TRANSIT NEWS

President Barack Obama plans to visit the Tappan Zee Bridge on Wednesday for a speech highlighting the need for congressional action on infrastructure spending. Obama will use his visit to the site to highlight the urgency of replenishing the Highway Trust Fund. Construction is in full swing to replace the 58-year-old Tappan Zee, a $3.9 billion project recently approved for a $1.6 billion federal loan. It's the largest loan ever awarded under the Transportation Infrastructure and Innovation Act (TIFIA). The administration identified the Tappan Zee's replacement in 2011 as one of the nation's top infrastructure priorities.

Customer engagement, marketing strategy, training videos, traffic updates; social media has become an important tool for public transit. Central New York Regional Transportation Authority (CENTRO) Executive Director Frank Kobliski was one of several transit authority executives from around the country responding to the Metro newsletter’s Question of the Day concerning the impact of social media on the transit industry.  Frank’s and the other executives’ responses can be read here.

The transit funding section of the recently signed 2014 Transportation MOU discusses the agreement between the Governor and the Legislature on the distribution of state capital funding for upstate and downstate suburban transit systems contained in the 2014-15 budget.  This document describes how projects will be selected for the $5 m. in New York Works capital funding and the $10 m. in unallocated 2005 Transportation Bond Act funding. If you have a suitable transit project that meets these eligibility requirements, you may want to provide it to your local state legislator in the next week or two for consideration.

Kathy Webster has officially retired from her position as transportation supervisor of Watertown Citibus and has resigned from the NYPTA board.  We will miss her contributions, and most of all, her sense of humor.  We have also extended an invitation to Kathy to join us at this year's September conference as our guest so friends and colleagues can wish her well. 

The chairwoman of the Senate committee that is considering a reauthorization of federal transportation funding programs said her draft of the bill would be ready to be marked up by next week. Testifying before the Senate Finance Committee, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) said her Environment and Public Works panel is readying its surface transportation bill for a markup as lawmakers are rushing to beat a Sept. 30 deadline for renewing U.S. infrastructure investment programs.

The House Appropriations Committee released its fiscal year 2015 budget, including its proposal for transportation, housing and urban development funding. In total, the measure includes $71 billion in funding for the U.S. Department of Transportation for the period between Oct. 1, 2014 and Sept. 30, 2015, or $1.1 billion below the FY 2014 enacted level and $19.5 billion less than President Obama’s FY 2015 transportation request.

Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said that a bankruptcy in the Department of Transportation's Highway Trust Fund would cost the U.S. 700,000 construction jobs. Lawmakers are grappling with a Sept. 30 deadline for reauthorizing the federal government's surface transportation bill, which provides funding for road and transit projects across the country. Foxx said during an interview with Washington, D.C., radio station WTOP on Wednesday that the consequence of congressional inaction this summer would be "dire."

STATE NEWS

Governor Andrew Cuomo is taking an interest in transportation infrastructure. The governor recommended, in a letter to M.T.A. chairman Tom Prendergast, the creation of a "Transportation Reinvention Commission" to help the Hurricane Sandy-battered M.T.A. prepare for future challenges, including the vicissitudes of climate change, increasing ridership and changing demographics. Cuomo writes that the M.T.A. should include "international transportation experts" on its panel, the panel should hold public hearings, and it should submit its recommendations to the governor before by the M.T.A. votes on its capital plan in September.

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

MICHIGAN -- The More Buses campaign has declared victory. With all precincts reporting, the final vote count is 13,949 to 5,783 in favor of a proposal to expand local transit services in Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti and Ypsilanti Township. That's a 71 percent showing of support for the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority's 0.7-mill tax proposal, the only item on Tuesday's ballot in all three communities.

KANSAS CITY -- Ridership and increased funding for public transportation were major themes as APTA’s Bus & Paratransit Conference kicked off with its Opening General Session at the Kansas City Convention Center on Sunday. APTA President/CEO Michael Melaniphy spoke about the vital role public transportation plays in communities throughout the U.S., as well as its significant role, historically, in getting people to where they want to go.

NYPTA TRAINING AND EVENTS

In this session, conference attendees will learn how Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) are utilized to ease the complexities of coordination. Software and hardware components of ITS technologies allow coordinating agencies to respond to both fixed and on-demand trip requests, coordinate trips among different providers, and directly communicate with customers through call centers, web portals, and mobile applications. Regional agency coordination best practices will be presented so attendees can view firsthand how technologies have played a large role in sustaining costs while increasing services.  Registration is Free!

Regional Training: Procurement

This unique program will address overcoming common procurement issues, and be will be offered in three convenient locations. There are certain findings that present themselves in all of the FTA Oversight reviews. James Harper, Director of the Office of Acquisition Management at the FTA, will discuss those common findings (deficiencies) and give suggestions on how grantees can eliminate them from your reviews and move beyond them. Space is limited, so register today!

Tuesday, June 24, 10am-2pm 
CNYRTA
Jerry Dietz Training Center
200 Cortland Ave, Syracuse, NY 13205  

   

Wednesday, June 25, 10am-2pm                       
Westchester County Department of Public Works & Transportation/Bee-Line Bus System
Westchester County Office Building, 8th Floor Conference Room
100 East First St., Mt. Vernon, NY  10550 (Directly across the street from Metro-North New Haven Line/Mt. Vernon West Railroad Station)
 

Thursday, June 26, 10am-2pm                        
NICE Bus (1st Floor Conference Room)
700 Commercial Ave., Garden City, NY 11530  

2014 NY Public Transit Fall Expo

We invite transit industry manufacturers, vendors and service providers to reserve your space at the 2014 New York Public Transit Fall Expo, September 16-18 at the Saratoga City Center in Saratoga Springs. It’s your chance to market your solutions to more than 150 public transportation leaders from across the State.  Expanded hours give you a greater opportunity to make important connections.  Call Mike Cocca at 518.434.9060 for your exhibitor prospectus, or email info@nytransit.org.