Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has directed state agencies, including the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, the New York State Police, National Guard, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to be on a heightened state of alert. Additional personnel are being deployed to high-density areas and large public gatherings. It is important to note that these are precautionary measures, not based on any specific intelligence linking the U.S. and the attacks in Paris.

The impending retirement of Central New York Regional Transportation Authority (Centro) Executive Director Frank Kobliski, was highlighted in the November 12 issue of Metro Magazine. Kobliski is retiring December 31st. He has served as the authority’s CEO since 2004 and has been with the transit agency since 1977. Kobliski also served two separate terms as president of NYPTA.

Broome County officials painted a bleak picture of the potential loss of $600,000 in federal public transportation funds, saying it would force a choice between trimming services or shifting more of the cost to taxpayers. Broome County Public Transportation Commissioner Greg Kilmer said more than a third of his department's operating funds come through federal grants, and the money that's at risk accounts for half of the funds used to maintain the bus fleet.

Customers at some more subway stations can now check social media or download apps thanks to Phase 4 expansion of wireless, public safety and Wi-Fi services to 21 underground subway stations in the Bronx and 16 in Manhattan. “The MTA has been on a clearly defined mission to modernize our mass transit system through station upgrades and several ambitious new-technology communications projects like this one,” said MTA Chairman and CEO Thomas F. Prendergast.

New York State Representatives in Congress are scrambling to save nearly $100 million per year in funding for mass transit initiatives across New York State. "Right now the federal dollars that help out mass transit operating throughout New York State is under attack, and a huge part of our state's funding is now in jeopardy," said Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-New York. According to the senator, transportation services provided for by the funding in question represents 20 percent of the mass transit trips taken nation-wide.

Mayor Bill de Blasio and the city's congressional delegation are urging Congress not to pass a long-term transportation bill that would slash funding to New York's transit needs. The provision in question would eliminate the formula used to allocate transit funds to states with high-density urban areas. Officials estimate that this would result in a cut of $80 million in funding annually to New York City, or $480 million over the course of the six-year program.

The Amalgamated Transit Union wants lawmakers to boost the federal government's annual spending for public transportation in the upcoming negotiations between the House and Senate on a new highway bill, even if it results in a shorter infrastructure funding package. ATU International President Larry Hanley said lawmakers could boost funding for both the high-density transit and national bus programs if they opt to pass a shorter overall highway funding bill instead of the six-year proposals that have been discussed.

People rode mass transit nearly 11 billion times a year because of cost-effectiveness, convenience and because they dislike driving, according to a national survey obtained by USA TODAY. “People increasingly recognize the value delivered by public transportation,” said Michael Townes, a senior vice president at HNTB who deals with transit. “They want a modern, effective system that meets their needs today as well as into the future.”

At the end of October, Lyft announced its first formal integration with a transit agency. You can now find Lyft as a transportation option within Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s GoPass mobile ticketing app. Last week, Lyft launched its Friends With Transit page, which Emily Castor, Lyft’s director of transportation policy, says is “a public-facing expression” of Lyft’s desire to work with transportation departments around the country.

Two PTLI Webinars This Week; All Public Transit Professionals Welcome

TODAY  3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Title:  Sourcing Top Talent: Best-Practice “Make-or-Buy” Executive Recruitment Strategies

Join veteran Human Resource practitioner Deb Best, SPHR, Owner and Principal of Deb Best Practices, as she shares key strategies and tips to ensure successful Executive Recruitment outcomes to in turn build a strong senior management team for your organization, whether your organization conducts an in-house search (including but not limited to sourcing or promoting internal bench players for future promotion to senior positions), or you decide to work with an outside executive search firm. Register here.

This Friday, November 20 12 noon - 1:15 pm
Title: What’s Measured Gets Done: Driving Accountability to Achieve Executive Team Peak Performance

Deb Best, SPHR, Owner and Principal of Deb Best Practices, shares key strategies and tips to establish organizational strategic goals and cascading Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to drive both Executive Team and organization-wide accountability and peak performance.

Changes in state and federal leadership, along with voter-approved ballot measures, in Tuesday’s elections are almost certain to affect highway funding and transit service all around the country. Register here.