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November 19, 2021 | An APTA Publication
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Photo courtesy of the White House
| President Signs $1.2 Trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill
President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law Nov. 15. The legislation, commonly referred to as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal (BID), includes $107 billion for public transit and $102 billion for commuter rail, Amtrak, and other high-performance rail. APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas said, “Enactment of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal represents a historic event for our nation and our industry. I was honored to be present at the signing ceremony at the White House this week. APTA and its members worked tirelessly for this achievement.”
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A Historic Win for Public Transportation and the American People
BY NURIA FERNANDEZ
FTA Administrator
 On Nov. 15, President Biden signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Watching the President apply his signature to this important legislation was one of the most memorable moments of my years in public service. I join U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, my colleagues at FTA, transit leaders and workers, and passengers nationwide in celebrating the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which will mean so much to our industry and the people we serve. With the President’s stroke of the pen, our nation’s transit system has been highlighted as a valuable, integral part of our national transportation network, with needs on par with fixing roads and bridges.
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APTA Applauds House on Passage of Build Back Better Act
In a statement today, APTA applauded the U.S. House of Representatives for passing H.R. 5376, the ‘Build Back Better Act.’ This legislation creates a new, innovative program to provide $10 billion for competitive grants for public transit access to affordable housing and to enhance mobility for low-income riders and residents of disadvantaged communities. It also provides $10 billion to plan and construct high-speed rail projects.
“The proposed partnership between the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and FTA to provide this critically needed access is a key step in addressing America’s housing crisis,” said APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas. “Improving public transportation access is one of the most important actions we as a nation can take to address inequities in communities. This unique partnership will create access to opportunities, growth in our communities and good-paying jobs.
“Dedicated investment in high-speed rail will make our economy stronger, our environment cleaner and help us better compete in the global marketplace—benefits that will sustain their transformative power over time. High-speed rail will better connect our communities and their local and regional transportation networks and help us meet the mobility and climate challenges of our nation.
APTA will continue working with Congress and the Administration to ensure we make the necessary investments to modernize public transit and passenger rail systems and meet the growing and evolving mobility demands of our cities and communities.”
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From left: Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Nuria Fernandez, Scott Smith, Valley Metro Board Chair and Mesa Councilmember Francisco Heredia, Kate Gallego, President of the Arizona Carpenters Local Union 1912 Fabian Sandez, and Paul P. Skoutelas. Pete Buttigieg is at podium.
Officials Sign Grant for Phoenix Light Rail Extension
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez, Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, Valley Metro CEO Scott Smith and APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas gathered Nov. 19 for the signing of a federal grant that will provide $158 million toward the second phase of the Valley Metro Northwest Extension Phase II light rail project.
“What we see is a community identifying transportation needs, developing smart solutions,” said Buttigieg, “standing up for its values and investing local dollars in these projects, and now, with the largest investment in transit history, the federal government is better positioned than ever to support with national resources.”
Fernandez said “FTA is proud to join our partners in Arizona to expand light rail service and improve transit connections between Metrocenter, downtown Phoenix and other important destinations. The project will get riders where they need to go—faster, more efficiently and sustainably.”
The extension represents “everything that public transportation should be, can be and will be. It will connect neighborhoods to opportunities and promote equity, especially among households without a car and people living below the poverty level,” said Skoutelas. “It will provide greater access to major destinations such as schools, employment centers, entertainment venues and the airport. It will reduce congestion and carbon emissions that cause climate change. And it is voter-backed and locally funded with federal help. This is the future of public transit in America. This project shows that Valley Metro is at the leading edge of every major national issue.”
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Photo by Steve Barrett Photography
Together Again at APTA’s TRANSform Conference & EXPO!
After a four-year wait, nearly 10,000 public transportation professionals and business leaders from across the globe were eager to register for APTA’s 2021 TRANSform Conference & EXPO, the world’s largest public transportation industry event. From Nov. 7–10, Orlando, FL, was the epicenter for exploring the industry’s future, while reflecting on critical lessons learned during the pandemic.
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COMMENTARY
Working with Communities to Co-Create the Future
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 A common refrain from our community members in the first year of the pandemic was that they had no desire to go back to “normal.” They rightly demanded, instead, to be authors of a mobility future that is brighter than the past. This year, that theme has turned into a resounding chorus from public transit leaders, too. We know ridership will rebound because transit remains inextricably linked to creating the types of cities and towns where all of us want to live, work and play. But lapsed riders won’t resume taking trips solely during rush hours, on the identical days as before, or even to the same destinations. What’s more, customers who never stopped riding transit deserve a greatly improved experience and are our best-placed experts to guide the way ahead.
