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September 30, 2022 | An APTA Publication
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CTA’s Dorval R. Carter, Jr. Selected as APTA Chair
The APTA 2022 Nominating Committee convened a special meeting Sept. 29 to address the recent resignation of APTA’s vice chair and to select an amended slate of officers. APTA members will vote on the 2022-2023 slate of nominees Oct. 8 during the 2022 TRANSform Conference in Seattle, WA.
The committee selected Dorval R. Carter, Jr., president, Chicago Transit Authority as APTA chair. Adelee Le Grand, CEO, Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART), Tampa, FL, was selected as vice chair; and Jose Bustamante, vice president, T&I national business development, STV Incorporated, as executive committee member-at-large.
Jeffrey A. Nelson, CEO/managing director, Rock Island County Metropolitan Mass Transit District (Metrolink), Moline, IL, will serve as immediate past chair.
Jeffrey Wharton, director, contracts and technical services, Systra Engineering, is secretary-treasurer for 2022-2025.
Nominated to three-year terms as members-at-large of the 25-member APTA Executive Committee are:
- Francis “Buddy” Coleman, chief customer officer, Clever Devices Ltd., business member-at-large
- Denise Figueroa, board member, CDTA, Albany, NY, transit board member-at-large
Filling portfolio seats on the Executive Committee are:
- Doug Tisdale, CEO, Tisdale & Associates LLC; district H director and past board chair, Regional Transportation District, Denver, CO
- Bill Carpenter, CEO, Regional Transit Service, Rochester, NY
- Jannet Walker-Ford, senior vice president & national transit & rail business line leader, WSP
- Carolyn Gonot, CEO and general manager, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, San Jose, CA
Nominations for three-year terms on the APTA Board of Directors are:
Transit system directors:
- Carrie Butler, executive director, Transit Authority of River City, Louisville, KY
- Sam Desue, Jr., general manager, TriMet, Portland, OR
- Bacarra Mauldin, chief of staff, Memphis Area Transit Authority, TN
- Lauren Skiver, CEO/general manager, SunLine Transit Agency, Thousand Palms, CA
- Troi Taylor, Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, TX
- Caitlin Vargas, president, board of directors, Lane Transit District, Springfield, OR
Business member directors:
- Krish Inbarajan, CEO, Preteckt, Inc.
- Christopher Boylan, director, governmental & strategic partnerships, General Contractors Association of NY, Inc.
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TriMet GM Testifies Before Congress
Sam Desue, Jr., general manager of TriMet, Portland, OR, testified before the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure’s hearing on Investing in the Nation’s Infrastructure and Workers: Why it Matters Sept. 29.
Noting that all TriMet’s buses and railcars are American-made, Desue added that the agency employs more than 3,000 people—more than 2,400 of whom are in union jobs “directly supporting operations, maintenance and safety of our transit system.”
Desue thanked committee members for federal COVID-19 emergency funding and also the “historic investments in public transportation infrastructure contained in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).” He said this infusion of funds “will be a game-changer that will help transform the Portland/Vancouver region’s transportation network. The significant increase in investment levels contained in the IIJA filled the gap in funding ongoing maintenance needs, as well as allowing us to continue to advance capital projects to upgrade our system to expand service and address our region’s mobility, quality of life and environmental challenges.”
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APTA Engages with Global Industry at InnoTrans
APTA Chair Jeffrey A. Nelson, CEO/managing director, Rock Island County Metropolitan Mass Transit District (MetroLink), Moline, IL, and APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas led an APTA delegation to InnoTrans in Germany, Sept. 19-22. InnoTrans, held every two years in Berlin, is one of the world’s largest international trade fairs on rail and transportation technology, attracting 140,000 visitors over four days. This marked the return of the event after a four-year hiatus due to the pandemic.
APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas (left) at the opening reception of InnoTrans with (from left to right) Henri Poupart-Lafarge, chairman of UNIFE; Andre Rodenbeck, president, German Railway Association; and Adina Vălean, European Commissioner for Transport.
The trip was a unique opportunity to engage with the global rail and public transportation industry at a time of heightened attention on the U.S. rail and transit market with its influx of federal investment through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). As Nelson stated at a session held by the Association of the European Rail Supply Industry (UNIFE): “We are at an extraordinary moment in the history of public transportation and passenger rail in the U.S.” Speaking at the opening reception, held by the German Rail Industry Association, Skoutelas remarked that the IIJA is “proof that the U.S. government and the public transportation industry are focused on building a [solid] foundation for a long-term [transit] and rail program.”
 APTA Chair Jeff Nelson (left) with American Public Transportation Foundation Award recipients Beema Dahal and Tyler Kleinsasser, and APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas. The APTF scholars took part in the InnoTrans Career Awards program focused on career development for young transit professionals.
InnoTrans offered an opportunity to meet with key APTA international partners and members, including the International Association of Public Transport (UITP), the International Union of Railways (UIC) and UNIFE, on common challenges such as supply chain issues and workforce shortages.
The event’s trade fair showcased the magnitude of innovation in the global rail and transit sector, with a focus on sustainability, including hydrogen and battery-electric rail cars, and digitalization. “Meeting with the leadership of APTA member companies throughout the week underscored the significant breadth of APTA’s members across all elements of the rail transit market, from OEMs to component suppliers to operators,” said Nelson.
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Ridership More Than 70 Percent of Pre-Pandemic Levels
Public transportation saw ridership rebound to more than 70 percent of pre-pandemic levels in September, a continuation of an upward trend reflective of a nation emerging from COVID-19, according to APTA’s Ridership Trends Dashboard.
“Public transit agencies suffered catastrophic blows to ridership when the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in March 2020. Systems saw significant declines in ridership as offices closed and Americans were urged to work from home for extended periods,” said APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas. “But now, as we see more workers return to the office, more students return to school and more community destinations such as restaurants, theaters and retail stores reopen their doors, agencies from coast-to-coast are seeing a rise in ridership.”
“Throughout the course of this pandemic, transit systems have provided mobility to essential workers and earned riders’ trust every day by remaining vigilant about their health, safety and cleaning protocols as new variants of the coronavirus continued to emerge. Even though workers in many cities continue to work from home, at least on a part-time basis, we are seeing steady growth in ridership and are optimistic those trends will continue. As the latest data shows, public transportation continues to move people and shape the future of our communities.”
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FTA FY22 Bus Automation NOFO Webinar
Topics discussed will include research scope, eligibility, application and the selection process and other submission requirements. In addition to providing an overview of the NOFO, FTA will answer general questions from potential applicants. The deadline for funding applications is Nov. 21. Register for the webinar here.
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FTA Publishes New Reports
This report covers mitigation strategies, existing and emerging technology that can detect and/or prevent rail trespassing and suicides, and research findings for mitigations, injuries and fatalities associated with trespassing and suicide events. Rail transit agencies can use this information to help promote rail safety in their systems and communities.
In response to the pandemic, public transit agencies across the U.S. implemented temporary measures to protect employees. This report demonstrates how a physical temporary barrier between the front and rear passenger compartment of a bus reduces the COVID-19 exposure risk for drivers and passengers.
In addition, the report shares the results of an air flow test of the temporary barrier.
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UPCOMING APTA EVENTS
TRANSform Conference
Oct. 9-12
Seattle, WA
APTA's TRANSform Conference is the flagship event for public transportation professionals to engage in workshops, experience technical tours and network with colleagues.
Jan. 24-27
Honolulu, HI
Make your voice heard and help shape APTA’s private-sector agenda at this dynamic, exclusive meeting for ALL APTA business members.
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