support transit if their people don’t benefit? The answer is that everyone benefits from transit, even the people who don’t ride it.”

At that conference, he also noted the use of transit as a choice. He described how Switzerland, a country with a higher per-capita income than the U.S. and widespread ownership of cars, provides a real choice to commuters by offering convenient transit service. “I will not be satisfied until we have the same kind of transportation choice—all over the U.S.—as in European countries,” he said.

In April the same year, he and Bill Lind released their report Winning Transit Referenda: Some Conservative Advice, which used an anecdotal and entertaining approach in discussing the referendum process. This report complemented the DVD Paul and Bill participated in the year before.

Despite his failing health, Paul recently served on the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission and was a vocal advocate for transit throughout the commission’s deliberations. At the March 2007 General Session of APTA’s Legislative Conference in Washington, DC, three members of the commission, including Paul, presented their opinions on future issues facing public transportation agencies.

“The commission members have a fundamental understanding—we want to do what’s best for the American people,” Paul said. “We need more efficient mass transit … I’m optimistic that we’ll come up with a blueprint for Congress and the Administration in coming decades. We’re all going to try.”

At that meeting, he also pointed out that the Federal Transit Administration instituted the Small Starts program, in part, to promote the use of streetcars as a more affordable alternative to light rail, and called for the restoration of intercity rail in corridors where rail is more efficient than air travel.

When the commission issued its report, Transportation for Tomorrow, in January 2008, it called for increased federal investment, expanded services, infrastructure repair, performance-driven accountability, and a redesigned transportation plan for America’s future. “This report stresses giving people a choice so they will have a first-class mass transit system that will be an [incentive] to them to get them out of their cars and take transit,” it said.

Attending Paul’s wake on Dec. 21, I spoke with Joyce, his wife of 45 years. She told me that of all the causes Paul pursued, his passion for rail transportation was the one that meant most to him.  In a city not known for its civility, Paul was always a gentleman, remaining a man of principle. We will miss his strong voice and his good counsel. But most of all, we will miss the man.

Business Members, Transit Agencies Demonstrate Holiday Spirit Through Charitable Efforts

During the recent holiday season, charity was foremost in the minds of many public transportation suppliers and agencies, from the more traditional efforts—such as “Stuff the Bus” and Toys for Tots—to innovative approaches that take advantage of the power of the Internet. Here are just a few examples.

Business Members Demonstrate Innovation and Heart
Transit Associates in Lisle, IL, offers outreach to the Boys Town facility in Chicago, which provides emergency shelter and in-home services to children and families.

“I work as a mentor for the facility; the company also provides financial support and works on fundraising events for Boys Town,” said David Hillock, president of Transit Associates. “Some of the youth are interested in getting into the transportation field as a way out of the streets as they get older, becoming a mechanic or a bus or train operator. I try to provide inspiration along those lines, let them know that transit is a career that has an opportunity for a future for them.”

Stantec turned its holiday greetings into an innovative interactive method of soliciting funds for charity. Instead of spending $30,000 to print greeting cards, the company devised an interactive electronic greeting card that allowed recipients to select from among four recipients of the money: the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, Habitat for Humanity, and Oxfam. Stantec donated $1 each time a card recipient voted online for a charity.

Similarly, Interfleet Technology Inc. opted not to spend money on cards this year. Instead, it redirected the cost of printing a corporate Christmas card into a charitable donation to the Make-A-Wish® Foundation, which exists solely to fulfill the special wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses.

Employees of Stacy and Witbeck and its joint venture partners took time off from light rail construction projects for the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon in Portland to donate food and money to the Oregon Food Bank. The companies matched the employees’ cash donations, raising the total to more than $7,000.

Deborah Magaldi, a co-founder of Transit Marketing Group in Boulder, CO, recently leased a historic house she owns in the town of Superior, CO, to Rocky Mountain Siamese Rescue at no charge. The cat rescue group will use the house for its gift shop, one of its main funding sources, and as a location for events and the place where prospective adopters can meet some of the cats.

