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SAFETEA-LU RulemakingSAFETEA-LU required that FTA enact 17 new regulations, including four identified as key by APTA: Planning, New Starts/ Small Starts, Buy America, and Charter Bus. It also required FTA to issue nearly 29 other program guidance documents. With this in mind, APTA created a "SAFETEA-LU Resource Center" on the APTA web site, and established a method for APTA members to easily provide input and develop and submit formal comments to FTA. Since FTA began its SAFETEA-LU rulemakings in late 2005, APTA has submitted 15 formal comments and made numerous other submissions to FTA. APTA continues to move forward by soliciting industry input and developing comments for submission as further rulemaking activities progress. Recognizing the need for members to better understand SAFETEA-LU, APTA held a webinar and published two new resources. SAFETEA-LU: A Guide to Transit-Related Provisions provides a brief summary of key transit and related provisions in the law. Federal Public Transportation Law as Amended by SAFETEA-LU documents changes in the federal law. Transit Security FundingAPTA continued its efforts to press the case for more funds for transit security. Congress appropriated $150 million for transit under the FY 2006 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations bill for transit, passenger rail and freight security grants. While the law provided the same funding in FY 2005, there were signs of increased support for transit security funding in Congress. Several bills were still moving through the legislative process when Congress recessed for Focusing On The FutureCoalitions/Grass Roots AdvocacyThroughout the year, APTA continued to develop strong relationships with coalition partners such as the U.S. Chamber-based Americans for Transportation Mobility and AARP. These partnerships helped APTA provide a unified message to Congress that SAFETEA-LU must be fully funded in annual appropriations. APTA's coalition partnerships were also utilized to examine future transportation financing options, and this issue was front and center at APTA's Legislative Conference in March. With SAFETEA-LU due to expire in 2009, the APTA Legislative Committee, chaired by Beverly Scott, general manager, CEO, Sacramento Regional Transit District, began the reauthorization process. APTA continued its successful programs for mobilizing grass roots supporters, including the National Alliance of Public Transportation Advocates, throughout the year. The activities of local grass-roots organizations continued to be nurtured through APTA's local coalition grant program, with 16 local organizations receiving support in 2006. Grant recipients have worked to raise public awareness about the benefits of public transportation, as well as advocate for dedicated sources of funding for their respective transit systems.
Building On The (PT)2 ProgramMoving forward, the Public Transportation Partnership for Tomorrow (PT)2 program was unanimously approved by the APTA Board of Directors, to continue as an ongoing, core activity of APTA, effective July 2006. The transition process began more than a year ago with the formation of a (PT)2 Evaluation Task Force. The Task Force, co-chaired by Richard Bacigalupo, deputy CEO, Orange County Transportation Authority and David Turney, chairman, president, CEO, RTI, Inc.; a dri Company, reviewed the program, hosted listening sessions and presented their recommendations to the APTA Board.
Based on positive feedback, the task force recommended continuing the program as part of APTA's core activities funded through APTA dues and other sources involved in the five-year voluntary program. The ongoing program will continue to build on the strong foundation created by the (PT)2 program by providing public support and political action for transit growth and investment through an integrated advocacy and communications effort, based on up-to-date, solid research. The program will focus on increasing federal funding for public transportation, expanding support for public transportation at state and local levels, improving perceptions of the value and benefits of public transportation, and increasing appreciation for public transportation's contributions to communities. It is also consistent with the APTA strategic plan and the programmatic elements developed under the guidance of APTA's Marketing and Communications and Legislative Committees.
