ECONOMICS : TRANSPORTATION: PUBLIC URBAN AND PASSENGER:
Streetcars Are Returning, In Spite of Bush Administration Opposition


Streetcars Are Returning, In Spite of Bush Administration Opposition
By Paul M. Weyrich
Jun 3, 2008
The National Ledger
<http://www.nationalledger.com/artman/publish/article_272620877.shtml>


I belong to the National Streetcar Coalition, which pushes policies
favorable to the return of streetcars throughout the nation. Each month we
hold a conference call with member participants who explain what is
happening in their communities. This month I was blown away at the level
of activity from one end of the country to the other. Portland, Oregon is
the poster child for a successful streetcar system. Intersecting with
Portlands prolific light-rail system this eight-mile modern streetcar line
has attracted over 100 other communities in the USA and even foreign
countries which are looking to bring back streetcars.


Despite an extraordinarily well run streetcar line, which has attracted
$3.5 billion in stipulated investment which would not have occurred
without the streetcar, the George W. Bush Administration refuses to
partially fund a new line to the other side of town. Mind you, these
investment properties have voted to voluntarily tax themselves to support
the operation of the car line. So what is the Bush Administration pushing?
So-called bus rapid transit. In fact, despite the legislative history of
the small-starts program which was established to fund starter streetcar
lines, the Bush Administration Department of Transportation authorities
will have none of it. They only fund bus rapid transit. In fact, they have
a whole unit limited to promotion of one mode. They do not do this for any
other technology. They hold conferences. They have staff that goes on
location to push bus rapid transit. They have a web page devoted solely to
bus rapid transit. There is only one problem. People dont like to ride
buses. They will tolerate riding a bus that feeds a rail line but they
really don't buy what the Administration is pushing.


Many communities are funding starter streetcar lines on their own. That is
well and good but the elitist public be damned attitude of the Bush
Administration is reprehensible. The Federal Transit Administrator seems
to be reasonably in favor of streetcars. But someone is giving him orders
not to fund rail. There is an irony in the current campaign to do away
with earmarks. The current law requires Congress to earmark funds for
transit projects. If earmarks are abolished, and I certainly am no
defender of the earmark practice, should Congress violate the law and not
set aside money for transit projects? That presently is the only way rail
projects are funded.


----------------------------------------


UNITED STATES: CITIES: PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA : TRANSPORTATION:
TROLLEY TRAIN SUBWAY LIGHT RAIL BUS CITY:
Return of Trackless Trolleys Bypasses South Philadelphia


Return of Trackless Trolleys Bypasses South Philadelphia
The Northeast already has 17 of the new 38.
But SEPTA, favoring buses, calls restoring them elsewhere impractical.
By Paul Nussbaum
Inquirer Staff Writer
Posted on Sun, Jun. 1, 2008
Philadelphia Inquirer
<http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/19433189.html>


The trackless trolleys are back.
But not in South Philadelphia.

Five years after SEPTA's board voted to suspend all trackless trolley
service for one year, the first of 38 new electric trolleys are gliding
through the streets of Northeast Philadelphia. Their return revives an
85-year-old transportation tradition in the city.

Quiet and clean and with a new ability to maneuver "off wire," the
trackless trolleys have another advantage over buses these days: With the
cost of diesel fuel skyrocketing, they're cheaper to run.

Trackless trolleys cost $2.54 per mile to operate and maintain, compared
with $2.76 for diesel buses, according to SEPTA.

Nonetheless, SEPTA has stuck to its 2006 decision - made over
Philadelphia's objections - not to buy 23 more trackless trolleys to
restore service in South Philadelphia. SEPTA managers say they prefer
buses, which are cheaper to buy and more flexible to run.

"For an authority of this size, which has about 1,300 buses, the capital
costs and upkeep costs for a small fleet of trolleys - it simply isn't
practical," SEPTA spokesman Richard Maloney said. And he said the cost of
electricity, capped until 2010, could rise after that and increase trolley
expenses.

So the "temporary" removal of trackless trolleys from South Philadelphia
seems more permanent than ever. So does the "temporary" elimination of
tracked trolleys 16 years ago from Route 23 (Chestnut Hill to South
Philadelphia) even though the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is
installing new trolley tracks and overhead wires as part of its $17
million reconstruction of Germantown Avenue.

