Infrastructure in the News: April 14, 2015
NATIONAL NEWS
The Hill: GOP chairman: Clinton nomination would be ‘good for Republicans’
House Transportation Committee Chairman Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) said Monday that Hillary Clinton winning the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016 would be “good for Republicans.”
The Columbus Dispatch: Airports don’t need hike in passenger fee
Last Saturday’s editorial “Fee increase makes sense,” was an incomplete portrayal of the funding airports currently enjoy and the burden consumers will face with an increase in the Passenger Facility Charge (PFC).
Travel Weekly: Airlines, airports at loggerheads over raising federal facility tax
Thrown into legislation likely to tackle the role of drones in aviation and NextGen air traffic control funding, the Passenger Facility Charge (PFC), a tax that funds airport improvements, is not likely to garner many national headlines. But within the industry, two sides are engaged in a heated exchange over whether it should be raised.
CNBC: Southern drivers spend the most on gasoline
http://www.cnbc.com/id/102581846
Want to save money on gasoline? Take the bus—if you can find one.
A study of consumer spending by the U.S. Energy Information Administration released Monday finds that households in areas of the country with mass transit systems spend significantly less on gasoline than areas without public transit.
STATE NEWS
The Hill: Illinois considering gas tax hike
http://thehill.com/policy/transportation/238592-illinois-considering-gas-tax-hike
Illinois is considering increasing the amount of money drivers in their state will have to pay at the pump to help pay for transportation projects, Illinois television station WGEM reports.
New York Times: Union Station in Washington Has a Grand Development Plan
WASHINGTON — This city’s venerable Union Station, which opened with much fanfare in 1908, was never about the federal union but about the union of two railroads whose separate terminals had formerly occupied valuable space blocks apart, even encroaching on the National Mall.
AP: Audit: NY Train Line Repair Crews Get Little Supervision
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2015/04/13/us/ap-us-metro-north-review.html
HARTFORD, Conn. — A transportation official says railroad maintenance crews get little or no supervision and fail to document their work on a New York commuter line where six people died in a fiery crash in February.
Washington Post: Maryland lawmakers approve Uber bill, send it to Hogan for signing into law
The Maryland House of Delegates and Senate voted Monday to make commercial ride-sharing legal in the state. The “Uber” legislation now goes to Gov. Larry Hogan for approval.
Washington Post: Metro christens its new generation of subway cars
Metro formally christened its new generation of subway cars Monday — a day before the public will get to ride on them — as a roster of D.C.- area political and transportation officials gathered at the Reagan National Airport station to extoll the safety and comfort of the gleaming, advanced-technology conveyances.
AP: Nebraska gas tax increase bill headed to final vote
http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Nebraska-gas-tax-increase-bill-headed-to-final-6197274.php
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A proposed gas tax increase advanced to a final vote in the Nebraska Legislature on Monday despite opponents who said the state should find another way to repair roads and bridges.
Hartford Courant: DOT: Early CTfastrak Results Look Promising
http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-busway-fare-collection-0413-20150412-story.html
HARTFORD — Emphasizing that the first-week passenger count for CTfastrakis only partly accurate and doesn't represent typical ridership patterns, state transportation officials nevertheless said the numbers look promising.
AP: New rail cars rolling on Metro’s Blue Line
http://wtop.com/local/2015/04/new-rail-cars-rolling-on-metros-blue-line/slide/1/
ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) _ Commuters on the D.C. region’s Metrorail system are riding on all-new rail cars. Metro deployed new 7000 series rail cars Tuesday morning on its Blue Line, which runs from Springfield, Virginia, through the District to Largo, Maryland.
JC Online: Amtrak alternative unveils plan for Hoosier State line
Ed Ellis has emerged from background observer to key player in the state’s two-and-a-half year search for a way to fund and improve the Hoosier State passenger rail line.
Dallas Morning News: Downtown-Oak Cliff streetcar debuts with speeches, curious riders
What a start. With the toot of a horn, its maiden run began three minutes early, at 8:57 Monday morning.
AP: Northbound I-81 reopens in Va. after sinkhole repaired
STAUNTON, Va. — Northbound traffic has reopened on Interstate 81 in Shenandoah County after a sinkhole was repaired.
Next City: San Antonio Bike-Share Threatens to Close Without Major Sponsor
http://nextcity.org/daily/entry/san-antonio-bike-share-close-sponsor-money
U.S. cities cannot get enough of bike-share. When its Indego system launches next week, Philadelphia will be the 53rd metro area in the country with modern, IT-based bike-share. Bike advocates and city officials laud the slow and sturdy bikes as solutions to the “last mile” problem, a tool to boost the number of bicyclists and a way to normalize biking as transportation. But modern U.S. bike-sharing has been around for less than a decade and there are plenty of kinks to still work out, especially when it comes to management and operation structure and funding. For San Antonio, Texas’ B-Cycle system, solving the funding question soon could be a matter of survival.
