Put all your articles and discussion about what other cities are experiencing with transit funding cuts, and innovative ways of addressing this nationwide problem.....

 

Might as well start with the nation's largest transit system where their budget deficit is bigger than Cleveland RTA's budget:

 

MTA: 1,000 jobs to be cut to fill latest budget gap

 

New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced Tuesday that it plans to cut at least 1,000 positions in order to cover its latest budget gap of $378 million. MTA said it would eliminate “more than 600 represented and non-represented administrative postions,” while also moving to lay off “up to 500 NYC Transit station agents.”

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.railwayage.com/breaking-news/mta-1-000-jobs-to-be-cut-to-fill-latest-budget-gap.html

Put this in the category of intercity public transit. This is from the Federal Transit Administration.....

 

 

Tennessee Intercity Bus Program

 

Until the late 1970s, Greyhound bus and other urban transit services provided connections to rural Tennessee that knitted communities together, spurred economic development and enhanced community life. As automobile ownership became economically feasible for more families, citizens bought cars and much of the transit network, along with the social connections it created, quickly disappeared.

 

The Amish community was one of the hardest hit by the discontinuation of bus service. Unable to drive cars, the Amish must find alternative means for traveling 80 miles or more to Nashville to access medical care, shopping, and other goods and services. Moreover, the lack of bus service diminished tourism revenue, stunting the growth of an important industry.

 

In response to growing public demand, the State of Tennessee implemented the Tennessee Intercity Bus Demonstration Program in 2008. Designed and managed at the state level, the program responds to local needs and provides residents and visitors the opportunity to choose public transportation to meet their mobility needs.  Since the onset of the project, the State of Tennessee Division of Multimodal Transportation Resources has distributed $3.6 million in Intercity Bus funds to seven transportation providers. This year, newly available ARRA funds will allow for an additional investment of $3.2 million. Combined with Tennessee’s share, this reinvestment will allow the program to cover up to 98% of the State by the end of the program.

 

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and TDOT provided funds to Anchor Trailways Tours for the purchase of four new buses which offer service seven days a week to Nashville MTA and RTA train stations, the Nashville Greyhound station, and the Amtrak passenger rail station. In addition to transporting Amish residents, the new buses and routes foster economic growth by expanding tourism and enabling visitors to “take a step back in time”.

 

The Tennessee effort exemplifies rural livability. Coordination had to be achieved between many stakeholders including the Nashville MPO and local city and county officials throughout fifteen counties. The end result provides the Amish community, and others, an affordable, efficient way to access urban areas and enjoy greater independence.

 

Thank you to TDOT for your help collecting this information

Bad news in New Jersey:

NJ Transit's record 25 percent fare hike troubles those who rely on buses, trains

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/03/nj_transits_record_25_percent.html

Sacramento RTD approves budget cutbacks

March 31, 2010

 

The Sacramento Regional Transit District’s Board of Directors board voted Monday to reduce bus and light rail service 22% in an effort to fill an $11 million budget gap. RTD avoided any substantial reduction in security services.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.railwayage.com/breaking-news/sacramento-rtd-approves-budget-cutbacks.html

In Boston:

 

Fiscal woes at T roll on for another year

 

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/02/28/fiscal_woes_at_t_roll_on_for_another_year/

Transit News

3/31/2010

Contact:Virginia Miller

(202)496-4816

[email protected]

 

Public Transportation in Serious Funding Crisis Due To Economic Recession  

More than 80% of Transit Systems Are Being Forced To Raise Fares or Cut Services Due to Widespread State and Local Revenue Declines

 

Public transportation systems are facing unprecedented funding challenges due to widespread declining state and local revenues, and have been forced to take a number of critical actions including: raising fares, cutting service, and laying off employees, according to a new survey released today by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).

 

This report, Impacts of the Recession on Public Transportation Agencies, shows that since January 1, 2009, 84 percent of public transit systems have raised fares, cut service or are considering either of those actions. Fifty nine percent of public transit systems reported that they have already cut service or raised fares. 

 

Service cuts that have been either implemented or will be considered for future action include: reductions in rush hour service (56%), reductions in off-peak service (62%), and reductions in geographic coverage (40%).

 

The severity of the funding situation is evident with seven out of ten public transit systems (69%) projecting budget shortfalls in their next fiscal year. According to the report, public transit systems have taken significant personnel actions to reduce spending. A total of 68 percent of public transportation systems have eliminated positions or are considering doing so in the future. Nearly half (47%) of public transit systems have laid off employees or are considering layoffs in the future.

 

In addition, more than half (54%) of public transportation systems responding have transferred funds from capital use to operations, thus aggravating efforts to keep systems in a state of good repair.

 

“Public transportation is experiencing a funding crisis and it is negatively impacting the millions of riders who depend on public transportation every day,” said APTA President William Millar.  “The results of this survey are grim as many public transportation systems are facing large budget shortfalls due to declining state and local revenues. 

