Spotlight on "Making Connections" 
In the weeks leading up to our October 26th transportation and workforce development conference, we're highlighting some of the day's workshops and plenary sessions.
 
Afternoon Workshop 3: Partnerships in Safety and Health
 
Safety and health in the transit work environment depends on management commitment and worker involvement. Other partners such as oversight agencies, technical consultants, equipment manufacturers, and researchers also contribute to the success of workplace health or safety initiatives. These partnerships are promoted by the FTA, by OSHA, and by other transit and safety organizations. The goal of this session is to define the structure of successful labor-management partnerships, and to recognize the roles of other contributors. Panelists and participants will describe their experience with innovative approaches, successful safety partnerships at the transit agency and national levels, and barriers they have encountered. The focus will be on workplace safety and health, but will also address workers' roles in Safety Management Systems and employee health concerns. Panelists will discuss industry partnerships concerning health and safety related issues such as bus redesign for pedestrian safety, rail and trucking operator peer-training, and operator restroom access.
 
This workshop will be moderated by Dr. Robin Mary Gillespie of the Murphy Institute for Worker Education and Labor Studies, a nationally recognized workplace health and safety consultant.
  • For more information and to register for Making Connections click here.
  • For more information on the day's workshop and plenary sessions, see our schedule-at-a-glance.
Center Update  
California Rail Car Mentor Training Builds On-the-Job Learning at BART, VTA
 
On September 28, the Santa Clara Valley Transit Authority (VTA) and Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 265 hosted a mentor training session in San Jose sponsored by the National Rail Car Training Consortium in partnership with the Joint Workforce Investment (JWI). Stuart Bass, from the Keystone Development Partnership, led the session to prepare the five mentors for facilitating the on-the-job-training (OJT) component of the VTA/ATU rail vehicle maintenance training program. The class explored learning styles and communication to enhance the mentor trainee relationship.  
 
On September 29, BART and SEIU Local 1021 hosted the mentor session in Hayward, CA, for ten mentors. The mentors bring over a hundred years' experience in rail vehicle maintenance to the program. The group discussed how to improve the program and expressed great commitment to transfer their knowledge to trainees.
Public Transportation
Progressive Railroading - October 2, 2017
"It is critical to get the island's infrastructure in working condition as soon as possible so relief supplies and other assistance can be delivered to the people of Puerto Rico," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao in a press release issued late last week.
Governing - September 2017
Despite recent urbanization, most U.S. cities were designed for cars. In fact, most remain dominated by solo drivers. Taking transit in these cities is generally inefficient. Nevertheless, some, such as Los Angeles and Miami, are arriving at an "in-between" stage. They're seeing increased density and congestion. These kinds of cities face two major questions: Can they densify in ways that avoid traffic Armageddon, such as by encouraging transit? And can transit ever become as convenient as driving once was, so that densification doesn't mean reduced quality of life?
City Lab - September 28, 2017
If anything good comes out of the current arms race between North American cities to land Amazon's second headquarters, it might be a disruption of one of the more intractable subjects of public discourse: mass transportation.
The Huffington Post - September 29, 2017
Pittsburgh became a stand-in for industrial decline over the past four decades after steel plants either moved overseas or replaced costly union workers with newfangled machines. For Laura Wiens, director of the advocacy group Pittsburghers for Public Transit, the threat of self-driving cars triggers the trauma of those tens of thousands of layoffs.
The Washington Post - September 27, 2017
[Associate administrator of research, demonstration and innovation at the Federal Transit Administration, Vincent] Valdes said heavy rail will be around for a long time, particularly in cities where it already exists. The FTA is already funding some pilot projects through its Mobility on Demand Sandbox program to promote linking car-share and bike-share with traditional mass transit networks, such as San Francisco's Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system, he said.
Transit System/Partners
Progressive Railroading - September 29, 2017 
The extensions will bring light rail to some of the most densely populated neighborhoods in the region, Sound Transit officials said in a press release. 
Next City - September 27, 2017
Los Angeles isn't the first city to fund affordable housing near transit - last year, Seattle joined a number of public and private partners to launch a $21 million revolving loan fund also aimed at also aimed at building housing for low-income families near transit. But while transit-oriented development remains the motivation for many new lines, and a coveted and hoped-for by-product of breaking ground (even if it doesn't always inflate property values), it is still unique to see a transit agency taking the reins of that development.
The Daily Free Press - October 2, 2017
Sustainability bonds act as more comprehensive green bonds, which exclusively fund projects with environmental benefits, by additionally supporting efforts that account for social considerations, said MBTA treasurer Paul Brandley. 
Building Transportation Infrastructure
The Washington Post - September 26, 2017
A White House official said there are "legitimate questions" about a public-private approach to revamping the nation's infrastructure. The official said that although the administration has researched such approaches, "they are certainly not the silver bullet for all of our nation's infrastructure problems, and we will continue to consider all viable options."
Planetizen - September 27, 2017
Atlanta officials are considering a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line that would stretch from downtown into the city's suburbs. "MARTA plans to build a 13-mile BRT line along I-20 from Atlanta's Five Points Station to Wesley Chapel Road in DeKalb County," David Wickert writes for The Atlanta Journal Constitution.
Labor News
The New York Times - September 29, 2017
Over the course of nearly four decades, Tony Utano has seen the New York City subway system at its worst and best and worst again. To a lifelong transit worker, today's problems do not come as a surprise. "When they cut budgets, they reduce manpower," he said. And at some point, there are simply not enough people to do the maintenance needed to keep the trains running on time and all that workers can do is manage the crisis.
The New York Times - September 28, 2017
In the labor case, the court will consider whether public-sector unions may require workers who are not members to help pay for collective bargaining. If the court's answer is no, unions would probably lose a substantial source of revenue.
Workforce Development
The Hill - September 28, 2017
Registered Apprenticeship programs and on-the-job training can help veterans successfully transition from the military to a new career they can continue to proud of. Certified by the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), apprenticeship programs put veterans on a career track, with good benefits and opportunities for continued advancement. GI Bill participants in these apprenticeship programs are eligible to receive tax-free GI benefits while also being paid by the company that has hired them. Once the apprenticeship or training is complete, those who successfully complete the program receive national certification in a given field.
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