Launching publictransportation.orgIn an effort to further reach out to the public, APTA redesigned and re-launched the publictransportation.org web site. The new site is geared to providing information to the general public about how public transit benefits individuals, their communities, and society as a whole. The message that public transportation provides greater freedom, access, opportunity and choice continues to remain a central theme. The web site provides enhanced links to all forms of public transportation systems nationwide. It also offers a newly created "feature story" section that promotes transit-related studies and reports as well as a special section with current news and information related to the industry. Visitors to the web site are able to respond with questions as well as provide feedback as to what they would like to see on the site or how best to use the information. Investing Today For A Brighter TomorrowThis year's theme, "Investing Today for a Brighter Tomorrow," was carried through in the many conferences and workshops APTA held throughout the year. 2005 Annual Meeting and EXPOMore than 750 exhibitors filled 280,000 square feet of show floor - equal to six football fields, in what was the largest transit exhibition in the world. More than 69 countries were represented. The 2005 Annual Meeting and EXPO was held in Dallas, TX in September, and was hosted by Dallas Area Rapid Transit. APTA's business members and especially APTA's EXPO Committee, chaired by Brian Macleod, senior vice president, GILLIG Corporation, were instrumental in ensuring it was a success. An array of world-renowned experts including management guru Marcus Buckingham, Para-Olympic skier and speaker Bonnie St. John and strategist Cal Darden, former senior vice president for U.S. operations, UPS, shared their expertise and insights with the 16,000 attendees. APTA's other meetings offered members the opportunity to learn and exchange ideas with experts and peers. More than 700 persons attended the legislative conference in March in Washington, D.C. The International Joint Light Rail Conference, sponsored by APTA, the Transportation Research Board and the International Union of Public Transport, was held in St. Louis, MO and brought together a prestigious group of industry leaders who addressed developments in light rail. More than 400 persons attended. At APTA’s Rail Conference in New York, which attracted more than 1,500 persons, FTA Deputy Administrator Sandy Bushue announced that FTA would be making a grant of $1.1 million in FY 2007 to support APTA’s Standards Development Program. APTA's fourteenth Annual International Rail Rodeo was held in conjunction with the Rail Conference. MTA New York City Transit won the Rail Transit Team Achievement Award. The rodeo is designed to encourage excellence and professionalism in rail transit operations. A total of 20 of North America's finest rail transit systems with 32 operators and 48 maintainers participated. APTA's Bus and Paratransit Conference in Orange County, CA, which included the 2006 International Bus Roadeo, focused on quality service and featured a bus products and services showcase. AC Transit in Oakland, CA won the Grand Champion Award. More than 1,500 persons attended. To highlight the importance of customer care in the transit industry, this year's bus roadeo featured a new customer service competition - The Customer Service Challenge. The event featured seven of the best bus operators in the nation. They faced off in a contest to test their customer service skills as a series of fictitious passengers presented contestants with real-life customer service scenarios. The APTA Marketing and Communications and International Bus Roadeo Committees worked jointly to develop the Customer Service Challenge. APTA Chair Howard Silver kicked off a successful Transit Board Members Seminar and Board Support Workshop in Montréal this year which attracted more than 225 persons. At the workshop, he spoke on his initiatives for the year and called for increased involvement of APTA Transit Board Members and business members in all of APTA's activities. APTA also released the new Handbook for Board Members. The Transit CEO's Seminar in Long Beach, CA focused on the APTA Chair's initiatives for the year, with more than 125 general managers and CEOs in attendance. Several seminars and workshops were held throughout the year, emphasizing APTA's commitment to its membership. They included APTA's first Sustainability Public Transportation Conference in New York, Legal Affairs Seminar in San Francisco and Bus Equipment and Maintenance Workshop in Dallas. Expanding Professional Development OpportunitiesThroughout the year, APTA invested in elearning educational opportunities for members which provided them with valuable information without having to leave their offices. More than 1,200 APTA members and industry leaders connected to 400 sites and participated in a variety of web-based educational programs. The webinar series continued with a special webinar on SAFETEA-LU and webinars on the Family Medical Leave Act sponsored by APTA's Human Resources Committee; strategic planning for transit board members, board support personnel and state transit association executives and staff; and one on universal design co-sponsored by Easter Seals Project ACTION and featuring AARP on the panel of experts. APTA also implemented and launched a Learning Management System used for information exchange and review of documents and research products by the APTA Human Resources Committee, the Leadership APTA Committee and class members, and the Mobility Services for All