Public Transit

More than three-fourths of Americans support increasing funding for public transportation systems, the American Public Transportation Association said Monday.

The poll result was released as part of the Washington, D.C.-based APTA’s “State of Public Transportation.” It comes as Congress is gearing up to consider a new Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act (PRIIA), which includes, among other things, funding for Amtrak.

APTA’s findings were focused specifically on public transportation, but the group said the numbers showed support for intra-city railways and buses was overwhelming.

“Eighty-one percent of respondents value public transit’s affordable mobility; 79 percent believe public transportation offers opportunity for every segment of the population; while 76 percent of respondents favor increased public transit funding to decrease our dependence on foreign oil and to improve America’s economic security,” APTA said in a news release touting its polling.

Your morning transportation speed-read:

A California airport has withdrawn its request to opt out of Transportation Security Administration security screenings.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is planning to visit Detroit next week, fueling speculation of a light rail funding announcement.

Driverless cars are not popular among automobile manufacturers.

The CEO of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is stepping down.

House Republicans have set a Friday deadline for members to submit amendments to a Sandy relief package that includes $17 billion in emergency appropriations, and an amendment adding another $33.7 billion in relief for longer-term recovery efforts in the northeast.

The deadline sets up the potential for members to propose language to increase or reduce the size of the package, or perhaps offset parts of it with spending cuts. But as of Tuesday, no amendments to the package were listed on the Rules Committee website.

Your morning transportation speed-read:

A man accused of plotting to blow up a New York City subway train has pleaded not guilty.

Salt Lake City International Airport had the most "on-time" flights in America in 2012.

Chrysler is adding apps to its cars' onboard "infotainment" system.

A freight train in Texas collided with a truck carrying a Rolls-Royce.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced Monday that the Department of Transportation was awarding $135 million to a proposed light rail expansion project in Sacramento, Calif.

The money is intended to help Sacramento's Regional Transit (RT) District extend the city's light rail system by 4.3 miles to a college in the southern part of California's capital city.

LaHood traveled to Sacramento on Monday to make the announcement.

"The Obama administration is committed to helping the Sacramento area create a modern, efficient transportation network to spur new economic development and reduce congestion in the region,” he said in statement released by the DOT. “Across America, we’re investing in projects like this one that are built to last and keep our economy moving forward.”

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will travel to Sacramento, Calif., on Monday to make a "major transportation funding announcement," DOT officials said Friday afternoon.

Officials with Sacramento's Regional Transit District have sought to extend the city's light rail system by 4.3 miles to a college in the southern part of California's capital city.

LaHood will make his announcement Monday during an appearance at the school, Cosumnes River College, DOT officials said Friday.  

The legislation that was passed by Congress this week to resolve avert the "fiscal cliff" included a long-sought increase in the tax benefits that are given to people who use public transportation systems to get to work

Transportation advocates had pushed since 2011 to increase the amount public transit riders are allowed to withhold from their paychecks per month from the deductible income on their taxes for their trips to work.

Until the conclusion of the 2009 economic stimulus in 2011, the benefit for transit commuters had been roughly equal to the one given to workers who drive: $230. 

Federal Transit Administrator (FTA) Peter Rogoff told lawmakers Thursday that it would cost nearly $11 billion to repair and fortify public transportation systems that were damaged by Hurricane Sandy.

Transit systems in states like New York and New Jersey were badly damaged roads and railways by flooding when Sandy made landfall along the northeast Atlantic Ocean coast as a category 1 hurricane.

Appearing at a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs’ Housing, Transportation and Community Development Subcommittee, Rogoff said it would take $12 billion of the Obama administration’s $60 billion Sandy recovery proposal to restore transit to pre-hurricane levels.

“President Obama’s Supplemental Request for Disaster Assistance seeks $60.4 billion in federal resources for response, recovery, and mitigation [from Hurricane Sandy],” he told lawmakers.

 “The Department of Transportation’s share of the request is $12.07 billion, and of that, $11.7 billion –  the majority portion – would directly support the FTA’s effort to repair and replace the affected public transit infrastructure and make it more resilient,” he continued. 

Your morning transportation speed-read:

The chairman of New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Chairman officially announced his resignation Wednesday that is widely expected to be a precursor to a run for mayor of the city.

The MTA tweeted that its chairman, Joe Lhota, will be stepping down on Dec. 31 after a little more than a year on the job at the helm of the agency that runs the largest public transportation system in the U.S. The MTA said Lhota, who has run the the transit agency since November 2011, will be replaced by MTA Vice Chairman Fernando Ferrer on an interim basis.

Lhota is a former aide to New York City Mayor Rudy Guiliani (R). He is thought by New York political observers to be considering a run to replace outgoing New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg (I).