JUNE 2012 Newsletter

Last Chance to Register for the CACT Annual Awards Luncheon The CACT Annual Awards Meeting & Luncheon is on Wednesday, June 20, 2012. Sign up today! (See pages 4)

CACT Membership Dues Please be sure to fill out the Membership Form you received and return your dues as soon as possible. (See page 5)

Connecticut Transportation Updates The busway becomes “CTfastrak” The May 23 busway groundbreaking ceremonies included many prominent officials from Governor Malloy, DOT Commissioner James Redeker, Congressman Larsen, Metro Hartford Alliance President Oz Griebel, Simsbury First Selectma/CRCOG Chairman Mary Glassman and a tent full of supporters, busway engineers, DOT staff, and union members. The ceremonial shovels in the ground is the start of a project initiated more than 14 years ago under Governor Rowland. The busway was renamed “CTfastrack” and the 9.4 mile rapid transit system is scheduled to open by 2014. http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/editorials/hc-ed-busway-groundbreaking- 20120522,0,3424004.story

DOT Awards CTfastrak Contracts to Firms Manafort Brothers of Plainville was awarded a $26.7 million contract and a second contract for $9.5 million for station construction, road and bridge construction and streetscape improvements. Empire Paving & Schiavone Construction Joint Venture of North Haven was awarded a $39.4 contract for station construction and bridge replacement.

Annual Bus Roadeo The Connecticut bus drivers are gearing up for the 2012 Connecticut Statewide Transit Roadeo on Sunday, June 10, 2012 at the Buckland Commuter Park & Ride Lot in Manchester. The event begins at 8 am and includes entertainment, a picnic lunch and an awards ceremony following the competition. For further information contact Roadeo Co-Chairman Phil Fry, pfry@.com. Developing Connecticut’s Transit Future Forum The Partnership for Strong Communities is sponsoring the “Developing Connecticut’s Transit Future: Strategic Placemaking and Economic Opportunity” form on Friday, June 15, 9am-11:30 am at The Lyceum at 227 Lawrence Street in Hartford. Attendance is free. To register email: [email protected] or call 860-244-0066.

New Transit Administration for Middletown The Middletown Transit District Board of Directors recently appointed Andrew Chiaravallo as the new Administrator for Middletown Area Transit (MAT). Andrew has been with Middletown Transit for the last 20 years and is the former Assistant Administrator and Operations Manager. He’s a Middletown native and resides in the Westfield section of Middletown with his wife Susan. Andrew is the Project Manager for the new Bus Maintenance facility to be constructed in the North end on Pease Avenue.

Legislative Update When the Legislative session ended on May 9 the following adjustments were made to the budget: continued funding for evening bus service in Waterbury; New Haven bus service to area colleges; southeast Connecticut will have additional train service; elimination of the January 1, 2013 4% fare increase for ADA service and bus; and a 1.9 million funding for the newly created Transit Improvement Program budget line. The Legislative Special Session will begin on June 12. http://www.cga.ct.gov/

Bus Ride to Hartford City Hall Adrienne Gale and Will McNair, Hartford residents decided to board a Hartford City bus to take them and their wedding party to Hartford City Hall where they were married, and then took a trolley to the Bond Ballroom. 1 Connecticut Association for Community Transportation: A United Voice for Public Transportation in Connecticut

National Transportation Updates Wasting Gas Do you know how much gas is wasted just sitting in traffic? http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/26/10871475-we- waste-19-billion-gallons-of-gas-sitting-in-traffic?lite

CACT Updates Welcome to our New CACT Member CACT is pleased to welcome the newest CACT Member Mike Bismeyer (877- 630-7366 x275) Sales Executive at Seon Systems Sales, Inc. Seon Design Inc. manufactures fleet management and video surveillance solutions for mobile applications, including the transit, school bus, and coach industries. Leading independent research company, IMS Research, has named Seon the world’s #1 supplier of mobile video surveillance for the bus and coach industry (2007, 2009, and 2011). With a growing team of dedicated professionals, Seon will continue to design and develop leading-edge technological solutions now and in the future. Mike Bismeyer is Seon’s sales executive professional for the state of Connecticut. Please contact your state representative toll-free at 1.877.630.7366, or visit Seon’s website at www.seon.com.

Advertising in the CACT Newsletter CACT is now accepting ads for our monthly newsletter. The rates are full page $300; ½ page $150; and ¼ page $100. CACT members receive a 10% discount. All ads must be camera ready in either a tiff or jpeg format and received by the 25th of each month. The newsletter is emailed during the first week of each month. Please send your ad to CACT Executive Director Mary Tomolonius at [email protected].

CACT Quarterly Membership Meeting The next CACT Quarterly Membership Meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 20, 2012, 11:30 am at the Indian Hill Country Club in Newington during our Annual Luncheon and Awards Meeting. The Nominating Committee recently emailed a letter to all CACT members with the proposed slate of officers which will be voted on by the membership at the meeting.

CACT Member Highlight: Henry Jadach Henry Jadach began his career with the City of Derby’s Public Works Department, working as a Purchasing Agent, Assistant Public Works Director and Public Works Director. In 1978, he became the Assistant Director for Valley Transit District, creating a paratransit program for seniors and the disabled; responsible for the operations of a 15 vehicle transit district and assisted in the oversigh of a new maintenance, administrative and storage facility. Since 1985 Henry has been the Executive Director of the and a familiar face to anyone in transit operations. His responsibilities include the operation of 4 fixed routes, a 15 van ADA service, two railroad stations, 500 Metro-North Commuter parking spaces and overseeing a staff of 35. He created the Rail Parking Program in Milford where none had existed.

Opinions & Opportunities Bike Path One aspect of CTfastrak is the bike path that will be constructed.http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/editorials/hc-ed-bike-lanes- built-with-busway-20120522,0,4835625.story

Do You Have News or Updates for the CACT Newsletter? If you have news of interest, please email a brief update to [email protected].

CACT BOARD MEMBERS: Al Naudus, Chairperson, Greater New Haven Transit District; Jonathan Rubell, Vice Chair, The Kennedy Center, Inc.; Joseph Comerford, Secretary, Estuary Transit District; Tammy Ostroski, Treasurer, Northwestern CT Transit District; Ella Bowman, South East Area Transit District; Pegi Brandt, ; DJ Gonzalez, Greater Hartford Transit District; Barbara Kalosky, North East Transportation Co., Inc.; Kimberlee Morton, CTTransit. CACT Executive Director: Mary Tomolonius

2 Connecticut Association for Community Transportation: A United Voice for Public Transportation in Connecticut

3 Connecticut Association for Community Transportation: A United Voice for Public Transportation in Connecticut

4 Connecticut Association for Community Transportation: A United Voice for Public Transportation in Connecticut

5 Connecticut Association for Community Transportation: A United Voice for Public Transportation in Connecticut