american public transportation … to pass its own version of a six-year surface transportation bill...

AMERICAN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION2015 ANNUAL REPORT

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II APTA / 2015 ANNUAL REPORT

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO

MAKING OUR MEMBERS’ ISSUES HEARD

ENERGIZING PUBLIC AWARENESS AND SUPPORT

INFORMING POLICY THROUGH RESEARCH

INVESTING IN OUR MEMBERS BY EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE

ADVANCING SAFETY

SETTING A COURSE FOR THE FUTURE

LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE

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1APTA / 2015 ANNUAL REPORT

Message from the ChairDEAR COLLEAGUES,

It has been an honor to serve as APTA chair during this momentous year. As you’ll see in these pages, APTA has made tremendous strides in serving its members and advancing the industry.

Much of the progress can be credited to the counsel of our Board of Directors and Executive Committee, to the leadership of Michael Melaniphy and to the contributions of APTA’s diligent staff. And to you, our dedicated members, who:

• Answered the national call to Stand Up for Transportation;

• Boosted advocacy outreach to federal and state officials, demonstrating the importance of public transportation in your communities;

• Contributed to the development and launch of APTA’s new five-year strategic plan;

• Invested in initiatives to ensure a skilled, knowledge-based workforce for the future; and

• Delivered exemplary products and services, ensuring that millions of passengers on billions of trips reached their destinations safely and efficiently.

I hope you take as much pride as I do in all we have accomplished together. It has been a true privilege to work alongside all of you.

I look forward to supporting incoming Chair Valarie J. McCall and to celebrating APTA’s next great achievements.

Best wishes,

Phillip A. WashingtonAPTA ChairChief Executive Officer, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Message from the President & CEODEAR MEMBERS AND FRIENDS,

I am proud to present our association’s annual report for 2014-2015. It once again describes how APTA is helping our members achieve their top priorities.

By nearly every measure, it was a most successful year for APTA. We broadened our industry’s influence in public policy and business, strengthened APTA’s financial status, hosted one of the largest EXPO events, and delivered cutting-edge content at our bus and paratransit, rail and legislative conferences. These and other efforts reinforced APTA’s reputation as the most important leader on public transportation issues.

All of these achievements would have been impressive in any environment, but in the face of a still-challenging economy and short-term federal funding extensions, they were remarkable. APTA’s dedicated, hard-working staff stepped up and delivered.

I was privileged to have visited many of APTA’s member systems and organizations this past year and to witness firsthand the outstanding work being done to provide more options for more people.

Most important, I am grateful to our outgoing chair, Phillip Washington, for his bold initiatives, guidance and friendship. His leadership elevated APTA’s importance and helped prepare us for the future.

I welcome 2015-2016 with optimism and enthusiasm as we implement a new strategic plan and continue to represent all of our members’ interests.

Sincerely,

Michael P. MelaniphyAPTA President & CEO

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2 APTA / 2015 ANNUAL REPORT

Helping communities grow… making people’s lives better… providing access to opportunities for all.

These are our passions… because freedom and progress are built on mobility.

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FOR 133 YEARS, THE AMERICAN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION HAS ADVANCED ITS MEMBERS’ CORE PURPOSE and modeled values that make our industry an integral part of our culture, economy and ambitions. Our vehicles—buses, trains, trolleys and ferryboats —have evolved with changing trends and technologies. But our business has always been about improving the quality of life through access.

The past year has been one of exceptional achievement for APTA and its members.

We exceeded our membership goal, reaching 1,539. Public transit agencies transported millions of passengers on 10.8 billion trips, the highest in 56 years. Our business members introduced cutting-edge machines and demonstrated groundbreaking know-how, ensuring a robust and inventive supply chain. We attracted a record-number of exhibitors to the 2014 EXPO. APTA won several national awards for its marketing, communications and events.

And we adopted new strategies to continue building a high-performing 21st-century workforce.

Today, we represent a $61 billion, technology-driven industry that employs or supports more than 400,000 jobs in all 50 states and throughout North America.

We continue to excel in every discipline, to honor our mission, realize our vision and prepare for the next opportunities—all in fulfillment of a single, paramount promise: helping our members meet new challenges and achieve their next successes.

We don’t just move people; we connect people… to what they need… what they love… and what they aspire to achieve. That’s how communities grow.

10.8 BILLION

TRIPS ON PUBLIC TRANSIT, 2014

1,539 MEMBERS

AS OF FY15

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Making our members’ issues heard


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WITH SO MUCH AT STAKE IN TODAY’S POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT, THIS RESPONSIBILITY HAS NEVER BEEN MORE ESSENTIAL.

During the past year, we employed an array of innovative tools and aggressive initiatives to advance the interests of our members in Washington and in state capitals.

APTA staff worked closely with lawmakers, regulatory agencies, policymakers, the business community, interest groups, citizen advocates and the media to influence key decisions that impact our industry. We testified before congressional committees, organized Washington fly-ins and briefings for APTA members, hosted government officials at our conferences and worked with APTA committees to develop and refine policy recommendations.

Notable highlights of this work include:

Influencing the crafting of the Obama Administration’s “Grow America” surface transportation proposal, which was submitted to Congress in early 2015.

Meeting regularly with congressional leaders, administration officials such as U.S. DOT Secretary Anthony Foxx, the leaders of FTA and FRA, and our many partners—and involving them in APTA’s major conferences and events.

Organizing a post-2014 election Washington fly-in for more than 40 APTA business members who visited almost 100 congressional offices to push for a long-term surface transportation funding bill.