 

“As bad as things are today, more drastic service cuts, fare increases, layoffs, and deferred capital projects will occur if this problem is not addressed,” said Millar. 

 

“I call on Congress to provide federal funds for operating expenses during this economic recession,” said Millar. “This funding crisis is not going away. Without help from the federal government, transit riders will be left behind at the curb or station.”

 

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) supported and created more than 200,000 jobs, through both capital investment and up to 10 percent of funding for operating expenses.  APTA’s survey found that about one-third of public transit systems used some of their ARRA funds to pay operating costs.  In December, the U.S. House of Representatives approved “The Jobs for Main Street Act,” which provides an additional $8.4 billion for public transportation, including funds for both capital and operating expenses. 

 

“I urge the Senate to act now on its version of a new jobs bill, especially since no ARRA funding remains available for new grants,” said Millar.  “Absent a new jobs bill, further layoffs will occur as ARRA projects are completed.”

 

Noting that nearly 60 percent of all the trips taken on public transportation are taken to commute to and from work, Millar said, “Now is not the time to cut service that helps people commute to work or enables the unemployed to look for work.  Now is the time for federal, state and local governments to invest in public transportation to help support and create jobs, and maintain service to the public.”

 

The report is based on a survey of 151 APTA transit system members representing more than 80 percent of the nation’s transit riders, and includes 19 of the top 25 agencies in terms of annual ridership.

 

To view the full report, go to:

http://www.apta.com/resources/reportsandpublications/Documents/Impacts_of_Recession_March_2010.pdf

 

# # #

 

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is a nonprofit international association of nearly 1,500 public and private member organizations, engaged in the areas of bus, paratransit, light rail, commuter rail, subways, waterborne passenger services, and high-speed rail. This includes: transit systems; planning, design, construction, and finance firms; product and service providers; academic institutions; transit associations and state departments of transportation. More than 90 percent of the people using public transportation in the United States and Canada are served by APTA member systems.

Wow, good news from St. Louis:

 

Proposition A, a half-cent sales tax to fund Metro operations, passed with 63 percent of the voters approving.

 

From: http://www.globe-democrat.com/news/2010/apr/07/so-far-so-good-prop/

 

And speaking of St. Louis- these are the coolest maps- I would LOVE to see something like this from RTA (though the ridership numbers might be sad by comparison):

http://www.metrostlouis.org/ResearchRidership/Metro_Ward28.pdf

 

It shows you how voters respond positively when they have access to good trains and good service.  In St. Louis case, they have seen how well light rail performs and now see the sense (at a number of levels) in supporting it.

 

Wow, good news from St. Louis:

 

Proposition A, a half-cent sales tax to fund Metro operations, passed with 63 percent of the voters approving.

 

From: http://www.globe-democrat.com/news/2010/apr/07/so-far-so-good-prop/

 

 

 

My mommy was one of their lead people :-D

 

It shows you how voters respond positively when they have access to good trains and good service.  In St. Louis case, they have seen how well light rail performs and now see the sense (at a number of levels) in supporting it.

 

Actually this same proposition had been defeated twice before.

Yay mommy. Intelligence really is a genetic trait!  :speech:

The Proposition A results from St. Louis are very encouraging for other medium-sized cities struggling to build/fund regional rail systems. It's worth keeping in mind that even Portland's much-vaunted MAX light rail system has suffered a number of setbacks at the ballot box during the process of its planning and construction.

Interesting story on how federal transit rules affect funding and development of light rail....

 

http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/04/05/05greenwire-a-southern-success-story-for-public-transporta-52742.html

 

April 5, 2010

A Southern Success Story for Public Transportation Offers Lessons in Livability

By JOSH VOORHEES of Greenwire

 

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- By nearly all accounts, the new light-rail project here has been an unexpected and nearly unprecedented success. But that hasn't stopped local and federal officials from wishing they could go back in time and take a second crack at planning it.

 

The 9.6-mile line linking the city's suburban South End with its downtown financial district -- known here as "Uptown" -- came on line in the fall of 2007 with its planners expecting solid but ordinary ridership. What they got, however, was ballooning interest that reached 16,000 daily weekday trips in its first year, nearly twice the federal projections and roughly 15 years ahead of schedule.

 

And therein lies the problem.

 

More at the link above:

Nice quote from the article Noozer posted...

"Good Lord, the success in Charlotte, along with other Sunbelt cities -- like Denver, Salt Lake City and Phoenix -- have shown that there is pent-up demand for walkable, urban development all across the country," Leinberger said. "And rail transit is prerequisite for that. It is the most important infrastructure investment that urban areas can make. If you're not building it today, it's akin to not building freeways in the 1960s."