While electric trolleys grow increasingly popular in such cities as
Seattle, San Francisco, Boston and Toronto, SEPTA's decision rankles city
and environmental leaders here.

"With fuel costs where they are, we think it would be worthwhile for SEPTA
to revisit its position," said Stephen Buckley, director of policy and
planning in Mayor Nutter's Office of Transportation and Utilities. He said
the mayor's people would meet with SEPTA officials this week about the
trolleys.

"It was a good idea back then [2006], and it's an even better idea now,"
said Joseph Minott, executive director of the Clean Air Council.
"Environmentally, it's a lot more efficient to get your energy from a
central power plant than from diesel engines in every bus. It's cleaner -
there are no emissions in the community. They tend to be very quiet. . . .
And with fuel costs what they are, it makes more sense than ever.

"SEPTA should move forward to renegotiate for the purchase of those
vehicles."


----------------------------------------


Impact of Rising Fuel Costs on Transit Services -- Survey Results
May 27, 2008
American Public Transportation Association
<http://www.apta.com/research/info/online/fuel_survey.cfm>

Introduction

Fuel and electricity are important components of public transportation
operations. On an annual basis, public transportation providers consume
more than 760 million gallons of diesel and gasoline and more than 5.8
billion kilowatt hours of electricity. For every penny added to the cost
of diesel and gasoline, public transportation providers face an increased
cost of more than $7.6 million dollars. Anecdotally, APTA members are
increasingly reporting rapidly increasing fuel costs and resulting budget
difficulties. In response to the recent surge in fuel prices, APTA is
seeking to better understand the effect of these changes on member transit
agencies. Members have reported surges in ridership, and at the same
time, increased difficulty in maintaining existing services due to higher
fuel prices. This survey seeks to understand the general levels of
increases in costs experienced by agencies, typical actions taken in
response to these changes, and strategies agencies are undertaking to
purchase fuel.

On April 21, 2008, an online survey was sent to all APTA U.S. transit
agency members designated recipients. The survey was open to member
responses through May 2, 2008. A total of 96 members responded to the
survey resulting in an approximate 25 percent response rate among all APTA
U.S. transit agency members.


Profile of Survey Respondents

Fuel and Electricity Costs

Price Paid for Diesel Fuel

Price paid per kw/h for electricity (for vehicle operations)

Effect on agency operating budgets

How are agencies responding?

Bus Operations

Rail Operations

Changes in Ridership and Effect on Fare Revenue

Changes in Fuel Purchase Strategies

Summary

This survey confirms that APTA member agencies are experiencing a rapid
increase in fuel and electricity prices affecting agency budgets, fare
policies, operations, and fuel purchasing strategies. The survey results
indicate a distinct difference in cost escalation between diesel fuel and
electricity. While diesel prices have almost tripled in just four years,
electricity prices have increased less than 20 percent. Agencies relying
more heavily on diesel to power public transportation vehicles, most often
bus operators, are likely facing the most immediate and substantial
effects on operating budgets.

Agencies are responding with increased fares, delayed service
improvements, deferred capital investments, additional funding from state
and local sources and in some cases, service cuts. At the same time,
nearly all agencies are experiencing increases in ridership. Increased
fare revenue is unable to generate sufficient revenue to offset increases
in fuel costs and transit agencies have had to take budgetary actions over
time, including fare increases and service adjustments. Agencies are
attempting to reduce fuel costs through various changes in purchasing
strategy, though no clear consistency in approach is occurring. Many are
also facing increased difficulty in obtaining long-term contracts, leaving
agencies more vulnerable to future fuel increases. Overall, the rapid
increase in fuel prices is clearly having a notable impact on agency
operations.


The entire report may be viewed and downloaded in Adobe Acrobat .pdf
format at this URL:


<http://www.apta.com/research/info/online/documents/fuel_survey.pdf>


----------------------------------------

Transportation and Public Transit: An Online Lesson
<http://www.transitpeople.org/lesson/trancovr.shtml>

Table of Contents

* Chapter One : Early Transportation
* Chapter One Quiz
* Chapter Two : The Train Era
* Chapter Two Quiz
* Chapter Three : The Car Era
* Chapter Three Quiz
* Chapter Four : Problems with Cars
* Chapter Four Quiz
* Chapter Five : Public Transit
* Chapter Five Quiz
* Image Credits


----------------------------------------


Transit Resource Guide
American Public Transportation Association
<http://www.apta.com/research/info/briefings/briefing_8.cfm>

Transit-Oriented Development
Number 8 - rev. March 2006

Overviews

Tools, Strategies, & Lessons Learned

Examples of Transit-Oriented Development in the U.S.