Leveraging our Legislative Conference in March 2015 for APTA members, coalition partners and mayors from throughout the nation to meet with newly-elected and returning members of Congress and their staffs.

Advocating for our members is at the heart of APTA’s vision statement: To be the leading force in advancing public transportation.

ABOVE: APTA President & CEO Melaniphy testifies on reauthorization before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.

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The Ongoing Campaign for Federal Funding Our fiscal year was bookended by short-term extensions of MAP-21, while APTA’s ongoing efforts to secure a multi-year authorization bill remained intense and persistent.

As public transit systems continued to do their best to keep up with maintenance, repairs and vehicle replacements, APTA worked diligently to:

keep current funds flowing, and

intensify efforts to win congressional approval of a long-overdue new surface transportation law.

Keeping Funds Flowing

To keep public transportation systems funded in 2014 and 2015, APTA worked with both Democrat-led and Republican-led houses of Congress. Lawmakers

in Washington averted a shortfall in the Highway Trust Fund by passing funding extensions in July 2014 and May and July 2015. The most recently approved measure authorized public transit and highway programs through Oct. 29, 2015, and provided more than $8 billion in new revenues through Dec. 18, 2015.

Securing a New Authorization

APTA continued to advocate vigorously for passage of a well-funded, long-term authorization bill consistent with the recommendations developed by the Legislative Committee’s Authorization Task Force and approved by APTA’s Board of Directors in 2013. Those recommendations called for a six-year, $100.4 billion federal public transportation program and a $50 billion investment in high-speed and intercity passenger rail.

ABOVE: Senior leaders from public transportation agencies took part in a roundtable on Capitol Hill to discuss bus issues and operations.

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In March 2015, the House of Representatives approved the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act (PRRIA), a bill similar to one it passed the previous year, which provides modest increases in investments in intercity passenger rail service and other reforms. While we were pleased to see progress on rail legislation and worked with the Senate to pass a more robust measure, APTA continued its push for a new, multi-year surface transportation bill.

In July 2015, APTA’s tenacious efforts contributed to a major milestone: The Senate passed the first six-year surface transportation bill in nearly a decade. The legislation included modest funding increases in all programs and generally reflected industry priorities. While APTA made clear that the legislation provided less funding for public transportation than the industry needs, the Senate-passed bill authorized increases of more than 10 percent in the first year and more than 24 percent over six years. The measure also included modest funding for positive train control (PTC) implementation and flexibility on the PTC deadline.

As Fiscal Year 2014-2015 came to an end, the House announced plans to pass its own version of a six-year surface transportation bill this year. This will give APTA another opportunity to advocate for our industry priorities in a final Senate-House compromise bill that will allow transit agencies to plan reliably for six years of operations, improvements and expansions.

Other Legislative IssuesAPTA continued to speak out on a range of topics important to commuter rail operators and intercity passenger rail service, including safety and high-speed rail funding. We also maintained ongoing efforts in Congress to permanently restore equity between federal tax benefits for commuting by public transportation and parking, and to restore and expand the tax credit refund for alternative fuels used by transit systems.

Federal RegulationsLargely driven by MAP-21 requirements, the pace and depth of rulemaking increased throughout the year. APTA expanded its use of webinars and teleconferences to ensure that our members receive the information they need, thereby enabling them to more easily participate in the regulatory process and file their own comments. We also established a members-only forum to facilitate electronic discussions beyond webinars and teleconferences.

Using these tools, APTA forged consensus on even the most contentious regulatory issues and guaranteed that our collective voice was heard.

As federal agencies continue to draft more MAP-21 regulations, particularly under FTA’s new safety oversight authority, we will use these tools to develop industry positions on evolving safety, transit asset management and state of good repair rulemakings in the coming year.

ABOVE: APTA Chair Phillip Washington, chief executive officer, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, addresses attendees at the Legislative Conference.

APTA continued to advocate vigorously for passage of a well-funded, long-term authorization bill.

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Energizing public awareness and support


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Where Public Transportation Goes, Community GrowsTo advance our advocacy efforts and broaden support in Congress, APTA’s “Where Public Transportation Goes, Community Grows” campaign continued targeting inside-the-beltway Capitol Hill audiences, generating more than 25 million “impressions” (or individual views). This year, the campaign helped increase by more than 500 percent the number of visitors to APTA’s www,publictransportation.org website and the www.apta.com legislative update page.

Both online and radio advertising explained how investing in public transit benefits all communities, especially small cities and towns and their small businesses.

One of the most popular and widely-observed television and radio spots featured a film clip of President Ronald Reagan praising historical bipartisan support for investment in America’s transportation infrastructure.

Voices for Public TransitVoices for Public Transit (VPT), now in its third year, is APTA’s grassroots movement to enlist private citizens as advocates for public transportation. The number of VPT advocates has grown to more than 165,000 nationwide.

VPT advocates sent more than 11,500 letters and collected more than 22,000 signatures on a petition during the weeks before federal funding was due to expire in May 2015. When another extension was about to end in July, more than 10,000 new letters were sent to 516 House and Senate offices.

VPT has attracted 248,942 Facebook and Twitter followers, exceeding the 2014-2015 goal of 230,000 by nearly 19,000.

Public transportation relies on public support. PUBLIC SUPPORT IS NOT ONLY WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO; it also determines the resources and policies by which we’re able to meet changing needs and deliver new services. In the past year, APTA continued to make public the most important aspect of public transit—through education, outreach and grassroots advocacy.