 

The ridership numbers for the city's first light rail line help to make the case: More than 70 percent of the system's riders had previously never been regular passengers on Charlotte's bus service, according to the city.

 

I also found it really sad that the critical congressman they quoted is my representative.

First it was Tennessee, now it's Indiana. When will Ohio step up to the plate?

____________

 

 

http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/newsitem.asp?ID=41007

 

INDOT unveils Hoosier Ride intercity bus service

INDOT Press Release

 

INDIANAPOLIS – More than 30 Indiana communities now have a new public transportation option for connecting with other parts of the state, as well across the country. A public-private partnership between Miller Trailways, the Indiana Department of Transportation and Greyhound Lines Inc. today officially launched the Hoosier Ride intercity bus service.

 

“Thousands of Indiana residents depend on intercity bus service to travel across Indiana and the United States,” said Miller Trailways President John Miller. “Miller Trailways is pleased to work with the Indiana Department of Transportation and Greyhound to now provide rural passengers this freedom and flexibility of travel.”

 

Since January, Hoosier Ride has expanded into five regional fixed routes that are timed to connect with existing Greyhound national service in Evansville; Indianapolis; Kalamazoo, Mich.; Louisville, Ky. and South Bend. Hoosier Ride operates at least one trip daily in each direction using Miller Trailways’ fleet of clean, comfortable charter buses. Scheduling information about the routes listed below is available at www.hoosierride.com/schedules.asp.

 

- Muncie to Indianapolis: Stops along S.R. 67 in Anderson, Pendleton and Fortville

 

-Seymour to Indianapolis: Stops along U.S. 31 in Columbus, Edinburgh, Franklin and Greenwood

 

-Kalamazoo, Mich., to Indianapolis: Stops along U.S. 20 and U.S. 31 in Elkhart, South Bend, Lakeville, LaPaz, Plymouth, Rochester, Peru, Kokomo and Carmel

 

-Morganfield, Ky., to Louisville, Ky.: Stops along I-64 in Evansville, Jasper, Ferdinand and Corydon

 

-Evansville to Indianapolis: Stops along U.S. 41, U.S. 150 and S.R. 37 in Princeton, Vincennes, Washington, Loogootee, Shoals, Paoli, Orleans, Mitchell, Bedford, Bloomington and Martinsville

 

“Hoosier Ride is an important service that allows customers the freedom to travel at their convenience,” said Dave Leach, president and CEO of Greyhound. “With more than 2,300 destinations throughout North America, Greyhound is an economical, flexible transportation option for those throughout the state. We are pleased to work with Miller Trailways and INDOT on this important venture.”

 

Hoosier Ride tickets and can be purchased individually, or as connections for national Greyhound service, through any of the methods listed below. In the future, Hoosier Ride hopes to open additional ticketing terminals along its routes and offer the ability to purchase tickets directly through Greyhound online or over the phone.

 

- Online at www.hoosierride.com/ticketing

 

-In person at Miller Trailways ticketing terminals in Bloomington, Kokomo, Muncie and Princeton or Greyhound ticketing terminals in Elkhart, Evansville, Fort Wayne, Gary, Hammond, Indianapolis, Marion, South Bend and Terre Haute.

 

-Climbing aboard a Hoosier Ride bus at one of its more than 30 stops across the state and riding the route until tickets can be purchased at one of the terminals listed above. Drivers do not carry cash and are not able to sell tickets.

 

- Calling Miller Trailways at (800) 544-2383

 

 

“By providing transportation options to work, airports, schools, and other vital public and private services, Hoosier Ride improves the quality of life and promotes growth of our economy,” said Reginald Addy, Miller Trailways’ Director of Business Development. “Intercity bus service is economical, fuel efficient and provides an important travel option for families, senior citizens, students who don’t drive, are without a personal vehicle, or just want to sit back and enjoy the ride.”

 

Hoosier Ride is partially funded with a $2 million Federal Rural Transit grant administered by the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT). Greyhound tickets purchased in conjunction with the Hoosier Ride service helps finance the matching funds required under this Federal program.

 

Each year the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) administers more than $40 million in state funds and more than $40 million in federal funds that help offset operating expenditures for more than 60 urban and rural transit systems. Miller Trailways has provided reliable charter bus service in Indiana for more than 25 years, and also operates IndyGo Commuter Express (ICE) routes that connect downtown Indianapolis with suburbs of Carmel and Fishers. Greyhound is the largest North American provider of intercity bus transportation, serving 48 U.S. States and 10 Canadian provinces.

 

Source: Indiana Department of Transportation

We need this type of Intercity bus partnership now in Ohio. Get this up and running before the 3C gets running. People can get used to taking these feeder type buses to the trains. Some, have not been able to get to where they want to go with the recent cutbacks by Grayhound and others. When the trains begin, the routes can change where needed.