The Lansing Jaycees used a parked Capital Area Transportation Authority bus in Lansing, MI, to collect donated gifts and items for 20 area children and shelters.  Another annual holiday community service project for CATA employees is Operation Santa, which this year benefited 66 students from lower-income households. Students share three wishes with a school social worker, and receive six to eight gifts as well as such basic items as bedding and clothing. CATA picks up the wishes and places them on Giving Tree tags in employee break rooms; employees then select tags and purchase the items and/or give money to fulfill a child’s request. CATA employees donated more than 450 gifts through this program this year, including five bicycles, and delivered them to the school in a 40-foot bus.

Stuff the Bus
Buses ordinarily carry people. But at holiday time, they carry such non-people items as toys, food, and clothing. The approaches may vary, as seen below, but the results are the same: helping those who need some extra support.
Sun Tran in Tucson, AZ, has hosted 22 Stuff the Bus events since 2001, in partnership with a Tucson television station. Over the years, the drives have had a variety of goals, including collecting food for the Tucson Community Food Bank; toys for the Tucson Salvation Army; and two busloads of items for homebound seniors identified through the Pima Council on Aging.

Employees of the Chittenden County Transportation Authority in Burlington, VT, volunteered their time to decorate a passenger bus with holiday lights to make it recognizable as the “Stuff a Bus.” CCTA parked the bus at two shopping areas to accept donations for the Toys for Kids charity.

StarMetro in Tallahassee, FL, collected food for America’s Second Harvest of the Big Bend through a stuff-the-bus event around Thanksgiving. The promotion included placing barrels for donations at various locations throughout the city and a live radio remote broadcast on board the stuffed bus.

Employees of the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority and StarTran in Austin, TX, participated in campaigns for a local elementary school and an organization that benefits the elderly and others in need. For the second year, Capital Metro’s Holiday Tree of Giving Campaign sponsored gifts for 105 students at Brooke Elementary School. System employees also support the school throughout the year with fund-raising activities including a turkey drive for Thanksgiving. In addition, Capital MetroAccess employees provided gift baskets of food, personal care items, and household items such as blankets and linens to 10 clients of H.A.N.D. (Helping the Aging, Needy and Disabled) of Austin.

In Wichita, KS, North American Bus Industries partnered with Wichita Transit and a local radio station to “Stuff the Bus” with gifts for shelter residents including toys, clothing non-perishable food, and personal hygiene items. The transit buses took collections at 68 different locations in Wichita and Hutchinson, KS, between Dec. 1 and Dec. 6, bringing in more than 14 busloads of items valued more than $300,000. The effort also raised $4,000 in cash donations.

Snoble Announces Retirement from Los Angeles Metro

Roger Snoble, chief executive officer of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority since 2001, has announced that he plans to retire as soon as his successor is named.  Snoble cited the November 2008 passage of Measure R, a new half-cent sales tax that will support transportation improvements in Los Angeles County over the next 30 years, in his statement. “I think this is an opportune time to move on and pass the baton to another executive who will ensure the implementation of Measure R,” he said. “I did a lot of soul-searching and decided it’s in the best interest of the agency to have an executive on board soon who can commit the next four to five years in guiding the development of dozens of critical transit and highway projects that will be funded by the new sales tax, which will be collected starting next July.”

Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, a member of the Los Angeles Metro Board, said Snoble “has led Metro to new heights in the delivery of expanded, quality public transportation to the citizens of Los Angeles County. What was a troubled and moribund agency more than 10 years ago is now recognized as one of the highest-performing bus systems in the nation.”

During his tenure at Los Angeles Metro, Snoble has overseen service expansion including 28 Metro Rapid bus lines, ridership on the Bus Rapid Transit Metro Orange Line at a level three times above projections, and construction of the Eastside Extension of the light rail Metro Gold Line, scheduled to open in the summer. The system received APTA’s Outstanding Public Transportation System award for its size category in 2006.

Noting Snoble’s supportive management style, Millar called him “a quiet star who successfully led two of the nation’s most complex transportation agencies to exceptional levels of performance.”  Snoble’s career in public transportation spans 43 years, beginning as a planner for the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission in Akron, OH, in 1965. Before coming to Los Angeles, he served for seven years as president/executive director of Dallas Area Rapid Transit, receiving APTA’s Transit Manager of the Year honor in 1997. He also worked for 20 years with the San Diego Transit Corporation, rising through the ranks to become its president and general manager, and was a planner for the Akron Metro Transit District.

