Recent Streetsblog NYC posts about Federal Transit Administration

Audit Finds U.S. DOT Transit Record-Keeping “Unreliable,” “Inaccurate”

By Elana Schor | Aug 6, 2009 | 3 Comments

The disjointed state of "New Starts," the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) program to fund new rail and bus lines, is well-known on Capitol Hill — in fact, House transportation committee chairman Jim Oberstar (D-MN) recently quipped that it ought to be renamed "small starts, low starts, and no starts." Thousands gathered to board the new […]

Oberstar to White House: On Emissions, Back Up Your Words With Action

By Elana Schor | Jul 28, 2009 | 2 Comments

Appearing this morning at the release of a new report on transportation’s role in fighting climate change, House transportation committee chairman Jim Oberstar (D-MN) challenged the Obama administration to back up their emissions rhetoric with action and pass his six-year, $450 billion infrastructure bill. FTA’s Peter Rogoff (in hard hat) heard strong words from Rep. […]

Understanding Washington’s Metro Crash

By Ryan Avent | Jul 15, 2009 | No Comments

The scene of the June 22 Washington D.C. Metro crash. Photo: AP The House of Representatives subcommittee on the Federal Workforce, Postal Service, and the District of Columbia convened yesterday afternoon to hear testimony related to the tragic Washington Metro accident of June 22. The proceedings got off to an appropriately somber start, as California […]

Transit Planners to Congress: Please Figure Out How to Fund Us

By Elana Schor | Jun 4, 2009 | 3 Comments

To all but the most ardent transit wonks, the phrase "New Starts" sounds like a motivational tape sold on late-night TV. But those two words actually represent Washington’s predominant mechanism to pay for major transit expansions — everything from expanding an existing rail station to building a new bus line. Minnesota’s Hiawatha rail line is […]

Why Buy More Trains If You Can’t Afford to Run Them?

By Elana Schor | May 27, 2009 | 7 Comments

Down in balmy South Florida, D-Day is approaching for riders of the the popular Tri-Rail transit system. A looming $18 million shortfall has forced the Tri-Rail board to approve a budget that slices daily service and stops all trains by 2011 — although ridership has doubled since 2005. Tri-Rail trains like these could stop running […]

Senators Hear From Obama’s Transit Chief-in-Waiting

By Elana Schor | May 13, 2009 | No Comments

One of the Capitol’s sad, secret truths is that members of Congress often skip committee hearings on issues of vital importance to their states — and today’s confirmation session with Peter Rogoff, the president’s nominee to lead the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), was no exception. Just three members of the Senate Banking Committee showed up […]