POLITICO MORNING TRANSPORTATION
By Jennifer Scholtes | 4/14/15 5:43 AM EDT
SEN. NELSON PUSHES FOR FAA STRATEGY ON AIRPORT SECURITY: At this morning’s Senate Commerce hearing, ranking Democrat Bill Nelson plans to press FAA Administrator Michael Huerta about “security at 448 airports, because there’s only two that take care of the problem,” the Florida senator told MT. Nelson noted the data the Associated Press released this month on the frequency of airport perimeter breaches and pointed to security vulnerabilities at hubs like the Atlanta airport, where at least 150 firearms were allegedly smuggled on flights to New York last year by moving the guns through employee screening areas and then doing a handoff in the terminal. Since the AP data was divulged, some lawmakers have suggested the FAA disperse more Airport Improvement Program funding to ramp up security: http://politi.co/19YMRNA. Watch the hearing live, beginning at 9:30 a.m.: http://1.usa.gov/1DcrPsi.
A rundown of the AP’s perimeter breach investigation: http://bit.ly/1DC6PMQ. Details of the firearm smuggling charges being levied in New York: http://nyti.ms/1JYB4js.
PILOT DATABASE ADVOCATES RALLY AT COMMERCE HEARING: Family and friends of those who died in the 2009 Colgan Air crash in upstate New York plan to pack the audience at this morning’s Senate Commerce hearing on FAA reauthorization, as the group pushes for the agency to issue a long-delayed rule creating a pilot records database. Kevin Kuwik, who lost a loved one in the Cogan Air crash, tells MT that the group has begun to reach out to Nelson and Commerce Chairman John Thune, as well as Sens. Kelly Ayotte and Maria Cantwell, who run the panel’s aviation subcommittee, to bring attention to the issue while the lawmakers hash out an FAA reauthorization plan. “We know the next three weeks are going to be pretty much crunch time, so this is the time to cast some light on this,” Kuwik told us.
‘A clarion call’: Pro reports that the group, which identifies itself as Families of Continental Flight 3407, has said the recent Germanwings crash should “serve as a clarion call” for comprehensive pilot screening. Our Kathryn A. Wolfe explains: “The rule, which Congress ordered along with other safety measures that stemmed directly from concerns raised by the crash, was originally slated for publication this January, but according to the group has now been pushed to next April. The intent is to create a centralized database of pilot records from the FAA as well as airlines, which airlines would be required to review when hiring. The impetus for the rule came because the pilot in the 2009 crash had past performance issues that weren’t disclosed to his new employer when he was hired.” More from Pro: http://politico.pro/1IXXhf1.
HUERTA WEIGHS IN ON FAA REVAMP PLANS: Just as he advised House lawmakers last month, administrator Huerta is expected to warn the Senate Commerce Committee this morning to move cautiously to avoid unintended consequences in exploring options for shaking up the nation’s air traffic control system. The FAA chief is also likely to reiterate that revamping the FAA’s structure is a conversation agency officials are open to having, as long as an overhaul protects system safety, provides a roadmap for deploying future technologies, ensures long-term stability in planning for future facilities and breaks down barriers that prevent effective delivery of aeronautical services.
NextGen inquisition: Sen. Cantwell told MT that those on the aviation subcommittee want to hear from Huerta about progress in implementing the NextGen air traffic control system.
IT’S TUESDAY: Good morning and thanks for reading POLITICO’s Morning Transportation, your daily tipsheet on trains, planes, automobiles and ports.
MT is still reeling from all of last week’s festivities, so you think we could sit down for transportation now? Reach out: @jascholtes or jscholtes@politico.com.
“You only love me … for my Dodge Dart classic.” http://bit.ly/1cpCYgw
** Trucking Moves America Forward (TMAF) is an industry-wide image and education movement representing all areas of the professional truck driving industry. The industry contributes $682 billion in revenue every year to the nation’s economy. Seven million trucking professionals nationwide move food, fuel and critical cargo in manufacturing, healthcare, retail, and more. Learn more at truckingmovesamerica.com. **
@POLITICOKEVIN TRANSITIONS FROM TRANSPO: Our Kevin Robillard has been lured from the transportation beat to cover campaigns as the race to 2016 revs up, but his fantastically prolific Twitter feed is still worth a follow for those in the transpo world. A farewell from Kevin himself: “The two years I've spent covering transportation have been the most fulfilling of my career as a journalist. I owe that to the amazing sources, co-workers, editors and reporters I've had on this beat. I especially want to thank Adam Snider and Burgess Everett, the original transpo-bros who brought me on to the beat and taught me an infinite amount; Matt Daily, Bob King and Kathy Wolfe for providing excellent editing and guidance day-in and day-out; Heather Caygle for keeping me on my toes and entertained; and too many sources to name for their tips, help, explanations and cooperation. Please stay in touch. I'll remain at krobillard at politico dot com and at PoliticoKevin.”