Multi-location Sources

News

Content Sample:

Overviews

Transit Agencies Seeing Increased Interest in Transit-Oriented and Joint
Development. Federico Cura, August 2003.
News article provides the latest on TOD and joint development activities
in more than a half-dozen US cities.
Source: Passenger Transport, August, 18, 2003: Click here for .pdf file


Transit-Oriented Development. GB Arrington, 2003.
A short visual presentation (PowerPoint) of the definition, benefits, and
impacts of TOD. Contrasts transit adjacent design and automobile oriented
transit design to true TOD.
Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff: Click here for .pdf file (4 MB)


Transit-Oriented Development and Joint Development in the United States: a
Literature Review. Robert Cervero, October 2002.
Organizes research findings on TOD into chapters that cover: definitions;
institutional issues such as collaboration, government and transit agency
roles and community outreach; supportive public policies, including tax
policies, zoning, and long range planning; successful design
characteristics; and evaluation of impacts and benefits.
Source: TCRP Research Results Digest 52:
<http://gulliver.trb.org/publications/tcrp/tcrp_rrd_52.pdf>


----------------------------------------


Public Transportation: Wherever Life Takes You
<http://www.publictransportation.org/>


Content Sample:


Transit News Features
Stung at the Pumps, More Hop on a Bus
D.C.'s Outlying Transit Systems Rush to Add Capacity; Metro Worried
By Lena H. Sun and Jonathan Mummolo
For The Washington Post
As some gas prices pass $4 a gallon, transit systems are experiencing
significant ridership increases, and Metro officials caution that trains
could be overwhelmed if prices go even higher. Officials are looking for
ways to buy or lease more buses, expand parking, encourage employers to
stagger work schedules and persuade current riders to avoid the peak of
the morning rush period.


Gas Prices Send Surge of Riders to Mass Transit
By Clifford Kraus for the New York Times
Cities with long-established public transit systems and areas with a
strong driving culture are both reporting increases in ridership of buses
and trains.


Gas woes lead to mass transit surge
Rising gas prices are sending a surge of riders to take mass transit --
and systems are benefiting from the extra revenue. NBC's Tom Costello
reports.


Paying at the Pump -- Record-Setting Gas Prices Are Squeezing U.S.
Consumers


Site Map
<http://www.publictransportation.org/sitemap/Default.asp>

Home

* About (PT)2
* (PT)2 News Releases
* (PT)2 Press Kit

Latest Transit News

* Transit News Features
* Email Alerts
* Transit Videos

Transit Facts

* Transit Calculator

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* To And From Airports
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Other Resources

* Links
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Contact Us

* Transit Stories
* Let Us Know What Your Would Like to See
* Support Public Transit

Site Map

Site Search


----------------------------------------


Plan a trip using public transportation
Google Maps
Google Transit
<http://www.google.com/transit>

Worldwide collection of links to selected cities for use of this Google
service for each of the included urban areas.

Our coverage
United States

* Bay Area, CA AC Transit, BART, Caltrain, Muni, VTA
* Burbank, CA Burbank Bus
* Davis, CA Unitrans
* Humboldt County, CA Various
* Irvine, CA Irvine Shuttle
* Modoc County, CA Sage Stage
* Orange County, CA OCTA
* Rio Vista, CA Rio Vista Delta Breeze
* Sacramento, CA Regional Transit
* San Bernardino County, CA OMNITRANS
* San Diego, CA MTS
* Thousand Oaks, CA Thousand Oaks Transit

* Denver-Boulder Metro, CO RTD
* Grand Junction, CO Grand Valley Transit

* Tampa, FL HART

* Atlanta, GA MARTA

* Honolulu, HI TheBus

* Chicago, IL CTA

* Cape Cod, MA Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority
* Framingham, MA MetroWest Regional Transit Authority
* Pioneer Valley, MA PVTA