St. Louis Metro approves FY 2011 budget

Monday, May 24, 2010 

 

The Metro Board of Commissioners for the St. Louis area approved an operating budget of $232.4 million for Fiscal Year 2011 that includes funds to restore transit services that were cut in 2009. The budget also includes freezes on salaries and hiring and reductions to expenditures across the board.

 

Metro President and CEO Robert J. Baer told the Board that Metro remains under tight spending and budget restrictions despite passage of a half-cent sales tax by voters in St. Louis County in April. Those funds will not begin to be collected until July 1 and will not begin to arrive at Metro until late September. He noted the $80 million a year projected to result from the new sales tax already is committed to critical financial needs. He added that, contrary to popular belief since passage of the tax, "We're not rolling in dough."

 

Baer said tight fiscal management and spending controls had kept the FY 2011 budget increase at less than the inflation rate of 3 percent a year since FY 2008 and that Metro is finishing FY 2010 by spending $4 million less than budgeted.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.rtands.com/newsflash/st.-louis-metro-approves-fy-2011-budget.html

FTA seeks public feedback on proposed transit project evaluation changes

 

Yesterday, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced it’s seeking public comments on a proposed rulemaking that would change the way the agency evaluates and rates major transit projects seeking federal funding.

 

The public feedback will help the FTA determine the best way to evaluate transit infrastructure projects according to cost-effectiveness and broad public benefits, such as economic development, land use and environmental impacts.

 

Full story at: http://www.progressiverailroading.com/news/article.asp?id=23479

 

FTA News Release:

 

FTA Works to Improve Criteria for Evaluating Major Transit Projects Seeking Federal Funding

 

06-03-10

Contact: Paul Griffo

Telephone: 202-366-4064

 

Prospective Changes Will Spotlight Economic Development and Environmental Benefits

 

 

Building on a policy shift announced earlier this year by U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, the Federal Transit Administration today asked for public comment on how to change the way major transit project proposals seeking federal funding are rated and evaluated.

 

 

 

“Today, we begin seeking ideas that will improve our current rating and evaluation process to ensure we invest wisely in public transportation infrastructure projects of national importance,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “We must fairly evaluate all advantages that a transit project may offer, including economic development opportunities and environmental benefits.”

 

 

 

The FTA published the Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) in the Federal Register on Thursday, June 3, 2010.  In doing so, the agency seeks public comment on how best to evaluate significant transit infrastructure investments by looking for ways to measure cost-effectiveness, including broad public benefits such as economic development, land use and environmental impacts in the evaluation process.

 

 

 

“Major transit improvements are at the center of President Obama’s goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower oil consumption, and improve our quality of life,” said FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff. “The Administration is developing criteria that will appropriately measure all of the benefits these projects bring to their communities.  We need the public’s input to help get it done.”

 

The rule is part of an ongoing effort to change how projects are selected to receive federal financial assistance in FTA’s New Starts and Small Starts programs.  The first step in this initiative came in January, when the FTA rescinded budget restrictions issued by the Bush Administration in 2005 that focused primarily on how much a project shortened average commute times in comparison to its cost.  The goal of the action being announced today is to take into consideration the many benefits that transit can provide where the investment would make communities more livable such as underserved areas or those with the densest population and employment.

 

In addition to soliciting public input on the federal government’s docket website, Regulations.gov, the FTA is planning to hold a number of public listening sessions.  Information concerning specific dates and locations of these listening sessions will be issued in a future Federal Register Notice.  Input received from these meetings will be incorporated into a future proposed rulemaking, before the rule becomes final.

 

FTA will host numerous ANPRM presentations.  The first two confirmed outreach forums are:

 

TRB Environment and Energy Research Conference

Raleigh Convention Center

500 South Salisbury Street

Raleigh, North Carolina 27601

Monday, June 7 at 4:30 p.m.

 

APTA 2010 Rail Conference

Hyatt Regency Vancouver

655 Burrard Street

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6C 2R7

Tuesday, June 8 at 1:30 p.m.

[The Federal Register contains a minor error. The above time is correct.]

 

 

 

Weird they are holding an event in Canada...

But just about every U.S.-based transit agency will be there, so the FTA will get an earful.

July 20, 2010

St. Louis Metro restoration plan 'ahead of schedule'

 

St. Louis Metro President/CEO Robert J. Baer said that in the first 100 days since the voters of St. Louis County approved Proposition A, the agency has taken real and meaningful steps toward keeping its pledges to all of the residents in region and, is in fact, ahead of schedule.

 

"We told the community we would complete service restoration in three phases through November, but we're going to get it done in two phases by August 30 - three months ahead of schedule," Baer said.

