After a stand-up continental breakfast, APTA president Bill Millar opened the general session to a packed ballroom at the conference hotel here in Vancouver. He provided a lively “state of the rail industry” address, noting that it was a challenging year – but that it was full of successes to balance it out. For one example, he pointed to the number of commuter rail line extensions around the US, and he praised President Obama for supporting high-speed and inter-city rail. “It’s very important to build links among the urban and industrialized areas,” he said.
He noted that transit ridership is down overall, but not by much. Sixty percent of commuter rides are work-related, and with the economy in trouble, there are fewer jobs. A recent APTA survey showed that 59% of responding businesses had to cut jobs, and that even more were still planning to do so.
Interestingly, Canada is having the opposite trend – transit ridership is up. I personally don’t know why that is so, but I sense that the Canadians haven’t built their economy on the automobile as much as Americans have. So in a time of energy conservation, they already have the transit infrastructure to carry them through. But if anyone has other thoughts, please feel free to post them here.
Bill also mentioned a new Senate bill (S3412) that will provide emergency funding for transit operations. However, it has a long way to go through the legislative process, and if it is passed, it may not end up as originally written.
In the end, APTA’s “Holy Grail” is another transportation authorization to follow the now-expired SAFETEA-LU. “It expired in September and then was extended until December 2010,” he said. “I really don’t expect any movement on a new authorization until next year.”
He would like to see $123 billion invested in public transit to expand and improve systems and to make it easier for people to use.
Mattie “MP” Carter, APTA board chair and commissioner of the Memphis transit authority, emphasized the importance of workforce development so new leaders can replace those who are set to retire in the next few years.
She also noted that British Columbia and the state of Washington have signed a memo of understanding (MOU) to create a cross-border high-speed rail (HSR) system. Already, Canada has expanded its commitment to rail, as evidenced by the cities of Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary (which has a wind-powered transit), and Vancouver (with its driverless SkyTrain).
Peter Rogoff, administrator of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), said that the key to HSR success is to connect the links so it becomes part of an integrated system, along with commuter rail, bus rapid transit, and other modes. “But we must ensure good maintenance as well as expansion of new systems,” he said. “We must provide good transit especially for those who must use it because they have no cars, they don’t know how to drive, they aren’t able to drive, or for other reasons. Without good transit, these people may lose their jobs, their places at day care centers, their schooling, and other necessities.”
He noted that there is a prevalence of transit-dependent populations in central urban areas. Will we respect all those citizens and their right to mobility?
Tomorrow, I'll ride the SkyTrain and report back.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Monday, June 7, 2010
Donna Maurillo Is Writing from the APTA Rail Conference
Vancouver BC is the ideal city for a rail conference. This is a metropolis that loves transit, and I plan to ride the famous driverless Sky Rail tomorrow, which connects much of the city.
Yesterday I attended APTA's High-Speed Rail Committee meeting, which has been renamed the High-Speed and Inter-City Passenger Rail Committee to better reflect its focus on a network of urban transportation systems. The meeting attracted an overflowing crowd of more than 150, requiring that the movable walls be opened into the adjoining room.
Outgoing chair Rod Diridon Sr., who also is executive director of MTI, handed the gavel to the newly-elected board leaders. They include chair Jolene Molitoris, director of the Ohio Department of Transportation; vice-chair Chuck Wochele, a vice president with Alstom Corporation; and secretary Nazih Haddad, COO of the Florida Rail Enterprise, which is part of the Florida DOT.
Karen Rae, deputy administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), addressed the group, telling them that the FRA will focus on building rail capacity much faster and it will streamline its funding process.
APTA president Bill Millar, whose charisma and booming voice always command attention, thanked everyone for working to implement President Obama's simple request to keep high-speed rail (HSR) moving forward. Bill emphasized that HSR requires many ideas, groups and perspectives to carry it to successful implementation. Rod Diridon added that HSR is part of the President's goal to move the USA toward a green transportation policy and to promote environmental issues and sustainable transportation.
A World Congress on High-Speed Rail is set for Beijing from December 6-9 this year. The venue is adjacent to the most recognizable facilities from the Beijing Olympics.
