Passenger Transport recently had the opportunity to pose ­several questions to FTA Acting Administrator Therese ­McMillan on topics ranging from the federal investment in public transportation to the FTA’s new safety regulatory authority, P3s, mobility management and workforce development. Her comments follow: [More]

State of the Public Transportation Industry 2015

 APTA President & CEO Michael Melaniphy shared his outlook for the state of the public transportation industry in 2015 at an event at the APTA offices on Jan. 21. Following are excerpts of his remarks. [More]

Public Transportation's Legislative Agenda

As APTA’s member organizations look to the New Year and plan their advocacy in the federal arena, they face familiar challenges and opportunities in a new Congress led by Republican majorities in both houses. [More]

Industry Leaders Identify Key Priorities

What does 2015 have in store for public transportation? Agency and business leaders share their top priorities. [More]

New Capital Projects for 2015: A Representative Selection of Some BRT, Rail Modes and Stations

The coming year will be a busy one for public transportation capital projects. Agencies throughout North America are moving forward on projects in several modes: commuter rail, heavy rail, light rail, modern streetcar and BRT, which is increasingly popular. Here are some examples of new and expanded public transit services scheduled to open during 2015. [More]

NEWS HEADLINES

Sound Transit Receives $1.3 Billion TIFIA Loan

On Jan. 16, Sound Transit in Seattle executed a $1.3 billion federal loan under the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA)—the largest single TIFIA loan to a public transit agency in the nation and the second largest loan overall. [More]

ARTIC Opens for Service in Anaheim

The Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center, a multimodal transit hub planned, constructed and managed as a public-private partnership between the city of Anaheim and the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), recently opened in Southern California, providing connections to OCTA buses, Metrolink commuter rail, Amtrak, taxis, bikes, shuttles and tour buses. [More]

RIPTA Reopens Downtown Providence Bus Hub

The Rhode Island Public ­Transit Authority (RIPTA) in Providence celebrated the reopening of its downtown transit hub, Kennedy Plaza, with a Jan. 20 ribbon-cutting ceremony. The hub returned to service Jan. 17. [More]

New Leaders Named

Two state DOTs and one public transit management companies have named their new leaders. [More]

Dusek Dies; KCATA Board Member

Andrew (A.J.) Dusek Jr., 65, of Kansas City, KS, a member and past chairman and secretary of the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) Board of Commissioners, died Jan. 14. [More]

APTA MEMBER PROFILE

Meet Jon Y. Nouchi!

This is the latest in an ongoing series of columns showcasing APTA members. The subject of this profile is Jon Y. Nouchi, deputy director, planning and environmental, Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART), member, Leadership APTA Class of 2012, Bus Operations Committee and Multimodal Operations Planning Subcommittee. [More]

MEET THE APTA STAFF

Meet Matt Tingstrom!

This is the latest in an ongoing series of columns showcasing members of the APTA staff. The subject of this profile is Matt Tingstrom, program manager-planning and policy, Policy Department. [More]

IN-DEPTH

Drilling Down on Data

For more than a century, public transportation agencies rightly put a priority on protecting the physical safety of passengers riding their buses and trains. Today, they're increasingly taking on the added duty of safeguarding passengers' financial security as well. Read more by clicking here. [More]

AROUND THE INDUSTRY

TARC Launches All-Electric Fleet for Downtown Shuttle Service

The Transit Authority of River City (TARC), Louisville, KY, recently upgraded its free ZeroBus downtown shuttle service by replacing its diesel-powered trolley-replica buses with all-electric, zero-emission buses from Proterra. [More]

PSTA Opens Transit Center

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA), St. Petersburg, FL, joined representatives of the city of Pinellas Park Jan. 13 at ceremonies to open the agency’s new Pinellas Park Transit Center, the agency’s first new customer service center in 13 years. [More]

KCATA Enters into Service Partnership with Johnson County

The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, Kansas City, MO, recently entered into a two-year Interlocal Cooperation Agreement for Transit Management and Administration with Johnson County, KS, in a partnership that spans two adjoining states. [More]

Eads Bridge Rehabilitation Project Enters Second Phase

The Bi-State Development Agency, operator of Metro in St. Louis, recently finished the first half of rehabilitation work for the historic Eads Bridge across the Mississippi River—completed in 1874 as the first steel structure bridge project in the U.S. and one of the first structures of any kind in the country to extensively use steel as a construction component. [More]

DART Introduces 'Love Link'

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) recently introduced the Love Link shuttle, which provides curb-to-curb service from DART's Inwood/Love Field Station to Dallas Love Field in eight minutes. [More]

COMMENTARY

Raising the Gas Tax: An Idea Whose Time Has Come?

As prices drop at the gas pump, editorial writers and reporters nationwide are considering the pros and cons of raising the gas tax to finance the Highway Trust Fund. Click here to see a sampling of recent editorials and news stories. [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]