FEDS FIND LITTLE DIFFERENCE IN TRANSPO EXPENSES BETWEEN REGIONS: The federal agency that looks into national energy data has released a new analysis of household spending on gas and public transit, concluding that the average American family spends about $3,150 on travel expenses each year, with only about a $200 difference between areas that spend the most on transportation and those that spend the least. The Energy Information Administration found, though, that there is a much greater divide across income levels. Households making at least $95,000 per year spent just over $4,000 on gas in 2013, while those that made less than $18,000 spent about $1,200 to fuel up. Public transit expenses varied even more by income level, with households in the top income tier spending $1,400 on public transit in 2013 and those in the lowest-income bracket spending an average of $163. Families in the South tend to spend more money than those in any other region on gas each year, while those in the Northeast spend the most on public transit. Check out the stats: http://1.usa.gov/1H0LuOh
SPIFFY NEW METRO TRAIN MAKES FIRST RUN: A brand new, eight-car, 7000-series Metro train hits the tracks for the first time this morning to transport Blue Line riders more safely and luxuriously than the rest of WMATA’s aging railcars. The Washington Post reports that the train is “a peace offering of sorts to riders of that line who have had to endure cuts in service to accommodate the new Silver Line. Metro has 24 of the new cars at its training and maintenance facility in Hyattsville, Md., and spokesman Dan Stessel said those will be rolled out in coming weeks.” DOT has said the new railcars will replace all 300 of Metro’s nearly 40-year-old cars, fulfilling an NTSB recommendation following the 2009 crash at Fort Totten Station. More from the Post: http://wapo.st/1aW9pml. How the 7000-series is built: http://wapo.st/1HgNIcI.
BLUMENTHAL DENOUNCES COMMUTER RAIL MANAGEMENT: Sen. Richard Blumenthal is calling out officials running the Metro-North commuter line that runs through his home state of Connecticut after a transportation official said maintenance workers get little or no supervision and do not document their work on the line where a train struck an SUV in February, killing six people. “The latest report reveals years of improper oversight of switching and signaling systems, non-existent record keeping, and woefully lax management,” Blumenthal said in a written statement. “Safety and reliability require supervision systems that set priorities, assign crews to carry out the necessary work, and track the status of these jobs through modern technology. These systems should have been instituted long ago, and I demand that the railroad establish such common sense, safety measures immediately.” More from AP on the Metro-North audit: http://bit.ly/1H1Xnna
RAILROAD GROUP TRUMPETS NEW ACCIDENT DATA: The Association of American Railroads is touting new Federal Railroad Administration stats that show that train accidents declined by 7 percent in 2014, accidents caused by equipment dropped 6 percent, accidents caused by tracks declined 12 percent and accidents caused by people dropped 4 percent. http://bit.ly/1H1Tqif.
MT MAILBAG: Transportation safety advocates sent a letter Monday to appropriators at the helm of transportation subcommittees in both the House and Senate, urging the lawmakers to kick in the full $331 million the Obama administration has requested in fiscal 2016 funding for the National Highway Traffic Administration’s operations and research work, as well as 59 more fulltime employees. “Despite a nearly 25 percent reduction in the number of fatalities over the past 10 years, in 2013 there were 32,719 fatalities and 2.3 million injuries at a comprehensive cost of $871 billion in economic cost and societal harm to our nation,” the groups write. “The budget proposal to fund NHTSA’s O&R activities is a worthwhile and cost-effective investment.” To House lawmakers: http://politico.pro/1GEvSBq. To Senate spending leaders: http://politico.pro/1CIkHAa.
