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| December 6, 2013 |
| NEWS HEADLINES |
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APTA Approves Recommendations for Next Authorization Bill
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APTA members were in Washington, DC, this week for a series of meetings. Recommendations for the next authorization bill were passed by APTA's Legislative Committee on Thursday and unanimously adopted today by the Board of Directors. The recommendations were the culmination of a one-year process of discussions conducted by the Authorization Task Force. MAP-21 expires on Sept. 30, 2014.
The Board also unanimously approved a legislative proposal for a federal high-speed and intercity passenger rail program. More information on both will be forthcoming. |
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Commuter Rail Systems Working Aggressively on Positive Train Control
In the wake of the Dec. 1 derailment in New York, APTA released a statement underscoring the industry's commitment to Positive Train Control (PTC), a technology that potentially would prevent collisions between trains, and derailments. “By every measure, commuting by rail is one of the safest ways to travel and the commuter rail industry is unequivocally committed to implementing innovative safety technologies," said APTA President & CEO Michael Melaniphy, who called for additional federal funding.
Blumenauer Calls for Doubling of Gas Tax
On Dec. 4, Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) introduced a bill that would raise the gas tax over the next several years. He proposed increasing the tax to 33.4 cents per gallon, nearly double the current rate of 18.4 cents. APTA issued a statement supporting the bill.
Report: Companies Need Public Transit to Reach Full Employment Potential
Companies located in the nation’s most productive regions need additional public transportation to reach their full employment potential, according to a new APTA report. The study was released on Dec. 4 at a Capitol Hill briefing sponsored by the Congressional Public Transportation Caucus.
That same day, the new ranking Democrat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton of Washington, DC, convened a listening session with other members of that committee to discuss the next authorization bill.
APTA President & CEO Michael Melaniphy participated in the roundtable discussion with leaders from the American Association of State Transportation Officials, Americans for Transportation Mobility, the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, the Amalgamated Transit Union, and other construction labor and transportation stakeholder groups.
Additionally, FTA's webcast providing an overview of the Safety/TAM ANPRM, originally broadcast on Nov. 1, is now available for downloading on the agency's website.
APTA Welcomes Members' Comments on FTA's ANPRM
APTA encourages all members to submit comments on FTA's Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) on its safety plans, certification, state of good repair, and transit asset management programs
APTA ran a series of webinars to guide the comment drafting process. Final
comments are due Jan. 2, 2014. Preview the APTA drafts, join the
drafting process, and be sure to submit your own ideas.
SAVE THE DATE
Registration is open for APTA's Legislative Conference, March 9 -11, in Washington, DC. The conference offers sessions with key members of
Congress, Hill staff, Administration officials, and Washington opinion-makers. Sign up now!
IN THE MEDIA
Lawmakers must invest in public transit options if they want to retain young people, the Michigan Municipal League told local officials.
Many states across the nation are enacting a variety of tax and fee increases to pay for transportation, reports the Kansas City Star.
With the Commuter Tax Benefit set to expire at the end of 2013, Philadelphia public transit riders will be among the many who will be paying higher costs for their trips.
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