165k+ CITIZEN

ADVOCATES

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To help illustrate the urgent need for federal funding, APTA created an interactive web-based tool that showed the economic impact of public transit projects in each of the 50 states and 435 congressional districts.

25th Anniversary of ADADuring the past 25 years, public transit systems’ commitment to implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act has been one of our industry’s most publicly recognizable achievements.

In recognition of the ADA’s silver anniversary, APTA created a

web-based toolkit for its members and sponsored special sessions on accessibility issues at the Annual Meeting & EXPO, Bus & Paratransit and Rail conferences and Transit Board Members Seminar & Board Support Workshop.

Passenger Transport published a special ADA insert featuring FTA Acting Administrator Therese McMillan’s views about the federal role in ADA and mobility, along with insights from ADA experts and advocates, innovations in design and manufacturing and vignettes from riders with disabilities.

The Smithsonian Institution hosted an ADA exhibit that U.S. DOT coordinated with support from APTA, Easter Seals and other advocacy and transportation organizations. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority showcased two vehicles at the exhibit.

Stand Up for Transportation Day (April 9, 2015), a signature initiative of APTA Chair Phillip Washington, was one of the most successful advocacy outreach efforts in APTA’s history. More than 360 public transit agencies, businesses and partner organizations participated in 150 community events during the one-day, coast-to-coast rally.

Stand Up for Transportation Day

BELOW OPPOSITE PAGE: Among numerous nationwide activities, California’s Bay Area agencies held three events.

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Other activities included a national media call with print, broadcast and social media outlets and a briefing for members of Congress and their staffs.

The Stand Up initiative set impressive new benchmarks for public awareness and public support:

23,000 letters and a 22,000-signature petition were delivered to all 535 Congressional offices.

More than 266 million “impressions” (or individual views) were generated in print, broadcast and online media.

The Stand Up for Transportation hashtag #SU4T was the day’s second most popular topic trending nationally on Twitter.

Activities featured 71 mayors, 50 members of Congress, nine U.S. Senators and six governors.

Stand Up for Transportation Day was a collaborative effort by APTA’s Marketing and Communications and Legislative committees, along with the Business Member Board of Governors, State Affairs Committee, Transit Board Members Committee and the National Alliance of Public Transportation Advocates (NAPTA).

Celebrating Excellence: Communications, Marketing & Grassroots Advocacy

APTA WAS RECOGNIZED BY THREE ORGANIZATIONS FOR ITS MEMBER COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC OUTREACH.

Passenger Transport won the Association Media & Publishing (AM&P) gold-level EXCEL Award—the highest recognition—for a feature story on PACE, the suburban Chicago bus agency. APTA also received AM&P’s silver-level award for its annual meetings marketing brochure describing all of the association’s 2014-2015 conferences.

Passenger Transport received three APEX Awards of Excellence from Communications Concepts—for the issue of Jan. 13, 2014, as a whole, an article about employee wellness programs that appeared in the Sept. 8, 2014, issue and a special publication celebrating the centennial anniversary of APTA’s safety and security initiative.

Voices for Public Transit’s “Streetcar Named Community” video won a prestigious silver Telly Award, a highly competitive honor that recognizes the best film and video productions.

10th Annual Dump the Pump DayAPTA achieved the highest level of participation and visibility at this year’s national Dump the Pump Day as 176 public transit systems and 46 other organizations promoted pro-transit activities. With support from the Natural Resources Defense Council, this year’s event encouraged people to change their travel behavior and switch from driving a car to riding a bus or train. APTA created a toolkit for its members to use in organizing free rides, photo contests with Dump the Pump selfies and pledges to ride public transit.

New Look for APTA’s WebsiteThe redesigned web site launched this year. In addition to the new appearance, the site provides an optimal viewing experience on mobile devices. APTA has also improved the search function and used WCAG (web content accessibility guidelines) in making improvements.

Stand Up for Transportation Day

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Informing policy through research

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THESE ARE THE PRINCIPLES THAT MOTIVATE APTA TO ASK TOUGH QUESTIONS, EXPLORE NOVEL IDEAS AND COLLECT AND ANALYZE TIMELY DATA.

Research, Partnerships and EventsAs Congress continued to debate the details of a multi-year authorization bill for surface transportation, APTA produced the following studies and reports to keep policymakers and lawmakers better informed:

Quantifying National Surface Transportation Investment Requirements

After studying America’s infrastructure needs, APTA and its partners concluded that $163 billion would be needed annually

over the next six years to repair or replace the nation’s aging surface transportation system. This figure includes an annual capital investment of $43 billion for public transportation. APTA partnered with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in announcing the results.

Public Transportation and the Knowledge Economy

As part of National Infrastructure Week, APTA released the preliminary findings of a report due to be published in October 2015 on the productivity gains attributable to public transportation. The research showed that hundreds of billions of dollars in economic activity are at risk, particularly in the high-tech sector, without adequate investment in public transit.

Research creates knowledge. It provides insights and allows us to discover new ways of looking at our changing world. It is a catalyst to inform and drive good policy decisions.

ABOVE: APTA Chair Phillip Washington with FTA Acting Administrator Therese McMillan at the General Session on DOT issues at the Rail Conference.

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The Case Against Transportation Devolution

APTA and the Free Congress Foundation presented a new study showing why devolving the federal role in transportation to state and local governments would have detrimental impacts. APTA President & CEO Michael Melaniphy, U.S. DOT Undersecretary for Policy Peter Rogoff and Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), a former supporter of devolution, participated in a discussion on Capitol Hill.