Americans Stakeholder Advisory Group. In response to the rapid growth in the rail industry and the need to train maintainers in both light and heavy rail, APTA is developing a technical training curricula. A working group headed by Peter Tereschuck, president and general manager, San Diego Trolley, Inc., and Beverly Scott, general manager, CEO, Sacramento Regional Transit District and chair of the APTA Legislative Committee, is working with the Amalgamated Transit Union and the Community Transportation Center of America on this project. Investing in International PartnershipsAPTA's international program benefited from the Annual Meeting and EXPO. APTA welcomed more than 1,200 international attendees to the trade show. Once again, the EXPO was certified by the U.S. Department of Commerce as an International Buyer Program participant and the department presented APTA with a special recognition award for the show. Key delegations that attended EXPO included: a delegation from Israel led by Transport Minister Meir Sheetrit, a 12-member French parliamentary delegation, a Mexican delegation headed by Francisco Camberos, president of the Transport Commission of the National Chamber of Deputies; and a delegation from Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Two delegations from China traveled to Dallas, including one led by Lan Rong, transport division director of the Ministry of Construction and one with representatives from the bus and rail transit systems in Chengdu. APTA also participated in the bilateral meeting of the U.S. Department of Transportation and South Korean Ministry of Transport. On a trade mission to Beijing with the FTA, APTA President William Millar and Zhu Ying, the secretary general of the China Urban Public Transport Association, signed a Cooperative Agreement between the two associations. The signing ceremony took place during a meeting on public transit issues at the Chinese Ministry of Transportation with APTA business members and FTA officials. APTA also participated in a trade mission to Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Nanjing. On a second APTA - FTA trade mission, led by FTA's Rita Daguillard, participants visited Ecuador, Brazil and Columbia. The CEOs of nine Japanese bus companies visiting the United States on a study tour met with APTA to discuss efforts to improve the rate of return on bus operations, new bus technologies and government support for bus operations. Building on relationships established at EXPO and the trade missions, APTA hosted visitors which included five delegations from China.
Moving The Industry ForwardDeveloping StandardsAPTA's Standards Development Program is a major initiative aimed at helping transit systems adopt and implement standards. During the year, more than 30 transit systems and organizations signed a letter of agreement to participate in the program and implement standards. FTA has joined APTA in promoting the importance of transit standards by adding federal funds to this program. In fact, this year FTA awarded APTA with a $1 million grant in support of standards development. This is the first year that the permanent funding mechanism was utilized to ensure APTA had the resources to create and maintain a comprehensive industry-wide standards development program across all modes. This, along with federal grants, resulted in the growth of the program to better meet the growing needs of the transit industry. The Standards Development Oversight Council (SDOC), chaired by Peter Cannito, president, MTA Metro-North Railroad, provides policy, management and funding direction for bus, rail transit, commuter rail, security, accessibility and procurement. More than 190 standards have been approved, and more are in development. The first phase of bus standards in brakes and fire safety has been approved. Three standards have been approved in these areas, with more than 15 in the process. Also approved was the Small Operations Committee's proposal to develop a process and practical tools for assessing candidates for front-line supervisory positions, along with maintenance facility design guidelines, in-plant inspection guidelines and hybrid vehicles accessory testing. More than 350 participants from throughout the industry were involved in identifying and developing these bus standards. The newest standards programs, security and procurement, have established priorities and set up working groups to develop standards and guidelines within their program areas. In support of continued expansion of the program, a new proposal was initiated and submitted to the SDOC. It is aimed at developing accessibility standards and recommended practices on all modes of public transit. The new APTA Standards web site was created to inform members of current and future initiatives in the area of standards. The web site also serves as a tool for working groups. In a private section of the site, work groups can review draft documents, vote, and communicate with other work group members. This allows for participation in the work group, even if travel is limited. ProcurementAs part of the industry's continuing effort to reform procurement rules and act in a businesslike manner, the APTA Executive Committee created a new Procurement Steering Committee chaired by Ronald Tober, CEO, director of public transit, Charlotte Area Transit System, and Robert Brownstein, principal consultant, PB Consult, Inc. Comprised of public and private sector members, the committee is continuing to develop strategies leading to improved procurement and selling practices, providing the industry with better products at a fair cost, strengthening the