Yesterday I attended APTA's High-Speed Rail Committee meeting, which has been renamed the High-Speed and Inter-City Passenger Rail Committee to better reflect its focus on a network of urban transportation systems. The meeting attracted an overflowing crowd of more than 150, requiring that the movable walls be opened into the adjoining room.
Outgoing chair Rod Diridon Sr., who also is executive director of MTI, handed the gavel to the newly-elected board leaders. They include chair Jolene Molitoris, director of the Ohio Department of Transportation; vice-chair Chuck Wochele, a vice president with Alstom Corporation; and secretary Nazih Haddad, COO of the Florida Rail Enterprise, which is part of the Florida DOT.
Karen Rae, deputy administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), addressed the group, telling them that the FRA will focus on building rail capacity much faster and it will streamline its funding process.
APTA president Bill Millar, whose charisma and booming voice always command attention, thanked everyone for working to implement President Obama's simple request to keep high-speed rail (HSR) moving forward. Bill emphasized that HSR requires many ideas, groups and perspectives to carry it to successful implementation. Rod Diridon added that HSR is part of the President's goal to move the USA toward a green transportation policy and to promote environmental issues and sustainable transportation.
A World Congress on High-Speed Rail is set for Beijing from December 6-9 this year. The venue is adjacent to the most recognizable facilities from the Beijing Olympics.
Friday, June 4, 2010
MTI Expert Says Mumbai Derailment Could Have Serious Implications for Rail Security Worldwide
India has suffered the most numerous attacks, but terrorists can take lessons from these and apply them in other countries.
San Jose, Calif., May 29, 2010 –Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) counter-terrorism expert Brian Michael Jenkins says that the Mumbai train derailment two days ago could point to a growing trend in India. But it also could have serious implications for other countries. Terrorists make note of methods, taking lessons from all attempts, whether successful or not. These lessons could be applied to other systems.
At the same time, transportation security and counter-terrorism experts must take their own lessons so they can create safer and more secure systems in their countries.
Sabotage of the rail line sent the Calcutta-to-Mumbai express hurtling off the tracks into the path of an oncoming freight train, killing more than 100 people and injuring scores of others. According to Indian police, a Maoist guerrilla group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Earlier in May, Maoist guerrillas in India’s Chhattisgarh State detonated a mine under a passenger bus, killing 44.
“The threat seems to be growing, with at least 30 deliberate derailments in India since January 2000, almost four times the number of derailments in the 1990s, and 15 times the number of incidents in the 1980s,” said Mr. Jenkins, director of MTI’s National Transportation Security Center of Excellence. “The death toll between 2000 and 2010 is 13 times greater than that in the 1990s, although, owing to two bloody incidents, it is only slightly greater than the 1980s.”
MTI will be examining this case and other recent attacks in India to see what lessons might be learned and how these may be applied to other countries.
According to MTI’s comprehensive database of attacks on surface transportation, this death toll makes the May 28 derailment India’s worst terrorist attack on passenger rail since 2006, and its bloodiest deliberate derailment in decades. On July 11, 2006 terrorists detonated seven bombs on Mumbai’s crowded commuter trains, killing 207 people and injuring hundreds of others. The last comparable derailment occurred in 1989, when sabotage derailed the Bangalore-Delhi Express killing 67.
A recent MTI report on deliberate derailments, Off the Rails: The 1995 Attempted Derailing of the French TGV (High Speed Train) and Quantitative Analysis of 181 Rail Sabotage Attempts by Mr. Jenkins, Bruce R. Butterworth, and Jean-François Clair, shows India’s rail system suffering the most terrorists derailments with 42 incidents or 23 percent of the total number of such incidents. According to MTI’s database, India also leads the world in the number of terrorist bomb attacks against train and bus targets with 387 incidents since 1970, or 17 percent of the total.
Mr. Jenkins flew to Mumbai in September 2009 at the invitation of Indian officials to discuss surface transportation security issues, and he will return to India later this year. MTI also briefed Indian officials visiting the U.S. in January 2010.
The report may be downloaded at no cost from this link.
ABOUT BRIAN MICHAEL JENKINS
Brian Michael Jenkins is an international authority on terrorism and sophisticated crime. He directs MTI’s research on protecting surface transportation against terrorist attacks. He is also a senior advisor to the president of RAND. From 1989-98, Mr. Jenkins was deputy chairman of Kroll Associates, an international investigative and consulting firm. Before that, he was chairman of RAND’s Political Science Department, where he also directed research on political violence.