The Business Case for Investment in Public Transportation

APTA produced an updated report that examined issues critical to private investors as they consider the public transportation industry as an investment opportunity. The research showed why a new federal surface transportation

authorization bill is essential to attracting private and public sector investment.

International Study MissionAs a follow-up to the 2014 Practicum on Innovative Transit Funding and Financing, APTA Chair Phillip Washington initiated the association’s first international study mission in eight years. APTA members representing small and large public transit systems, transit-related businesses and academia traveled in 2015 to London, Stockholm and Munich to study innovative financing strategies and their transferability to North American systems. The study mission’s findings were presented at major APTA conferences and are available to all members at www.apta.com.

Health Care and Public TransitAPTA organized the Rides-to-Wellness Summit, a workshop sponsored by the National Center for Mobility Management. APTA President & CEO Michael Melaniphy delivered opening remarks, along with FTA Acting Administrator Therese McMillan.

RIGHT: Melaniphy, center, joined Canadian Urban Transit Association President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Roschlau, left, and APTA Secretary-Treasurer Doran Barnes, executive director, Foothill Transit, West Covina, CA, at the UITP (International Association of Public Transport) World Congress and Exhibition in Milan, Italy.

RIGHT: (left to right) Author of the devolution study and former chief of staff for the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure Jack Schenendorf, DOT Undersecretary Peter Rogoff, Michael Melaniphy and Sen.James Inhofe at Free Congress Foundation policy event.

$43BILLION

ANNUAL INVESTMENT NEEDED FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

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The event brought together healthcare and transportation professionals to explore ways to eliminate one of the largest barriers to healthcare access: the lack of transportation.

In other related activities, Michael Melaniphy made a presentation at UITP’s international conference on how public transit can make communities healthier. He also participated in the 2015 White House Conference on Aging, which was last held in 2005.

Career PathwaysAPTA Chair Phillip Washington issued a “call to action” for public transit CEOs to address the needs of the industry’s current and future workforce. The goal was to identify and develop career pathways for the five transit industry positions in North America that are the most difficult to fill. All five positions turned out to be in vehicle operations and maintenance across all modes.

As a follow-up to APTA’s 2009 skills assessment survey, members also identified skills gaps in the public and private sectors.

The report includes resources for transit agencies to develop discipline-specific career pathways and training to fill critical frontline positions. Summary brochures and

collateral materials, including best practices and recommended steps to develop career pathway programs, will be available at www.apta.com.

Research showed why a new federal surface transportation authorization bill is essential to attracting private and public sector investment.

BELOW: Participants in the 2015 APTA study mission traveled to London, Stockholm and Munich to benchmark innovative funding and financing mechanisms.

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Investing in our members byexpanding knowledge


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Annual Meeting & EXPOAPTA’s 2014 Annual Meeting & EXPO in Houston attracted more than 12,000 attendees from 65 countries. With a record-breaking 803 exhibitors—including 115 from outside the United States and 56 Disadvantaged Business

Enterprises—occupying almost 283,000 square feet, this was the world’s largest showcase of innovative thinking, products and services for the public transportation industry.

Under the theme of “Powering the Possibilities,” public transportation professionals and supporters learned about the latest developments in such areas as emerging technologies, demographic trends, collaborative partnerships, safety and security, frontline workforce skills and flexible business models.

The EXPO Advisory Committee, comprising a variety of business members and exhibitors, helped plan the event and provided suggestions to improve the show’s look and feel.

The most successful organizations invest in learning, sharing information and creating a culture of continuous improvement.

ABOVE: DOT Sec. Anthony Foxx, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, and Melaniphy visit the exhibition floor at the Annual Meeting & EXPO.

803 EXIBITORS

APTA 2014 ANNUAL MEETING & EXPO

THEY DO THIS BY KEEPING THEIR MEMBERS CONNECTED… AND BY FOCUSING ON PEOPLE’S POTENTIAL, NOT JUST THEIR COMPETENCIES. APTA continued to deliver unique opportunities for its members to gain the most timely and important information and to collaborate with their colleagues. We also sponsored several initiatives to educate students, educators and young adults about career opportunities in the public transportation industry. Our conferences, meetings and professional development events helped keep our industry knowledgeable, skilled, savvy—and ready to meet the challenges of a changing world.

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Learning ZonesThe Annual Meeting & EXPO hosted seven Learning Zones, each devoted to a different area of knowledge, delivering a total of 90 educational experiences. Sessions included skills-building workshops for mid-level managers, technical training for maintenance managers, a forum for “innovation” pitches and presentations and open discussions on a wide range of workforce development initiatives.

Some of the Learning Zones promoted youth outreach and career awareness in our industry by partnering with local academic institutions, inviting students to participate in presentations and showcasing transit professionals’ own career journeys.

Bus & Paratransit Conference/ International Bus RoadeoThe Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T) welcomed 800 bus and paratransit professionals to APTA’s annual gathering of educational sessions and networking events. Almost 200 bus operators and technicians participated in the Roadeo competition.

In addition to industry and government speakers, National Geographic contributing editor Andrew Evans recounted his 10,000-mile bus trip on a journey to Antarctica.

The schedule included “Maintenance Monday” and “BRT Tuesday” technical training sessions, a Veterans’ Job Fair, an outdoor bus display and a showcase of bus products and services.

