House Republicans should include a new surface transportation bill in their summer schedule, the American Road and Transportation Builders Association said this week.

In a letter to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.), dated Thursday, ARTBA CEO Peter Ruane said this week that Cantor, the second highest-ranking Republican in the House, made an omission in his recently released floor schedule for the summer.

"We share your desire to focus on job creating legislation in the coming months," Ruane wrote to Cantor. "Unfortunately, the 'Summer Floor Schedule for America's Job Creators' you released last week omits one of the most significant employment boosting measures pending before Congress — the nearly two-year overdue reauthorization of the federal surface transportation program."

Your morning transportation speed-read:

The Federal Aviation Administration said Atlantic Southeast Airlines flew planes that had been struck by lightning.

A new toy will allow kids to play Transportation Security Administration agents.

A Chicago chef's knives made it through airport security, even though he was patted down.

San Francisco's transportation chief is leaving his job.

Despite a wave of anti-regulation sentiment, Hersman says NTSB has largely been spared from criticisms 

Boeing CEO Jim McNerney has been appointed chairman of a Washington-based business group.

The Business Roundtable, which criticized a federal labor board's complaint against the airplane manufacturer, announced Thursday that McNerney would assume control of the group on Sept. 1.

McNerney said he was honored to be picked.

 “I look forward to working with my colleagues in the business community as we continue to engage policymakers from both parties to ensure that American workers and American businesses prosper together," he said.

A Democrat seeking to challenge Sen. Scott Brown's bid for re-election in 2012 criticized the Boston public transit system for banning an environmental group's ad that is critical of Brown.

California-based environment group 350.org said this week that the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority said its billboards about votes Brown (R-Mass.) took on funding for the Clean Air Act were "too controversial" to appear on its trains.

U.S. Senate candidate Bob Massie disagreed, saying in a letter to MBTA General Manager Richard Davey that he was "deeply disappointed by this censorship by your agency."

"Sen. Scott Brown’s votes are a matter of public record," Massie wrote.  "The First Amendment not only requires freedom of speech, but a strong democracy requires a citizenry that is informed of its leaders’ positions. 

"When they stop suing companies that are trying to create jobs, we'll be quiet," Gov. Haley said.

The TSA officers in Newark, N.J., were known by airport colleagues as "Mexican hunters," according to a report.

Your morning transportation speed-read:

The Cato Institute believes senior public transportation riders are a myth.

A U.S. Airways mechanic allegedly stowed away on a flight from Tampa, Fla., to Charlotte, N.C.

Bus drivers in Arlington, Va., are on strike.

Chicago is still talking about a third airport, but for now, they're just talking.

The chairman of the Senate Surface Transportation Subcommittee will oppose the GOP's plan to privatize Amtrak in the Northeast.