San Jose, Calif., May 29, 2010 –Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) counter-terrorism expert Brian Michael Jenkins says that the Mumbai train derailment two days ago could point to a growing trend in India. But it also could have serious implications for other countries. Terrorists make note of methods, taking lessons from all attempts, whether successful or not. These lessons could be applied to other systems.
At the same time, transportation security and counter-terrorism experts must take their own lessons so they can create safer and more secure systems in their countries.
Sabotage of the rail line sent the Calcutta-to-Mumbai express hurtling off the tracks into the path of an oncoming freight train, killing more than 100 people and injuring scores of others. According to Indian police, a Maoist guerrilla group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Earlier in May, Maoist guerrillas in India’s Chhattisgarh State detonated a mine under a passenger bus, killing 44.
“The threat seems to be growing, with at least 30 deliberate derailments in India since January 2000, almost four times the number of derailments in the 1990s, and 15 times the number of incidents in the 1980s,” said Mr. Jenkins, director of MTI’s National Transportation Security Center of Excellence. “The death toll between 2000 and 2010 is 13 times greater than that in the 1990s, although, owing to two bloody incidents, it is only slightly greater than the 1980s.”
MTI will be examining this case and other recent attacks in India to see what lessons might be learned and how these may be applied to other countries.
According to MTI’s comprehensive database of attacks on surface transportation, this death toll makes the May 28 derailment India’s worst terrorist attack on passenger rail since 2006, and its bloodiest deliberate derailment in decades. On July 11, 2006 terrorists detonated seven bombs on Mumbai’s crowded commuter trains, killing 207 people and injuring hundreds of others. The last comparable derailment occurred in 1989, when sabotage derailed the Bangalore-Delhi Express killing 67.
A recent MTI report on deliberate derailments, Off the Rails: The 1995 Attempted Derailing of the French TGV (High Speed Train) and Quantitative Analysis of 181 Rail Sabotage Attempts by Mr. Jenkins, Bruce R. Butterworth, and Jean-François Clair, shows India’s rail system suffering the most terrorists derailments with 42 incidents or 23 percent of the total number of such incidents. According to MTI’s database, India also leads the world in the number of terrorist bomb attacks against train and bus targets with 387 incidents since 1970, or 17 percent of the total.
Mr. Jenkins flew to Mumbai in September 2009 at the invitation of Indian officials to discuss surface transportation security issues, and he will return to India later this year. MTI also briefed Indian officials visiting the U.S. in January 2010.
The report may be downloaded at no cost from this link.
ABOUT BRIAN MICHAEL JENKINS
Brian Michael Jenkins is an international authority on terrorism and sophisticated crime. He directs MTI’s research on protecting surface transportation against terrorist attacks. He is also a senior advisor to the president of RAND. From 1989-98, Mr. Jenkins was deputy chairman of Kroll Associates, an international investigative and consulting firm. Before that, he was chairman of RAND’s Political Science Department, where he also directed research on political violence.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
MTI Presents “Funding the Transportation System of the Future"
Mineta Transportation Institute Presents
“Funding the Transportation System of the Future: What's Possible in the Current Anti-Tax Climate?”
Friday, June 25, 2010
8:30am Continental breakfast
9-11am Panel discussion
Commonwealth Club
595 Market Street
Second Floor
San Francisco
FREE!! It also will be recorded for later broadcast on NPR Radio.
Moderator --
Hon. Rod Diridon Sr., Executive Director, Mineta Transportation Institute
Expert Panel --
- Dr. Asha Weinstein Agrawal, Director, MTI’s National Finance Research Center
- William Millar, President, American Public Transportation Association
- Hon. John Horsley, Executive Director, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
- Hon. Alan Lowenthal, California State Senator
Within the next two decades, the census bureau estimates that the U.S. population will increase by as many as 50 million people, including more than a 25% increase in California’s population alone. This population growth, combined with a growing backlog of overdue maintenance work on roads and transit systems, creates a need for significantly expanded transportation revenues. However, the current political climate is generally unfavorable to tax increases. Given these political realities, what new or expanded revenue sources could be generated for transportation? In particular, what options will be politically feasible in the short and medium term? Our panel of transportation experts, representing viewpoints from the national and state level, will discuss possible revenue options and their likely reception from the public and legislators.