industry's business climate, and ensuring the integrity of the procurement process. Strengthening SecurityInvesting in the security of the nation's transit systems and customers is a key initiative of APTA. APTA worked to pilot the introduction of the Homeland Security Information Network. This information system is being introduced as a complementary mode to the Public Transit Information Sharing Analysis Center. APTA also represented members within a "Fusion Center" being developed through leadership by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The goal is to coordinate various security-related activities of the TSA with the DHS as well as the FTA and the Federal Railroad Administration. The "fusion" approach is intended to reduce duplication of outreach and information by the various areas of the federal government that have an interest in security matters. In December, APTA and its federal partners discussed the need to coordinate technology development and deployment. The meeting focused on the need to engage the transit industry in the early stages of technological development programs. Through this initiative, DHS has agreed to establish an industry advisory group to help guide future security research and development activities. APTA demonstrated the need to coordinate technology development and deployment with its federal partners by requesting that the industry be involved in the early stages of technological development programs. Through this initiative, DHS has agreed to establish an industry advisory group to help guide future security research and development activities. This year, the new APTA Security Standards Policy and Planning Committee met for the first time and identified goals and adopted bylaws. The committee, chaired by Michael Burns, CEO, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, has established working groups to address infrastructure security. DHS is also participating. During the 2006 APTA Rail Conference, DHS and U. S. Department of Transportation representatives discussed security policy issues with APTA's Security Affairs Steering Committee, chaired by George Warrington, executive director, New Jersey Transit corporation. As a result, a task group was created to work with DHS officials in developing a transportation specific security plan that will guide future federal programs.
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| This New Orleans Regional Transit Authority partially restored service after Hurricane Katrina devastated most of the city. This streetcar is decorated for Christmas. |
APTA recognized that the key to building -- and keeping -- ridership is through quality service. The newly established Quality Service Task Force, chaired by Fred Gilliam, president and CEO, Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority in Austin, TX and APTA vice chair - bus and paratransit operations, and, Richard Ruddell, president and CEO, Fort Worth Transportation Authority, began as an initiative to focus on bus operations. Later, it was expanded by the APTA Executive Committee to include all public transportation modes. The task force is working to create industry-wide adoption of quality into daily operations. Some of the quality service-related activities underway include initiation of a Transit Cooperative Research Program Quick Study on Quality Service; development of an inventory of current quality service related resources; continuation of APTA Peer Reviews to focus on quality service; and, working with FTA to discuss the possibility of funded workshops that might be provided through entities such as the National Transit Institute.
Over the course of this year, APTA continued to offer a broad range of top-notch workforce development and human resource programs to guide the industry's leaders in making the public transportation industry an "employer of choice."
APTA also continued to sponsor, develop and promote programs to invest in the professional development of the next generation of transportation leaders. The ninth class of Leadership APTA, was introduced at the annual meeting. Under the guidance of the Leadership APTA Committee, chaired by Celia Kupersmith, general manager, Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District, the program focused on core competencies in leadership. Through research projects, it continued to provide an opportunity for participants to work closely with APTA committees to address key industry priorities, challenges and research needs.
The American Public Transportation Foundation (APTF) supports the advancement of education, professional development and research. One of its strategic goals is to increase APTF's net assets and other sources of funding to support scholarships, fellowships, transit education and research programs. Developing a strategic fund for the future that would parallel the current operating program for the APTF was identified as a major factor in implementing this ambitious plan. A full-time director of development was appointed to carry out APTF's goals.
APTA again sponsored a local school in the Mineta Transportation Institute's annual Garrett Morgan Videoconference on Sustainable Transportation. This year APTA sponsored the 9th and 10th grade students of the TransTech Academy of Francis L. Cardozo Senior High School, a magnet school in the District of Columbia which focuses on transportation issues. As a result of the exceptional performance of TransTech Academy, a special high school category was added to this year's competition and the students won top honors. A teacher and two students went to San Jose, CA to be honored by the institute.
