Administrators Recount 50 Years of UMTA, FTA
By SUSAN BERLIN, Senior Editor

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA), predecessor organization to FTA, eight former FTA and UMTA administrators shared memories and reflections Jan. 15 during the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting in Washington, DC. Peter Rogoff, FTA administrator since 2009 and newly appointed DOT acting undersecretary for policy, moderated the session. [More]

Winter Storms Pack a Wallop

New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) buses navigated the snow in Midtown Manhattan in the early parts of a snowstorm on Jan. 21, when the east coast was battered by another major snowstorm following a recent blast of arctic air called the “polar vortex.” [More]

DOT’s Final Rule Cuts Environmental Red Tape

DOT recently announced a final rule that will cut red tape and achieve better environmental outcomes for some public transit projects under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), spurring them towards completion more quickly than in the past.
“Time is money, and by cutting the time it takes to manage environmental reviews, we can help save communities money that they can put toward critical transportation projects,” said Secretary Anthony Foxx. [More]

Los Angeles Metro Breaks Ground for Crenshaw/LAX Light Rail

Los Angeles Metro began construction Jan. 21 on the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project, an 8.5-mile, $2 billion light rail line that will run between the existing Metro Expo and Green lines and is expected to open in 2019. The project will also bring Metro Rail closer to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). [More]

 

New Chief Executives Named

Two state agencies and one public transit system have announced their new chief executives. [More]

Report Offers Ways to Facilitate Transit Ridership for Bicyclists

How can public transit planners accurately address the needs of riders who combine bicycling with bus or rail? [More]

Former RTD Board Member Dies

Jack McCroskey, a longtime transportation advocate in Denver and past chairman of the Regional Trans­portation District (RTD) Board of ­Directors, died Jan. 8. [More]

APTA MEMBER PROFILE

Meet Albrecht Engel!

This is the latest in an ongoing series of columns showcasing APTA members. The subject of this profile is Albrecht P. Engel, P.E., principal, Al Engel Consulting; member, APTA Board of Directors; and secretary, High-Speed & Intercity Passenger Rail Committee. [More]

MEET THE APTA STAFF

Meet Ann-Marie ­Glanville!

This is the latest in an ongoing series of columns showcasing members of the APTA staff. The subject of this profile is Ann-Marie Glanville, administrative assistant, Member Services Department. [More]

AROUND THE INDUSTRY

HNTB Celebrates Centennial

HNTB Corporation commemorated the centennial of its founding with events Jan. 14 in cities across the U.S. [More]

Seattle Children’s Museum Features Sound Transit Train Exhibit

The Seattle Children’s Museum recently opened an exhibit devoted to Sound Transit, which offers young visitors information about public transit and the excitement of riding—or operating—a train. [More]

MVTA Honored for Five Years of Perfect Inspections

For the fifth consecutive year, the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA) in Burnsville, MN, passed its annual bus fleet inspection by ­Minnesota DOT with zero deficiencies. [More]

BART Begins Testing Oakland Airport Connector Cars

The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) began testing the first of four rail vehicles Jan. 21 on the Oakland Airport Connector in preparation for the line’s opening in the fall. [More]

Operation Lifesaver Leadership Workshop in ­Albuquerque

Operation Lifesaver Inc. (OLI), a non-profit organization that promotes rail-crossing safety through its support of state programs, resources, and education programs is conducting its Leadership Workshop, May 14-15 in ­Albuquerque, NM. [More]

Report: More Efficient Transit Can Spur Economic Growth

Public transit service planning can heavily influence regional economic growth, even in tough economic times. But how can cities assess transit performance, determine efficiencies, and develop policies to boost that efficiency? [More]

MORE NEWS FROM 2014 TRB ANNUAL MEETING

MBTA’s Scott Receives Sharon Banks Award

Beverly A. Scott, general manager/chief executive officer, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, and administrator, Massachusetts DOT Rail & Transit Division, accepted the Transportation Research Board’s (TRB) biennial Sharon D. Banks Award for Humanitarian Leadership in Transportation at the recent 2014 TRB Annual Meeting in Washington, DC. [More]

Melaniphy Applauds TRB’s Critical Role

APTA President & CEO Michael Melaniphy spoke at the TRB’s Public Transportation Group Executive Board’s luncheon in Washington, DC. He talked about the critical leadership role the board plays in research and presented recent research APTA has conducted. [More]

APTA NEWS

New Year, New Savings with Public Transportation

Individuals who ride public transportation instead of driving can save more than $829 this month, on average, and $9,953 annually, according to APTA’s January Transit ­Savings Report. [More]

Penalosa to Keynote Conference on Public Transportation and Universities

Gil Penalosa, executive director of 8-80 Cities, an international non-profit organization that seeks to transform cities into places where people can walk, bike, access public transit, and visit parks and public places, is the featured speaker at the opening session of APTA’s 2014 Public Transportation & Universities Conference, March 29-April 1 in Champaign, IL [More]

APTA Welcomes New Members

Here is a list of APTA's newest members, who joined the association between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, 2013. [More]

COMMENTARY

As Detroit Auto Show Revs, America Cools to Car Culture
By RICK HAGLUND, Bridge Magazine

Around 800,000 people are expected to check out the auto industry’s latest models during the nine-day run of the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, which opens to the public Saturday (Jan. 18). [More]

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

Who's Doing What in the Industry

Passenger Transport announces the following hirings and promotions in public transportation agencies and business members. Items appear in People on the Move in the order in which they are received. [More]