 

Ray Friem, Metro's COO, pointed to implementing the first phase of service restoration on June 28 as the most obvious improvement since St. Louis County voters overwhelmingly passed the half-cent sales tax in Proposition A.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.metro-magazine.com/News/Story/2010/07/St-Louis-Metro-restoration-plan-ahead-of-schedule-.aspx

FTA Study: $77.7 Billion Needed to Bring Rail and Bus Transit Systems into 'State of Good Repair'

 

07-21-10

Contact: Paul Griffo

Telephone: (202) 366-4064

 

 

 

                               

2010 Review Expands Upon Earlier Survey; Provides More Complete Assessment of Repair Backlog of Nation’s Transit Systems

 

An Federal Transit Administration (FTA) study released today estimates the cost of bringing the nation’s rail and bus transit systems into a state of good repair at $77.7 billion.  In addition, a yearly average of $14.4 billion would be required to maintain the systems.

 

FTA’s National State of Good Repair Assessment Study, requested by U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood as a follow-up to the 2009 Rail Modernization Study report to Congress, provides a comprehensive analysis of the costs required to bring the nation’s rail and bus transit systems into good operating order.  The 2010 study released today is based on data provided by 36 additional rail and bus operators in both rural and urban areas.

 

“Transit remains one of the safest forms of transportation, but this report shows the clear need to reinvest in our bus, subway and light rail systems,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.  “As a nation, we must lead when it comes to infrastructure development and commit ourselves to rebuilding America.”

 

“Investment in the nation’s transit infrastructure is important to a healthy economy and most importantly, the safety and well-being of our riders,” stated Administrator Peter Rogoff. “For millions of Americans, having a safe and reliable transit system is the difference between seeing their children before bed or not, making it to work on time or arriving late, or getting to a doctor’s appointment or forgoing it.”

 

While most of the $77.7 billion backlog can be attributed to rail, more than 40 percent of the nation’s buses are also in poor to marginal condition.  “State of Good Repair” for the country’s transportation network is one of the five system-wide goals included in Secretary LaHood’s proposed Strategic Plan for the Department of Transportation. 

 

The assessment is available online at http://www.fta.dot.gov/news/news_events_11865.html

 

In April, Administrator Rogoff announced the availability of $775 million through a competitive State of Good Repair funding program that will invest in the nation’s bus and bus facilities.  A review of transit agency project applications is now underway at FTA and will be announced later this year.

 

The FTA has received approximately 400 project applications and more than $4.2 billion in requests for the $775 million.

 

 

Pennsylvania governor seeks to save transit systems

Thursday, July 22, 2010 

 

With the Port Authority of Allegheny County warning of deep service cuts ahead, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell on July 21 threatened to use federal highway money to bail out mass transit systems if lawmakers won't approve higher taxes and fees, the Pittsburgh Tribune Review reports.

 

Rendell told a Senate panel that there's a "distinct possibility" he would again tap into federal money allocated to Pennsylvania highways, as he did to save transit in 2005. In government jargon, raiding federal highway money is called "flexing."

 

"I would try to flex as close as I could to what (Port Authority) would be losing," Rendell told reporters.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.rtands.com/newsflash/pennsylvania-governor-seeks-to-save-transit-systems.html

Group lobbies for increased transit funding to create jobs

Members of the Transportation Equity Network (TEN) plan to gather today at local unemployment offices in 14 U.S. cities to call for increased transit funding as a way of creating jobs and spurring economic growth.

 

The rallies are planned to coincide with the release of a new TEN report, “More Transit = More Jobs,” which features rankings of 20 U.S. metro areas by percentage of transit spending; numbers of jobs each metro area could create by shifting 50 percent of current highway spending to transit; and the numbers of jobs each metro area could create with the passage of a transit-friendly National Transportation Authorization Act.

 

Full story at: http://www.progressiverailroading.com/prdailynews/news.asp?id=24245

 

Link to the report: http://www.transportationequity.org/images/downloads/MoreTransit=MoreJobs-final.pdf

Transit Agencies to Get $776 Million to Upgrade Bus Service

By JOSH MITCHELL

The Wall Street Journal

 

WASHINGTON—The Obama administration said Monday it would give $776 million to local and regional transportation agencies to upgrade bus-maintenance facilities and buy more fuel-efficient buses.

 

The money, which will come from unallocated funds in this year's budget for the Federal Transit Administration, will support capital projects in 45 states and Washington, D.C. The biggest awards will go to large bus authorities in urban areas, including San Francisco and Los Angeles, but rural areas including Alaska and Arkansas will also receive funds.

 

The awards come at a time when many cash-strapped transit agencies are struggling to cover daily expenses, let alone embark on capital projects. The U.S. Transportation Department estimates that transit agencies would have to spend $78 billion in repairs to bring bus and rail transit systems to a state of good repair.

 

Full story at:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704631504575532403221122636.html.html

It would be more useful to have operating funds so that all those shiny new buses that have already been bought with federal funds don't continue to gather dust in transit agency garages. And now we're going to buy more buses? I would love to see an inventory locally, state-by-state and nationally of idled buses and their the average fleet age.

