TRANSIT SYSTEM NEWS

The Pike Co. and the Regional Transit Service received the 2014 Excellence in Partnering Award from the New York State Chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America. The award recognizes the teamwork of Pike and RTS on the newly opened $50 million RTS Transit Center. They received the award at the AGC NYS Construction Industry Conference in Saratoga Springs. The 91,000-square-foot RTS Transit Center opened Nov. 28.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has produced a new on-air public service announcement campaign for New York City Transit buses and the MTA Bus Co. to educate bus customers, pedestrians, and bicyclists about safety on and around buses. The new video campaign extends the MTA’s ongoing safety initiative to improve bus safety for anyone riding, walking, or cycling near MTA buses and works in conjunction with New York City’s “Vision Zero” program to eliminate traffic fatalities.

A small unit within New York City Transit is the subject of a feature article in the current edition of Customer First, the journal of the National Customer Service Association. The customer service outreach of NYC’s Transit’s MetroCard Mobile Sales Team is profiled, highlighting the work done by the unit’s 11 employees in traveling to each of the five boroughs and surrounding counties educating seniors and people with disabilities about the MetroCard Reduced Fare Program.

STATE NEWS

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone announced a new $1.5 million grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to be used toward planning, design and construction of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system along Nicolls Road, which will connect from Stony Brook University to Patchogue Village. BRT is an innovative, high capacity, lower cost public transit solution that can significantly improve mobility and be customized to fit community needs.

FEDERAL NEWS

The Senate voted on Saturday night to approve a $1.1 trillion deal and avert a government shutdown, sending the legislation to President Barack Obama for his signature after an unusual weekend session and days of drama in the House. The vote was 56-40. The House had earlier passed the bill 219-206. The bill provides $71 billion for the transportation sector, including $40 billion in highway funding for states and $10.9 billion for transit programs nationwide. The measure also includes $500 million for the DOT's TIGER infrastructure grants program. Aid to Amtrak would be maintained at $1.4 billion.

The “2015 Bottom Line Report” on transportation investment needs, released by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials and the American Public Transportation Association, estimates that to meet current demand it will require an annual capital investment over six years by all levels of government in the amount of $120 billion in the nation’s highway and bridge network and $43 billion in America’s public transportation infrastructure. Despite those dramatic investment needs, currently only $83 billion is invested in roads and bridges, while just $17.1 billion is invested in public transit.

As you plan your gift giving to friends and family members during this holiday season, remember riding public transportation helps by providing you a gift of big savings. This month the average annual savings for public transit riders is $9,569, according to the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) December Transit Savings Report. Individuals who ride public transportation instead of driving can also save, on average, more than $797 per month.

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

ALBANY --Some proposed transportation projects will be funded with a share of the $709.2 million in 2014 Regional Economic Development Council Awards announced last week. Poughkeepsie’s City Center Connecting Project will include the re-introduction of high performance transit along Main St. Nyack will address a bus rapid-transit hub and a transportation improvement district at the Thruway interchange. In the Capital Region, the growth of new employers will be facilitated in the downtowns of Albany, Schenectady and Troy accessible by public transportation to low income and underserved people. In Afton, Chenango County, public transportation development is part of the economic revitalization strategic plan.

NEW YORK -- Manhattan’s population expands from its 1.5 million local residents to up to 3.9 million people on weekdays, including 1.6 million commuting workers, 374,000 local day-trip visitors, 70,000 students, 400,000 out-of-town visitors, and 17,00 hospital patients. Altogether, more than 2 million people exit and enter Manhattan around the same time each day – mostly by public transit. What would it look like if all of those commuters entered Manhattan by car, instead of the 16 percent that currently do?

SAN JOSE, CA-- Transit agencies should prepare for ridership increases when gasoline prices increase. However, the net effect varies depending on the transit mode, the range of gasoline prices, and response time. That is the conclusion of the Mineta Transportation Institute's latest peer-reviewed research report, Net Effects of Gasoline Price Changes on Transit Ridership in U.S. Urban Areas. The study focused on ten US census urbanized areas from 2002-2011 and provided information that could help transit agencies prepare to accommodate higher transit travel needs through pricing strategies, general financing, capacity management, and operations planning.

TRAINING AND EVENTS

Webinar: Using 5310 Funds to Enhance Service: Best Practices & Success Stories

December 18, 2014  REGISTRATION CLOSES TODAY. REGISTER NOW!
2:00–3:30pm EST | 1:00-2:30pm CST |
12:00-1:30pm MST | 11:00am-12:30pm PST

Easter Seals Project ACTION presents this webinar to share the best practices and success stories of communities across the country that have increased and improved mobility for people with disabilities under this most recent transportation bill. Presenters will discuss best practices in both obtaining and using 5310 funding to enhance mobility and will also share their experience with enhancing the services they provide with 5310 funding.

Today is the Registration deadline. REGISTER NOW!

TRANSIT AWARENESS DAY 2015
Save the Date for NYPTA’s 2015 Transit Awareness Day. Join us at the Capital in Albany February 3 to bring lawmakers a unified message on the importance of investing in transit infrastructure.

We need a unified voice, we need to be heard and we need you make it happen.

Our industry partners can play a key role, too. Become a Transit Awareness Day sponsor and secure a prominent position on Transit Awareness Day 2015!

Plan now to be in Albany on February 3. Details here.