Rail Conference / International Rail RodeoOne of the largest events of the past year took place in Salt Lake City, home to the Utah Transit Authority. More than 1,200 passenger rail professionals participated in 45 educational sessions on topics that included new technologies, sustainability, safety and security and capital programs.

Teams from 17 North American rail transit systems competed in the 2015 International Rail Rodeo. Winners were honored at a gala awards banquet.

In addition to presentations by the leaders of FTA and FRA, Doug Most, author of The Race Underground, discussed how the nation’s two oldest subway systems were built amid a historical rivalry between Boston and New York.

Passenger Rail Engineering Education Symposium (p-REES)APTA’s business members developed and funded an initiative to promote passenger rail-focused curricula in higher education engineering programs. The inaugural p-REES program, hosted by SEPTA and co-sponsored by the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA), welcomed 50 participants from throughout the U.S. and Canada. The three-day event involving

ABOVE: Attendees and exhibitors on the EXPO floor.

Celebrating Excellence: EXPO Award

APTA earned first-time recognition from Trade Show Executive magazine by winning a Gold 100 Award for the EXPO event. The annual award is given to the best 100 trade shows in North America and it acknowledges APTA’s exceptional innovation, planning and execution of this major international event.

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Transit Virtual Career Network

During the 2014 Annual Meeting & EXPO, APTA launched a new industry web portal—the Transit Virtual Career Network (TVCN)—to highlight the profiles and opportunities in frontline jobs/careers in public transit operations, maintenance, facilities and administration. During its first month of operation, the website received more than 100,000 visitors!

members of the NURail consortium discussed ways to incorporate case studies from the passenger rail industry into engineering classes at colleges and universities.

Transit Board Members & Board Support SeminarEach year, APTA brings together individuals who serve on public transportation boards in their states and local communities to participate in professional development sessions.

In July 2015, Denver was the site of this important three-day event, which attracted more than 150 board members, professional staff and FTA officials. Topics included policy making, governance, fiduciary duties, succession

planning, safety, regional legislative issues, leadership development and funding.

The seminar was led by incoming APTA Chair Valarie J. McCall, a member of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority Board of Trustees and chair of APTA’s Transit Board Members Committee. She hosted the 2014 event in Cleveland.

APTA Youth SummitTo help promote educational and career opportunities in public transportation, APTA hosted its fourth biennial youth summit for 49 high school juniors and seniors from 20 states and the District of Columbia. APTA’s business members and an industry advisory panel developed customized career modules that focused on students’ interests in such areas as science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), business, marketing and communications and operations and maintenance.

Students also explored the environmental and sustainable benefits of public transportation, how communities can prosper with increased services and the role local and federal policies play in public transit usage.

ABOVE: APTA Vice Chair Valarie J. McCall addresses participants at the Transit Board Members Seminar.

BELOW: Students in this year’s Youth Summit visit the U.S. Capitol.

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Sustainability CommitmentAs APTA members make their communities and regions more efficient and environmentally friendly, public transit systems and businesses are using sustainability practices in their own organizations. A record number of APTA members— 129—are now participating in APTA’s Sustainability Commitment program. In addition, 30 transit systems and businesses have advanced their sustainability efforts and received higher-level recognition in the program, deepening their stewardship of

the environment and community while reducing expenses and improving efficiency.

Leadership and Career DevelopmentAPTA invests in developing the next generation of mid-level and executive-level leaders for our association and industry by continuing to sponsor two premier programs.

Leadership APTA identifies and cultivates experienced managers who aspire to hold senior and

New APTF ScholarshipsDURING THE PAST YEAR, THE AMERICAN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FOUNDATION ESTABLISHED TWO NEW SCHOLARSHIPS.

In recognition of the ADA’s 25th anniversary, APTA created a scholarship for a student in an undergraduate or graduate academic discipline who has an interest in expanding accessible transportation. Thanks to the support of industry leaders, APTA business members and others, the board of directors exceeded its $100,000 goal and raised more than $112,000 for the new award.

The Fran Hooper Scholarship was established to help underwrite the education of a student who is pursuing a career in rail engineering, with special focus on eligible female applicants. Funding was provided by friends and supporters of the former longtime APTA employee for whom the award is named.

RIGHT: The Leadership APTA Class of 2015 at the Legislative Conference.

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executive leadership positions in APTA, their organizations or the public transportation industry.

APTA’s Early Career Program is dedicated to helping young professionals in our industry develop the leadership skills, knowledge and networks needed for career advancement.

Each year, 25 highly motivated individuals are selected for each program from among APTA member applicants. While the content differs between the two courses, both intensive year-long programs include skills-building workshops, online conferences, roundtable discussions, team leadership projects and web-based events.

New Procurement HandbookAPTA’s business members created a new Procurement Handbook: A Guide for Transit Industry Executives. Under the leadership of the Business Member Procurement Committee, the handbook updated procurement rules, procedures and best practices to help public transportation leaders make effective purchasing decisions.

Since the 2005 publication of an earlier procurement guide produced jointly by the National Transit Institute (NTI), FTA and APTA, many new laws and regulations have taken effect. The new handbook, available to members through the APTA website, underscores how procurement needs to be an integral part of every public transit system’s overall business strategy.

LEFT: Members of the Early Career Program Class of 2016 with Melaniphy, Allegra and Washington, far left.

APTA’s Global Impact

International Learning Zone: During the EXPO, one of the seven learning zones was dedicated to international initiatives. The International Learning Zone showcased commercial officers from Israel and Brazil and presentations from the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA), InnoTrans and Cofrerias.