It would be more useful to have operating funds so that all those shiny new buses that have already been bought with federal funds don't continue to gather dust in transit agency garages. And now we're going to buy more buses? I would love to see an inventory locally, state-by-state and nationally of idled buses and their the average fleet age.

 

I still see buses on the street here in Columbus that were purchased in the early to mid-90's.  Great to see COTA get their money's worth out of a vehicle, but you're right that it would be a lot more helpful to local transit systems to see dollars that support the operating side.

Maybe they could buy Cleveland RTA and Lorain County Transit buses that have been idled? LCT, especially, has numerous new federally funded buses sitting in storage.

Here's a project that is as innovative in its construction financing as it is in how the project is being built.  Also some great graphics with this story, so be sure to click the link....

 

D.C. metro project breaks new ground

 

Updated 4h 8m ago

By Oren Dorell, USA TODAY

 

The extension of Washington, D.C.'s subway system

to Dulles International Airport is using construction

methods that allow work to proceed amid suburban

shopping malls, office parks, secret government

installations and some of the nation's most

congested roads.

 

Sources: Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project

Credit: Photos by Dixie D. Vereen and H. Darr

Beiser; graphic by Julie Snider, USA TODAY

 

A Virginia suburb of Washington, D.C., is

undergoing the largest reshaping of a dense

suburban landscape in the USA — with minimal

disruption, say engineers and urban planning

experts.

 

Full story at: http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/manufacturing/2011-01-19-silverline19_CV_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

Seattle takes a crack at trying a congestion fee.....

 

January 27, 2011

Seattle lawmakers propose $30 congestion fee

 

SEATTLE — State representative Marko Liias (D-Edmonds) lined up 30 co-sponsors for House Bill 1536, allowing transit agencies to impose a "congestion reduction charge" of $30 per year on car-tabs in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties, The Seattle Times reports.

 

If approved, the fees could be collected on 2012 and 2013 renewals. The charge is designed to bolster agencies whose sales taxes dipped in the "Great Recession" — bringing in an estimated $38 million a year for King County Metro.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politicsnorthwest/2014035471_a_new_30_car-tab_fee_for_trans.html?syndication=rss

Gloria Ohland: Feds should be a lender, not just a spender

By Gloria Ohland and Denny Zane

Posted: 02/21/2011 06:08:42 PM PST

 

 

WHEN Congressman John Mica, R-Fla., head of the powerful U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, comes to Southern California this week with his counterpart in the U.S. Senate, Barbara Boxer, to conduct a hearing about the long-delayed federal transportation reauthorization, let us hope that that he is infected with the enthusiasm swirling around Los Angeles County's proposals for federal innovative financing such as the "30-10" plan.

 

The Foothill extension of the Gold Line from east Pasadena to Azusa was one of the first projects in the Measure R funding queue. Metro's proposed innovative financing plan would enable this project to be completed two years early, in 2015, opening at the same time as the Expo Line to Santa Monica. This proposal would use the 30-year revenue stream from the Measure R sales tax - passed by voters in 2008 to provide $40 billion for transportation including nearly $27 billion for the construction and operation of public transit - to secure low-interest loans and long-term bonds from the federal government. This financing would be used to build 10 light rail lines, the subway to the sea and extend the Orange bus rapid transit line.

 

Full op-ed at: http://www.sgvtribune.com/opinions/ci_17446115

 

Transit advocate Gloria Ohland is a longtime Southern California journalist and former staff writer at the LA Weekly. Former Santa Monica Mayor Denny Zane is executive director of Move LA.

Significant Cuts to Public Transportation in H.R. 1 Will Reduce Jobs, Defer Safety Improvements, and Stunt Economic Recovery

 

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is extremely concerned about the cuts the House Appropriations Committee made in public transportation investment in H.R. 1, the federal legislation that will appropriate funding for the remainder of FY 2011.

 

“The proposed cuts to public transportation and high-speed rail made by the House Appropriations Committee will lead to fewer American jobs, fewer safety improvements for public transit users, and will decrease our country’s ability to build for the future. None of these cuts makes sense,” said APTA President William Millar.

 

Under H.R. 1, funding for the New Starts Program under the Federal Transit Administration, which provides federal investment for large public transportation improvements, will be decreased by nearly 22 percent. “The New Starts program provides federal capital investment for public transportation projects that expand mobility, create and support American jobs, and help spur economic activity,” said Millar.

 

Every $1 billion invested in public transportation creates and supports 36,000 jobs. Every $1 invested in public transit, $4 is generated in economic returns.

 

Full sory at: http://www.masstransitmag.com/publication/article.jsp?siteSection=1&id=13690

While no one should be surprised, it doesn't mean we shouldn't be disgusted.....