He is a designated director on the APTA Board of Directors and a member of the Commuter Rail Committee; Rail Standards Policy and Planning Committee; Rail Transit CEOs Subcommittee; and Rail Transit Committee.  Snoble served as APTA vice president-management and finance in 1989-90, while he was at San Diego Transit Corporation.

Phoenix Welcomes METRO Light Rail

Crowds in the Phoenix area welcomed Valley Metro Rail to service on the morning of Dec. 27, 2008. The agency reported more than 150,000 rides during the opening weekend of the METRO light rail system, which operated fare free through Dec. 31.

Despite the fact that Dec. 27 had the coldest weather of the year, the system was busy throughout the day.
Valley Metro Rail commemorated opening day with all-day celebrations at 12 stations on the 20-mile line. Activities included live entertainment by musicians, dancers, and magicians, as well as interactive educational displays and programs designed specifically for children.

“Starting today, the new light rail system is putting Maricopa County on track to shorter commutes, easier trips to the airport and a cleaner environment,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters at the METRO ribbon-cutting ceremony. “The new system we are opening today will provide the people of Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa with a new way to get to work, to the airport, and to all the great entertainment our region has to offer …. We need a new way forward if we are to cut congestion, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and help preserve our environment. The Metro Light Rail system will do just that by moving nearly 50,000 riders a day by 2020.”

At a Dec. 26 dinner in anticipation of the opening, METRO Chief Executive Officer Rick Simonetta noted “the completion of a project that will forever change the Valley of the Sun. As of tomorrow, 20 miles of people, places, events, and venues will be connected like never before,” he continued. “There will be an easy and affordable way to commute between communities, and our valley will enjoy another transportation option that enhances our quality of life.”

New Orleans Welcomes Back Six Red Streetcars

The New Orleans Regional Transportation Authority gave the city an early Christmas gift on Dec. 12 with the return to service of six of the city’s 24 candy-apple red Canal Street streetcars. The entire fleet suffered extensive damage in the floodwaters of Hurricane Katrina’s levee breaks in 2005, and NORTA is continuing renovation efforts for the remaining cars.
The streetcars are once again operating on Canal Street, on North Carrollton Avenue to City Park, and along the majestic Mississippi riverfront. They originally entered operation in April of 2004.

“In the case of New Orleans’ streetcars, seeing red is truly a cause for celebration. The return of the red streetcars is just one of the many steps in the ongoing recovery process,” said outgoing U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters, who was among those on board for the first ceremonial ride on the streetcars.

Doug Whitmer, chief of staff of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Louisiana Transitional Recovery Office, called the repair of the streetcars and their return to Canal Street “yet another significant milestone in this city’s recovery process, and the timing couldn't be better to bring back this splash of red to Canal Street during the holiday season.”

The 24 Canal streetcars and six of NORTA’s seven Riverfront streetcars were engulfed in five feet of murky, brackish water in their storage facility for more than two weeks. The city’s historic St. Charles Perley Thomas models were safe from the flooding in their home base at the Carrollton Street barn, and have been operating on all three streetcar lines.

NORTA estimated the rehabilitation cost at $1 million per streetcar, covered in part by a $27 million FEMA appropriation. Authority craftsmen disassembled the cars, reinforced and fixed the flooring, reassembled the interiors, restored the mahogany seats, and repainted the cars; Brookville team members restored the undercarriage of each car, including the wiring and electronics.

Richardson Launches Extension of Rail Runner Express

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson joined state, local, and tribal officials Dec. 15 on the inaugural run of the New Mexico Rail Runner Express to Santa Fe. Regular service on the complete commuter rail line between Belen, in the south, and Santa Fe began Dec. 17.

“This is a historic event that will bring long-term economic benefits to New Mexico and change the way we travel along the Middle Rio Grande Corridor,” Richardson said. “During these tough economic times, the Rail Runner Express will provide thousands of commuters a much-needed savings while offering them a safe, viable, and efficient transportation alternative.”

