On July 23, Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA), chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, released for discussion a legislative proposal on infrastructure investment. APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas made the following statement:

“On behalf of the 1,500 public- and private-sector member organizations of APTA, we are pleased that Chairman Shuster has renewed discussion of infrastructure legislation to address the underinvestment in our nation’s aging infrastructure and the long-term solvency of the Highway Trust Fund. APTA looks forward to working with Congress, the administration and industry stakeholders to develop a bipartisan proposal to significantly grow our infrastructure investments—including our public transportation investments—in a sustainable and predictable manner.”

To read APTA's Legislative Update on the proposal, click here. To view the Chairman’s Vision Statement, click here. To see the Section by Section summary, click here. For the text in its entirety, click here.

MTI Survey: 74 Percent of Americans Support Increased Federal Investment in Public Transit

APTA's Study Mission to Canada Yields Best Practices

A 34-member APTA delegation that included representatives from public transportation agencies and businesses visited four Canadian cities July 22-27 to learn how major investments in public transit infrastructure north of the U.S. border are being structured, developed and financed.

APTA Chair Nathaniel P. Ford Sr. and APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas led the study mission to Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver. The Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA), one of APTA’s long-standing partners, also helped support the study mission. Members of the delegation will share key takeaways at APTA’s Annual Meeting, Sept. 23-27 in Nashville, TN.

More details will be available in a future issue of Passenger Transport.

Public Transit Users Can Save $842 a Month Over Driving

SAVE THE DATE

Register for APTA Annual Meeting by August 17

APTA has extended its early registration deadline for the 2018 Annual Meeting until August 17. In addition to prominent speakers at general sessions, technical tours and the Products & Services Showcase, the schedule features more than 30 educational sessions on topics including innovative mobility practices, ballot measures, Complete Streets and climate resiliency. Click here to learn more or to register.

IN THE MEDIA

A Station That Never Was—A Dallas Morning News reporter visits the site of a never-finished underground Dallas Area Rapid Transit light rail station.

Hometown Hero on TransLink—Comedian and actor Seth Rogen, a native of Vancouver, BC, will voice etiquette-related messages on board the city's TransLink buses and SkyTrains.

Amazon to Fund Increased Capacity—The Seattle Times reports that Amazon will contribute $1.5 million over two years to increase rider capacity on several King County Metro Transit bus routes.