 

Plain Talk: Walker’s transit changes bad for the long haul

DAVE ZWEIFEL | Cap Times editor emeritus | [email protected] | Posted: Monday, March 14, 2011 6:45 am

 

Of all the oddball things in Gov. Scott Walker's proposed 2011-2013 budget — and there are many — one of the strangest is his proposal to remove public transit funding from the Department of Transportation and placing it in the general fund, where it will have to compete with all other state programs every budget cycle.

 

Traditionally, transit funding for everything from buses to trains to airports has been housed in the overall transportation budget, which in Wisconsin is a segregated fund with revenues from the gas tax, license and registration fees, and transit aid from the federal government. The U.S. Transportation Department divides its money 80 percent for cars and 20 percent for mass transit.

 

This past year, 73 transit systems in the state received an estimated $114.9 million in state transit aid. Over 90 percent of the money went to bus systems, the rest to shared-ride taxi systems used by some municipalities primarily for the elderly and disabled.

 

But Walker wants to get all that out of the DOT budget. The highway builders, who were generous contributors to this governor's campaign last fall, would, of course, be the main beneficiaries.

 

 

READ MORE AT:

http://host.madison.com/news/opinion/column/dave_zweifel/article_d25d5fd1-ee8b-506f-8a65-a74dfb8b8140.html

Out Of Service: Milwaukee Budget Cuts Hit Bus Lines -- And Keep Residents From Jobs

 

First Posted: 04/ 5/11 08:15 AM ET Updated: 04/ 5/11 08:51 AM ET

 

MILWAUKEE, Wis. -- Peggy Schulz was fed up. In March, after being unemployed for nearly two years, she performed an experiment: She went to a job-search website, limited the search to the Milwaukee area and typed in a simple term: "bus line."

 

The results displayed what had long been plaguing her. Job posting after job posting featured similar caveats: "this is not on a bus line," "need reliable transportation not on bus line," "positions are NOT on a bus line," "our client that is not located on a bus line is interested in having you work ..."

 

"Here it was in black and white," she later recalled with a bitter laugh. "It's been very frustrating to look through the want ads, look online, think about places I could work and realize, 'Nope, can't get there on the bus.'"

 

Schulz is 53. She has years of experience as a legal secretary. But she does not own a car.

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/05/milwaukee-budget-cuts_n_844551.html

Wisconsin legislature trying to dissolve transit agencies:

 

http://www.inboxfox.com/news/?mID=7184&mG=07EC66&sID=258579&sG=14D2D2

A small handful of legislators decided yesterday to insert a purely policy issue into the budget, without public comment, a hearing, or so much as a minutes notice; and turn their backs on the thousands of people from across the spectrum of communities statewide who invested in advancing RTAs over the past several years.

 

The legislative Joint Finance Committee (JFC) passed a surprise motion to amend the State budget to include elimination of all Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs) in Wisconsin.  The motion was offered by co-chair Representative Vos and passed on a 12-4 party line vote. The committee also voted to eliminate the capital bonding program for SE Wisconsin...

WTF????

The Republican assault on non wealthy white exurban people continues.

I wouldn't put it past the Ohio legislature to attempt the same thing...

Good point. I'll alert others....

I wouldn't put it past the Ohio legislature to attempt the same thing...

It seems to be monkey-see-monkey-do at this point.

Sen. Brown targets SMART Act at rebuilding transit infrastructure

 

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) recently introduced the Strengthening Manufacturing and Rebuilding Transit (SMART), which proposes to help promote American-made transportation infrastructure, enhance domestic transportation supply chains and maximize job creation in U.S. manufacturing, according to the BlueGreen Alliance and Apollo Alliance. The two alliances also announced plans to merge.

 

“With gas prices close to $4 a gallon … across the country, reinvesting in transit is more important than ever. And at the same time, manufacturing is responsible for creating hundreds of thousands of good-paying, middle class jobs,” said Brown in a prepared statement. “The buses, trolleys and trains that take Americans to every corner of our country should be ‘Made in America’ as well. By strengthening the domestic supply chain for public transit, the SMART Act will strengthen our public transit options and revitalize our manufacturing heritage.”

Read more at:

http://www.progressiverailroading.com/news/article/Sen-Brown-targets-SMART-Act-at-rebuilding-transit-infrastructure--26728

To boost revenue, transit agency execs try to think outside the farebox

By Julie Sneider, Assistant Editor

 

During his three-decade career in public transportation, Art Guzzetti has witnessed plenty of transit agencies endure plenty of economic challenges. It’s part of the nature of balancing budgets with public funds.

 

“Transit folks have a survivor mentality,” he says. “They’re sort of always facing tough times and fighting to live another day. That’s the general attitude.”

