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Vol. 1 Issue 22
June 5, 2016
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From the Peninsula Daily News:

Clallam Transit driver interrupts attack, stops hijacking of bus

A Clallam Transit bus driver rescued an 80-year-old passenger from an attack by another passenger and kept the assailant from hijacking the bus until the police could arrive Saturday, police said.

In the process, the driver herself was attacked in the incident at 1:47 p.m. in the 1600 block of West 16th Street, said Cpl. David Dombrowski of the Port Angeles Police Department.  READ MORE

OPMA guidance addressing several frequently asked questions about boards and commissions

Click here to see new OPMA guidance addressing several frequently asked questions about boards and commissions which conduct a search to fill a position at an agency.  The FAQ is titled, “Open Public Meetings Act Guidance on Frequently Asked Questions About Processes to Fill Vacant Positions By Public Agency Governing Boards (And Some Suggested Practice Tips)” (June 1, 2016).   The FAQ is also posted on the AGO’s Open Government Training web page under OPMA training at Lesson 3 – Other Resources (linked here).
Associate Member Spotlight
Harlow's Bus Sales
WSTA 5-9 Year Associate Member

Harlow's is more than just buses and trucks.  Harlow's is a full service transportation provider with the ability to meet a large variety of needs from our customers.  In addition to providing best in class new buses and trucks, we have the ability to stand behind those vehicles through our seven full service facilities conveniently located in the states we cover.  Our Parts and Service Departments offer extensive experience and professionalism in providing solutions for all of our customer's needs. 

Become an Associate Member
Business Partner level:                      $400
Non-profit/Government Partner:        $200
Individuals:                                           $50
 

WSTA pays an annual membership to the Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC), which allows our Transit Agency members access to their services.  Check out what is new with MRSC. 

Available for WSTATransit Members: 
 
Nearly 60 Percent of Americans Plan To Use Public Transit When on Vacation

APTA released its annual "Travel Like A Local" survey, which asks Americans if they plan to use public transportation while vacationing in a top U.S. destination city this summer.  Nearly 60 percent of respondents said they will use public transit during their travels, a slight increase over last year despite record low gas prices.  Millennials and young adults age 18-44 were the groups most likely to integrate transit into their vacation plans. 
 
The survey also found that more than one-third of travelers will use ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft at least once during city vacations.  This supports previous APTA research that shows these mobility services complement the use of public transit.

Asotin County Transit Riders Celebrate First Ever Saturday Service. 
Visit their website 
Upcoming WSTA Activities 
2nd Quarter WSTA Board Meeting 
Walla Walla - June 21
Click here for meeting details 
Registration closed

SMTA
Walla Walla - June 21 
(Main meeting canceled, SMTA will meet the morning of the 21st before the WSTA Board Meeting
Click here for meeting details  
Registration closed

Finance Officers Leadership Committee
Walla Walla - June 22
Click here for meeting details 
Registration closed

HR Roundtable
Wenatchee - July 8

Click for more events 
View the 2016 WSTA Events Calendar

WSDOT Gray Notebook 61 (15th anniversary edition)

The Washington State Department of Transportation is providing you with its quarterly performance report, the Gray Notebook.  This is the 15th anniversary edition and a significant milestone for WSDOT.

The March 31, 2016, publication was recently printed and can be found online at http://wsdot.wa.gov/publications/fulltext/graynotebook/Mar16.pdf.

Highlights from the issue:

  • Pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities in Washington increased in 2015 to 100, up from 85 fatalities in 2014, p. 10
  • WSDOT Ferries ridership was 5.1 million in the third quarter of fiscal year 2016, a 2.7% increase from the same quarter in FY2015, p. 15
  • Passengers spending more per seat on average resulted in Amtrak Cascades ticket revenues increasing by 0.6% to $28.5 million in 2015 even though ridership declined by 4.7% to 744,000 passengers, p. 17
  • WSDOT teams responded to 12,822 traffic incidents during the quarter, providing an estimated $19.8 million in economic benefits, p. 19
  • WSDOT’s electronic screening systems at commercial truck weigh stations reduced the need for stops, helping the trucking industry avoid 106,000 travel hours and $12.4 million in operating costs, p. 29

FTA Notice of Funding Opportunity

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) has been released from FTA.  FTA announced the availability of $20.5 million in competitive grant funds to support comprehensive planning associated with new fixed guideway and core capacity improvement projects that are seeking or have recently received funding through FTA’s Fixed Guideway Capital Investment Grants (CIG) Program. The grant funds are provided through FTA’s Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Planning. Please see the Notice of Funding Opportunity and a summary of the funding opportunity with links to application materials is available on the FTA website.  

Applications are due at midnight Eastern time on June 13, 2016.

FTA Hosts Webinar to Discuss Online Dialogue on Transit Worker Assaults

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is hosting a webinar to discuss the launch of a National Online Dialogue to address preventing and mitigating assaults on transit workers. The June 15 webinar will serve as a brief introduction to the National Online Dialogue to help interested individuals navigate the conversation, and will provide an overview of some of the topics to be discussed. The feedback received during the dialogue will help shape best practice risk control strategies that will be mandated as part of the Transit Worker Assault Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). 

FTA plans to issue the NPRM on Transit Worker Assaults in accordance with a requirement in the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act to establish “rail and bus safety standards, practices, or protocols” for “protecting rail and bus operators from the risk of assault.” Both the dialogue and the webinar will be open to the public, but FTA anticipates significant interest and encourages participation from unions, transit employees, state Departments of Transportation and State Safety Oversight Agencies.

Links:
Register for the webinar: 1 p.m. EDT Wednesday, June 15
FAST Act
FTA Releases Final Rule on Transportation Planning

FTA and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) jointly released final regulations May 27 governing statewide, non-metropolitan and metropolitan transportation planning.  The new rules incorporate changes to the planning process contained in both the MAP-21 and FAST Act reauthorizations including:
 
-  Requiring a performance-based approach to planning;
-  Requiring states to have a higher level of involvement with non-metropolitan local officials;
-  Providing a process for the creation of regional transportation planning organizations (non-metropolitan);
-  Integrating planning and environmental review processes, as well as programmatic mitigation plans; and
-  Changing the membership of large MPOs to include public transit providers.
 
This last item clarifies a long-standing issue regarding public transit representation on MPO boards.  The language from the FAST Act, which now appears in the new regulation, maintains the requirement that a designated public transit representative must be on the board of every MPO that serves a population greater than one million.  Congress specified that the representative can be determined by the MPO according to its bylaws or enabling statute, and that the designated representative can also serve as a local elected official.
 
FTA and FHWA will issue supplemental guidance and provide technical support to state departments of transportation, MPOs and public transportation providers.  Click here to register for a webinar on June 14, 1-2 p.m. EDT.  You can read the final rule here.

The early bird deadline for this year’s Public Transportation Conference is approaching! Register by May 31 to save $25!

Community Engagement — Local Solutions — Statewide Investments

Sept. 18–21 in Wenatchee for the 40th annual 2016 Washington State Public Transportation Conference, Vendor Expo! As in years past, you will find a focused combination of technical support, training, workshops, vendor and educational displays, inspiring speakers, and limitless networking opportunities for public transportation providers, planning organizations and partnering agencies. WSTA will also host the annual Roadeo Sunday afternoon. WSTA will announce details soon.   WSDOT will host the Wall of Fame dinner and awards recognition banquet Tuesday evening.
Transit in the New
 
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