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.

Why I wrote the Americans with Disabilities Act

The bill, a model for bipartisanship, addressed hideous discrimination faced by people with disabilities.

In January 1987, I sat down at a word processor in my small office at the National Council on Disability and began writing the first draft of a bill. NCD published my draft of the Americans with Disabilities Act bill in 1988; it was introduced in Congress with a few changes that same year, and provided the basis for the revised version that was signed into law July 26, 1990. On the ADA’s 25th anniversary, I want to tell the unlikely story of how this historic federal law came to be, and to reflect on what the law has accomplished.

Federal Update – 5.13.21

​Updates from Washington – May 2021

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

Capital Bus Investment Sorely Underfunded, Pick-Up Your Phone

The Surface Transportation Reauthorization Reform (STRR) Act is the House answer to a long-term transportation funding bill. This week the House Rules Committee will consider amendments to the bill. This is your opportunity to provide information that will help the House make the right decision about Capital Bus Investment.

SWTA Sends Letter on Behalf of Membership to Key Congressional Committee Staff Leaders

This letter is being sent on behalf of the 182 public transportation providers, businesses and members of the South West Transit Association, from the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.