Passenger Transport Express - 09/26/2014 (Plain Text Version)NEWS HEADLINESSecretary Foxx to Participate in APTA's Annual Meeting & EXPO
DOT Secretary Anthony Foxx will speak at APTA's Annual Meeting & EXPO in Houston, Oct. 12-15. He will focus on the Obama administration's GROW AMERICA Act, as well as the future of public transportation in America. DOT Awards $3.59 Billion in Post-Hurricane Aid
DOT awarded $3.59 billion to help public transportation systems in areas affected by Hurricane Sandy become more resilient, Secretary Foxx announced on Sept. 22. Approximately 90 percent of the funds will go to New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority and New Jersey Transit Corporation, where most of the hurricane's damage was sustained. A total of 40 projects will be funded. NTSB Report Examines Rail Safety
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) met on Sept. 24 to discuss a special investigation report on the increase in deaths of railroad and rail transit roadway workers during 2013. APTA members have been fully engaged on this important issue and have taken the initiative to establish standards for On Track Safety, and to utilize other resources available to them to help assess and continually improve their On Track Safety programs. [return to top] APTA Attends UN Climate SummitAPTA participated in a special transportation policy forum at the United Nations (UN) Climate Summit on Sept. 23, alongside the International Association of Public Transport (UITP), the International Association of Railways (UIC), and the Union des Industries Ferroviaires Européennes. The forum brought together U.N. agencies, international representatives of all modes of transportation, public transportation authorities, multilateral development banks, and the private sector to discuss the transportation sector’s commitment and contribution to combating climate change. The summit was the first time transportation received such high-level prominence on the U.N. climate agenda. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon recently created a High Level Advisory Group on Sustainable Transport, with APTA partners UIC and UITP representing the rail and public transportation industry, respectively. Report: Millennials Leading Public Transit Boom
Millennials are the backbone of growing demand for public transit, a new TransitCenter survey finds. The cross-regional survey of nearly 12,000 respondents discovered that people under 40 are more likely to use public transit than their elders, as are those who live in densely populated areas, are employed, and/or are students. [return to top] APTA Roundtable Discusses Future of High-Performance and Intercity Passenger Rail
Industry experts attended an APTA-hosted roundtable discussion on the future of high-performance intercity passenger rail policy on Sept. 25 in Washington, D.C. Organized and moderated by Al Engel, vice chair, APTA's High Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail Committee, the panel examined how the U.S. can learn from its international partners in developing high-performance rail. [return to top] APTA's Transit Savings Report Finds Big Savings
APTA's September Transit Savings Report found that riding on public transit instead of driving cars saves individuals $832 monthly and $9,979 annually, on average. These savings are based on the cost of commuting by public transportation compared to the cost of owning and driving a vehicle, and includes the Sept. 24, 2014 average national gas price. [return to top] SAVE THE DATE
APTA's Annual Meeting & EXPO is the flagship event for public transportation professionals to engage in educational sessions, forums, tours, network with peers, and see the latest industry innovations and technologies. Houston METRO will provide free transportation for those volunteering at the Food Bank prior to the 2014 Annual Meeting & EXPO, Oct 12 -15. [return to top] IN THE MEDIA
A global shift to public transit could save more than $100 trillion and 1,700 megatons of CO2. [return to top] |