Passenger Transport Express - 01/30/2015 (Plain Text Version)

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NEWS HEADLINES

Sen. Sanders Introduces $1 Trillion Infrastructure Bill

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT.), ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, introduced a bill on Jan. 27 to spend $1 trillion over the next five years to rebuild the nation's infrastructure. "We must modernize our infrastructure and create millions of new jobs that will put people back to work and help the economy," he said. Though the bill is unlikely to become law, it indicates the increasing Congressional recognition of the scale of the problem of America's failing infrastructure.

Sec. Foxx and Four Governors Testify Before Senate on MAP-21

DOT Secretary Anthony Foxx joined governors from Alabama, Connecticut, Vermont and South Dakota in testifying before a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing on "The Importance of MAP-21 Reauthorization: Federal and State Perspectives" on Jan. 28. The governors have been vocal in calling for reauthorization, with the National Governors Association declaring that "our nation's multimodal transportation and related infrastructure systems support and enhance the economic growth of states and the nation."  
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ATA, AAA, and Chamber Send Letter to Congress

AAA, the American Trucking Association, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce sent a joint letter to Congress calling policymakers to "raise the federal fuels user fee." Meanwhile, a coalition of conservative groups, including the Club for Growth and Americans for Prosperity, sent a letter to Congress opposing any raising of the gas tax.   [return to top]

APTA Business Members Meet

APTA's Business Member Board of Governors (BMBG) held its annual meeting Jan. 26-28. Sessions included a roundtable moderated by Patrick Scully, executive vice president, Motor Coach Industries, and Chair, APTA BMBG Committee, that included remarks from APTA Chair Phillip Washington, general manager, Denver's Regional Transportation District, and APTA President & CEO Michael Melaniphy. Topics included the legislative outlook in Washington, public-private partnerships, APTA's national day for local advocacy called Stand Up 4 Transportation, the International Study Mission on Innovative Funding & Financing, and APTA's 2015-2019 Strategic Plan.  [return to top]

SAVE THE DATE

There is still time to register for APTA's 2015 Transit CEOs Seminar, Feb. 7-10 in Phoenix. Participation is reserved for chief executive officers and their deputies at APTA member public transportation organizations. Sessions will cover labor relations, workforce development, negotiating employment contracts, overhaul services, security, safety, farebox recovery and much else. Sign up now! [return to top]

IN THE MEDIA

Mayors around the country say they need the federal government's investment in public transportation.

Local communities benefit from access to public transit.

Private investment in infrastructure may be the wave of the future.


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