State Transportation Secretary Rhonda Faught said the new service “will change the face of transportation in New Mexico. With initial estimates of nearly 4,500 commuters riding the train between Albuquerque and Santa Fe on a daily basis, this will not only take a lot of stress off our roads, but will also enhance safety.”

The New Mexico Rail Runner Express began serving commuters between Albuquerque and Bernalillo on July 14, 2006. The 50-mile corridor between Bernalillo and Belen carries an average of 3,000 commuters daily and has seen more than 1.3 million riders in the last two years. The commuter rail line is part of the governor’s Investment Partnership, a $1.6 billion transportation and infrastructure initiative

Paul Weyrich Dies; Conservative Icon, Great Friend of Public Transit

Paul Weyrich, one of the giants of the modern conservative movement and a strong supporter of public transportation, died Dec. 18 at age 66. He was the chair and chief executive officer of the Free Congress Foundation, co-founder and first president of the Heritage Foundation, and the pioneer in using grassroots direct-mail fundraising campaigns for conservative politicians and social causes. 

Weyrich was a longtime friend and ally of APTA, authoring numerous reports on transit-related topics released under the Free Congress Foundation banner. He introduced the first report in the series, Conservatives and Mass Transit: Is It Time for a New Look?, at the 1996 APTA Legislative Conference in Washington.

Most recently, Weyrich was a member of the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission, which released its Transportation for Tomorrow report on Jan. 15, 2008. He was also publisher of the New Electric Railway Journal and a former member of the Amtrak Board of Directors.

Payne Dies; First Board Chairman for Fort Worth Transportation Authority

Hershel Payne, founding chairman of the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T) Board of Directors, died Dec. 16, 2008, at the age of 70. He was receiving treatment for cancer in his lungs.  Payne was a lawyer in Fort Worth for 45 years and a member of The T’s board from 1983 to 1993. In recognition of his service to public transportation in the city, The T named its new headquarters in his honor at dedication ceremonies in 1997. The Hershel R. Payne Transportation Complex covers 15 acres with 114,000 square feet of vehicle maintenance centers, an expanded compressed natural gas fuel station, other support facilities, and an operations center for all T administrative staff.

Former T General Manager John Bartosiewicz noted that Payne knew the importance of public transportation and that transit was good business for the community. Bartosiewicz now serves as chief operating officer of McDonald Transit Services in Fort Worth, which manages The T.

Payne also was a former member of the APTA Board of Directors, and was appointed by then-Texas Gov. Ann Richards to chair the Texas High-Speed Rail Authority at the time of its inception.  “The T is indebted to the visionary leadership of Hershel Payne that began over 25 years ago,” said T President Dick Ruddell. “Each day our agency achieves new milestones of progress, and the seeds of those accomplishments were planted on Hershel’s watch when he led The T in its formative years as the chair of its first board of directors, serving from 1983 to 1993.

“Our headquarters building bears his name as a permanent tribute to his contributions to public transportation, not only in Fort Worth, but also through his initiatives to further transit nationally and with his service on behalf of APTA. A highly respected community leader, he will be missed personally as well as professionally for the difference he made in people’s lives,” Ruddell said.

James Brunkenhoefer Dies at 61; Legislative Director for UTU

James M. Brunkenhoefer, 61, of McLean, VA, U.S. national legislative director of the United Transportation Union, died Dec. 19, 2008, two days after suffering a massive stroke.

Brunkenhoefer, who received his nickname of “Brokenrail” on his first day of work, began his railroad career in 1966 as a trainman for the Southern Pacific Transportation Co. on the Dallas-Sabine District.  He was elected vice local chairperson of UTU Local 83 in Houston in 1969, and held other positions with the local. In 1980, he became alternate Texas state legislative director for the union, becoming a full director in 1982.

The UTU elected Brunkenhoefer its national legislative director at the Fifth Quadrennial Convention in 1987, and re-elected him in 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, and 2007.  While he was universally known as Brokenrail, some referred to him as “a legend in his own time,” in acknowledgement of his high profile on Capitol Hill and throughout the railroad industry. He would typically reply that he was “a legend in my own mind.”

