As Passenger Transport Express goes to press, Congress and the White House are still working to avoid a partial government shutdown at midnight tonight. The House and Senate continue to be in session, and it is unclear whether the situation will be resolved before the deadline tonight. U.S. DOT is among those departments and agencies that would be impacted by a shutdown.

FTA Awards $16.6 Million to Improve Public Transit Access

FTA has awarded $16.6 million to 20 organizations around the country through its Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Planning, which assists communities that are developing new or expanded public transit systems. The program provides funding to project sponsors who will integrate land use and transportation planning efforts with eligible public transit projects. The grants will fund planning to support ridership, multimodal connectivity and mixed-use development near stations.

"Public transportation plays a vital role in society, connecting people with jobs, education, recreation, shopping and myriad other activities," said APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas following the Dec. 18 announcement of the awards. "Expanding access to public transportation improves the vitality and well-being of all our communities, but it requires significantly increased investment. APTA applauds FTA for recognizing the importance of such investment."

Among the grant award recipients are Maryland DOT, which will receive $2,000,000 to plan for TOD along the Maryland Purple Line, a 16.2-mile light rail project; Chicago Transit Authority, which will receive $1,480,000 to plan for TOD along a proposed 5.3-mile southern extension of its Red Line; and the Jacksonville (FL) Transportation Authority, which will receive $1,015,280 to plan for TOD along the proposed Ultimate Urban Circulator, the planned modernization of the existing Skyway monorail system into an autonomous circulator. Read the entire list of recipients here.

House T&I Committee Staff Address WATIR at APTA HQ

More than 50 members of WATIR attended a House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure panel discussion at APTA offices Dec. 18.

APTA convened more than 50 members of the Washington Area Transit Industry Representatives (WATIR) Task Force at APTA headquarters in Washington, DC, for a panel discussion led by staff of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I), Dec. 18.

Following opening remarks from APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas, Kathy Dedrick, Democratic chief of staff, T&I; Geoff Gosselin, Republican policy director, T&I; Helena Zyblikewycz, Democratic staff director, T&I Subcommittee on Highways and Transit; and Murphie Barrett, Republican staff director, T&I Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, discussed the committee’s agenda for the 116th Congress and fielded questions from attendees.

WATIR is a group of public transportation legislative consultants and affiliated professionals who meet to share intelligence on legislative developments and to build strong partner relationships.

Public Transit Users Can Save $816 a Month Over Driving

APTA's December Transit Savings Report shows that an individual in a two-person household can save an average of $816 a month or $9,790 a year by taking public transportation and living with one less car. Click here to see the savings in the top 20 cities with the highest public transit ridership.

Please Help APTA Continue to Improve its Industry Footprint

APTA's online Industry Footprint is an interactive map that highlights the impact of public transportation across the country, with the latest information on APTA member locations, the breadth and depth of public transportation services offered, the transit supply chain, contact information for members of Congress and an array of key facts and statistics—all searchable by state legislative and congressional district levels.

APTA is continuously working to improve the Industry Footprint with new resources and an easier-to-use platform and would like to hear from members about how we can enhance it to better serve the industry. Please click here to load the Industry Footprint and click "View Survey" to give us your feedback. Thank you.

Register for NTI Advancing Mobility Management Training Course

The National Transit Institute's (NTI) Advancing Mobility Management course is designed to build the capacity of public transit professionals to implement and scale up mobility management strategies and initiatives and expose participants to promising practices in the field.

The course, offered at four locations throughout 2019, will benefit mobility management professionals with 1-5 years of experience in public transportation or a mobility-related field and who play a role in implementing mobility management strategies:

• Feb. 4-5 — Stockton, CA
• April 23-24 — Des Moines, IA
• May 8-9 — Charleston, WV
• June 11-12 — Anchorage, AK

FTA sponsors NTI to develop and apply innovative solutions to help meet the demands placed on the nation's public transit systems. Click here for more information and to register.

Happy Holidays from APTA!

APTA wishes the entire public transportation industry and the people whose lives we improve every day a safe and happy holidays! It has been our pleasure to serve you through 2018; here's to a prosperous 2019!

SAVE THE DATE

Make keeping your finger on the pulse by attending an APTA event your New Year’s resolution! Mark your 2019 calendars now and plan to attend the following:

Business Member Board of Governors Annual Business Meeting
January 22-25, 2019
Naples, FL

Legal Affairs Seminar
February 24-26, 2019
New Orleans, LA

Marketing & Communications Workshop
February 24-27, 2019
New Orleans, LA

Risk Management Seminar
February 25-28, 2019
New Orleans, LA

Legislative Conference
March 17-19, 2019
Washington, DC

AND THERE'S MORE!
APTA, the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) and the Canadian Urban Transit Association are joining forces to bring UITP’s international electric bus training to North America, with programs taking place March 27-29 in Montreal and April 1-3 in Los Angeles.

Attendees will learn about different battery electric technologies and charging options; how to gain value from electric buses in regard to their economic, environmental and societal feasibility; how to implement and run electric bus lines successfully; the implications for operations, maintenance and infrastructure in the North American market; and more. For more information, contact Jeff Hiott, APTA assistant vice president - technical services & innovation, at jhiott@apta.com.

IN THE MEDIA

TransLink and Shaw to Make Wi-Fi Free on Entire System—TransLink and Shaw Communications Inc. are teaming up to deliver free Wi-Fi for public transit customers across Metro Vancouver.

Metro Extends 'Rush Hour Promise'—The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority has voted to extend its "Rush Hour Promise" program through June 2019 and to make it easier for delayed riders to get a refund.

Blue Water Area Transit Celebrates Legacy of Innovation—Blue Water Area Transit (Port Huron, MI) has unveiled a sculpture celebrating milestones of local public transit innovation and recognizing William Pitt Edison as the "father of local public transit."

Look at What Keeps Boston Moving—In November, 20 Harvard students got an inside look at what keeps the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority running.

Wi-Fi Coming to Metro Buses—Twenty-seven new buses will join the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (Metro) fleet this year equipped with Wi-Fi capability and charger ports for passengers to use.