BY TERRY WHITE
General Manager
King County Metro
Seattle, WA
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Buttigieg Announces Nearly $1 Billion for Infrastructure
“We’re proud to support these great projects that will improve infrastructure, strengthen supply chains, make us safer, advance equity and combat climate change,” said Buttigieg. “As in past years, we received far more applications than we could fund: this cycle saw about a ten-to-one ratio of requests to available dollars. But going forward, with the passage of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we will be able to support far more infrastructure projects to support jobs and everyday life in communities across the country.”
APTA applauded DOT for listening to the public transportation industry’s input and making the decision to prioritize improving racial equity, reducing the impacts of climate change and creating good-paying jobs when making RAISE project selections.
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Public Transit Leaders Unveil APTA Post-Pandemic Report at TRANSform
APTA released a new report at a media event Nov. 9 during the TRANSform Conference & EXPO that examines how demographic, employment and travel trends could impact the public transit industry in the future. On the Horizon: Planning for Post-Pandemic Travel details four overarching recommendations developed for transit agencies: integrating best practices from the COVID-19 period, prioritizing social equity, leveraging opportunities to expand ridership and keeping abreast of changing trends. Case studies feature Denver RTD, LA Metro, Port Authority of Allegheny County, GRTC and Spokane Transit Authority.
| | | Nominees Confirmed to APTA Executive Committee
APTA members confirmed a number of nominees to the association’s Executive Committee Nov. 6 during APTA’s TRANSform Conference & EXPO.
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Voters Have Spoken: They Want More Public Transportation
Voters at 11 different locations across the country approved local funding measures this month to expand public transportation. This marks 2021 as public transit’s first year with a 100 percent success record at the ballot box.
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Rai, COMTO
 The Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) has named April Rai as its new president and CEO, to start Dec. 20. Rai will build upon COMTO’s 50-year history of ensuring equitable opportunities and maximum participation for minority individuals; veterans; people with disabilities; and minority, women and disadvantaged business enterprises. Rai comes to COMTO with more than 15 years of experience managing private, public-sector and non-profit organizations. Most recently, she served as deputy executive director for the Women’s Transportation Seminar International (WTS). Prior to WTS, Rai served as CEO for the National Organizations for Youth Safety.
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Fox, UTA
 The Utah Transit Authority’s (UTA) Board of Trustees has announced that Jay Fox will be the agency’s new executive director, effective Jan. 10. Fox comes to UTA from the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), where he has served as deputy general counsel since July 2019. Before SEPTA, he was senior director, host railroads for AMTRAK. From 2010 to 2017, Fox worked at FTA, serving both as acting assistant chief counsel for regional operations and as regional counsel in the Region 3 office. Prior to his work at FTA, Fox spent almost ten years with the FAA.
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First Transit to Operate Med City Mover AV Pilot
First Transit, Rochester, MN, is to operate the Med City Mover, the state’s first connected autonomous vehicle pilot, in partnership with Minnesota DOT, Destination Medical Center, EasyMile and the city of Rochester.
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TEXRail Engineer Makes Agency History
Trinity Metro TEXRail, Fort Worth, TX, is proud to introduce its first female engineer, Amy Anderson, who became an engineer in November. Anderson began her career as a conductor on TEXRail. “While working at TEXRail, I realized there were no female engineers, and I made it my goal to become the first,” she said.
| | | | REGISTER FOR THESE APTA EVENTS
| Sustainability & Multimodal Operations Planning Workshop
Nov. 30–Dec. 2
APTA’s 2021 Virtual Sustainability & Multimodal Operations Planning Workshop will offer techniques to enhance energy efficiency, resiliency and service integration. Industry thought-leaders will share insights on topics including new travel demands and shifting mobility patterns, route redesign for enhanced mobility, environmental management systems, sustainable capital programming, equity in transit service planning and delivery, facilities planning, clean bus technologies, positioning transit as central to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and more. Learn more and register.
Accessibility Policy for Autonomous Public Transit
Dec. 9, 1:00-1:30 p.m. Eastern
Integrating accessibility at this stage of the AV revolution provides an opportunity to develop a public transportation system that treats accessibility as a guiding principle, not as an afterthought. Join a free webinar to explore how, through improved collaboration and adoption of best practices, the industry can learn to address the needs of individuals with disabilities. Register here.
Risk Management & Mid-Year Safety Seminar
Dec 15-16
APTA’s thought-provoking Virtual Risk Management & Mid-Year Safety Seminar features special tracks for both transit risk management professionals and safety professionals. The Risk Management Seminar includes innovative presentations from leaders in their field and sought-after guest speakers who will address the most pressing risk management issues, including risks, exposures, alternatives and new technologies unique to public transit. The Mid-Year Safety Seminar will provide an opportunity for safety professionals in public transportation to discuss issues, learn from federal and state partners and network with peers. Safety Management Systems (SMS), COVID-19 response and recovery, safety certification, operator assaults, APTA Standards, cybersecurity, collision avoidance, trespassing awareness and more will be covered. In addition, representatives from FTA and FRA will discuss recently passed final safety rules and regulations, federal oversight and technical assistance programs. Learn more and register.
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