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Rail News Home Rail Industry Trends October 2016 Part 1 : Election 2016: What's at stake for rail? Part 2 : APTA: Local elections put transit funding to the test Part 3 : Industry stakeholders weigh in on regulation, free trade, transit funding and other potential election-impacted issues Rail News: Rail Industry Trends

By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. StaffWhen Vice President Joseph Biden announced a $2.45 billion federal loan for Amtrak on Aug. 26, he expressed his frustration about long-snarled efforts to bolster and modernize rail systems in the United States.“Why in this country are we so boneheaded to not understand the essential value of a rail system that is modern throughout the whole country? Why do we argue about whether or not it makes sense?” he queried. “We can’t make this country work without rail.”Those questions could be addressed or ignored by the next administration and new Congress, meaning the Nov. 8 national elections will have a significant impact on whether freight- and passenger-rail systems make strides, stand pat or slip backward over the next four years. As the elections neared, it wasn’t clear to rail industry stakeholders which of the three was the more distinct possibility.“It’s tempting to get distracted by the ‘bright shiny object’ that is this year’s presidential campaign. However, it’s difficult to decipher much rail-related information from all the noise surrounding partisan wedge issues, even more so with this campaign cycle,” says Jim Mathews, president and chief executive officer of the National Association of Railroad Passengers.So, anxieties are high among many rail constituents about how a number of key issues might swing after the 115th Congress takes office Jan. 3 and the 45th president is inaugurated Jan. 20. Among them: infrastructure spending, rail funding, Amtrak’s federal allocation, economic growth, rail regulation and free trade.The heightened state of uneasiness has been magnified by the uncertainty surrounding the national elections and the winning politicians’ potential position on rail.“There’s the question of which candidate is better for railroads. That has to play out. It depends on the issue,” says American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association President Linda Darr.But at least one thing is certain: The major political party winners will have an opportunity to exert their influence on many issues in the U.S. government’s executive and legislative branches in the years to come. Since the strength of that influence on rail-related issues is up for debate, pre-election discussions among industry constituents have been lively, to say the least.To learn where various constituents stand on the issues and election implications as voters prepared to make their voices heard at the polls, Progressive Railroading reached out to 10 rail industry stakeholders, including the House Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee chair, a Class I leader, an Amtrak executive, a labor union legislative director and the heads of several associations.Our what’s-at-stake-for-rail questions and their answers — mostly obtained via interviews and emails — are featured here. Plus, American Public Transportation Association and transit agency execs review Nov. 8 ballot measures and express their concerns about federal passenger-rail funding in this piece. In addition, this online version of our Oct. issue cover story includes longer responses and feedback from a few more stakeholders that weren’t included in the print version. next page
Keywords Browse articles on Amtrak National Association of Railroad Passengers American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association House Railroads Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee American Public Transportation Association Contact Progressive Railroading editorial staff.

Rail News Home Rail Industry Trends October 2016 Part 1 : Election 2016: What's at stake for rail? Part 2 : APTA: Local elections put transit funding to the test Part 3 : Industry stakeholders weigh in on regulation, free trade, transit funding and other potential election-impacted issues Rail News: Rail Industry Trends
By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Senior Associate EditorThe U.S. presidential and congressional elections aren’t the only votes that public transportation advocates will be watching on Nov. 8: A total of $200 billion in transit initiatives are at stake on local ballots in 31 cities, counties and states.The ballot measures ask voters to approve proposed increases in taxes or fees to help pay for public transportation in their communities, according to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).If the measures pass, the proceeds will go toward improving existing service and expanding transit systems. The largest local transit initiative on the ballot will be in Los Angeles, where voters will be asked to approve Measure M, a half-cent sales tax increase that Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority leaders hope will generate enough funds for a $120 billion expansion of the transit system to accommodate the region’s future population growth. Other communities with transit-funding measures on the Nov. 8 ballot and the amount they’re asking voters to approve include Seattle, $54 billion; San Diego, $7.5 billion; San Francisco, $3.5 billion; Santa Clara County, Calif., $3 billion; and Atlanta, $2.5 billion.“With approximately $200 billion in funding for public transportation, this [election] is a game changer for people and the communities they live in,” said Richard White, APTA’s acting president and chief executive officer during a media conference call held during the association’s annual meeting in September.White noted that the ballot initiatives will help local communities keep up with the cost of local transportation infrastructure, especially at a time when Congress isn’t always clear about whether it will come through with additional funding for major infrastructure needs.Economic benefitsThe number of ballot measures in November is due in part to transit’s popularity, with transit ridership at an all time high in many areas, according to APTA. Communities see economic advantages, as well: Every $1 invested in public transportation produces about $4 in economic benefits, APTA officials say. Plus, many riders use transit to get to work: Six out of 10 trips on public transportation systems are work-related commutes, according to APTA. Also, riding the subway or other forms of transit can save individuals money — up to $10,000 annually — over the cost of owning and driving a car.Whether voters in all 31 communities approve the ballot initiatives remains to be seen, of course. But during the media call, White emphasized that transit initiatives have had a good track record. Since 2000, public transit ballot initiatives have passed by an average of more than 70 percent, according to APTA.“When people understand how a ballot initiative will improve their community’s transportation network, they overwhelmingly vote to support the suggested funding,” White noted in a recent APTA press release.But even if all 31 ballot measures pass, U.S. public transit executives hope that the next Congress and president will be open to new investment in major transportation infrastructure projects. (Both presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have indicated support for large increases in infrastructure spending.)However, during the GOP convention in July, APTA issued a strong statement in opposition to a GOP platform measure that called for ending dedicated federal revenue for public transportation by eliminating mass transit dollars in the federal Highway Trust Fund. Such a move would “undo more than 30 years of overwhelming support for dedicated federal investment in public transit,” White said in a prepared statement in July.“Having no federal funds would be devastating, not only to the millions of Americans who use public transportation and to the employers who depend on it for their employees, but also for communities of all sizes that need it for a thriving economy and quality of life,” he said. previous page next page
Keywords Browse articles on American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) Richard White Contact Progressive Railroading editorial staff.