Obama Administration’s Transit Safety Rules to Eventually Apply to Buses
The Obama administration's proposal for a new federal role in transit safety oversight would eventually apply to buses, although the first round of rules would be directed at subways and light rail, according to the U.S. DOT.
November 16, 2009
New Business Group Launches to Push Regional Electric Vehicles
Washington's love affair with electric vehicles continued today with the launch of the Electrification Coalition, an alliance of 13 companies hailing from the auto, shipping, and utility industries that have endorsed a $130 billion pitch for a region-by-region transition to battery-powered cars.
November 16, 2009
Feds Propose to Expand Opportunities for Biking and Walking to Transit
When it comes to infrastructure improvements that encourage more people to walk or bicycle to transit stations, how long will commuters be willing to travel? The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has officially answered that question, proposing a significant expansion of the rules governing how close bike-ped projects should be to transit in order to receive government funding.
November 16, 2009
Hesitation and Praise Greet Obama Administration’s Transit Safety Plan
Details of the Obama administration's proposal to carve out a federal presence overseeing transit safety, first reported yesterday by the Washington Post, have yet to cross the desks of some top lawmakers and industry stakeholders. But reaction to the idea, both positive and hesitant, is plentiful this morning.
November 16, 2009
Today’s Headlines
The Obama administration is prepared to unveil its plan to set long-absent national transit safety standards (WashPost) Transportation construction companies say the stimulus isn’t helping their employment picture, call for a higher gas tax and an eventual transition to a VMT tax (Post-Gazette) Specter wants the federal government to stay out of the debate over … Continued
November 16, 2009
House to Tackle Transit Safety Gaps in December Hearing
The debate over setting national standards for transit safety -- which the federal government has yet to do -- will take center stage at a December 8 hearing of the House transportation committee's transit panel.
November 13, 2009
Coal-Burning Electric Utilities Still Commanding Dem Senators’ Attention
As reported here yesterday, transportation is a close second to electric power generation in the not-so-great race to become the nation's fastest-rising source of emissions.
November 13, 2009
Voinovich Has a Job-Creation Proposal for the President
Before leaving for Asia yesterday, President Obama announced a job creation summit to take place next month and declared himself "open to any demonstrably good idea" to cut the rising unemployment rate.
November 13, 2009
Today’s Headlines
AFL-CIO and other unions backing Democrats’ push for a new, possibly infrastructure-centric jobs bill (The Hill) West Virginia congressman, calling for a long-term transport bill as a “second stimulus,” says toll is a “four-letter word” but vows to be open to any funding proposal — except a VMT tax (Register-Herald) A humorously candid take on … Continued
November 13, 2009
Which is the Fastest-Rising U.S. Emissions Source: Transport or Electricity?
The climate change bills being considered by Congress treat electric utilities very well, giving more than a third of the revenue generated by CO2 regulation away -- for free -- to power providers. This move pleased coal country Democrats while seeking to lock down benefits for consumers by averting electricity rate hikes.
November 12, 2009