The American Public Transportation Association has posted on the internet its recommendations for the major transportation reauthorization effort to occur in 2003 by the US Congress. To access their recommendations, go to http://www.apta.com/INFO/ONLINE/tea21nov.htm .
The American Public Transportation Association reports that this past week the House and Senate have returned from their campaign recess for a lame duck session. Before Congress adjourns, it is expected that both chambers will pass another continuing resolution to keep the federal government operating through January 11, 2003, at the Fiscal Year 2002 funding levels and will pass a compromise bill on homeland security legislation advocated by President Bush. It is likely that the Fiscal Year 2003 Transportation Appropriations Bill will be considered in a larger omnibus spending bill during the early part of January.
FY2002 federal funding for both the Jobs Access & Reverse Commute (JARC) program and the Over-the-Road Bus Accessibility program have been announced. Of the $15.7 million available through JARC, Texas received just over $1 million with CityLink in Abilene at $100k, El Paso’s Sun Metro at $250k, Lubbock’s Citibus at $460k, and the Fort Worth Transportation Authority at $200k [Nov. 4, 2002 Federal Register pp. 67236-8].
The Over-the-Road Accessibility program totaled $7.1 million providing funding for the incremental cost of adding lifts to 149 new vehicles, retrofitting 68 vehicles, and $476,279 for training. Texas-based companies received a total of $3.56 million, including Valley Transit at $66k, Kerrville Bus Co. at $130.1k, TMN&O at $66.3k, Gulf Coast Transit at $112k, El Expresso at $123.7k, Greyhound Bus Lines at just over $3 million.
Download: FY2002 JARC earmarks.pdf (47.93 KB).
Download: FY02 ICB ada.pdf (49.5 KB).
Mary Ethyl Praetz, founding board member and member emeritus of the Board of Directors of the Texoma Area Paratransit Systems passed away Sunday, October 27, 2002. Ms. Praetz was instrumental in organizing the efforts of thirteen separate senior center and community car and van transportation services into a coordinated three county transportation non-profit corporation. Chartered in 1986 to serve Fannin, Grayson and Cooke County residents, TAPS has since grown to include four additional counties (Montague, Clay, Wise and Jack), increased from the original thirteen cars and vans to 64 vans and buses, , from 65,000 to more than 300,000 annual passenger trips, and is now the parent organization to the seven county Texoma Rural Transit District. Ms. Praetz was active in many civic and public service interests. She served as one of the original Texas Silver haired Legislators where she served numerous terms and was elected President Pro-tem and Legislator of the Year. She was also the appointed representative of House District 4 to the National Silver haired Legislature. She served as National; Legislative Committee member for the National Association of Retired Federal Employees. She was a past nominee for the Friends of Texas Transit Award. Ms. Praetz was 87 years old.
