Texas Transit Association

Regular TTA Board of Directors Meeting and Election of Officers

June 24, 2009

11:00am - 2:00pm

The Austin Club

On June 24, 2009, the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) will host Amp Up Your Fleet: 2009 Advancing the Choice (ATC), a conference to further educate professionals about the newest clean technology available and to help implement cutting-edge alternative fuel and engine technologies in public and private fleets. Improving air quality in our region is not something that one individual, one organization or one company can achieve alone. Please consider becoming a sponsor of ATC this year! The event attracts professionals from all around the region and is the perfect opportunity to showcase the capabilities of your organization. Information about the conference and the different sponsorship opportunities are attached.  I hope you will join us this year for ATC on June 24! If you have any questions, need further information or would like to become a sponsor, please contact Kayla Schmit at Kayla@vollmerpr.com or 713-970-2100.

 The VIA Board of Trustees has announced that Keith T. Parker will be the new President/CEO for the San Antonio transit agency.

Mr. Parker’s experience includes a three-year stint as Assistant City Manager for the City of Charlotte, North Carolina, as one as the chief executive officer and director of public transit for the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS). Parker joined CATS in 2000 as its Chief Operating Officer. Prior to that, Parker was chief executive officer/executive director for the Clark County Transit Authority in Vancouver, Washington.

“Keith Parker is one of the great multi-modal thinkers in the United States…His experience…will launch San Antonio into the 21st century…” said Henry Munoz III, Chairman of the VIA Board of Trustees.

Mr. Parker earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Richmond and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from Virginia Commonwealth University. He also holds a professional certification with the American Institute of Certified Planners.

Green Fleets – The Future is Now: A Natural Gas Vehicle Symposium 

When: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 – 8 am – 5 pm 

Where: Kelly Alumni Center on the TCU Campus in Fort Worth, Texas 

Who: A symposium designed for fleet and transportation directors, public officials and managers, and business officials. 

Why: This symposium lays out the compelling case for natural gas vehicles and provides the nuts and bolts information of how to make the switch. Hear from operators who are running large fleets of natural gas vehicles. Learn about the equipment options and costs. 

Understand the fueling options. And very importantly, find out about existing sources of funding and tax incentive programs. Energy security, environmental issues and economics are driving transportation markets to alternative fuels and technologies. Vehicles fueled by compressed natural gas (CNG) are a key part of our energy future because the technology is readily available. Natural gas is the cleanest burning hydrocarbon and is in plentiful supply in the United States. In a study of CNG and diesel United Parcel Service (UPS) delivery trucks, CNG trucks produced 75% lower carbon monoxide emissions, 49% lower nitrogen oxides emissions, and 95% lower particulate matter emissions than diesel trucks of similar age. So why switch fleets to natural gas? It’s cheaper, cleaner, and domestic!! 

How to register: Registration opens May 20 and will be available online at www.bseec.org. Or at www.energyinstitute.tcu.edu. Seating is limited, so be sure to register early. A $45 fee includes a continental breakfast, lunch and a wine and cheese reception at the end of the day. Luncheon Presentation by Waste Management, Inc. 

Green Fleets – The Future is Now is hosted by Barnett Shale Energy Education Council and TCU Energy Institute and co-hosted by the City of Fort Worth, Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce and North Central Texas Council of Governments. 

Corporate Sponsors Include: 

EnCana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc, Chesapeake Energy, XTO Energy,

Dale Resources, Devon Energy and Quicksilver Resources

     The 34th International Bus Roadeo Grand Champion Award from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) went to Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The Grand Champion awards recognize the bus operators and maintenance teams that have the highest combined score. The Grand Champion 2nd place winner was San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency team, and 3rd place went to Austin’s Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority team.

     “The winners of 2009 International Bus Roadeo showcase professionalism and top-notch skill in their work,” said APTA President William W. Millar. “These performances are an  example of excellence to the entire industry.”

     The best driver in North America is Brentt Mackie of Pierce Transit, Lakewood, Washington who beat 53 other bus operators to win first place in the 40-foot bus competition. Second place winner was Juan Navarro of Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and Elroy Williams of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit, took home third place honors.

     Twenty-four drivers competed in the 35-foot bus category. Daniel R. Schmidt of Ben Franklin Transit, Kennewick, Washington won first place as the best bus operator in North America in that category, while Darrion Mitchell from Metro Transit System in Columbus, Georgia took second place, and Kevin Grady from the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency earned third.

     Community Transit of Everett, Washington won first place in the Maintenance Competition, which tests    mechanics’ abilities to troubleshoot mechanical problems and fix them quickly. This year, 36 teams competed, with Omnitrans in San Bernardino, California winning second place and Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority winning third place.

     Other competitions in pre-trip inspection and customer service challenges rounded out this year’s national bus roadeo competition in Seattle, Washington.

June 11—15, 2009

Rail Conference

June  14—18, 2009

Chicago, Illinois