News Headlines

The American Power Act (APA), introduced May 12 by Sens. John Kerry (D-MA) and Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), would create new pollution fees on gasoline and diesel fuel but would direct nearly 80 percent of that revenue away from transportation, capping the annual transportation investment at $6.25 billion. This includes $2.5 billion annually for the Highway Trust Fund—not enough to keep the Highway and Mass Transit accounts solvent.

APTA asks members to contact their senators to urge them to ensure that 100 percent of revenues generated from fees on motor fuels production in the APA are invested in transportation in order to maintain and improve our nation’s infrastructure. For more details, see the APTA Legislative Alert.

This week U.S. DOT released its proposed 2010-2015 Strategic Plan for public review and comment. Its goals include improving transportation safety, ensuring a state of good repair for transportation infrastructure, and advancing environmentally sustainable transportation policies.

The FTA on May 13 issued its Supplemental Fiscal Year 2010 Apportionments and Allocations and Corrections Notice, which updates transit funding information for the remainder of the calendar year, to reflect the extension of the current surface transportation authorization bill. The document also provides apportionment tables to reflect 100 percent of the FTA's grant programs for FY 2010.

Save the Date

Register now for the 2010 APTA Rail Conference in Vancouver, featuring the latest on rail technology, regulations, management, safety, and other aspects of the industry--as well as unparalleled opportunities to make valuable connections. If you can't attend, you can still participate in two live 90-minute sessions being webcast from the conference: “A New Era of Transportation Choices: Linking Transportation, Land Use, and Sustainability,” at 3:30 p.m. EST on June 7, and “Fact or Myth: The Return on Investment of a National High-Speed and Intercity Rail Program” at 11 a.m. EST on June 9.

In the Media

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood took a ride on the fastest passenger train in the world during a visit to Tokyo, The New York Times reported.

For those in Kenya who do not drive, the Tucson Citizen noted, there are matatus, Kenya's answer to public transportation.

The Wall Street Journal described the competition among more than 60 musicians to become the next "Subway Idol" during a day-long audition for the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority's "Music Under New York" program.

The Today Show featured a video vignette in which the hosts compared their commutes via public transportation, bicycle, and car, as part of its series "Today's Commuter Challenge."