New York State County Highway Superintendents Association News & Views
 
Tuesday, September 19, 2017

 

NYS Transit Industry News

Mass Transit Magazine Recognizes RTS Employee

Christopher Dobson, vice president of finance for RTS, has been selected by Mass Transit magazine as one of their Top 40 Under 40. Each year, Mass Transit recognizes professionals under the age of 40 who have made significant contributions to the public transit industry. Dobson and the other honorees were nominated by their peers and judged on criteria that included job commitment, industry involvement and contribution, achievement in their positions, and innovation in their fields.

“On behalf of the 900-plus employees at RTS, I congratulate Chris on this well-deserved honor,” said RTS CEO Bill Carpenter. “During his 14 years at RTS, Chris has become a highly respected and valued leader in our organization and as vice president of finance he works tirelessly every day to ensure financial sustainability and responsible stewardship of taxpayer funds.”

Dobson and the other 40 Under 40 honorees will be showcased in the September/October cover feature of Mass Transit magazine and online at www.MassTransitmag.com.

Still Time to Sign Up for the Bus Roadeo

Plans are underway for the 2017 Bus Roadeo! This is a great opportunity to provide some well-deserved bus operator recognition while promoting safety and professionalism. Transit systems throughout New York state send the best bus operators to compete in this event. The competitors drive a bus through a test course marked with traffic cones that simulate various situations encountered on the road. They are expected to meet Bus Roadeo qualifications by maintaining good attendance and a safe driving record.

The New York Public Transit Association invites your transit system to participate in the Bus Roadeo! If your transit system has not yet participated in a Roadeo and you're interested in learning more about the event, please don’t hesitate to contact Carol Hargrove at 845.340.3335.

 

State Government Affairs

NYC Beefs Up Transit Security After London Bombing

Trains, stations and bridges will be teeming with cops on Friday after both Gov. Cuomo and NTPD Commissioner James O’Neill ordered extra security in the wake of a terrorist attack in the London subway.

“Out of an abundance of caution, I am directing state law enforcement to increase security at vital assets across New York, including airports, bridges, tunnels and mass transit systems,” Cuomo said in a statement early Friday.

 

 

Federal Developments

Now’s the Time to Save Federal Transit Funding

It’s been clear since Donald Trump was elected and Republicans hung on to majorities in Congress that federal transit funding is at risk. But a phone call to your representative could protect transit in the current round of budget negotiations.

Eliminating federal transit funding was part of the Republicans’ 2016 platform, and Trump followed up with a similar proposal in his budget outline.

Now it’s up to the legislators in Congress to set real spending policy, and Stephen Lee Davis at Transportation for America reports that a push to preserve transit funding in the House could make a real difference this month.

 

Around the Country

Transit Becomes Amazon Bid Focus

The race to position metro Detroit for Amazon's second headquarters has injected a new sense of urgency into addressing the region's disjointed public transportation systems as leaders contemplate going back to voters next year with a different regional transit proposal.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and the leaders of Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw and Macomb counties had already been in talks for months about how to revise the regional transit proposal that voters narrowly defeated last November.

And then online retail behemoth Amazon dropped its request for proposals that said access to mass transit options and connections to an international airport were critical components to its plans to plant up to 50,000 workers in a city outside of its hometown of Seattle.

Self-Driving Lyft Cars Are Headed to San Francisco

Order a Lyft in San Francisco and you may soon be able to catch a ride in a self-driving car. The ride-hailing company said Thursday it's partnered with autonomous vehicle software company Drive.ai to bring self-driving cars to the city's streets.

 

NYPTA connects

Featured Conference Session: Women in Transit - Making Men Part of the Conversation

Facilitated by: Kelly Anne Gallagher, Regulatory Affairs, Corporate Standards & Benchmarking, MTA

At this roundtable session, some of the most influential women in New York’s transportation industry talk about management, engaging high stakes-players and being heard. These women have made a significant difference in their communities, oftentimes providing a different perspective and voice. Hear how their voices get heard, and how men in the industry are integral to our commitment to diversity.

 Register now!

 

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New York Public Transit
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