FTA has published a notice of availability of the final National Public Transportation Safety Plan in the Jan. 18 Federal Register  and on the FTA website. The plan establishes performance measures to improve the safety of public transportation systems that receive federal financial assistance. Read more in the Jan. 30 issue of Passenger Transport.

In related news, FTA issued a review and evaluation of public transportation safety standards that includes findings from a recent review of standards and recommendations to improve public transit safety.

Other FTA recent news includes:

•    Fiscal Year 2017 Partial Year Apportionment Tables allocating funding through April 28, 2017, authorized by the FAST Act and the Further Continuing and Security Assistance Appropriations Act, 2017.

•    The Buy America Handbook, which provides the steps necessary to meet pre-award audit and post-delivery Buy America audit requirements.

•    Two free 90-minute webinars hosted by FTA focusing on the deployment of low- or no-emission buses. Tuesday, Jan. 24, representatives of CALSTART will lead the webinar beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern time. Wednesday, Feb. 1, beginning at 2 p.m. Eastern time, the Center for Transportation and the Environment will share its experiences. To join the webinars, call 1-888-363-4749 and use access code 3416870. For information, contact Tara Clark.

•   Submit comments through March 20 on a proposed general directive—FTA's first—regarding stop signal overruns and the conditions and practices that contribute to them. The proposed General Directive 17-1, announced Jan. 17 in the Federal Register, would require rail transit agencies to use Safety Management System principles to identify, evaluate and help successfully avoid or reduce the frequency and severity of the consequences of stop signal overruns. For questions, contact Candace Key.

DOT Report: Infrastructure Funding Backlog Increasing

A DOT analysis published this month in the latest Conditions and Performance Report shows that the maintenance backlog in U.S. transportation assets has risen from $86 billion to almost $90 billion – and may grow to $122 billion over the next 20 years if maintenance funding remains at existing levels.

The report, a joint effort of FTA and FHWA, provides a comprehensive look at the condition of assets such as railcars, tracks and public transit buses. It also highlights increased demand for transit service in recent years, which makes investments in state of good repair even more critical.

"This report shows the impact of the lack of investment in infrastructure,” said FTA Acting Administrator Carolyn Flowers. “The results of that neglect can be seen throughout our country as both reliability and safety suffer. We must increase investment in public transportation nationwide because we must take immediate action to bring our transit infrastructure into a state of good repair and provide the world-class service that Americans deserve.”

DC Area Agencies Prepare for Inauguration

Public transit agencies throughout the Washington, DC, area are standing by as thousands of visitors arrive for the Jan. 20 inauguration of Donald Trump and throughout the weekend. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is providing extended service and traveler information related to security and getting around town. The Maryland Transit Administration's MARC commuter rail and Virginia Railway Express are also providing additional service for Inauguration Day. Agencies throughout the U.S.have announced plans to support inauguration-related activities.

NTI Webinars on Bus Operator Workstation Design

The National Transit Institute of Rutgers University has scheduled a two-part webinar related to TCRP Report 185, Bus Operator Workstation Design for Improving Occupational Health and Safety. Part I, Organization Guidance Tools: Procurement and Training Focus, is Thursday, Jan. 26, and Part II, Design Guidance Tools: Ergonomics Engineering and Bus Design Focus, Thursday, Feb. 16. Both webinars begin at 2 p.m. Eastern time. More information is available here.

SAVE THE DATE

Big changes are coming to Washington, DC, with a new president and Congress. Be a part of it all by attending APTA's 2017 Legislative Conference, March 12-14 at the JW Marriott Hotel in Washington. Past Legislative Conferences have featured speakers including administration officials, members of Congress, staffers and Washington opinion makers. Learn about major public transit-related federal legislation and policy initiatives and join in APTA's advocacy efforts with the U.S. Congress.

IN THE MEDIA

Prime Time: SouthWest Transit, Eden Prairie, MN, is pioneering “Prime,” the agency’s Uber-style, door-to-door transit service, a model CEO Len Simich says “has just exploded.”

Big Dreams on the Big Screen: Engineers inspire innovation, according to Dream Big: Engineering Our World, a movie poised to debut in IMAX and other giant-screen theaters in February. See a two-minute trailer here.

Taking Safety Seriously: FRA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have launched a powerful new ad to reduce the number of railroad crossing fatalities. The ad’s message is simple: Stop. Trains can’t.