Texas Transit Association

… but no conferees for the *transportation reauthorization* House-Senate Conference Committee to work out differences have been appointed. Congress returns from its recess next week (week of April 19). The current short-term extension of TEA 21 expires at the end of April and will have to be extended. It appears that May is the month of focus for the conference.

*Transit Security* also on the table: APTA has asked that $2 billion for transit security ($1.2 billion for capital needs and $800 million for operating costs) be inserted in the FY 2005 transportation budget. Additionally, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the Railroad Carriers and Mass Transportation Protection Act of 2004 on April 8. This hearing focused on S. 2273, a bill that would establish various acts against railroads and transit systems as federal crimes that would qualify for terrorism charges.

… Twenty-three in Texas.
Counties in 31 states are flunking air-quality standards, drawing a federal warning to clean up industrial plants, put new restrictions on cars and take other action to make their air less polluted.

Nearly 500 counties, mostly in California and the eastern third of the country, were cited Thursday as having too much smog-causing pollution in violation of the federal clean air law. (More from EPA on the following page.)

Download the .pdf for *Texas*: Download file
(more…)

Seven million Americans over age 65 who do not drive — including at least 66,000 people in the north Texas Metroplex — and those numbers are expected to nearly double in the next two decades.

A study released Wednesday from the Surface Transportation Policy Project in conjunction with the American Public Transportation Association (”APTA”:http://apta.com/) and the American Association of Retired Persons (”AARP”:http://www.aarp.org/), warns that older Americans without access to public transportation are becoming increasingly isolated. These nondrivers make fewer trips to the doctor and lose contact with friends, relatives and churches.

The report is available by accessing this “page”:http://www.transact.org/report.asp?id=232.
(more…)

When VIA Metropolitan Transit’s new bus route system began operating eight
months ago, the agency expected to see a dip in ridership as transit users
adjusted to the new routes and schedules. But that hasn’t happened. In fact, VIA officials have been pleasantly surprised by a mild increase in ridership.

“It’s good to see the number of boardings go up,” said John Milam, president
and CEO of VIA. “The numbers are showing that the new bus system is better
than the previous system and that more people are willing to use the bus.”

Read the Press Release at the following link:
(more…)

Special Session of the Legislature to begin April 20. The have been tasked by the Governor to enact school property tax relief and addressing education equity and funding issues. Special Sessions are limited to a 30-day period.

The Governor’s press release:
Download file

Total Contract Solutions, Inc. (“TCS”), a Houston based transportation consulting firm, has been awarded a contract to provide training courses to all Charlotte-Mecklenburg for-hire drivers over the next two years. The City of Charlotte mandated the 2-day training program in recent ordinances. TCS was selected to develop and deliver the program. Initial classes have begun and will follow periodically over two years.

See the Press Release:
Download file