APTA’s Influence Abroad: APTA was invited to share its expertise at important conferences around the world. APTA staff and members made key presentations at foreign meetings sponsored by ALAMYS (association of Latin America metros), ASSTRA (Italian Public Transport Association), the Chinese Academy of Transport Science, UIC (International Union of Railways), CUTA and UITP.

Foreign Delegations: During the past year, APTA hosted visiting delegations of public transit officials from Australia and the Australian Railway Association, Canada, China, Nigeria and Vietnam.

Embassy Roundtables: APTA continued to sponsor its Embassy Roundtable series, which brings foreign officials to APTA to discuss transportation topics. This year’s Embassy Roundtable luncheon focused on high-speed rail. In addition, APTA representatives attended events at the Washington embassies of Japan, France, Belgium, Germany and Great Britain.

Fundación Caminos de Hierro: In 2015, APTA signed a memorandum of understanding with the nonprofit Spanish railway group Fundación Caminos de Hierro (FCH), whose work is dedicated to research into engineering and railway technology. Through this partnership, APTA and FCH will share information that can accelerate the future of rail technology.

In July 2015, Melaniphy addressed

the UIC’s 9th World Congress on

High Speed Rail in Tokyo, Japan.

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Advancing safety


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Urban Rail Guidelines

APTA developed, approved and published the new Urban Rail Guidelines for the Development of Safety Management Systems in 2015. The manual, last updated in 2001, provides valuable guidance on how passenger rail agencies can reduce a wide range of risks.

In writing the guidelines, APTA emphasized the importance of creating a culture focused on continuous improvement. The ultimate goal is to implement effective management strategies that foster a state of safety excellence, not just meet regulatory obligations.

Safety Management System Guidelines

Also in 2015, APTA published the Safety Management System Guidelines for Passenger Transportation, a new set of safety management recommendations designed to help transit agencies assess their own systems. In addition to following the Four Pillars of Safety Management Systems, the guidelines emphasize the importance of establishing a “safety culture” that starts with top executives and cascades throughout the agency.

Safety has always been more than an operating principle. It’s an unwavering commitment to users of public transportation. It’s a core value for every APTA member.

DURING THE PAST YEAR, SAFETY AND SECURITY ISSUES HAVE RECEIVED SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC AND MEDIA ATTENTION. This is well understood and appreciated by APTA. The advent of new technologies, the growing number of riders and our ongoing national vigilance to keep the public safe all define the world in which we operate today.

Additionally, under its new safety oversight responsibilities, FTA expects to issue several new rules in the coming months on topics that include inspections, enforcement, training and oversight for public transit systems.

In this environment, APTA continues to monitor and influence the regulatory process and launch initiatives based not on what is, but on what is coming.

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New Braking Systems

APTA-led efforts to standardize new train braking systems as innovative technologies for passenger rail systems continue to be introduced. The replacement

of traditional pneumatic brakes with new, electronically- controlled pneumatic (ECP)

systems will improve safety and maintenance diagnostics while reducing fuel consumption and overall stopping distance. Risk and mitigation studies have been performed through a grant from FRA, standards have been drafted and testing of ECP modules on Amtrak coaches is underway.

PTC

APTA has been a consistent and responsible voice on the subject of Positive Train Control (PTC). During the past year, the association affirmed that the commuter rail industry is 100 percent committed to developing and installing PTC technology. However, despite best efforts and significant

Celebrating Excellence: 100th Anniversary Safety AwardsIn 2014, our association celebrated the 100th anniversary of the APTA Safety and Security Awards, conferred within the rail and bus transit community for best safety practices. This tradition continued in 2015 when APTA bestowed safety awards on transit agencies for their innovative safety and security initiatives.

Passenger Transport published a special insert titled “100 Years of Safety and Security” to commemorate the centennial anniversary of the awards. The publication featured an illustrat-ed timeline of important safety and security inventions, examples of best practices, industry trends and the Top 10 safety innovations that have impacted public transportation.

APTA continues to monitor and influence the regulatory process and launch initiatives based not on what is, but on what is coming.

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expenditures, major challenges remain. These include inadequate federal funding, limited wireless spectrum, lack of available PTC equipment and technical issues such as radio interference and software development.

APTA has advocated for additional federal resources and a longer timeline for implementation, both of which were included in a Senate-passed surface transportation authorization bill in July 2015.

Peer Reviews

The APTA peer review process allows public transit systems to request that a team of industry professionals review a specific security or safety matter and make recommendations to improve, strengthen or enhance service delivery. Under this unique

member service, APTA completed 23 reviews in the U.S., Canada, Hong Kong and China during the past year on such issues as safety and security, contracting and procurement, organizational structure, ridership growth and absenteeism policies.

Inadequate federal funding, limited wireless spectrum, lack of available PTC equipment and technical issues remain major challenges to Positive Train Control.

ABOVE: Leaders from several public transportation rail agencies participated in a congressional briefing hosted by the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee as the committee prepared to consider the surface transportation authorization bill.

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Setting a course for the future


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APTA STRATEGIC PLAN 2015 – 2019After a year-long process involving extensive consultations with APTA members and staff, government officials, partner organizations and other stakeholders, the APTA Board of Directors approved a new five-year strategic plan in December 2014. This was one of APTA Chair Phillip Washington’s major initiatives, which was started during former APTA Chair Peter Varga’s term. The plan has five major goals, each one devoted to a pivotal trend that will shape our industry in the coming years.

To accomplish the work outlined above, APTA’s Executive Committee approved an annual business plan that establishes initial implementation actions and measures our progress toward achieving all five strategic goals.

