Latest News & Events
Latest News
South West Transit Association Announces Recipients of 2021 Spotlight Marketing Awards
SWTA’s 2021 Spotlight Awards Winners
The Challenge of COVID Measures for Transit in Border Communities
Transit providers in border communities in the #SWTANation have been responding to meet migrants’ mobility needs for several years; COVID now compounds the challenge.
Gulf Coast Transit District Hires Leadership Staff
GCTD announces Executive Director and Administrative/Finance positions
envida’s Gail Nehls Receives Award for Advocacy in Transportation
SWTA Nation member Gail Nehls receives The Arc Pikes Peak Region’s Joe Schiappacassee Award
SWTA Launches Next Generation Leaders Group
About SWTA’s Next Generation Leaders Group
SWTA Welcomes Alexandra Aitken, Congratulates Kristen Joyner as CTAA Vice President
SWTA staff announcements and news
2021 Call for Abstracts Now Open
Submit your topic idea for our 2021 Freedom Through Transit Annual Conference
Federal Continuing Resolution Details & Transit Impacts
We’ve prepared a primer on what you need to know about the current Congressional machinations on the budget and how it impacts the SWTA Nation
SWTA Announces 2020 Spotlight Awards Winners
Six agencies across the SWTA Nation recognized with 2020 Spotlight Awards
COVID 19 Operational Ideas You Can Use
Ideas from the SWTA Nation about how to handle the COVID-19. Please send us your ideas and questions about how to practically practically operationalize this crisis.
Meet Tim Reed New Mexico Rail Runner Express Engineer
“I have the most stressful, frustratingly fun job you could ever have,” says Tim Reed.
Texas transit agencies are still getting front-line responders and low-income Texans to work.
Society and employment as many urban Texans know them continue changing at breakneck speed as officials move to stem the growing spread of the new coronavirus, but the state’s largest transit agencies are still operating trains and buses.
OK Public Transit Survey for States First Transit Plan
Reports to the Oklahoma Transportion Commission includes updates on the Oklahoma Department of Transportation’s ongoing effort to get public input on the state’s first transit plan and future interstate projects in Tulsa and Oklahoma City.
Important for TRANSIT: Presidential Candidates Forum - Infrastructure, Jobs and Building a Better America
Moving America Forward:
A Presidential Candidate Forum on Infrastructure, Jobs, and Building a Better America
Sunday, February 16, 2-5 PM Pacific (5-8 PM Eastern)
Livestreamed from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas
WATCH ON C-SPAN or ONLINE AT C-SPAN.ORG
You can also join the discussion on Twitter using the hashtag #MovingAmericaForward.
Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking Releases Final Report
On July 2, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking submitted its final report to the Department.
U.S. Department of Transportation Permanently Bans Commercial Drivers Convicted of Human Trafficking
On July 16, 2019, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced a final rule that permanently bans drivers convicted of human trafficking from operating a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) for which a commercial driver’s license or a commercial learner’s permit is required.
Markwayne Mullin Writes Letter of Support for Alternative Fuels
Many thanks to Congressman Markwayne Mullin, R-OK 2nd District for supporting the Alternative Fuels Tax provision of the Tax Extender Bill.
How Can We Prevent Operator Assault?
“For us and for many of the people that we represent, the biggest concern right now is bus operators who are subject to assault on a regular basis. In fact, depending on how you define assault, it is so common that sometimes people don’t even report it, verbal assaults and being spat on are things that happen maybe daily – certainly weekly. So it’s difficult to determine what those numbers are, but as you get into more dangerous and severe types of assault, whether that’s brandishing a weapon or being sprayed with mace or actually being punched or physically assaulted. Those do get reported,” said Danaher.
Albuquerque and Former ART Electric Bus Company Reach Settlement
The city of Albuquerque is off the hook for paying more than $20 million to the maker of the flawed buses for its rapid transit route.
A year and a half since electric ART buses were supposed to start rolling on Central Avenue, federal court records show China-based electric bus company BYD and the city of Albuquerque have reached a settlement.
DART, Uber Offer New Mobility Options in Rowlett
Beginning Monday, June 3, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) customers in Rowlett can book an UberPool shared ride in addition to GoLink trips using GoPass®, DART’s all-in-one travel tool.
Latest Legislation
SWTA Encourages Robust, Balanced Infrastructure Investment in Senate Letter
SWTA Letter to SWTA Nation Senate Delegation
Details on Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal
Transit-related elements of the deal agreed to by President Biden and 10 members of the Senate
Update on American Jobs Plan for the SWTA Nation
FTA Acting Administrator Nuria Fernandez shared initial details of the American Jobs Plan with SWTA Executive Director Rich Sampson.
Background: The Transit Impacts of President Biden’s American Jobs Plan
Analysis of the transit implications of the American Jobs Plan
The Return of Earmarks: Background for Transit Providers
Learn about the return of earmarking in Congress impacts transit providers
Masks & Additional COVID Relief
Updates on mask requirements and additional COVID relief funds
Update: COVID 2.0 Relief & FY21 Appropriations Legislation
Details on COVID 2.0 Relief for Transit & FY21 T-HUD Appropriations
SWTA Supports #SavePublicTransit
We urge Congress to approve additional emergency COVID relief
SWTA’s Post-Election Briefing Memo
Impacts of the 2020 elections on the SWTA Nation
Likely & Potential Committee Leadership in 117th Congress
List of possible & likely Committee chairs
SWTA Shares Enthusiastic Support for the INVEST in America Act
SWTA Enthusiastically Supports the INVEST in America Act.
Legislative Agenda 2019-2020
In this Agenda, you will find the items the Members of the SWTA Nation believe are vital to the future of Excellence in Mobility.
FTA Apportionments
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has posted its annual apportionments online in 19 detailed tables.
SWTA Visits Delegation in Washington, DC
SWTA made its fourth visit to Washington, DC, to share good news stories with members of Congress about the excellent transit work being done in the SWTA Nation! I try to target different areas of the region, keeping a balance between Senate and House as well as sections of the region. The choice of who I visit is typically because there is targeted messaging or because a SWTA member has requested a visit or shared a story with us.
Congress Passes Continuing Resolution
By a vote of 72-26, the Senate passed a Continuing Resolution (CR; H.R. 5325) that funds federal government programs through December 9 at Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 levels. The House of Representatives passed the bill by a vote of 342-85. The President is expected to sign the bill before the new FY 2017 began on October 1.
SWTA’s Docket Submission to FTA’s NPRM Transit Agency Safety Plans
SWTA’s Docket Submission Included
Take the Mystery Out of Submitting Comments to the FTA Docket
A brief tutorial that will take the mystery out of submitting comments and give you a voice in the Federal government.
President Signs FAST Act Into Law
President Obama signed into law the FAST Act(Fixing America’s Surface Transportation), H.R. 22. There was no ceremony and no fanfare - just a simple statement from the White House that the President had signed the bill (which followed a presidential statement from earlier yesterday morning saying that the bill was “not perfect, but it is a commonsense compromise, and an important first step in the right direction”). The text of the enrolled bill as signed into law is here.
SWTA’s Letter to the Senate and House Conference Committee for the Surface Transportation Bill
See Link