Elana Schor
Recent Posts
AFL-CIO Flexing Its Muscle for Senate Transit Operating Aid Bill
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The AFL-CIO, a formidable lobbying force in Washington, is throwing its weight behind a Senate bill offered last week that would authorize $2 billion in emergency funding for transit agencies forced to hike fares or cut service in lean budgetary times. Rev. Jesse Jackson, second from left, has joined transit workers’ unions in their Save […]
Bipartisan Ped Safety Amendment Hitches a Ride on House Auto Bill
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The House Energy and Commerce Committee yesterday advanced an auto safety bill aimed at strengthening U.S. DOT regulators’ hands in the aftermath of Toyota’s recall debacle. Despite Republican complaints that the legislation would impose too many new costs on the car industry, bipartisan support emerged readily for an amendment focused on pedestrian safety. Rep. Cliff […]
New Report Examines the Media’s Role in the Gas Tax Debate
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(Chart: University of Vermont Transportation Research Center) The success of state-level plans to increase gas taxes is tied to the media’s portrayal of the proposals in question, with narratives tied to "crumbling infrastructure" and "economic progress" showing more success than those emphasizing long-term transportation budget gaps, according to a new report released by the University […]
Eight Senate Dems Offer $2B Plan for Emergency Transit Operating Aid
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Transit agencies forced to raise fares or cut service to close budget gaps would be eligible for $2 billion in emergency operating funds under legislation unveiled today by Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-CT) and seven other Democratic senators, including two members of the party’s leadership. Sens. Chris Dodd (D-CT), left, Charles Schumer (D-NY), […]
Tracing the Fault Lines Between Public and Private Transit Operators
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Should private transit companies enjoy the same federal gas tax exemption that many public operators receive? How does the existence of private inter-city bus service affect the government’s development of new high-speed rail lines? And does it matter that private transit firms are eligible for public subsidies, even if at a much smaller rate than […]
Feds to Start Scoring Transportation Potential of Housing Grant Applicants
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Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan said late Friday that his agency will soon start gauging the "location efficiency" of its grant applicants, determining each project’s potential for connecting residents to surrounding neighborhoods — and mirroring the recommendations of a recent report that found a correlation between homeowners’ foreclosure risk and their dependence […]
On National Bike to Work Day, U.S. DOT and Cycling Advocates Eye New Moves
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In addition to the announcement of a new local bike-share system, today’s D.C. Bike to Work Day found both the U.S. DOT and the nation’s leading bike advocacy groups positioning themselves to claim new victories for cyclists in the coming days. FTA chief Peter Rogoff addressing cyclists at this morning’s Bike to Work Day events. […]
Four House Republicans Join Dems in Hailing LaHood’s Support for Bike-Ped
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Four House Republicans yesterday joined 24 Democratic colleagues in a letter praising Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood for his public support of federal bicycling and pedestrian investment — a stance that had generated some bad blood between LaHood and the trucking industry. Rep. Jack Kingston (R-VA), left, in the "congressional ride" during March’s National Bike Summit. […]
Transit Industry and State DOTs Agree: Senate Climate Bill Needs ‘Rewrite’
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The transit industry’s leading D.C. lobbying outlet joined the umbrella group for state DOTs yesterday and two major construction groups to protest the Senate climate bill’s failure to set aside all of the revenue from its proposed new fuel fees for infrastructure projects — specifically, to the cash-strapped highway trust fund that is generally split, […]
Transit Industry to Join State DOTs in Blasting Senate Climate Bill
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The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is set to join the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and two construction interests tomorrow in protesting the Senate climate bill’s proposed diversion of new fuel fees away from infrastructure — an argument that puts the transit industry’s leading D.C. lobbying group squarely in the […]
Ford Foundation to Send $200M to Local Transit-Oriented Development
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The Ford Foundation, created seven decades ago by a U.S. car industry scion, notably diverged from its past today by announcing a new, $200 million grant program aimed at promoting the local integration of transportation and land use planning and a movement beyond auto-based development. A "transit village" in the San Francisco area, cited by […]
U.S. DOT Holding Five Public Meetings on Its National Rail Plan
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As it works to finalize a National Rail Plan that could prove pivotal in securing dedicated long-term funding for high-speed rail, the U.S. DOT is soliciting public feedback at five meetings in the coming weeks. The first public meeting will be held Wednesday in Kansas City, followed by a Thursday meeting in Atlanta, according to […]