* Ann Arbor, MI Ann Arbor Transportation Authority
* Detroit, MI SMART
* Holland, MI MAX - Macatawa Area Express

* Duluth, MN Duluth Transit

* Kansas City, MO The Metro

* Statewide, NJ NJ TRANSIT - trains only

* Las Vegas, NV Monorail
* Reno, NV RTC RIDE

* Cleveland, OH Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority

* Norman, OK Cleveland Area Rapid Transit

* Eugene, OR Lane Transit District
* Portland, OR TriMet

* Pittsburgh, PA Port Authority

* Statewide, RI Rhode Island Public Transit Authority

* Austin, TX Capital Metro
* Dallas, TX DART
* Lubbock, TX Citibus

* Hampton Roads, VA HRT

* Seattle, WA King County Metro
* Walla Walla, WA Valley Transit & Grapeline

* Milwaukee, WI Milwaukee County Transit System

* Morgantown, WV Mountain Line Transit Authority


----------------------------------------


If you still cannot picture taking public transportation and rail public
transit, improve transits image in your mind here:


<http://world.nycsubway.org>


High gas prices lead to surge in mass transit
By SARAH KARUSH
Associated Press
<http://ap.google.com/article/
ALeqM5gZIdarM-w5cHE3JfVlifDmW0COcQD912QT7G1>

A shorter URL for the above link:

<http://tinyurl.com/5sh8qg>

WASHINGTON (AP) It's standing-room-only on many commuter buses from
Washington's suburbs. Rail systems from Boston to Los Angeles are begging
passengers to shift their travel to non-peak hours. And some seats have
been removed from San Francisco's subway cars to allow more people to cram
in.

Around the country, high gas prices are pushing more people to leave their
cars at home and crowd onto trains, buses and subways.

And while that's usually good news for transit agencies, some are
struggling to accommodate new riders at a time when tight budgets are
making local and state governments reluctant to put more money toward
public transportation.

"I began last month taking the public bus to work because of the gas
prices," said Tammy Vega of Austin, Texas, who also takes mass transit
when she is on business trips. "Whether I'm in town or out of town, public
transportation is going to be the way to go for now."

In the first three months of 2008, 2.6 billion trips were taken on public
transportation in the U.S., a 3 percent increase over the first quarter of
2007, according to the American Public Transportation Association.

Among the cities registering big increases in the first quarter were
Baltimore, where light rail ridership was up 17 percent from the same
period a year ago; Seattle, which saw a 28 percent jump in commuter rail
passengers; Boston, where subway ridership rose 9 percent; and San
Antonio, where the number of bus riders climbed 11 percent.


----------------------------------------


Mass transit demand rises, costs soar
Fuel prices and smaller government subsidies are squeezing transit
budgets.
By Alexandra Marks | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
from the June 4, 2008 edition
Christian Science Monitor
<http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0604/p01s09-usgn.html>

NEW YORK - In Seattle, transportation officials plan to add to their
daily schedule another three round-trip trains to nearby Tacoma.

In Washington, D.C., commuters on the Metro will soon see many trains
expand from six cars to eight.

In New York City, the transportation agency is spending millions of
dollars to modernize the subway system's antiquated signaling system, so
significantly more trains can travel through its underground tunnels at
one time.

Across the US, public-transit officials are scrambling to accommodate a
record number of people who are leaving their cars at home and hopping the
bus or the train to work.

More than 90 percent of public-transit officials report that their
ridership is up over the past three years, according to a survey released
this week by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). And
more than 90 percent credited the sky-high gasoline prices.

At the same time, many transit agencies find themselves squeezed by the
higher fuel prices and smaller local government subsidies, which are
shrinking because of the economic downturn. Almost 70 percent have had to
raise fares, and some have even been forced to curtail services to cope
with the high energy prices, even as the demand is increasing.

"You've got a time in history where these agencies could be tapping a new
market and attracting the suburban people who, heretofore, have been less
likely to ride [public transit]," says Stephen Reich, director of the
Center for Urban Transportation Research at the University of South
Florida in Tampa. "Some agencies are even contracting service because of
fuel costs and decreasing government support."

The Seattle area has seen the biggest increase in the number of people
riding the commuter rails: up 28 percent from last year. The primary
reason is not just gasoline price hikes. Sound Transit, which runs the
region's commuter trains, light rail, and buses, is in the process of
finishing an ambitious expansion program started 1996.


----------------------------------------



Americans Park Cars, Look to Public Transit
Report Shows Train, Light Rail and Bus Travel Soars in Face of High Gas
Prices
By KATE BARRETT
June 3, 2008
ABC News
<http://www.abcnews.go.com/Travel/BusinessTravel/story?id=4982349&page=1>


If you've recently decided to start commuting to work on public
transportation, instead of driving, you've probably already noticed that
you're not alone.

As it becomes less affordable to fill up the gas tank, more Americans are
turning to buses, subways and commuter trains instead of getting on the
highway, according to numbers released Monday by the American Public
Transportation Association.

Americans logged 2.6 billion trips on public transportation in the first
three months of this year alone, the group's report stated. That's nearly
85 million more trips than people took on public transit during the same
period in 2007.


<snip>


Robert Puentes, a fellow with the metropolitan policy program at the
Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., said that while increased
ridership is "a good problem to have," city transit systems are "in dire
need of major investment."

That's not the case in other developed countries.

"Certainly, Europe for decades has invested heavily in public transit,"
Sheridan said. "And we are seeing now that China and India are right now
significantly investing in public transit and expanding their services
there."

But in the United States, Puentes said, "Many cities and metropolitan
areas are not prepared for the surge."

He pointed to the suburban sprawl of the 1950s as the time when Americans
started to rely more on their cars, and a time when national
transportation policy started favoring highways.

"The interstates wound up turning into America's main streets," Puentes
said. "The nation has built itself over the last 50 years on the promise
of cheap driving."

Given how expensive driving is today, Americans are again turning toward
public transit.


----------------------------------------


Travelers Turn to Public Transit
Ridership Surges as Gas Prices Fuel Exodus From Cars
By Lena H. Sun
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, June 3, 2008; Page A02
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/
article/2008/06/02/AR2008060201545.html>

A shorter URL for the above link:

<http://tinyurl.com/6j4jb9>


Soaring gas prices are pushing more Americans to take public transit, with
streetcars, trolleys and other light rail experiencing a 10.3 percent
increase in ridership for the first quarter of the year, according to a
report released yesterday by the American Public Transportation
Association.

Americans took 2.6 billion trips on all modes of public transportation,
including subways and buses, in the first three months of 2008, a 3.3
percent increase, or almost 85 million more trips than in the same period
last year, the report said.

"There's no doubt that the high gas prices are motivating people to change
their travel behavior," APTA President William Millar said in a statement.

The national average for unleaded gasoline yesterday was $3.97, up from
$3.61 a month ago and $3.16 a year ago, according to AAA.

The ridership increase is noteworthy because it occurred when the economy
was declining, said APTA, a transportation industry group. Sixty percent
of transit trips are work-related, so for ridership to jump when the
economy is flat or on the decline signals an increase in demand that is
likely to continue if gas prices remain high, said Rob Padgette, APTA's
director of policy, development and research. "It is a significant
number," he said.

Even more noteworthy, Padgette said, is that ridership at many transit
agencies increased despite higher fares. In Washington, Metro's ridership
has steadily increased even though the agency raised fares and fees in
January, the largest increase in its history. In April, ridership
increased 4.3 percent over the same period the year before.


----------------------------------------


Monday, June 2, 2008 - 2:53 PM EDT
Gas prices prompt SEPTA ridership surge
Philadelphia Business Journal
<http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/stories/2008/06/02/daily8.html>


The commuter rail system in Philadelphia was among six nationwide that
experienced double-digit increases in ridership in the first three months
of this year, the American Public Transportation Association announced
Monday.

"There's no doubt that the high gas prices are motivating people to change
their travel behavior," said APTA president William W. Millar. "More and
more people have decided that taking public transportation is the quickest
way to beat the high gas prices."

Ridership on SEPTA climbed on all modes of transportation in the first
quarter, except for the heavy rail (subway and elevated trains) which
declined by 1.12 percent. SEPTA's commuter rail ridership was up 10.4
percent, bus ridership was up 3.1 percent and light rail, considered to be
modern streetcars, trolleys and heritage trolleys by APTA, was up 54.2
percent. That was the biggest ridership increase nationwide for light
rail, APTA said.



----------------------------------------


Facing $4 gasoline, more Americans take mass transit
Mon Jun 2, 2008 10:48pm BST
Reuters
<http://uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKN0225526920080602>

The trend builds on last year's record increases when U.S. mass transit
use reached a 50-year high as consumers tried to temper the impact of
soaring gasoline prices.

"More and more people have decided that taking public transportation is
the quickest way to beat the high gas prices," APTA president William W.
Millar said in a press release.

"There's no doubt that the high gas prices are motivating people to change
their travel behavior," he added.

Average retail gasoline prices have topped $4 per gallon in 13 states and
are running about 25 percent higher than last year, according to travel
auto group AAA.


----------------------------------------


Bus ridership up in Vermont, nation
June 2, 2008
Boston Globe
<http://www.boston.com/news/local/vermont/articles/
2008/06/02/bus_ridership_up_in_vermont_nation/>

A shorter URL for the above link:

<http://tinyurl.com/5pwpmn>


Officials at the Chittenden County Transportation Authority say ridership
is up about seven percent over last year, with some routes, like the
Montpelier Link bus, up as much as 36 percent.



----------------------------------------

Ridership on mass transit breaks records
USA Today
<http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-06-01-mass-transit_N.htm>

The APTA ridership report covers 262 transit systems. It shows the biggest
increase in rail travel in Oceanside, Calif., Seattle and Harrisburg, Pa.
Gainesville, Ga., and Pompano Beach, Fla., saw some of the biggest gains
in bus ridership.

"There are a number of factors. An obvious one is high gas prices," says
Linda Robson of Seattle's Sound Transit. She says the system has added
trains

"We're hearing from riders that gas prices got them to consider riding the
system," she says. "But what keeps them coming back is service and
convenience."


----------------------------------------


Passing on GasAmericans Are Driving Less
June 3, 2008
Reporting by Roddy Scheer
E-Magazine
Green Living
<http://www.emagazine.com/view/?4232>

With the average price of a gallon of gasoline topping $4 in some parts of
the country, Americans have cut back on driving at an unprecedented rate.
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced last week that figures
from March 2008 show the largest decrease in driving ever recorded, with
Americans driving 4.3 percent lesssome 11 billion fewer road milesthan
during March 2007. The federal government started keeping records in 1942
at the dawn of the highway age.


----------------------------------------


LACMTA wins top prize in APTA's Rail Rodeo
Progressive Railroading
<http://www.progressiverailroading.com/news/article.asp?id=16843>

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) won
the Rail Transit Team Achievement Award at the 16th Annual American Public
Transportation Association International Rail Rodeo, which was held
Saturday in conjunction with the 2008 APTA Rail Conference in San
Francisco.

The team award is given to the system that has the highest combined score
between the rail operator and maintainer teams. Eighty-one contestants
from 20 rail systems competed in the rodeo.


----------------------------------------


Nancy Pelosi Keynote Address at American Public Transportation Association
Rail Conference in SF
By admin - Posted on June 3rd, 2008
<http://www.allamericanpatriots.com/
48748152_nancy-pelosi-keynote-address-american-public-trans>

A shorter URL for the above link:

<http://tinyurl.com/4n6w4v>


It was in that tradition that 100 years later, in 1908, President Theodore
Roosevelt launched a similar commitment by convening a White House
Conference on Conservation to preserve Americas natural beauty. That led
to the creation of the National Park Service and helped a growing America
remain a great America and continue to be an even greater America.

Today, again, we stand at a crossroads with another opportunity to unite
our nation.

200 years after we first committed to national infrastructure, Congress is
prepared to observe the accomplishments of Presidents Thomas Jefferson and
Theodore Roosevelt by seizing opportunities for innovation and progress.
We must invest in our nations infrastructure, and we must reverse climate
change. By investing in public transit, we can do both at the same time.

In Congress, it is our responsibility to protect the American people, grow
our economy and create good paying jobs, strengthen Americas families, and
preserve our planet and promote energy independence.

All of these can be accomplished through rebuilding our infrastructure.

