The MT Position

February 14 is just days away.

It’s the day President Obama introduces the FY12 budget request.  With all of the recent talk about rebuilding America’s infrastructure during the State of the Union – but without the specific plans yet being outlined – we’re all waiting to hear what we can expect for funding.

And it also means February 15 is when the House is expected to begin days of debate on the FY11 continuing resolution, which is funding the extension of SAFETEA-LU. With the Republican ‘Pledge to America,’ and a goal of reaching $100 billion in cuts, there is a lot of speculation of where cuts will be and how much really will be cut.

Reading a blog by USDOT Deputy Secretary John Porcari, he points out something that those in the industry know: the transportation sector is a great opportunity for adopting environmentally friendly practices and creating good jobs in the process.

He also talked about Capital Area Transit’s new operations and bus maintenance center in Raleigh, N.C., that he and Administrator Peter Rogoff visited. A LEED-certified facility, it’s a sign of the sustainable standard of transit. And, it represents good jobs that were required to construct the new center; an expanding transit fleet with more buses running; and more North Carolinians using transit, which translates to less foreign oil and lower emissions.

This week I had the opportunity to lift the front end of a locomotive. OK, that may be a little misleading. It was a fiberglass nose for a train made by Fiber-Tech Inc. … not quite as big as an entire locomotive or nearly as heavy.

Our team at “Mass Transit” visits transit agencies and suppliers to transit when ever the opportunity arises so we see the diversity in company sizes and we have the chance to talk one-on-one with employees at various levels that provide for our industry.

Fiber-Tech is just one of the companies we’ve visited and we had the opportunity to tour their facility to see where and how they design and produce custom fiberglass composites.

Cutting spending is something the government keeps stressing. But they are also stressing job creation. And when I visit agencies or suppliers, it always reminds me of why it’s so important for our legislators to be invited to visiting these companies. You telling them what you do is one thing, but for them to see first hand the people working and the technological advancements and sustainability our industry promotes, it gives them a clearer picture of what we can do for the economy.

This also reminds me of two great graphics put together by the American Public Transportation Association: a bus schematic and a train schematic showing where the jobs are across America.

People, including elected officials, see a single bus or a single train and never realize how many companies, how many jobs, go in to that one vehicle.

What we do makes a difference, so don’t forget to promote what it is you do for all of our benefit.

By Leah Harnack

A recent conference call led by American Public Transportation Association (APTA) President Bill Millar provided information about the impact on the economy if the government continues to delay a federal transportation authorization bill.

During the question and answer session, Millar mentioned that APTA is in the process of meeting with each of the 109 new members of the 112th Congress. Something that was particularly discouraging that he shared, “We’re finding that many of the new members are simply not familiar with the full scope and range of investments that the federal government makes.

“We have found some examples where some of the new members don’t even realize that the federal government invests in the nation’s highway system, for example.”

I didn’t say it was surprising, just discouraging.

Coming from a state divided by whether a rail line connecting the Midwest is a necessity or a waste, I talk to people everyday that are adamant about the burden such a boondoggle would impose. And this is further being fueled by opinions that are ramped extra high during the current state of politics.

Educating the public how transportation funding works isn’t easy as so many people have their minds made up.

A great thing about the transit industry is that many of the people in it are passionate about what they do and they do what they can to promote it, not just while working or when their job mandates it.

With the prolific use of social media, agencies have been doing a lot to pass along valuable information to the public. Many times after one agency posts a link to a great story highlighting the necessity or benefit, I’ll see several others pick it up and share it to all of its followers.

And while the suppliers to the transit industry are often posting about advancements at their company or with their technology, they too share information that simply provides insight on the financial impact of public transit.

Now most, if not all, of the suppliers’ “friends,” “followers” or “fans” are probably already in the transit industry and know of the value, it’s a quick way to share information that can get passed along by all of us to continue to share that information.

APTA recently started a page on Facebook that does just this; it’s Business Arguments for Public Transportation. If you haven’t  already, sign on and join in the conversation.

Just from me “liking” a comment here and there on the page, those feeds then show up to everyone I’m friends with: those in the transit industry, and friends and family, including people not supportive or understanding of what transit offers.

Since signing on, there are several friends of mine that aren’t in the transit industry and they have chosen to “like” the page. We may be fighting for the attention against things like “Farmville,” the Super Bowl, videos of cats playing pianos, etc., but every bit helps.

During the APTA conference call, Millar admitted that there is a lengthy education process in front of us. He also said APTA has been urging all of its members, whether public or private sector, to share the stories we all live day-to-day about the impact long-term investment has and why the federal government investment, particularly at this time when the nation is trying to move out of the recession, is a good deal for the nation and a good deal for the tax payers.

Using all of the resources available to us will help spread the word about what a vital necessity our industry is and the impact it has on the environment and the economy.

By Fred Jandt
Mass Transit magazine editor

It’s my final week here at Mass Transit. And I have one last stop to make before I deadhead into the sunset — the MT Position.

Conversations are funny things. Usually they start from one person making a point, someone supporting that point and others opposing it. That’s sort of what happened with the recent debate about the growth of quiet cars here in the United States.

I spoke about this a few weeks back. The notion that self-policing on quiet cars usually gets out of hand and turns into an interesting sociological experiment. Two articles related to that discussion caught my eye.

The first was from the Wall Street Journal, which discusses how we bounce from one end of the spectrum to the other in regards to many things, including quiet cars.

The other article I read discussed adding “conversation cars” to trains for those who want to chat.

Now before anyone gets their knickers in a twist, I understand that European rail is different than here in the States. Putting that obvious (and tired) argument to the side for a minute, the idea of a conversation car isn’t entirely new.

One thing almost every train I rode in Europe had was a club car/bar car/dining car/whatever-you-want-to-call-it car. Some had high tables and no seats. Some had seats and tables. All of them had a counter where you could get a tasty beverage and something to snack on (some more than others).

What was nice about this car was people generally congregated here and it gave you a place to socialize. And you know what? The rest of the cars were in general quieter than the trains here in the States.

I know there are a myriad of other factors involved in this, but I think having a place to go and not worry about being quiet helped.

Maybe instead of trying to block all the noise from one car, maybe we need to try and funnel it into another? Or better yet, offer both.

As I said above, this is my final stop for Mass Transit magazine. I’ve been with the magazine for a little more than five years and seen dozens of agencies in that time. I’ve met with some legendary transit executives and some who will one day be legendary. I wouldn’t have passed up this opportunity for the world.

But I’m moving on to another opportunity within Mass Transit’s parent company (Cygnus Business Media) that I wouldn’t pass up either.

We’re not leaving any readers in the lurch, though. Able-bodied associate editor, Leah Harnack will be stepping up to the editor’s chair immediately. Many of you already know Leah. For those who don’t, stop by and say hi at the next show.

Thanks to everyone out there for everything in the past five years. It’s been a heckuva ride.

Thanks for reading the MT Position, updated every Friday. For those interested in instant updates, you can now get your latest Mass Transit news fix via Twitter.

Fred
fred.jandt@cygnusb2b.com
Connect to me via LinkedIn and Twitter!

By Fred Jandt
Mass Transit magazine editor

I came across an interesting image this week:

Does that look like something debuting this summer on the SyFy channel? Pretty high-tech, huh? That is a new “Eco-City” being built in Tianjin, China. Let me restate that, it’s currently being built in China.

Now compare that to the biggest infrastructure story of the week here in the United States:

So China is building a futuristic new eco-friendly city — with public transit built right in no less — and here we are scratching our heads as our gas mains explode around the country.

We hear a lot about our crumbling infrastructure and the dangers is presents, but I don’t think the public understands just how bad things are out there. Our bridges are collapsing, our gas mains are exploding and some of our transit systems would make MacGyver proud with how they keep things running.

But this is where our house divides. Sure our bridges may collapse, but when you are driving down a newly paved road you forget about that, especially if it didn’t happen directly to you. That becomes a ‘their’ problem, not a ‘my’ problem. And now we have the government handing out money left and right for new projects.

Awesome. I applaud the investment in transit — any investment in transit.

The problem with that is that there is no investment in the crumbling infrastructure. I am sure I will get emails about how wrong I am on this point, but while we’re spending billions of dollars on a fleet of new warships we can’t get Congress to agree on a transit funding bill.

This is like the guy who rolls up in his brand new Lexus to the broken down home that he hasn’t spent a dime on since he bought it. Hey, the roof hasn’t fallen in on him yet, so it must be fine.

In his speech on slavery, Lincoln said the issue would not cease until a crisis was reached and passed.

We’ve had a bridge collapse. We’ve had regional power outages. We’ve had a building explode. What other crises do we need before we catch on?

Our house is divided and it will not stand for much longer — literally — until we do something about it.

Thanks for reading the MT Position, updated every Friday. For those interested in instant updates, you can now get your latest Mass Transit news fix via Twitter.

Fred
fred.jandt@masstransitmag.com
Connect to me via LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter!

By Fred Jandt
Mass Transit magazine editor

Have you ever been shushed? The resulting emotion I can only quantify as equal parts indignation and shame. Now many more people will get that experience on trains in three cities across the country.

I’m a fan of the quiet car. I’m the guy who plans to sit for hours whenever he travels, so I always have my iPad and a pair of headphones handy. Give me some Wi-Fi and I’ll be good for hours.

So it was with some interest that I read about Metra implementing quiet cars this week with MBTA and NJ Transit testing them out. The problem with quiet cars is that nobody knows just what “quiet” really means.

I spent a few years working in a bookstore when I was in college. What I found most interesting working there was how quiet it was. Evidently, because we sold books, people decided that the universal library rules applied. If kids were loud their parents admonished them (and usually apologized to us). And woe be to the adult who was loud — usually receiving infuriated stares if not outright shushing from other patrons.

Such is the way of the quiet car, too. But here is the thing — most quiet cars allow you to speak quietly. They don’t demand silence. But other riders sure do.

I know that I’ve been shushed into silence on a quiet car when I was having what I thought was a politely subdued conversation with the person next to me.

A good conductor can defuse the situation by declaring the rules of the quiet car as the train rolls out, but often they are busy dealing with the myriad of other duties they have and can’t be expected to pay special attention to a single car.

What’s the answer? I think agencies need to post the rules of the quiet car clearly so everyone can see them. Everyone knows the “rules of the pool” — no running, no diving, etc. — because they are clearly posted by every pool.

The same should be the case for the quiet car — no cell phones, no music, no talking — so everyone knows the rules.

Otherwise, people may just opt out of using the quiet car as it becomes ruled by the shushers.

Thanks for reading the MT Position, updated every Friday. For those interested in instant updates, you can now get your latest Mass Transit news fix via Twitter.

Fred
fred.jandt@masstransitmag.com
Connect to me via LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter!

By Fred Jandt
Mass Transit magazine editor

We usually work a couple months out for Mass Transit magazine. That means I am writing the cover story for our February issue in January, from an interview I recorded at the end of last year. Sometimes that gets confusing, but I think it gives you a unique perspective on industry issues.

We all fall into our favorite focuses — rail versus bus is a big one — and that’s understandable. However, having to juggle all aspects of transit from funding to safety and security to the latest tech to what cool things agencies are doing gives us more of a macro view than most.

Sitting back and looking forward, 2011 looks like it could be an interesting year for transit … and that may not be a good thing.

“May you live in interesting times,” is a famous quote that is reportedly the first of three “curses” the latter two being, “May you come to the attention of those in authority,” and “May your wishes be granted.”

With this year playing host to the next International Public Transit Expo, it definitely will be interesting. It is also a year wherein the UITP’s World Congress coincides with Expo. So we have two of the world’s largest transit shows landing in the same year.

Now add to that rising gas prices — latest predictions are upwards of $4/gallon by June — a funding bill that is in Reauthorization Hell, a change of control in the House and general uncertainty about our nation’s infrastructure and transit’s role in it.

Interesting times indeed.

As for the latter two curses, transit has definitely come to the attention of those in authority — for good and bad. We celebrated unparalleled investment in rail infrastructure in the last two years and yet this investment is being seen as a bad thing in several states by newly elected officials.

So will our wishes be granted in 2011? Maybe, but we need to be careful about the wording on those. Getting a reauthorization that doesn’t benefit transit for the future, instead keeping it on life support doesn’t do any good. Increased government notice might not be a good thing (as we’ve seen here in Wisconsin).

If nothing else, this year promises to be exciting and one with many changes. Let’s hope as we sit down looking back at 2011 we like where we end up.

Thanks for reading the MT Position, updated every Friday. For those interested in instant updates, you can now get your latest Mass Transit news fix via Twitter.

Fred
fred.jandt@masstransitmag.com
Connect to me via LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter!

By Fred Jandt
Mass Transit magazine editor

Sometimes we take transit for granted. No, I don’t mean transit in general, but the things that transit does, the accomplishments made by and for transit agencies that sometimes literally change the way we look at things. Think about that the next time you look at a transit map.

A couple weeks back I got an email from one of my blogs from a John Tauranac. John makes maps of New York’s transit systems. We got to talking and he explained to me in brief the process by which a transit map is made. With the technology available today this is still an arduous process, but imagine the difficulty of those cartogrographical pioneers at the turn of last century trying to diagram the London Underground!

Since then we have had amazing advancements in transit mapping keeping pace with the advancements in transit itself. Transit mapping has almost become an art form, and it is in some places. Think about that the next time you have to stop and check the transit map to find the next stop on your planned route.

What is the most amazing thing about maps is how essential they still are in this time of Google and GPS. I have an iPad loaded with transit apps and I still pick up maps on whatever system I am on. Some of my favorites even decorate my cube at the “Mass Transit” offices.

Technology has many things going for it, but connectivity isn’t absolute, and there is nothing as fulfilling as being able to navigate your way on a transit system with just your wits and a well-designed map. Spending two-weeks in Europe this year I was able to embark on several adventures within transit systems to see things I normally would have missed thanks to the map in my hand.

On the opposite end of that spectrum, though, is the timetable. As we get more and more advanced, I find less and less of a need to know when my next bus or train is going to arrive. Systems like NextBus give constant updates, but even those are bested by the best thing transit has going for it — great service.

There is nothing like knowing that a bus will be at a stop every 15 minutes or a train will arrive on every half hour. That assuredness is worth every penny spent to provide it.

That and a good map will definitely take you places.

Thanks for reading the MT Position in 2010. Look for us back here every Friday in 2011 starting January 7. For those interested in instant updates, you can now get your latest Mass Transit news fix via Twitter.

Fred
fred.jandt@masstransitmag.com
Connect to me via LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter!

By Fred Jandt
Mass Transit magazine editor

I had a great blog written for this week about transit maps (you’ll probably see it next week). Then all Hell broke loose. First was an email from my publisher with a link to a story that the Wisconsin rail funds were being redistributed. Then a series of phone calls and emails to corroborate that information. So much for that blog.

It’s true, the money for a new rail line in Wisconsin is gone. The Department of Transportation (DOT) announced Thursday that:

“The $1.195 billion originally designated for those high-speed rail projects in Wisconsin and Ohio will now be used to support projects in the following states:

• California: up to $624 million
• Florida: up to $342.3 million
• Washington State: up to $161.5 million
• Illinois: up to $42.3 million
• New York: up to $7.3 million
• Maine: up to $3.3 million
• Massachusetts: up to $2.8 million
• Vermont: up to $2.7 million
• Missouri up to $2.2 million
• Wisconsin: up to $2 million for the Hiawatha line
• Oregon: up to $1.6 million
• North Carolina: up to $1.5 million
• Iowa: up to $309,080
• Indiana: up to $364,980”

So Wisconsin will see about a quarter of a percent of the funds initially set to expand the Hiawatha Line running from Milwaukee to Chicago.

The Internet is crowded with people on both sides of the issue either crowing about the victory or denouncing it as a pyrrhic one. I guess I am left a little mystified by the whole situation.

I edit a transit magazine; my opinion is going to be seen as biased regardless of how I feel on the subject, but I have to wonder how is this a happy day?

If a state is given money by the Federal government to expand its interstate highway system — let’s say to take a two-lane road and make it four-lanes — this is heralded as good thing and an example of job creation. One could say the same thing for a new rail line. It still needs to be built. Those are still construction jobs to be had no matter what the number is.

And let’s be honest here, expanding an existing road isn’t going to create exponentially more jobs than laying track for a new rail line.

But the big argument against the train was the cost after it was built. Numbers run the gamut for operational expenses everywhere from $7.5 million to $750,000. It was these costs that were held up as the reason the train shouldn’t be built. The state couldn’t afford these costs.

We don’t see operational costs for roads because a road is a thing. It just lays there. What is “operational” about it? But after the blacktop has cooled and the paint has dried on that new highway, aren’t there also costs? Filling potholes, sealing cracks, cutting weeds, and so on.

So at the end of the day, if we were to compare the roads and rails as operating entities, aren’t they very similar?

You have to construct them. You have to spend money on them every year to keep them working. And they provide a level of connectivity between communities.

However, when was the last time you heard about a new highway extension driving business to your community? I know in Madison, the departure of the rail line is already having an effect.

Any loss of revenue should be seen as a bad thing in this economic climate. And rather than looking at the operational costs as something the state could make work — like wasteful spending is confined to transit — they are dismissed out of hand.

I am not going to sit here and spout doom and gloom about losing the rail line. But it is definitely not something I will be cheering about.

Thanks for reading the MT Position, updated every Friday. For those interested in instant updates, you can now get your latest Mass Transit news fix via Twitter.

Fred
fred.jandt@masstransitmag.com
Connect to me via LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter!

By Fred Jandt
Mass Transit magazine editor

I heard an interesting statement recently, “the Madison-Milwaukee train line is dead.” It’s time we took a step back. Sometimes statements get made that, if you don’t know who is making them, sound pretty reasonable on the surface.

That statement about the train being dead was from governor-elect Scott Walker’s transition director, John Hiller. I guess he wishes the train was dead. Since the election, Walker’s camp has been bombarded by a seemingly endless stream of calls about the train. If the train would die it would make his job that much easier.

Quotes, though, are interesting animals. Without context or attribution they become entirely different beasts with minds of their own and have a tendency of outliving the people who said them.

I personally like this quote, “Work at it, if necessary, early and late, in season and out of season, not leaving a stone unturned, and never deferring for a single hour that which can be done just as well now … ambition, energy, industry, perseverance are indispensable requisites for success in business.”

Do you know who said that? Donald Trump? Jack Welch?

Nope. It was P.T. Barnum. Yep, the same man who is attributed with saying, “There’s a sucker born every minute.” Suddenly puts a different spin on that quote doesn’t it?

But Barnum wasn’t just a showman; he was an astute businessman who also said, “Men who drive sharp bargains with their customers acting as if they never expected to see them again will not be mistaken. They will never see them again as customers. People don’t like to pay and get kicked also.”

Barnum understood that there was a give and take in every deal, something that could be made from every agreement. Unfortunately, it seems our governor-elect in Wisconsin hasn’t learned that.

A recent poll touts the opposition to the Madison-Milwaukee rail line. But just like the quote from Barnum, you have to consider the source. A conservative group that opposes the rail line? Really? What I think is news here is that there is only 52 percent opposition. What is the margin of error on that poll? And if you dig into the numbers 68 percent of people polled are over 45 and 4 percent are under 25.

I keep hearing the question, “Who do you expect to ride this train?” Evidently, not students according to this poll.

At the end of the day it comes down to one quote, “If you hesitate, some bolder hand will stretch out before you and get the prize.”

That’s Barnum again. He knew what many know now. If we don’t seize this chance for a part of the national rail network, it might just pass us by.

Thanks for reading the MT Position, updated every Friday. For those interested in instant updates, you can now get your latest Mass Transit news fix via Twitter.

Fred
fred.jandt@masstransitmag.com
Connect to me via LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter!

Posted by Fred Jandt
Mass Transit magazine editor

I spent the last week in New York City attending the U.S. High Speed Rail Association’s conference. And from what I heard there — or more importantly, what I didn’t — I have to say that our transit system sucks.

It does. Every aspect of our transit system is woefully outdated, overtaxed and in danger of imminent collapse. Just check out New York City. Its roads are choked with cars — and that’s just the parked ones. Its transit system is standing room only at the best of times.

And don’t even get me started on our airlines. Those following me on Twitter heard my cry yesterday after being stuck in a plane on the tarmac in Chicago for an hour and a half, just to spend 15 minutes in the air when we actually got in the air.

The pilot came on the intercom shortly after we got underway yesterday and apologized for the “debacle” at O’Hare.

Our transportation network is a debacle all right and there really is only one person to blame.

Me. Well, and You. I guess “Us” would be a better description.

I’ve heard a lot — too much, really — about the train that may or may not come to Wisconsin. I’ve seen the numbers from both sides. I’ve heard the spin from both sides.

And you know what? They are all wrong.

This has become an either/or thing and it’s not. It’s not about being conservative or liberal, Republican or Democrat. It’s about doing what’s right for our nation.

And that means supporting all aspects of transit — roads, transit and ports. We need to become a nation where we move everything efficiently — people and goods.

So why are we so vehemently against transit? I can’t figure that one out. I heard recently one argument that “They” want people to give up their cars in favor of transit. They want transit to be the only choice.

Isn’t that what I have now with my car?

When I got home yesterday, my car had a hard time starting at the airport. A silent prayer and a couple pumps of gas got it started, but what if it hadn’t? It not starting would have incurred me an immense expense in time and money.

That car is my only choice. I don’t have transit to fall back on.

We shouldn’t be for transit until we’re against it as the elected officials in Wisconsin seem to be. And we should be making wiser decisions with our money like spending billions to make new warships while waging a war in a land-locked country.

In the end, we need to get together — road builders, steel companies, concrete companies, transit builders, designers, architects, elected officials, everyone — and sort this mess out.

It can’t be an either/or situation. It needs to be a plan to keep us working as a nation for now and the future.

Otherwise it will remain more of the same. And right now transit sucks.

Thanks for reading the MT Position, updated every Friday. For those interested in instant updates, you can now get your latest Mass Transit news fix via Twitter.

Fred
fred.jandt@masstransitmag.com
Connect to me via LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter!