ACT e-News is a biweekly newsletter produced by ACT's Executive Director, Caryn Souza. It is a compilation of the latest news and updates from the TDM industry that delivers timely information, resources, and announcements to our members, colleagues and friends. Please keep us posted on your latest news and developments by emailing your content to info@actweb.org.
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Our Sponsor
A transportation connection is often the final link that ensures people can participate in training and education and obtain and retain a job. As a national technical assistance provider, the Joblinks Employment Transportation Center offers resources and strategies to maximize transportation solutions that serve low-wage workers, trainees, and job seekers. Visit us online or by email to take advantage of our virtual and in-person learning and networking opportunities.
joblinks@ctaa.org|www.solutionstogetthere.org
Want to be a sponsor? Contact: Kevin Oliff at 888.719.5772 ext. 3 or oliff@actweb.org
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Caryn's Corner
News about the Association for Commuter Transportation to keep mobility professionals informed
Statement from ACT Public Policy Chair Jon Martz
Action is heating up on the transportation authorization front. We expect both the House and the Senate to act on legislation next week. The House will be moving a 5-year bill at existing spending levels. While there is much to like about some of the policies in the House bill, the decision by the House Ways & Means Committee to strip transit funding and CMAQ out of the highway trust fund is concerning. The Senate is looking to move a 2-year bill at existing spending plus inflation. Included in that bill is a provision which would re-establish parity on the transit benefit for the rest of 2012. There is a lot of work to be done on both bills and we have been hard at work the past few weeks making sure ACT's interests are represented and we will continue to work with both bodies to insure that the best possible transportation bill in enacted into law. If you have any questions or would like to be added to the public policy councils email list, please email me at jon.martz@vpsiinc.com.
- Breakout Session Submission Deadline Extended Through Wednesday, February 15, 2012: ACT 2012 Breakout Session abstract proposals are still being accepted and the submission deadline has been extended through Wednesday, February 15, 2012. This will be the only extension, so submit your proposal today! As a reminder, this year's Breakout Session Presenters will receive a discounted Conference Registration, in addition to the reputation and recognition as an industry expert. Proposals are only accepted online.
- Professional Development Workshop Submission Deadline Also Extended To Wednesday, February 15: Professional Development Workshops for the 2012 ACT Conference will also be accepted through Wednesday, February 15. ACT is seeking proposals for instructors to train one of our four-hour professional development workshops at this year's conference on Sunday, July 29, 2012. Instructors will be paid a total of $750 to train the workshop, and will be part of the premier educational and networking event in the transportation demand management industry. Proposals are only accepted online.
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Capital ACTivity
News on transportation demand management policy and developments from the Nation's Capital
The second round of Veterans Transportation and Community Living Initiative grants, funded by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), will continue to help states and communities build or expand "one-click, one-call" centers that offer comprehensive information on local transportation options and other community services, with just a single phone call or click of the mouse.
Source: US DOT
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced the availability of approximately $30 million to create or increase access to local and regional transportation resources that veterans and military families depend on to get to work, school and other destinations. The transit funding would boost access to jobs and training that America's service members need and deserve. The previous round of Veterans Transportation and Community Living grants, announced in November 2011, provided $34.6 million for 55 projects in 32 states and Guam. Demand for the program was strong, with the Department receiving 70 eligible proposals seeking $52 million in funding requests to create "one-call, one-click" transportation resource centers around the United States last year. The second round of Veterans Transportation and Community Living Initiative grants, funded by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), will continue to help states and communities build or expand "one-click, one-call" centers that offer comprehensive information on local transportation options and other community services, with just a single phone call or click of the mouse.
Source: Transportation Nation
On Wednesday, November 9th, the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee marked-up the highway title for transportation authorization. The legislation, MAP-21 (S 1813) is a 2-year bill funded at existing spending levels plus inflation. The Senate Finance Committee has yet to schedule a mark-up to finance the $12 billion gap that is needed to be filled in order to meet the spending levels set forth in this legislation. Additionally, the Senate Banking Committee (transit) and Senate Commerce Committee (Safety) will mark-up their titles later in 2011 or early 2012.