 

Challenged to provide a necessary public service with limited local, state and federal resources, “usually there are a lot of tough years,” says Guzzetti, who worked for agencies in New Jersey and Pennsylvania before joining the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), where he’s now vice president for policy. “But this has probably been the toughest bit of time in my 32 years in this business.”

 

In March 2010, APTA surveyed its member agencies to determine just how tight their budget scenarios were at the time. Collectively, the survey responses told a grim story.

 

Read more at:http://www.progressiverailroading.com/pr/article.asp?id=26840

http://redtape.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/06/21/6903901-in-pittsburgh-drastic-bus-service-cuts-strand-commuters

 

In Pittsburgh, drastic bus service cuts strand commuters

By Bob Sullivan

AT A BUS STOP, IN PITTSBURGH -- Like nearly every other city in America, after three hard recessionary years, the fiscal gyrations of robbing Peter to pay Paul have pretty much been exhausted in Pittsburgh.

 

 

University City Loop trolley moves forward

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/article_0e9d76bc-5d26-5e78-bcc5-25ea2dd4063a.html

 

Speaking of the investment he made into renovating a building that will now be used as the Trolley servicing center:

"I do not want to and I will not make a dime on this," Edwards said.

 

Cleveland needs these kinds of benevolent developers, people willing to use their wealth to do projects with little or no consideration of personal profit.  I'm not saying they need to lose money, just be willing to do things like this on the side of developing, say, a Casino.....

Communist!!!

New car-tab fee to fund buses may head to ballot

By Bob Young

 

Seattle Times staff reporter

 

King County Metro Transit faces a $60 million deficit next year and a 17 percent reduction in service over the next two years, with the majority of the cuts expected in the Seattle-Shoreline area, where most of the buses run.

 

There is an alternative: a new car-tab fee that appears headed for the November ballot, where it would compete for taxpayer approval with other local measures.

 

State lawmakers gave county officials the authority earlier this year to charge an extra $20 for car tabs — which would provide $50 million over two years — to help Metro. That's enough, when combined with reserve funds, to largely maintain existing service, according to Metro.

 

Read more at: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2015361295_cartabfees19m.html?syndication=rss

I had to search through about a half-dozen articles on Google to find out what a car-tab fee is -- it's a vehicle license renewal fee.

Uneasy Rider

Facing budget cuts, transit agencies building new rail projects are struggling to make the trains run on time—or at all.

By:Nate Berg

 

Public transit needs public funding. And that goes way beyond the fare box. Local, state, and federal dollars are the lifeblood of public transportation projects in the United States. But with the country in recovery from the recession and states cutting back programs to close budget holes, support for public transit looks to be grinding to a halt.

 

There’s an obvious downside for those who rely on public transit to get around, but there’s also a potentially more confounding problem for the nation’s transit agencies. Some of them are right in the middle of expanding or building entirely new projects such as light-rail lines—projects planned during a better economy—or will begin them soon. What only recently seemed to be a set of projects on the path to ribbon cutting have seen transit agencies scrambling to find new sources of funding and to justify projects that had enjoyed wide support.

 

Read more at: http://www.architectmagazine.com/government-projects/uneasy-rider.aspx?printerfriendly=true

FTA announces list of competitive funding opportunities

 

On Tuesday, Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff announced the agency issued a list of forthcoming competitive funding opportunities for fiscal-year 2011 to help strengthen and improve public transit. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) also provided FY2011 allocations for existing, new and pending New Starts and Small Starts projects.

 

Three notices of funding availability for five FTA competitive discretionary grant programs recently appeared in the Federal Register. The grants, which total more than $1 billion, reflect the FTA’s “highest priorities,” including sustainability and livability projects, said Rogoff.

 

 

Read more at: http://www.progressiverailroading.com/prdailynews/news.asp?id=27255

JULY 27, 2011, 7:17 P.M. ET

Fare hikes, more borrowing in NYC transit budget

Associated Press

 

NEW YORK — New York's transit agency said Wednesday it wants to borrow an additional $6.9 billion to make sure it can finish two huge tunnel projects, even as members of its board worried the move would create a financial "monster" and a "ticking time bomb" of debt.

 

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority also said it will try to rein in retiree benefits and pressure unions for another year of wage freezes, echoing deals struck recently between the state government and other public employees.

 

On Wednesday, administrators presented their $14 billion budget proposal for 2012, along with broad spending plans for the following three years.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://online.wsj.com/article/APb10363a8636443df91bf66fc49e7ef49.html

Milwaukee apparently is going to build a streetcar...but with funding constraints...

 

 

Milwaukee Streetcar Approval Comes with Spending Limits....

 

(I had a chance to ride the Milwaukee bus system last weekend...interesting to see the little differences in the way systems operate). 

 

Anyway, looks like the GOP everywhere is out gunning for mass transit.  I figure with the budget deal we'll see even less funding for mass transit, since that is part of the discretionary budget they are cutting.