Center Updates

APTA focuses on frontline workforce development at the Annual Meeting   



APTA's Annual Meeting in Houston October 11-15 focused extensively on the need for training current and future workers in front-line occupations.  Incoming APTA Chair Phil Washington, CEO at Denver RTD, noted the need for both career ladders to help current transit workers advance and for career pathways to bring new workers into transit.  Washington made it clear that his emphasis was on the need for training front-line technical workers.

In several discussions and formal presentations, APTA leaders and staff referred specifically to the October 7 federal forum on transportation workforce needs at the US Department of Transportation (see October 9 Weekly Update), with recognition of the work of the Center in making that forum possible.  In meetings of the APTA Human Resources Committee and the subcommittee on workforce development, the Center's September 17 Roundtable on Career Ladders and Career Pathways was also noted in discussion.  Lydia Grose of SEPTA who chairs the APTA HR Committee praised the Center's work and commented on how closely the Center's training emphasis coincided with Phil Washington's call for more attention to frontline workforce development.

Center Research Director Xinge Wang presented her research on specific transit workforce numbers to both the HR and workforce development committees.  In both venues, Center Deputy Director Jack Clark addressed an agenda for action based on the new data.  His presentation relied on the six by ten sheet laying out a full system of training and qualification for bus operators and for technicians in transit elevator-escalator, signals, rail car, bus maintenance and traction power.

For more information on their presentations, visit the Center website.  
Public Transportation
Progressive Railroading - October 14, 2014
The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) has elected Regional Transportation District of Denver General Manager Phillip Washington as chairman. He succeeds Peter Varga, chief executive officer of the Interurban Transit Partnership (The Rapid) of Grand Rapids, Mich. APTA elected its 2014-15 officers at its annual EXPO this week in Houston. Valarie McCall, a member of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority's board, was chosen as vice chair, while Doran Barnes, executive director of Foothill Transit in West Covina, Calif., was re-elected as secretary-treasurer.
Wired - October 9, 2014
One of the great things about living in New York or San Francisco is that you don't need to drive to get around. They're dense cities with good transit systems, so it's no surprise they take the top two spots in a new ranking of best American cities for commuting without a car. What's less expected is that third place goes to Los Angeles, a metropolis famed for its traffic-clogged freeways and mocked for its lack of good public transportation.   

Project for Public Spaces - October 7, 2014
As the host of 18th Pro Walk/Pro Bike/Pro Place conference in Pittsburgh, PA, Project for Public Spaces vowed to install community-based Lighter-Quicker-Cheaper (LQC) projects that brought placemaking to Pittsburgh and connected our conference to the community. As part of the initiative, we collaborated with Pittsburgh's Local Host Committee, Pittsburgh's Department of City Planning and the Port Authority of Allegheny County.  
PSFK - October 6, 2014

Boarding public transportation, particularly during rush hour, can be a harrowing experience. In a world where riders of certain transit systems need to be hauled off subway cars by attendants for fear of overcrowding, efficient distribution of commuters is paramount for their safety and comfortable transport.  However, optimal distribution of passengers across subway cars has remained an elusive goal for transportation engineers and designers.
Transit System/Partners
Progressive Railroading - October 10, 2014
Metra yesterday unveiled a $2.4 billion modernization plan and outlined its proposed 2015 budget that includes a 10.8 percent fare increase.  The fare hike across all fare types will help fund the modernization plan, which calls for replacing Metra's aging rail cars and locomotives, and address ways to maintain safe and reliable service, Metra officials said in press releases.
Progressive Railroading - October 8, 2014
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has installed the 15th and 16th new escalator units as part of its "Metro Forward" rebuilding program, the agency announced on Monday.  The newest units were installed between the mezzanine and platform levels at Bethesda Station. To date, new escalators have been installed at the following stations: Foggy Bottom, Dupont Circle, Pentagon, Van Ness, Georgia Ave-Petworth, Glenmont and Bethesda.
Progressive Railroading - October 9, 2014
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is extending indefinitely a pilot program involving the operation of overnight subway service on weekends on the Broad Street and Market-Frankford lines.
KTVU - October 9, 2014
Expanded late night transbay bus service could begin as early as December after BART and Alameda-Contra Costa Transit directors voted to approve the service.  BART directors approved the one-year pilot program today and AC Transit directors approved it Wednesday night.  The plan calls for AC Transit to run its existing late-night lines that run from San Francisco to Richmond and Fremont more frequently and add a line to the Pittsburg-Bay Point BART station.  
Boston Globe - October 9 , 2014
MBTA officials reassured legislators Thursday about the July 1 handoff of its commuter rail services to the French transit group Keolis.  "The transition to Keolis as the new operator and maintainer was designed to be seamless for our customers, and we were able to accomplish that changeover on July 1," Beverly A. Scott, general manager of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, said during a hearing before the Legislature's Joint Committee on Transportation.  
Safety
NPR - October 13, 2014
More than 400 pedestrians are killed by trains every year in the United States. That's in addition to the motorists who die when a train crashes into their car at a crossing. When people try to cross tracks or walk alongside them, they're doing something that is not only dangerous, but it's also illegal. They're trespassing on railroad property. NPR's Brian Naylor takes a look now at some of the reasons for the high number of fatalities, and his report does contain some disturbing images.
Labor News
Delaware County Daily Times - October 14, 2014
SEPTA reached a tentative contract agreement with the engineers that operate its regional railway trains Monday, ending a four-year contract dispute.  The deal calls for the engineers to receive an 8.5 percent wage increase when it is formally approved and another 3 percent increase in April.  
Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter