Passenger Transport Express - 02/17/2017 (Plain Text Version)HEADLINE NEWSAPTA Leadership Meets with DOT Secretary Chao
APTA Chair Doran J. Barnes, Vice Chair Nathaniel P. Ford, Diana Mendes of HNTB, vice chair, APTA Legislative Committee, APTA Acting President and CEO Richard White and Vice President-Marketing & Communications Rose Sheridan, met this week with U.S. DOT Secretary Elaine Chao and her staff to offer insight into the industry and APTA. The group also detailed the extensive geographic coverage of the bus and rail and rail supply chain and provided materials that outlined the industry footprint throughout the country. The high passage rate of local referenda and strong support for public transit at the ballot box were also highlighted.. Amtrak's Moorman Testifies at Senate Commerce Subcommittee Hearing on Rail Issues
“If the nation wants a passenger [rail] network of any significant size and impact, like the one we operate today, it will take public support to make it happen, just as it does everywhere across the globe,” Amtrak President and CEO Wick Moorman testified at a Feb. 15 hearing before the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security. He also listed the Northeast Corridor, Amtrak’s national network and the system’s rolling stock and stations among the “aging assets” facing “infrastructure challenges.” Read Moorman’s testimony here. [return to top] CEOs Examine Leadership Qualities at Transit CEOs Seminar
The 2017 APTA CEOs Seminar in San Diego brought together 148 public transit agency leaders to explore broad questions related to leadership and workforce development, learn from each other, network and work on APTA matters such as bylaws changes and the CEO search. Read more in the Feb. 27 issue of Passenger Transport. [return to top] Delayed Deadlines for Buy America, Award Management Requirements
FTA has postponed implementation dates from February to March 21 for two recently finalized guidance documents in accordance with a Jan. 20 Presidential Memorandum. They are Award Management Requirements-Final Circular (82 FR 4455, Jan. 13, 2017) and Buy America Handbook-Conducting Pre-Award and Post-Delivery Audits of Rolling Stock Procurements (82 FR 4959, Jan. 17, 2017). For details, click here. [return to top] SAVE THE DATE
Robert Costa, national political reporter for the Washington Post, and Amy Walter, national editor of the Cook Political Report, will share their insights on what the Trump administration and 115th Congress will mean to the public transit industry at the March 12 “Welcome to Washington” session at the APTA Legislative Conference, March 12-14 at the JW Marriott Hotel in Washington, DC. Also, the discounted hotel room rate is available through Feb. 22, so sign up now! [return to top] IN THE MEDIA
Save Money; Take Transit—People who commute on public transit can save more than $812 per month according to a U.S. News & World Report story about APTA's Transit Savings Report.
Dayton in the Spotlight—Free to Ride, a feature-length documentary about the struggle between the Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority and the city of Beavercreek, OH, to expand public transportation in the community, debuts today at the Washington DC Independent Film Festival. See a trailer for the film here.
Making History in California—The California High-Speed Rail Authority is installing what the manufacturer says are the largest structural precast, prestressed concrete girders ever cast in the state. This video tells the story. [return to top] NOTABLE & QUOTABLE
"Your administration and Congress must restore solvency to the Highway
Trust Fund to ensure that the federal government can maintain a state of the
art infrastructure system. |