THE AUTOBAHN (SPEED READ):
— Too Risqué for New York City’s Subways? Some Ads Test Limits. The New York Times: http://nyti.ms/1CCB822
— Ramp Worker Trapped in Jet Baggage Hold Spurs Emergency Landing. Bloomberg Business: http://bloom.bg/1ap7BRu
— U.S. sets final dumping duties on transport containers from China. Reuters: http://reut.rs/1PFFMoV
— Airline passengers have more to complain about, report finds. AP: http://bit.ly/1PCSp4h
— Uber bill passes Maryland Senate, heads to House. The Washington Post: http://wapo.st/1IYVRRw
— GM ignition switch death claims rise to 84. The Wall Street Journal: http://on.wsj.com/1JEDxOu
— Four reasons to remove traffic lights in the era of peak driving. CityLab: http://bit.ly/1FOSufI
— Struggling Chinese Car Maker’s Chief Vows to Overhaul Company. The Wall Street Journal: http://on.wsj.com/1I7CDcg
— Federal officials devise scenario involving a train explosion to prepare officials for the worst. The Wall Street Journal: http://on.wsj.com/1O8dCQ1
— China releases activists detained for weeks after planning protest against sexual harassment on public transportation. The New York Times: http://nyti.ms/1JECQVt
— Wingz raises $2M to book airport rides for people who plan ahead. The Wall Street Journal: http://on.wsj.com/1cqfpEh
THE COUNTDOWN: Highway and transit policy expires in 47 days. DOT appropriations run out and the FAA reauthorization expires in 169 days. The 2016 presidential election is in 575 days.
THE DAY AHEAD:
8:30 a.m. — The Century Foundation hosts a conference on infrastructure improvement, with speeches by Rep. Earl Blumenauer and Jason Miller, deputy director of the White House National Economic Council. 1526 New Hampshire Ave. NW.
9:00 a.m. — The STB’s Rail Energy Transportation Advisory Committee meets to discuss rail performance, capacity constraints, infrastructure planning, development and coordination among those supplying, carrying and using energy resources. 395 E St. SW.
9:00 a.m. — The FAA holds a teleconference meeting of a Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics special committee to work on its plan for a program to create standards for new air-ground data link technologies. Dial in: 877-668-4493. Access code: 273 405 827; WebEx meeting number: 273 405 827. Password: April 14.
9:00 a.m. —The Office of the Secretary of Transportation holds the seventh meeting of the Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer on protection space allocated per passenger.1200 New Jersey Ave. SE.
10:00 a.m. — The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee holds a subcommittee hearing on rulemakings for rail pipeline and hazmat issues, with testimony from acting FRA Administrator Sarah Feinberg, the Pipeline and hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s Administrator Timothy Butters and NTSB Chairman Christopher Hart. 2167 Rayburn House Office Building.
10:00 a.m. — The Senate Commerce panel holds the first in a series of hearings on FAA reauthorization, focusing on aviation funding and programmatic issues, with testimony from FAA Administrator Michael Huerta.
2:30 p.m. — Reps. Bill Shuster, Reid Ribble and Earl Blumenauer will join with Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx to discuss the Highway Trust Fund and transportation reauthorization. 400 New Jersey Ave. NW.
Until tomorrow.
** Trucking Moves America Forward (TMAF) is an industry-wide image and education movement representing all areas of the professional truck driving industry. The industry contributes $682 billion in annual revenue to the nation’s economy. Seven million trucking professionals nationwide move food, fuel and cargo in manufacturing, healthcare, retail, and more.
The trucking industry strives for safer highways and has seen overall declines in truck-related crashes and fatalities over the past decade. Today’s modern trucks are equipped with technologies that not only make them safer, but also smarter and more fuel efficient than they’ve ever been before. The industry is committed to improving the environment.
TMAF is calling on lawmakers to pass a long-term highway bill to safeguard America’s federal highway program and provide certainty for the nation’s transportation needs. The passage of a bill is critical to modernizing aging infrastructure, ensuring our roads are safe for America’s families. Learn more: truckingmovesamerica.com. **
POLITICO Pro Transportation Whiteboard: Colgan families: Germanwings shows need for better pilot screening
4/13/15 3:05 PM EDT
The families and friends of the victims of a 2009 Colgan Air regional jet crash say the Germanwings crash should “serve as a clarion call” for comprehensive pilot screening, prodding the FAA to issue a long-delayed rule creating a pilot records database.
The rule, which Congress ordered along with other safety measures that stemmed directly from concerns raised by the crash, was originally slated for publication this January, but according to the group has now been pushed to next April. The intent is to create a centralized database of pilot records from the FAA as well as airlines, which airlines would be required to review when hiring. The impetus for the rule came because the pilot in the 2009 crash had past performance issues that weren’t disclosed to his new employer when he was hired.
“In today's modern day and age, it is unacceptable that we are going on nearly five years and there is no end in sight for this project to be completed,” said Scott Maurer, who lost his daughter Lorin in the crash. “No other family should ever have to go through the pain of hearing an airline CEO testify before Congress that a pilot would not have been hired had the airline had access to his complete training record.”
— Kathryn A. Wolfe
To view online:
https://www.politicopro.com/go/?wbid=51533
NATIONAL NEWS
The Hill: GOP chairman: Clinton nomination would be ‘good for Republicans’
House Transportation Committee Chairman Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) said Monday that Hillary Clinton winning the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016 would be “good for Republicans.”