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TDM News
Timely and insightful commentary, analysis and opinions regarding important trends, topics and developments in transportation demand management at the national, state, regional and local levels
Source: Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
This document serves as a resource directory of current products, research, and marketing activities that have been conducted within the Washington metropolitan region and Baltimore region. It will be maintained with the most current information available from notable sources. This document's goals are to outline a strategy for a regionally coordinated TDM marketing campaign in order to maximize the campaign's effectiveness in increasing awareness regarding TDM, by targeting specific employment activity centers for the promotion of specific modes and to create promotional events with trackable results. This document focuses on primary impacted activity centers/corridors in this region, and targets products along those employment activity centers that are competitive with driving alone for the audience who is most likely to try alternative transportation products.
Source: Feet First
With a unanimous vote of the Seattle School Board on February 1, 2012, the Seattle Public Schools (SPS) officially made Safe Routes to School a key part of their transportation strategy. The School Board voted to adopt new language into their Transportation Service Standards, integrating walking and biking into the pupil transportation plan. This policy enhancement is a critical piece of the district's shift to neighborhood schools. The progressive policy proposed by Seattle Public Schools Transportation Director Tom Bishop, seeks to make it easier for families to walk to their neighborhood schools following a district-wide consolidation and reduction of bus service. "Nobody wants to see an increase in single-vehicle rides to neighborhood schools," Bishop says, "but with parent concerns about pedestrian safety, we know it's a risk. By supporting walking school buses, the district is working to make it easier for more children to walk to school." And the community will also reap the benefits of the school district's efforts with a reduction of traffic. According to the National Center for Safe Routes to School, 10 to 14 percent of morning traffic is attributable to children being driven to school.
Source: Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
This document provides results of an evaluation of the Transportation Emission Reduction Measures (TERMs) that are voluntary transportation demand measures implemented through the Commuter Connections program in the Washington DC metropolitan region. Data collection efforts and transportation and emission impacts are highlighted for all of the TERMs. Results from the TERMS are used to support the region's air quality conformity determination and congestion management process. The TERMs evaluated include Maryland and Virginia Telework, Guaranteed Ride Home, Employer Outreach, and Mass Marketing. An evaluation is also included for the on-going regional rideshare efforts. The evaluation documents the impacts during a three year period between July 1, 2008 and June 30, 2011.
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The Commuter Transportation Flyer
Updates from transportation demand management systems from across the country
Source: NECN
The Maine Department of Transportation says a fleet of 14 buses rolled into the state from the Westchester County Public Works and Transportation Department in New York. They range in years from 2002 to 2008 and cost more than $330,000 new. But officials say that even with high mileage, they all have significant life left in them. And they not only come at no cost to the state, but with full tanks of gas. Their new owners in Maine will only have to pay for tires. The regional transit services getting the buses include the Biddeford-Saco-Old Orchard Beach shuttle, the South Portland Bus Service, the Bangor Community Connector and Ellsworth's Downeast Transportation.
Source: The DM Online
The Oxford Board of Aldermen and the University of Mississippi have initiated updates to the Oxford-University Transit system in the past few weeks. Along with blue, red, yellow and green lines, a purple line will be added to the mix, creating a Saturday route. This new purple line will accommodate a very specific, growing issue that has been voiced and observed within Oxford: some transit-dependent people have trouble traveling around Oxford on the weekend when the green and yellow lines do not run.
Source: US DOT
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today awarded $7 million to Georgia and Washington D.C. to continue work on the Southeast High-Speed Rail Corridor linking Atlanta and Charlotte, N.C. to Washington, D.C. "With America's population set to grow by 100 million over the next 40 years, high-speed rail will play a vital role in reducing congestion and meeting America's long-term transportation challenges," said Secretary LaHood. "High speed rail projects like these in Georgia, North Carolina, and Washington, D.C., will employ local workers, use American-made materials and lay a strong foundation for future economic growth." Thirty-two states across the U.S. and the District of Columbia are currently laying the foundation for high-speed rail corridors that will link Americans with faster and more energy-efficient travel options. To date, the U.S. Department of Transportation has invested $10.1 billion to put American communities on track towards new and expanded rail access and improved reliability, speed, and frequency of existing service.
Association for Commuter Transportation
1341 G Street, NW, 10th Floor Washington, DC 20005
tel: 202.719.5331 | toll free: 888.719.5772 | email: info@actweb.org
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