A critical part of the business plan focuses on APTA’s own association development. This “sixth element” of the strategic plan ensures that the association will secure the necessary resources, identify areas of skills development and hold itself accountable for aligning business goals with strategic goals.

The best way to predict the future is to create it. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS ON THE CUSP OF EXCITING, EVEN TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE. New technologies, financial investments, ridership needs and lifestyle choices are altering the way we think about mobility. APTA knows that our industry’s future depends on what we do today. This is why we created a new five-year Strategic Plan.

SAFETY & SECURITY FIRST — Keeping public transit riders and employees safe is the most important priority for our members. As we operate within an enhanced regulatory environment, we will help our members continuously improve the safety and security of their systems.

RESOURCE ADVOCACY — Limited resources hinder our industry’s ability to replace aging equipment and plan for the future. APTA will continue to advocate for increased funding and provide guidance on how members can best use those resources efficiently.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT — The public transit industry faces a wave of retirements in the next five years and needs to attract new talent, knowledge and skills. APTA will help our members develop and retain a diverse, high-performing 21st-century workforce.

DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFTS — Population growth as well as the evolving needs and preferences of different generations will continue to make public transit a desirable and affordable mobility choice. APTA will help members respond to these demographic and lifestyle shifts.

TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION — New technologies are rapidly transforming the way data are collected and used, how customers interface with service providers and what services are automated and integrated. APTA will assist members in evaluating and adapting to these catalysts of change.

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Leadership and governance


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APTA’S MEMBERS WHO SERVE IN VARIOUS VOLUNTEER ROLES ARE OPEN TO NEW IDEAS, EAGER TO LEARN AND COM-MITTED TO COLLABORATION. THEY HAVE VISION. THEY SEE AROUND CORNERS. THEY SHAPE THE FUTURE RATHER THAN SIMPLY REACTING TO IT.

As an industry, we are grateful for the work of our executive committee, board members and the many individuals who led and participate on more than 120 committees, task forces and working groups.

These volunteers see what must be done, step up and do it. They understand that leadership is a choice, not a rank. They are APTA’s most valuable asset.

Strengthening GovernanceTo help our volunteer leaders con-tribute to our industry’s success, APTA continues to strengthen its governance structure. With the completion of a three-year review

of its governance system, the APTA Board of Directors adopted recommendations of the Gover-nance Review Task Force. These ideas will further reinforce the association’s vibrant committee structure and ensure that both the board and numerous committees have a clear understanding of all developments and issues.

APTA Financial StabilityAPTA ended Fiscal Year 2015 within budget and was able to add a surplus to the reserves. The association continued its laser focus on restoring its reserves to the board-approved policy level, having achieved 60 percent of the goal by July 1, 2015. Reserves are expected to be fully reestablished by the end of FY 2018.

APTA’s Finance Committee—led by Secretary/Treasurer Doran Barnes, executive director, Foothill Transit—achieved the following results during the past fiscal year:

Reviewed and recommended approval of the FY 2016 budget; and

Approved a new investment policy, including consistent meetings with APTA’s investment advisor, UBS Institutional Consulting Group.

The American Public Transportation Foundation eliminated all outstanding financial responsibilities and

concluded FY 2015 debt free. Going forward, this allows the foundation to focus all its resources on providing scholarships.

A New Home for APTAWith our lease due to expire in 2015, APTA worked diligently on plans to relocate its office to 1300 I Street NW, Suite 1200 East, Washington, DC. This new space will be APTA’s home for the next 12 years, beginning in late October 2015.

The site, located in the same general downtown area as the current offices, is a short walk to two Metro stops. The floor plan provides enough work space to accommodate APTA’s staff as well as meeting areas for visiting members and stakeholders. We also designed the meeting spaces so that, when not being used by APTA, they can be rented to outside groups, thereby generating revenue.

Much of APTA’s success is attributable to the selfless dedication of our volunteer leaders. These are the people who make things happen.

120+APTA COMMITTEES,

TASK FORCES & WORK GROUPS

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APTA Executive Committee / 2014-2015

Phillip A. WashingtonCHAIRChief Executive OfficerLos Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Doran J. BarnesSECRETARY / TREASURERExecutive DirectorFoothill Transit

Valarie J. McCallVICE CHAIRMember, Board of TrusteesGreater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority

Peter VargaIMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRChief Executive OfficerThe Rapid

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Members at Large

Michael A. AllegraMEMBER AT LARGE

Christopher P. BoylanMEMBER AT LARGE

Nathaniel P. Ford Sr.MEMBER AT LARGE

Huelon A. HarrisonMEMBER AT LARGE

Angela IannuzzielloMEMBER AT LARGE

Paul C. JablonskiMEMBER AT LARGE

Jeanne KriegMEMBER AT LARGE

Donna P. McNameeMEMBER AT LARGE

Rosa NavejarMEMBER AT LARGE

Keith T. ParkerMEMBER AT LARGE

Thomas F. PrendergastMEMBER AT LARGE

Michael A. SandersMEMBER AT LARGE

Patrick J. ScullyMEMBER AT LARGE

Carl G. SedorykMEMBER AT LARGE

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Susannah Kerr Adler Vienna, VA