APTA also participated on the planning task force for the third International Youth Summit on Sustainable Transportation hosted by the Canadian Urban Transit Association. With financial support from Eno Transportation Foundation, three TransTech Academy graduates were able to attend the youth summit in Montreal.
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| The ninth class of Leadership APTA poses with Leadership APTA Committee Chair Celia Kupersmith, far left, and APTA Chair Howard Silver, far right. |
Gasoline prices approached record levels this past summer and the industry saw more and more Americans turning to transit as an option.
APTA included sessions at meetings on how the increases affected ridership at transit systems. On June 8, APTA sponsored National Dump the Pump Day to highlight the importance of public transportation as the quickest way to beat the high price of gas. To assist transit systems, APTA created an online resource kit with artwork; suggested activities; and, sample press releases. More than 70 transit agencies participated. Some agencies offered free rides; one even held a "Dump the Pump" concert.
Ridership on public transit grew with more than 9.7 billion trips taken on U.S. systems in 2005. And, since 1995, public transit use increased 25.1 percent.
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| The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District was one of many systems nationwide that participated in APTA’s National Dump the Pump Day. |
On October 24, the nation mourned the passing of civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks. On December 1, public transportation agencies across the country joined together in honor of the 50th anniversary of her refusal to give up her seat on a Montgomery, AL bus.
APTA organized the nationwide tribute and provided members with a toolkit of items. Transit agencies honored her in different ways; many chose to reserve a front bus seat in her honor. Other activities included: keeping bus headlights on all day; displaying interior and exterior posters about her; free rides; bus wrappings in her honor; proclamations by transit boards; press events with local, state, and federal officials; and, community activities with schools and the local chapters of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO).
Parks was the recipient in 1997 of APTA's first Lifetime Achievement Award.
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| Transit systems across the country celebrated the legacy of Rosa Parks on the 50th anniversary of her refusal to give up her seat on a bus. |
The demographics of the United States will change dramatically over the next 25 years as more baby boomers reach their 60s and 70s. As people grow older, they often become less willing, or unable to drive. The industry needs to be prepared to meet the demands of this population.
With this in mind, APTA participated in the 2005 White House Conference on Aging, (WHCOA) where transportation options for Americans were ranked among the top three priorities facing seniors.
Of the 73 resolutions presented, the pledge to "Ensure That Older Americans Have Transportation Options to Retain Their Mobility and Independence" received the third most votes with 1,002 ballots, out of a maximum of 1,200. The resolution is one of 50 that will go to President Bush and Congress to help guide national aging policies for the next 10 years. This is significant since transportation was not on the agenda in the planning stages of the conference. APTA and partners worked to have the WHCOA include transportation on the agenda, and were successful.
The mobility resolution calls for expanding transportation options for seniors, increasing funding for public transportation targeted to seniors' needs, coordinating 62 federal programs that support transportation services at the local level, and developing communities that allow older citizens to "age in place" within their own neighborhoods with easy access to essential, everyday destinations.
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| Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta, from left; J. Barry Barker, Transit Authority of River City (Louisville); and, APTA President William Millar at the White House Conference on Aging. |
In keeping with growing technological advances, and to better serve its members, APTA launched MyAPTA, a new eWeb resource available on APTA's web site that offers more personalized association information to readers.
MyAPTA directly benefits members by encouraging them to manage much of their own membership data, access real-time information on the online membership directory, and view current registration lists for conferences and other events. Information changes by the minute.
Through MyAPTA, members also can access the Electronic News Service, the procurement pages, and specific areas of the web site devoted to safety standards. MyAPTA also boosts committee communications by allowing members to universally e-mail fellow committee members. In addition, members are able to track their APTA event registrations and product purchases and take advantage of a "shopping cart" to register for meetings.
To communicate the value and benefits of membership in APTA, Passenger Transport published a Resource Guide for members. Titled APTA: Your Transit Industry Resource, it highlights services, products, upcoming meetings, and key publications designed to meet the needs of APTA members.
Financially, APTA had a solid year and again concluded with revenues ahead of expenses. The APTA operating budget stood at $18.8 million for Fiscal Year 2006.
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