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July 29, 2022 | An APTA Publication
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Rep. Khanna Tours AC Transit Facility
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) toured the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District’s (AC Transit) Hayward-based Training and Education Center in Oakland, CA, this week to see how 43 new bus drivers and technicians are progressing toward regulatory certifications and graduation.
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FTA Announces $1.75B Rail Station Accessibility Funding
FTA has announced it will provide $1.75 billion to make it easier for people to get on board at the nation’s oldest rail systems, including $343 million in a notice of funding availability. The funding will help public transit agencies retrofit stations to include elevators, ramps and other amenities to assist wheelchair users and others with limited mobility.
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Senate Appropriations Committee Releases Transportation Approps. Bill
The Senate Committee on Appropriations released its FY23 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations bill (S. 4670) July 28.
The bill appropriates the overwhelming majority of public transit and passenger rail authorizations of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Specifically, the bill, together with the IIJA’s advance appropriations, provides a total of $21.1 billion for public transit in FY23, an increase of $565 million (three percent) from the FY22 enacted level. In addition, it provides $16.9 billion for passenger and freight rail in FY23, an increase of $325 million (two percent) from the FY22 enacted level.
It is unclear if the Senate will mark up this bill, but it is a starting point for further negotiations.
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APTA Announces AdWheel First-Place Winners
APTA has announced the First-Place winners of its 2022 AdWheel Awards. AdWheel recognizes the strategic importance of marketing and communications initiatives that advance the organizational goals of APTA members.
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COMMENTARY
Intrinsic Rewards of Working for a Small Business
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Work is an obligation we all face, a promise we make to family, employers and ourselves. It is a promise that says vitality must be earned. Research reveals four primary motivations for work, from obvious to intuitive to inherent:
- Money: Everybody must make a living.
- Social Esteem: Being valued by others feels good.
- Usefulness and Learning: Putting talent to task and learning new things is fulfilling.
- Contribution: Being engaged in a greater good gives meaning to the other objectives.
For most, everyday demands suggest we prioritize earning a living, but in public transit, there are opportunities for achievement in all four facets of career satisfaction. The industry is lucrative. We routinely collaborate on solving problems where our unique skills are valued and we are always learning. Most importantly, we see the positive impacts of our work—every day. But what about the end game? What happens when we complete our corporate careers, yet don’t want to relinquish the other facets of accomplishment derived from having meaningful work? When making a living is no longer the top priority, who will you become?
BY EVE WILLIAMS
President & CEO
Dikita Enterprises, Inc.
Chair
APTA Business Member Board of Governors
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APTA Wins Five Communications Awards
APTA was recently honored with five awards for excellence in writing and communications. APTA’s 2021 Annual Report won the top awards from two different independent judging groups: the Gold EXCEL Award from the Association Media & Publishing Network, and the APEX Grand Award in the category of annual reports. This is the third consecutive year that APTA’s Annual Report has won the APEX Grand Award.
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COMTO Honors Transportation Leaders
The Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) honored transportation leaders at its 2022 Industry Awards Gala recently, held during its National Meeting and Training Conference in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Pamela Boswell, recently retired APTA Vice President, Workforce Development & Educational Services, was among those honored.
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Register for APTA OT-CMF Webinar
APTA’s Implementing the Operational Technology Cybersecurity Framework (OT-CMF) webinar, Aug. 8, 1:00 p.m. Eastern, will discuss the maturity model developed by the APTA Control & Communications Cybersecurity Working Group. The model assists public transit agencies in establishing a cybersecurity language to enable communication between leadership and stakeholders; creating an approach for maturing control systems’ cybersecurity programs; understanding current control systems' programs; developing programs that enable data-driven risk prioritization; and optimizing cybersecurity investments to increase resilience based on organizational data. Register here.
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RTD Offers “Zero Fare for Better Air”
BY LAURIE HUFF
Senior Specialist, Public Relations
Regional Transportation District (RTD)
Denver, CO
Since the beginning of July, the Regional Transportation District (RTD) has offered zero fares on all of its services—bus, rail, paratransit and microtransit—through Zero Fare for Better Air, a collaborative, statewide initiative designed to reduce ground-level ozone regionwide by encouraging public transit usage.
