New York State County Highway Superintendents Association News & Views
 
Tuesday, October 24, 2017

 

NYS Transit Industry News

New York to Replace MetroCard With Modern Way to Pay Transit Fares

First there were little paper tickets that cost a nickel. Then there was the nickel itself, because until just after World War II, a nickel was the only thing that made subway turnstiles go around. Then came the dime, followed by the token — the singular currency of New York City. And, since the 1990s, there has been the MetroCard, recognizable, bendable, losable and not always reliable.

Now that familiar symbol of daily life is something else — outmoded. And it is on the way out.

 

Need BAITFISH Training?

The NYSDOT’s Public Transportation Safety Board (PTSB) is pleased to announce the schedule for a training class in the B.A.I.T.F.I.S.H. program, Bus Accident Management and Investigation, Accident Preventability and Hazard Assessment and Mitigation offered by the Public Transportation Safety Board in conjunction with industry peers. These classes will be presented at various locations throughout the state in 2017. The intent of this program is to facilitate with the PTSB’s Rules and Regulations Part 990.12 requiring the completion of a comprehensive accident investigation course. These classes provide training assistance to all bus systems throughout NYS who may not have the staffing or financial resources to obtain this training out of state or by private providers.

Preference will be given to those properties who receive Statewide Mass Transportation Operating Assistance (STOA), however, if all seats have not been taken, the remainder will be filled on first come first served basis to interested parties.

Company management is responsible for selecting the appropriate individual to attend. This is usually a supervisor, dispatcher or any company representative who will be responsible for responding to accidents. The class schedule will generally run from 8am to 5pm. Class one will include such topics as: interviewing skills, photography, data collection, skid tests, measuring and analysis, and basic speed formulas. Class two involves the determination of the preventability of accidents, and class three educates the student in hazard assessment and incident/crash mitigation.

To apply, you must e-mail this application form to jonathan.nicastro@dot.ny.gov. Applicants will be notified directly if they are accepted to the class. There is no charge for enrollment-participants are responsible for their own lunch, travel costs and lodging, if necessary. A certificate will be issued after successfully passing tests that will be given at the completion of each module. This course is RTAP funding eligible.

Please note that certificates issued for prior courses that contain an expired certification date are considered valid per the regulatory requirement contained in Part 990.12. One day refresher courses will be given periodically, carriers are encouraged to participate. Refresher courses may also be mandated as a part of a cooperative safety plan improvement process.

 

State Government Affairs

Thruway Authority, NYS DOT Commemorate "Operation Safe Driver Week"

The New York State Thruway Authority, New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) and the Trucking Association of New York today announced “Safety Breaks” as part of the Trucking Association’s Share the Road program to educate the general motoring public about the blind spots around large commercial trucks. The “Safety Breaks” coincide with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s “Operation Safe Driver Week.”

“Speeding and reckless driving puts everyone on the road at risk,” said Thruway Authority Acting Executive Director Matthew J. Driscoll. “Just like you and all of our employees, the hardworking men and women behind the wheel of tractor trailers want to get home safely to their families at the end of their trips and we ask motorists to use caution while around them to ensure their safety.” 

 

 

Federal Developments

Trump Officials Assure Republicans an Infrastructure Plan Is Coming​​​​​​​

The White House reassured Senate Republicans that President Trump remains committed to rebuilding U.S. roads, bridges, airports and other public works, according to lawmakers who attended a meeting with administration officials on Wednesday.

“I thought it was a very positive conversation. A lot of clear ideas emerging, a lot of clear commitment to the passage of an infrastructure bill,” Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) told The Hill.

But key details about the long-awaited infrastructure proposal — and an estimated timetable for its release and consideration in Congress — remain up in the air.

 

Around the Country

Is Uber Helping or Hurting Mass Transit?​​​​​​​

For all the tensions that Uber and Lyft have had with taxicabs, the bigger questions about ride-hailing companies have to do with their effects on all the other ways you might get around.

Have they siphoned riders from public transit, or have they made transit feasible for more riders?

Have they enabled people to ditch their cars, or only encouraged people to use cars (driven by other people) even more?

Contracting Transit Services May Not Save Money

With Metro under political pressure to reduce labor costs associated with a 12,000-person, heavily unionized workforce, a new study suggests one method under consideration will not produce a savings bonanza.

The use of competitive contracting for transit services is less a money saver than an effective tool for helping agencies “prioritize high-quality, affordable, equitable, sustainable, and safe transit access to its citizens,” according to a 160-page report by a pair of transportation research groups, the D.C.-based Eno Center and Transit Center, based in New York.

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New York Public Transit
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