According to colleagues, Brunkenhoefer turned railroad policy and legislation into a lively and interesting world.  “Brokenrail prided himself on making friends for us on both sides of the congressional aisle,” UTU International President Mike Futhey said in a statement. “Whether explaining our issues to Democrats or Republicans, he was interested in only one result: Do they understand the issue from a UTU member’s perspective? … Brokenrail made for this union a lot of good friends in high places, which helped us to achieve many legislative and regulatory agency goals we might otherwise have failed to achieve.”

Access Committee to Host Accessibility Guidelines Call

The APTA Access Committee has scheduled a conference call Jan. 7, beginning at 4 p.m. Eastern time, to discuss APTA’s comments on the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board’s (the Access Board) latest draft of proposed updates to its Accessibility Guidelines for Transportation Vehicles.

The call is open to all APTA members. They can join the call by dialing (800) 377-8846 and entering participant code 52771620#.

The responsibilities of the Access Board include creating and maintaining accessibility rules for public vehicles and venues; its recommendations take on the force of law when adopted by the U.S. Departments of Justice or Transportation. The board proposed updates for transit bus and van rules in April 2007, after which APTA, transit agencies, advocates for persons with disabilities, and others commented on the proposal. The Access Board released a second draft on Nov. 19, 2008.
The APTA Access Committee has drafted a preliminary set of comments, which it will use as a springboard for the Jan. 7 discussion. The text of the current and earlier proposals, draft comments, and more are available for review at the SAFETEA-LU Rulemaking and Notices page of www.apta.com.

More information about the call is available from Jim LaRusch at (202) 496-4808 or jlarusch@apta.com.

APTA Looks for Candidates to Fill Executive Committee Opening

Matthew Tucker, APTA’s vice chair-state affairs, has accepted a position with the North County Transit District in Oceanside, CA. While APTA congratulates him on his new position, it also means that he is no longer eligible to serve as APTA’s vice chair-state affairs; he formerly served as director of the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation.

The APTA bylaws authorize the Executive Committee to appoint a qualified member to serve the remainder of Tucker’s term, which ends at the APTA Annual Meeting in October 2009. The Executive Committee is seeking applicants for the position and is asking for help from APTA members.

According to the bylaws, the vice chair-state affairs must be “a State chief administrative officer or deputy chief administrative officer responsible for public transportation of a Member in good standing, or the chief executive of an Association Member in good standing.”

Persons interested in serving as APTA vice chair-state affairs, or who know someone else who is, can download the special nomination and authorization form at www.apta.com, fill it out completely, and e-mail or fax it to Jim LaRusch, APTA’s chief counsel and vice president-corporate affairs, no later than Jan. 30.

For more information, contact LaRusch at (202) 496-4808 or jlarusch@apta.com.

ITSP Seeks Team Leader for Fall Study Mission

The International Transit Studies Program (ITSP) is seeking nominations by Jan. 23 for a team leader for its fall 2009 study mission, which will focus on managing increasing ridership demand in South America. Participants in the study mission will meet with transit operators and agencies in several cities in South America that have successfully managed sudden and significant increases in ridership demand.

Rising fuel prices, a weakening economy, and growing concerns about global climate change have pushed transit ridership numbers to record levels in the United States. However, this increase in ridership has come as transit agencies are coping with declining revenues and increasing fuel costs, which severely strain their operations and services.

 The team leader must be an experienced, highly motivated general manager at a U.S. transit agency and should have a background in, and extensive knowledge of, managing increasing ridership demand. The role of the team leader is threefold:
 • To serve as the official spokesperson for the team and the U.S. transit industry during the two-week mission;
 • To serve as a mentor to the team members, helping them understand what they see and hear and how it relates to, or might have application to, U.S. practice; and
 • To assign report topics to the team members and serve as a resource during the preparation of the reports.
 The ITSP covers all travel expenses for the team leader.

Application instructions and eligibility information are available online at www.tcrpstudymissions.com or from Kathryn Harrington-Hughes, ITSP program manager, at (410) 770-9192 or khh@tcrpstudymissions.com.

ITSP is sponsored by the Transit Cooperative Research Program and funded by the Federal Transit Administration. More than 400 transit managers in urban and rural communities throughout the U.S. have participated in the program since its inception in 1994.