AFL-CIO Flexing Its Muscle for Senate Transit Operating Aid Bill
The AFL-CIO, a formidable lobbying force in Washington, is throwing
its weight behind a Senate bill offered
last week that would authorize $2 billion in emergency funding for
transit agencies forced to hike fares or cut service in lean budgetary
times.
June 1, 2010
Cyclists Laud LaHood’s Bike-Ped Advocacy
Several dozen cyclists rode to U.S. DOT headquarters today to present
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood with a letter signed by hundreds of
local bike-ped groups, hailing the former GOP congressman's support for
their cause during his first 16 months on the job.
May 28, 2010
Bipartisan Ped Safety Amendment Hitches a Ride on House Auto Bill
The House Energy and Commerce Committee yesterday
advanced an auto safety bill aimed at strengthening U.S. DOT
regulators' hands in the aftermath of Toyota's recall debacle. Despite
Republican complaints
that the legislation would impose too many new costs on the car
industry, bipartisan support emerged readily for an amendment focused on
pedestrian safety.
May 27, 2010
New Report Examines the Media’s Role in the Gas Tax Debate
The
success of state-level plans to increase gas taxes is tied to the
media's portrayal of the proposals in question, with narratives tied to
"crumbling infrastructure" and "economic progress" showing more success
than those emphasizing long-term transportation budget gaps, according
to a new report released by the University of Vermont's Transportation
Research Center (TRC).
May 26, 2010
Tracing the Fault Lines Between Public and Private Transit Operators
Should private transit companies enjoy the same federal gas tax
exemption that many public operators receive? How does the existence of
private inter-city bus service affect the government's development of
new high-speed rail lines? And does it matter that private transit firms
are eligible for public subsidies, even if at a much smaller rate than
public rail and bus agencies?
May 25, 2010
Four House Republicans Join Dems in Hailing LaHood’s Support for Bike-Ped
Four House Republicans yesterday joined 24 Democratic colleagues in a
letter praising Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood for his public
support of federal bicycling and pedestrian investment -- a stance that
had generated some
bad blood between LaHood and the trucking industry.
May 21, 2010
APHA Tallies ‘Hidden Health Costs’ of Transportation Status Quo
The nation's transportation planning process fails to account for
more
than $200 billion per year in "hidden health costs" imposed by traffic
and air
pollution, according to a new report from the American Public Health
Association (APHA) that maps the nexus between infrastructure and
health care.
May 20, 2010
Transit Industry and State DOTs Agree: Senate Climate Bill Needs ‘Rewrite’
The transit industry's leading D.C. lobbying outlet joined the
umbrella group for state DOTs and two major construction groups yesterday to
protest the Senate climate bill's failure to set aside all of the
revenue from its proposed new fuel fees for infrastructure projects --
specifically, to the cash-strapped highway trust fund that is generally
split, 80-20, between roads and transit.
May 20, 2010