For more information -- http://tickets.commonwealthclub.org/auto_choose_ga.asp?area=1&shcode=1775
“Funding the Transportation System of the Future: What's Possible in the Current Anti-Tax Climate?”
Friday, June 25, 2010
8:30am Continental breakfast
9-11am Panel discussion
Commonwealth Club
595 Market Street
Second Floor
San Francisco
FREE!! It also will be recorded for later broadcast on NPR Radio.
Moderator --
Hon. Rod Diridon Sr., Executive Director, Mineta Transportation Institute
Expert Panel --
- Dr. Asha Weinstein Agrawal, Director, MTI’s National Finance Research Center
- William Millar, President, American Public Transportation Association
- Hon. John Horsley, Executive Director, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
- Hon. Alan Lowenthal, California State Senator
Within the next two decades, the census bureau estimates that the U.S. population will increase by as many as 50 million people, including more than a 25% increase in California’s population alone. This population growth, combined with a growing backlog of overdue maintenance work on roads and transit systems, creates a need for significantly expanded transportation revenues. However, the current political climate is generally unfavorable to tax increases. Given these political realities, what new or expanded revenue sources could be generated for transportation? In particular, what options will be politically feasible in the short and medium term? Our panel of transportation experts, representing viewpoints from the national and state level, will discuss possible revenue options and their likely reception from the public and legislators.
For more information -- http://tickets.commonwealthclub.org/auto_choose_ga.asp?area=1&shcode=1775
Friday, April 9, 2010
Lessons from Hurricane Katrina
Donna Maurillo, MTI's Communications Director, has been attending the 2010 conference of the American Society of Public Administrators, where she has been blogging.
I attended the morning session about lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina. This had less to do with the storm itself and more to do with planning and processes for recovery. With New Orleans still recovering five years later, there were many recommendations about how to do it better.
First, the best way is to mitigate beforehand. Communities that are prepared will suffer less and recover faster. The “social cost” is rarely accounted for – breakup of neighborhoods, losing family and friends, losing cultural identity, etc. And what are roles of NGOs such as the Red Cross? They are rarely included in government disaster plans, yet they play a significant role.
It was surprising to hear that New Orleans has not reached even the halfway point in its recovery. In part, this is because the city was not adequately prepared. The residents were accustomed to being displaced for 3-4 days, but not for weeks, months or years. FEMA disbursements have been slow, or they are given with restrictions that make little sense because government processes are too broad to fit specific situations. More flexibility would help significantly. Contractors also should be pre-screened for post-disaster work so decisions are not made at the last minute. Performance standards should promote accuracy; many contractor estimates were far below the actual cost. Disaster aid must be given rapidly and it should be outcome-based.
These recommendations, and many others, were given by those who had lived through Katrina or who had worked with the processes. This allowed the session to offer detailed and specific recommendations for improved recovery plans.
http://aspanational.wordpress.com/2010/04/09/lessons-from-katrina/
I attended the morning session about lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina. This had less to do with the storm itself and more to do with planning and processes for recovery. With New Orleans still recovering five years later, there were many recommendations about how to do it better.
First, the best way is to mitigate beforehand. Communities that are prepared will suffer less and recover faster. The “social cost” is rarely accounted for – breakup of neighborhoods, losing family and friends, losing cultural identity, etc. And what are roles of NGOs such as the Red Cross? They are rarely included in government disaster plans, yet they play a significant role.
It was surprising to hear that New Orleans has not reached even the halfway point in its recovery. In part, this is because the city was not adequately prepared. The residents were accustomed to being displaced for 3-4 days, but not for weeks, months or years. FEMA disbursements have been slow, or they are given with restrictions that make little sense because government processes are too broad to fit specific situations. More flexibility would help significantly. Contractors also should be pre-screened for post-disaster work so decisions are not made at the last minute. Performance standards should promote accuracy; many contractor estimates were far below the actual cost. Disaster aid must be given rapidly and it should be outcome-based.
These recommendations, and many others, were given by those who had lived through Katrina or who had worked with the processes. This allowed the session to offer detailed and specific recommendations for improved recovery plans.
http://aspanational.wordpress.com/2010/04/09/lessons-from-katrina/
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