DOT Secretary Anthony Foxx will speak at APTA's Annual Meeting & EXPO in Houston, Oct. 12-15. He will focus on the Obama administration's GROW AMERICA Act, as well as the future of public transportation in America.

DOT Awards $3.59 Billion in Post-Hurricane Aid

DOT awarded $3.59 billion to help public transportation systems in areas affected by Hurricane Sandy become more resilient, Secretary Foxx announced on Sept. 22. Approximately 90 percent of the funds will go to New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority and New Jersey Transit Corporation, where most of the hurricane's damage was sustained. A total of 40 projects will be funded.

Also this week, Secretary Foxx announced $100 million in grants to 24 recipients in 19 states through FTA's Ladders of Opportunity Initiative. The funds will improve bus service and bus facilities in urban and rural communities where residents depend heavily on public transportation.

Secretary Foxx also joined Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro and other cabinet secretaries on Sept. 19 in announcing the next round of competition for Promise Zone designation. The Promise Zones are up-and-coming communities that will receive preferred access to certain competitive federal investments that further their strategic plans, federal staff on the ground to help them implement their goals, and five full-time AmeriCorps VISTA members to recruit and manage volunteers to strengthen the capacity of Promise Zone partners. 

NTSB Report Examines Rail Safety

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) met on Sept. 24 to discuss a special investigation report on the increase in deaths of railroad and rail transit roadway workers during 2013. APTA members have been fully engaged on this important issue and have taken the initiative to establish standards for On Track Safety, and to utilize other resources available to them to help assess and continually improve their On Track Safety programs.

APTA Attends UN Climate Summit

Report: Millennials Leading Public Transit Boom

Millennials are the backbone of growing demand for public transit, a new TransitCenter survey finds. The cross-regional survey of nearly 12,000 respondents discovered that people under 40 are more likely to use public transit than their elders, as are those who live in densely populated areas, are employed, and/or are students.

APTA Roundtable Discusses Future of High-Performance and Intercity Passenger Rail

Industry experts attended an APTA-hosted roundtable discussion on the future of high-performance intercity passenger rail policy on Sept. 25 in Washington, D.C. Organized and moderated by Al Engel, vice chair, APTA's High Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail Committee, the panel examined how the U.S. can learn from its international partners in developing high-performance rail.

APTA's Transit Savings Report Finds Big Savings

APTA's September Transit Savings Report found that riding on public transit instead of driving cars saves individuals $832 monthly and $9,979 annually, on average. These savings are based on the cost of commuting by public transportation compared to the cost of owning and driving a vehicle, and includes the Sept. 24, 2014 average national gas price.

SAVE THE DATE

APTA's Annual Meeting & EXPO is the flagship event for public transportation professionals to engage in educational sessions, forums, tours, network with peers, and see the latest industry innovations and technologies. Houston METRO will provide free transportation for those volunteering at the Food Bank prior to the 2014 Annual Meeting & EXPO, Oct 12 -15.

IN THE MEDIA

A global shift to public transit could save more than $100 trillion and 1,700 megatons of CO2.

Experts say that enhancing public transit in Connecticut is essential to reducing the state's employment barriers.

America needs to raise gas taxes to pay for improved infrastructure, said former DOT Secretary Ray LaHood.