Our nation faces great infrastructure challenges: crumbling roads and
deficient bridges, insufficient maintenance of the electricity grid, aging
pipelines, overloaded ports, and most devastating of all the levee
failures during Hurricane Katrina.

All of you know best how the rising demand for public transit is placing
enormous strain on rail transit systems, which around the country are in
desperate need of upgrades, expansions, and operating funds.


----------------------------------------


Monday, June 2, 2008
Mass transit braces for fed-up drivers
Marketplace
<http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/
web/2008/06/02/transit_crunch/>

A shorter URL for the above link:

<http://tinyurl.com/3ljued>


Bob Moon: We Americans aren't the only ones desperate for some relief from
rising fuel prices. From truckers and taxi drivers to fishermen, protests
continued across Europe today. In France, truckers blockaded refineries
and brought traffic to a crawl with slow-moving convoys. In Portugal,
fishermen simply left their boats tied up at the docks for a fourth
straight day.

Here at home, the Wall Street Journal reported today some employers are
switching to a four-day work week to reduce the number of trips to and
from the office, and even public transportation is seeing a record jump in
ridership. But there's a hitch.

From the Marketplace Sustainability Desk, Sam Eaton reports.


----------------------------------------


General Motors to cease production at 4 factories
By KATIE MERX FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER June 3, 2008
Detroit Free Press
<http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/
article?AID=/20080603/BUSINESS01/80603053/1014/BUSINESS01>

A shorter URL for the above link:

<http://tinyurl.com/4ggsaq>


WILMINGTON, Del. General Motors Corp. will idle four truck plants and
boost production of cars as part of a plan to respond to a rapidly
changing U.S. auto market and align the business for a return to
profitability in North America, Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner said this
morning in advance of the corporations annual meeting.

GM will idle its truck plants in Moraine, Ohio; Oshawa, Ontario;
Janesville, Wis,; and Toluca, Mexico, which he said employ 10,000 workers
and make midsize SUVs, pickup trucks, large SUVs and medium-duty trucks.

The reduced assembly will result in cuts at stamping and powertrain
plants, as well.

GM also announced that it is studying the future of the Hummer brand,
considering everything from a major repositioning of the brand to its
partial or full sale.

Additionally, the automaker made a series of announcements about adding
shifts and products to new U.S. car plants, including a third shift in
Orion Township.

The changes are intended to address a recent and rapid shift in U.S.
consumer demand in the midst of a weak U.S. economy, mortgage crisis and
gas prices above $4 per gallon driving an unprecedented shift in consumer
preferences to cars and crossovers from large pickups and SUVs.

The shift has been particularly tough on GM and its fellow Detroit
automakers, who had come to depend on larger vehicles for their largest
profit margins.


----------------------------------------


UTO MAKING: SHAKEUP IN OSHAWA
As General Motors slashes jobs, calls mount for the struggling auto maker
to repay some of the $375-million in government assistance
KAREN HOWLETT
With files from reporter Greg Keenan
June 4, 2008
Report on Business.com
The Globe and Mail
<http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/
LAC.20080604.RGMFUNDING04/TPStory/Business>

A shorter URL for the above link:

<http://tinyurl.com/6g2jst>


TORONTO -- The 2,600 jobs General Motors of Canada Ltd. is slashing at its
pickup truck plant in Oshawa, Ont., likely will cause the company to
default on terms of interest-free government loans, forcing it to repay
them before the original due date of 2053.

When GM was given the $375-million in loans by the federal and provincial
governments for its Beacon manufacturing project three years ago, it
pledged to retain at least 16,000 workers at its plants across Ontario.
But those job guarantees all but vanished yesterday in the wake of the
latest round of GM job cuts.

Ontario's Liberal Premier, Dalton McGuinty, confirmed yesterday that GM
must maintain an average of 16,000 employees in Ontario over nine years as
well as an unspecified number of workers at the truck plant in return for
the 50-year, interest-free loans. He said he won't know for certain
whether GM will fall below that threshold until September, 2009, when the
firm halts production at the truck plant.

"Our sense at this point is they will be," Mr. McGuinty said at a news
conference yesterday. "If those jobs end up going below a certain level,
they will be in breach of the agreement and we will enforce that."



----------------------------------------



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