Joseph AlexanderAlexandria, VA

Michael A. AllegraSalt Lake City, UT

Lorraine AndersonDenver, CO

Lisa M. BacotTallahassee, FL

J. Barry BarkerLouisville, KY

Ronald L. BarnesBaltimore, MD

Doran J. BarnesWest Covina, CA

John P. BartosiewiczFort Worth, TX

Dan Blankenship*Glenwood Springs, CO

Tyler R. BonsteadLos Angeles, CA

Jeffrey F. BootheWashington, DC

Christopher P. BoylanNew York, NY

Alice Bravo*Miami, FL Raul V. BravoReston, VA

Andy ByfordToronto, ON

Bill CarpenterRochester, NY

Mattie P. CarterMemphis, TN

Joseph M. CaseyPhiladelphia, PA

Flora M. CastilloNewark, NJ

Madeline ChunSan Francisco, CA

Peter M. CipollaParker, CO

Francis “Buddy” X. ColemanWoodbury, NY

Paul ComfortBaltimore, MD

Marlene B. ConnorHolyoke, MA

Natalie E. CornellAmbler, PA

Terry Garcia Crews*Cincinnati, OH

Grace CrunicanOakland, CA

Frederick L. Daniels Jr.Atlanta, GA

Kunjan Dayal*Cincinnati, OH

Frank DePaolaBoston, MA

Kevin DesmondSeattle, WA

Carl Desrosiers*Montreal, QC, Canada

Rod Diridon Sr.San Jose, CA

George F. Dixon IIICleveland, OH

Albrecht P. EngelTelford, PA

Jeffrey D. EnsorBaltimore, MD

Ronald L. EpsteinAlbany, NY

Nathaniel P. Ford Sr.Jacksonville, FL

Bernard J. FordChicago, IL

Rufus FrancisSacramento, CA

Russ FrankHouston, TX

Freddie C. Fuller IIWashington, DC

Peter GertlerSan Francisco, CA Joe GibsonCommerce, MI

Lee G. GibsonReno, NV

James H. GraebnerDenver, CO

Lydia C. GrosePhiladelphia, PA

Veronique HakimNewark, NJ

Huelon A. HarrisonDallas, TX

Carol Herrera*West Covina, CA

Scott Horning Grain Valley, MO

Angela IannuzzielloMarkham, ON

Paul C. JablonskiSan Diego, CA

Laurence W. JacksonLong Beach, CA

Andrew J. Johnson Normal, IL

Darrell JohnsonOrange, CA

Michael D. JonesPhiladelphia, PA

Jennifer KalczukGrand Rapids, MI Christian T. KentWashington, DC

Ronald J. KilcoyneSpringfield, OR

Jeanne Krieg Antioch, CA

Celia KupersmithReno, NV

Thomas C. Lambert Houston, TX

APTA Board of Directors / 2014-2015

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David LeiningerDallas, TX

Ysela Llort*Miami, FL

Reba MaloneSan Antonio, TX

Valarie J. McCallCleveland, OH

Jonathan H. McDonaldSan Francisco, CA

Neil S. McFarlanePortland, OR

Ellen McLeanPittsburgh, PA

Donna P. McNamee Painesville, OH

Michael P. MelaniphyWashington, DC

Diana C. MendesArlington, VA Brad J. Miller*St. Petersburg, FL

Jennifer MitchellRichmond, VA

Mary Jo MorandiniRochester, PA

Hugh A. Mose State College, PA

Rosa NavejarFort Worth, TX

Tom NolanSan Francisco, CA

Jesse D. OliverDallas, TX

Donald A. OrsenoChicago, IL

Keith T. ParkerAtlanta, GA

Ronald A. Pavlik Jr.Washington, DC

Joe PolicarpioHayward, CA

Thomas F. PrendergastNew York, NY

Elizabeth PresuttiDes Moines, IA

Tina Quigley*Las Vegas, NV

Leanne P. ReddenChicago, IL Joseph E. ReedWest Covina, CA

John RequaWashington, DC

Maryanne RobertsHorsham, PA

Janet S. RogersAlameda, CA

Michael A. SandersNewington, CT

Harry SaportaPortland, OR

Michael J. ScanlonBrentwood, CA

Michael I. SchneiderLos Angeles, CA

Beverly A. ScottDenver, CO

Patrick J. ScullyDes Plaines, IL

Carl G. SedorykMonterey, CA

Scott SherinWest Henrietta, NY

Kenneth C. ShieldsMorristown, NJ

Howard SilverBakersfield, CA

Richard J. SimonettaPowell, OH

Lauren SkiverThousand Palms, CA

Paul P. SkoutelasPittsburgh, PA

David M. Stackrow Sr.Albany, NY

W. Curtis StittColumbus, OH

Gary C. ThomasDallas, TX

William T. ThomsenPhiladelphia, PA

Ronald J. ToberCharlotte, NC

Michael S. TownesHampton, VA

Luc Tremblay*Montreal, QC

Peter VargaGrand Rapids, MI

Jarod V. VarnerNorth Little Rock, AR

David VozzoloSarasota, FL

Phillip A. WashingtonLos Angeles, CA

Dottie L. WatkinsAustin, TX

Tom WebbEndicott, NY

Jeffrey WhartonMount Olive, NC

Jason WhitePittsburgh, PA

Richard A. WhiteWashington, DC

Leslie R. WhiteScotts Valley, CA

Stephanie Wiggins*Los Angeles, CA

Maxine WorthamPeoria, IL

Alan C. WulkanScottsdale, AZ

* indicates partial term

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1300 I Street NW

Suite 1200 East

Washington, DC 20005

(202) 496-4800

www.apta.com

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american public transportation … to pass its own version of a six-year surface transportation bill...

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