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Los Angeles County Transit Rider Portraits Featured on Metro Art Bus
BY CLARE HAGGARTY
Senior Manager, Transportation Planning–Arts and Design Project Delivery
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro)
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has launched a moving exhibition of transit rider portraits by local artists as part of a new Metro Art Bus program. Engaging riders and passersby is an immersive art experience from street to seat with 16 large-scale portraits of transit riders on the exterior of the buses and 41 portraits lining the interior of the buses
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DeBruhl, Virginia DRPT
 Jennifer DeBruhl has been appointed director of the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT). She has been serving as acting director since March. DeBruhl joined DRPT in 2016 as chief of public transportation, following more than 20 years at VADOT and the Federal Highway Administration. At DRPT, she has led numerous transportation, commuter assistance and congestion management programs. DeBruhl is a member of the Commonwealth Transportation Board, chair of the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority Board and a board member for several transportation organizations. For APTA, she is chair of the State Affairs Committee, is a member of the APTA Board of Directors and serves on the Legislative; Mobility Management; and Planning, Policy and Program Development committees, among others.
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Léonard, Société de Transport de Montréal
 Marie-Claude Léonard has been appointed chief executive officer of the Société de Transport de Montréal (STM). She has been with STM for 30 years. Having begun her career as an agent, she rose through the ranks and was appointed executive director, bus and metro operations, September 2021, before being named interim CEO in March 2022. She has been a member of the STM Executive Committee for the last six years. Léonard serves on several international committees, including the Policy Board of the International Association of Public Transport (UITP).
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FTA Launches Phase Two of Sustainable Transit for Healthy Planet Climate Challenge
FTA has launched Phase Two of its Sustainable Transit for a Healthy Planet Challenge. The challenge encourages public transit agencies to take bold actions to further reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to support President Biden’s GHG reduction goals. The challenge calls on transit agencies to develop climate, sustainability or electrification or zero-emission transition plans that include strategies to achieve GHG emission targets.
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TransLink Unveils Special PrideBus
TransLink, Vancouver, BC, has brought its specially wrapped PrideBus back in service for the upcoming Vancouver Pride Festival. This year’s bus features a brand-new rainbow wrap. The PrideBus, along with TransLink employees, will be taking part in the 44th annual Vancouver Pride Parade July 31 to celebrate and support LGBTQAI2S+ communities. “We’re overjoyed to be participating once again in the Vancouver Pride Parade and look forward to celebrating our city’s wonderful diversity,” said TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn.
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Pace Opens New Plainfield Facility
Officials from Pace, Arlington Heights, IL, along with those from Illinois, Will County, the Village of Plainfield and the Chicago Regional Transportation Authority, joined representatives from Northern Builders, Inc. recently to celebrate Pace’s new maintenance and storage garage near the Pace Plainfield Park-n-Ride.
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Get Ahead in the Industry with APTA Events!
Summertime isn't slowing down progress in the public transportation industry. Keep up to speed with APTA's summer schedule of impactful, in-person events. Then, get ready for TRANSform, the biggest public transit event of the year!
Sustainability/Operations Planning and Scheduling Workshop
Aug. 7-10
Learn techniques from industry thought-leaders on how to enhance energy efficiency, resiliency and service integration.
APTAtech
Aug. 14-17
Explore information technology, fare payment systems, cybersecurity and real-time open data solutions for public transportation.
State Public Transportation Partnerships Conference
Aug. 27-30
Redefining our communities' experiences from our shared successes, lessons, trials and tribulations will make us stronger than before.
TRANSform Conference
Oct. 9-12
APTA's TRANSform Conference, the biggest industry event of the year. Engage in workshops, experience technical tours and network with colleagues.
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More in This Issue of Passenger Transport:
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Passenger Transport Wishes to Thank its Advertisers:
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American Public Transportation Association | 1300 I St. NW, Suite 1200 East | Washington, DC 20005
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