Auld Lang Syne
Posted by Fred Jandt
Editor, Mass Transit
It’s hard to believe another year has gone by already. Just last year I was staring at my four-month-old daughter’s face this time of year still beaming with joy and now she’s walking and already terrorizing her brothers.
This year seemed like a rough one for transit with funding crises springing up across the nation, but they were weathered and no one has had to shutdown permanently.
But what about 2008?
It looks as if 2008 will continue this resurgence in transit interest we’ve been seeing since gas prices started dramatically climbing. We’re headed into an election year, so it will be interesting to see how transit gets tossed in with the usual rhetoric slung about by the presidential candidates.
That’s as much of a prediction as I like to make. I’m not one for predictions. But we did have a whole slew of them in our December issue from the leaders of some of transit’s biggest companies, not to mention the leaders of both APTA and CUTA.
Unfortunately, we weren’t able to fit in the predictions we got from some of our 2007 cover stories. Five of the leaders who graced our cover this year were gracious enough to take the time and give us a 2008 prediction. So in the spirit of the New Year, here they are in their entirety:
Joni Earl, CEO
Sound Transit
Central Puget Sound, Wash.
Looking into the new year, I see both challenge and opportunity. One of the challenges will be to determine a new federal funding mechanism that both responds to change and is fair and efficient. The federal government has not updated the transit grant program to keep pace with the development of urban transit systems; the current model needs to evolve.
Today what we need most is expansion and improved operating efficiency of mass transit systems in our major metropolitan areas. Adding transit capacity – increasing rail service and enhancing our bus systems through priority improvements and dedicated right-of-way — supports economic growth, provides sustainable public transportation networks, and reduces overall carbon emissions.
The opportunity that I believe transit leaders nationwide will seize in 2008 is coming together to promote refining the New Starts criteria and methodology. We will work to focus federal investments on major metropolitan regions that significantly fuel the national economy; to promote policies that support economic connections and sustainable land use; to endorse increased ability for regional officials to tailor their transportation systems in alignment with broadly defined federal goals; and to advocate for a diverse mix of funding tools - grants, credit support and tax incentives – to better provide the flexibility needed to complete major projects over a long period of time.
Paul Ballard
Nashville MTA
Nashville, Tenn.
U.S voters have continued to demonstrate their support for public transportation by passing referendums at the ballot box to expand or preserve funding for local public transportation organizations. In the fall 2007 elections, almost two-thirds of referendums were decided favorably for increasing mobility, and reducing air pollution and traffic congestion.
Continuing this trend will be critical in 2008. Skyrocketing ridership and fuel prices will continue to apply tremendous pressures on the abilities of local transportation organizations to maintain a level of service that retains the public’s support and patronage.
What can we do?
We need to redouble our efforts to institutionalize public transportation in our communities. Communication with all potential stakeholders needs to be intensified in frequency and urgency. We need to look for moral and financial support from all entities.
Some of us may be suffering from a problem that military officers sometimes find themselves in when leading a successful charge into enemy territory − getting ahead of their supply lines. Some public transportation providers enjoying significant ridership increases are getting ahead of financial supply lines.
We need to think and act creatively and aggressively to identify new and perhaps non-traditional sources of financial support to recharge our financial supply lines to continue the battle for public transportation in 2008.
Gary McNeil
GO Transit
Toronto, Ontario
The future of transit looks bright in Canada. The economy remains strong supported by growing population and employment figures. More importantly, governments are beginning to invest in transit infrastructure again. The Federal Government is beginning to support transit through gas tax incentives and targeted infrastructure funding as it moves toward a National Transit Strategy.
In British Columbia, the new Canada Line, which will link downtown Vancouver to its airport and growing southern suburbs, is well into construction and is expected to open before the 2010 Winter Olympics. Communities throughout B.C. are also installing elements of BRT operation into their bus systems, giving buses priority over single-occupant vehicles. Edmonton and Calgary are investing in expansions to their LRT networks, while Montreal is building onto its existing, well-established Metro and commuter rail systems.
In Ontario, the Greater Toronto Area, where GO Transit flourishes, the future is also very positive. The Provincial Government, recently voted back for another four-year term, is using the $17.5-billion, MoveOntario 2020 transit expansion announcement as one of its platforms. The recently created Greater Toronto Transportation Authority has been charged with delivering on that promise and is developing a transportation agenda for this growing area. It will support the Toronto’s Transit City plans, as well as the mass transit initiatives of the surrounding urban growth centers identified in the Province’s Places to Grow legislation.
With funds from the Federal and Provincial Governments, GO is building infrastructure that was recognized as necessary in the 1980s. Major projects underway include the installation of a $300-million train signal system at Union Station, the rehabilitation of the seven-acre train shed at Union Station, and double and triple tracking of a number of rail corridors. As a result of these improvements, GO expects to launch new train services by 2009 which will allow it to carry more customers. This past year, GO carried over 50 million customers.
What transit agencies had hoped to do for decades now appears to be on the horizon. It will be the people of Canada who will win as these dreams become realities. People in large urban centers demand mass transit services; politicians are beginning to notice.
Mark Pangborn
Lane Transit District
Eugene, Ore.
In 2008, public transportation will play an increasingly important role in our communities, while also facing significant funding challenges. Continued increases in fuel prices will encourage greater use of transit, and public transportation will also be asked to take a greater role in addressing key environmental concerns, such as global warming and creating sustainable communities. Demographic trends will create continued increases in demand for transit service for the elderly and persons with disabilities.
The increased transit demand will lead to record ridership and higher community expectations for transit. However, there also will be significant funding challenges for transit. Higher fuel prices increase operating costs, and funding for transit will not keep pace with the increasing demand for service. The high cost of providing elderly and disabled transportation service will put further pressure on transit systems’ operating budgets.
At the federal level, competition for New Starts funding (including Small Starts) and other discretionary funds will increase as communities look to transit to provide transportation solutions. Discussions regarding the reauthorization of the federal transportation bill will begin in 2008, and that will include consideration of an increase in the federal gas tax, a difficult subject under any circumstance but particularly during an election year.
Brian Lamb
Metro Transit
Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn.
I believe that 2008 will be a year of action to address the global environment.
In the United States, candidates for election will push plans for energy independence through the use of sustainable, renewable resources.
Their motivation will be two-fold. On the practical level, they will seek solutions to gasoline prices approaching $4 a gallon, which will hurt us not only at the pump but throughout the economy as manufacturing and service industries face higher operating costs. On the altruistic level, elected leaders will respond more aggressively to the growing consensus that bold action is needed now to preserve the planet for future generations.
With the focus in 2008 on the environment, there will be challenges and opportunities for the transit industry. Our own fuel prices will consume larger portions of our operating budgets. On the other hand, citizens will be more inclined to respond positively to the value of our service – especially as we portray ourselves as environmental leaders. We need to remind the public that by riding with us they are linked to organizations committed to biodiesel, to hybrid buses, to energy efficient facilities and to the stewardship of environmental resources.
If we succeed in conveying this message, I predict we will enjoy our highest ridership since the energy crisis of the late 1970s.
Thanks for reading the MT Position, and Happy New Year!