April 9, 10:30 AM Central –Collaboration Session - Navigating in a Post-Covid World: Workforce and Technology Solutions for Transit(sponsored by MV Transportation)
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced the “Mask Up,” campaign to help ensure the safety of transportation workers. The campaign is a joint effort by the Federal Aviation, Motor Carrier Safety, Railroad, and Transit Administrations across all forms of transportation. The centerpiece of the campaign is a digital toolkit including posters, social media, FAQs, and other resources. Read More
Job Postings
See our updatedlisting of job openings and shared by SWTA members.
CCRTA Promotes Miguel Ephrem Rendon to Managing Director of Executive Affairs
Corpus Christi Regional Transportation Authority (CCRTA) is announced that Miguel (Mike) Ephrem Rendon has been promoted to Managing Director of Executive Affairs. The promotion became effective on Monday, March 15, 2021. Read More
VIA to test new technology to keep visually impaired riders up-to-date on routes
For years, San Antonio's VIA Metropolitan Transit has been considering ways to share information such as scheduled bus stops and detours with blind and visually impaired riders. Five years ago, the agency contemplated attaching messaging in Braille on each bus stop sign. But VIA officials quickly realized physical Braille restricted the messaging to static information and riders could not receive real-time updates on when the next bus would arrive. Three years ago, VIA considered “beacon” technology that would rely on location to discover nearby phones and broadcast information that way. Now, the transit agency has identified a new program that it hopes will transform the way visually impaired people ride the bus. Read More
Pflugerville to kick off new on-demand transit program March 23
The city of Pflugerville will launch its on-demand transit program, Pickup, on March 23, in partnership with the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Pflugerville City Council approved the 12-month pilot program Nov. 10 for a 3.5 square-mile service area. Read More
RTA will provide free rides to COVID-19 vaccination sites
MV Transportation Donates $100K in Water to Support Texas Winter Storm Recovery
MV Transportation, Inc., a recognized leader in passenger transportation services, announced it has made a large donation of bottled water, valued at more than $100,000, to employees and select community partners in Texas cities served by the company to aid in winter storm relief and recovery efforts.Read More
As part of the Transit Tuesdays Webinar Series, SWTA & 7 state transit associations are hosting Moving Forward in 2021! Decisions in D.C. Roll Across America on Monday, March 30 at 3:00 PM Eastern (2:00 PM Central). The panel will feature Katie Kachel of Chambers, Conlon & Hartwell, who represents the SWTA Nation in D.C. For full details & registration, click here.
Also, details are emerging that Congress will permit the use of earmarks to deliver federal funding to specific communities and projects, albeit with far more limitations on their use than when last used in the early 2000s. We've prepared a background resource to highlight some expected impacts on transit providers as earmarks move closer to return.
Finally, the humanitarian crisis along the U.S.-Mexico border has re-emerged along with the new challenge of COVID safety precautions, and several transit systems in the SWTA Nation states of Texas, New Mexico & Arizona are addressing these issues head-on. Learn more about the aspects of their response and what more we can do to support these mobility networks along our southern border.
UPCOMING EVENTS FROM STATE & NATIONAL TRANSIT ASSOCIATIONS
April 13: SWTA Marketing Committee Meeting - details to come!
