News Release
http://www.apta.com/mediacenter/pressreleases/2011/Pages/110412_WMstatement_funding.aspx
4/12/2011
Contact:
Mantill Williams
(202)496-4869
mwilliams@apta.com
Statement by APTA President William Millar
"The American Public Transportation Association and its 1,500 members have strong concerns about the reductions in public transportation and high-speed rail investment in the FY 2011 continuing resolution.
Singling out the high-speed rail program by eliminating all FY 2011 dollars is simply short-sighted. This is particularly troublesome when 32 states and the District of Columbia are advancing projects with FY 2010 dollars. High-speed and intercity passenger rail investments are catalysts to create jobs and provide the foundation for our nation's growing economy.
In addition, the reductions in public transportation investment for new projects could not come at a worse time as Americans deal with the rising cost of gasoline. When gas prices rise, taking public transportation is the quickest way to beat high gas prices. Now is the time we should be expanding our investment in public transportation infrastructure, not reducing it.
Furthermore, a lack of investment will make it difficult for our nation to meet the growing demand for transportation services and bring our infrastructure up to a state of good repair. We urge Congress to make investing in our nation's transportation systems a top priority in their upcoming deliberations for current and future funding proposals."
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The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is a nonprofit international association of 1,500 public and private member organizations, engaged in the areas of bus, paratransit, light rail, commuter rail, subways, waterborne services, and intercity and high-speed passenger rail. This includes: transit systems; planning, design, construction, and finance firms; product and service providers; academic institutions; transit associations and state departments of transportation. APTA members serve the public interest by providing safe, efficient and economical transit services and products. More than 90 percent of the people using public transportation in the United States and Canada ride APTA member systems.
http://www.apta.com/mediacenter/pressreleases/2011/Pages/110412_WMstatement_funding.aspx
4/12/2011
Contact:
Mantill Williams
(202)496-4869
mwilliams@apta.com
Reducing Investment in Public Transportation and High-Speed Rail Will Reduce Jobs and Decrease Transportation Options at a Time When Public Needs Them Most
Statement by APTA President William Millar
"The American Public Transportation Association and its 1,500 members have strong concerns about the reductions in public transportation and high-speed rail investment in the FY 2011 continuing resolution.
Singling out the high-speed rail program by eliminating all FY 2011 dollars is simply short-sighted. This is particularly troublesome when 32 states and the District of Columbia are advancing projects with FY 2010 dollars. High-speed and intercity passenger rail investments are catalysts to create jobs and provide the foundation for our nation's growing economy.
In addition, the reductions in public transportation investment for new projects could not come at a worse time as Americans deal with the rising cost of gasoline. When gas prices rise, taking public transportation is the quickest way to beat high gas prices. Now is the time we should be expanding our investment in public transportation infrastructure, not reducing it.
Furthermore, a lack of investment will make it difficult for our nation to meet the growing demand for transportation services and bring our infrastructure up to a state of good repair. We urge Congress to make investing in our nation's transportation systems a top priority in their upcoming deliberations for current and future funding proposals."
*****
The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is a nonprofit international association of 1,500 public and private member organizations, engaged in the areas of bus, paratransit, light rail, commuter rail, subways, waterborne services, and intercity and high-speed passenger rail. This includes: transit systems; planning, design, construction, and finance firms; product and service providers; academic institutions; transit associations and state departments of transportation. APTA members serve the public interest by providing safe, efficient and economical transit services and products. More than 90 percent of the people using public transportation in the United States and Canada ride APTA member systems.
