IN THIS ISSUE . . . Transit's Role in I-235 Reconstruction State Transit
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OFFICE OF PUBLIC TRANSIT NEWSLETTER • SUMMER 2001 Transit’s role in State Transit Assistance I-235 reconstruction reduced for FY2002 By J.P. Golinvaux In 2002 the Iowa Department of Transportation will com- mence reconstructing Interstate 235 (I-235), the freeway that State Transit Assistance serves the Des Moines metropolitan area. “The reconstruction work is scheduled to last for five years, starting in 2002 and ending in 2006,” said Martin Sankey, I-235 project manager for the Iowa DOT. Significant traffic congestion is expected through- out this period. We felt it may be of interest to our readers that several transit initiatives are under consideration as ways of minimizing congestion and addressing traffic issues associated with this major project. I-235 construction, see page 5 By Kay Thede State Transit Assistance (STA) for Iowa’s 35 public transit systems is estimated to be approximately $1.5 million less than projected in early January. The fund took a hit from two sides: the Iowa Legislature reduced IN THIS ISSUE . the amount by $659,820 to help meet state budget 2 DIRECTOR’S COLUMN shortfalls, and use tax projections have dropped due to fewer vehicles being sold. 3 ADA ISSUES UPDATE State transit assistance funds are generated from 4 REGIONAL TRANSIT SYSTEMS GET A NEW LOOK one-twentieth of the first four cents of the state’s vehicle use tax, in the form of a standing appropriation. Be- 6 SYSTEM OF THE YEAR AWARDS cause the transit funds flow through the general fund SHINING STAR AWARD before the Iowa Department of Transportation distrib- 7 utes them to the transit systems, the fund became part 7 MMT ADMINISTRATOR RETIRES of the 6 percent reduction realized by most General TRANSIT ROADEO WINNERS Fund programs. The transit fund reduction, part of 8 House File 755 adopted in the 2001 Legislature, is a 8 MAKING RURAL TRANSIT COUNT reduction for FY2002 only. FLOODING IN EASTERN IOWA STA projections for FY2002 declined from $10.9 in 9 January to $10.1 in May. The use tax had been steadily 10 IOWA’S RULE ON TRANSPORTING STUDENTS increasing since 1992, but began the downward trend 2001 CALENDAR during FY2001. The projections for FY2002 reduce the 11 STA to less than the 1999 levels. Monthly receipts show 11 TRANSIT TRAINING LIBRARY no sign of the trend reversing soon. 12 NEW DRUG AND ALCOHOL RULE PROPOSED CONNECTIONS Director’s Column By Peggi Knight • Developed the Customer Service Unfortunately, not every- Student Transpor- • Reorganized the Office of thing that has happened over tation Administra- Public Transit based on input the last year has had a tive Rules in from transit agencies and FTA. positive impact on transit. The cooperation with (Spring 2001 Connections, significant losses in STA are the Iowa Depart- page 1) outlined in Kay Thede’s article ment of Educa- • Monthly State Transit on page 1. At the state level, tion, Iowa Public Assistance (STA) payments budget cuts have led to the Transit Associa- and Electronic Funds Trans- elimination of the vacant tion and the Iowa fers (EFT) – STA payments are position in our office, and out- Pupil Transporta- now being made monthly of-state travel has been cut. tion Association. instead of quarterly, and we Despite these setbacks, the Efforts are in are offering EFT. Currently Office of Public Transit will place to encour- there are 22 transit systems continue forward with the The Office of Public Transit age the U.S. Department of participating. following agenda. (OPT) was reestablished Health and Human Services to • Streamlined agreement during the Iowa DOT reorgani- adopt these rules in place of process; Future zation in March 2000. This has the current Head Start rules. - Signing agreements prior Coordination enhanced communications (See Page 10) to sending them from OPT • Develop vehicle signage among the DOT employees • Worked with transit regions to the transit agencies guidance in response to FTA who have been dedicated to to develop new vehicle designated signatory to guidelines. transit for many years, and has signage in response to FTA reduce the amount of • Establish greater coopera- allowed them to again provide guidance. (See page 4) handling required on both tion/coordination with IPTA more unified support to the ends of the process; and committees. public transit industry. I joined Communication - Drafting agreements the Office in late July 2000 and • Held regional meetings with immediately after grant Communication will soon have been with the transit agencies. approval to minimize delays • Continue to work with the Office of Public Transit for a full • Published Connections in the process. Web page consultant on year. This would, therefore, be newsletters (electronic version development of the new an appropriate time to review available on our Web site, Advocacy design. the events of the previous iatransit.com). • Applied for, and received year, and share with you some • Reestablished more consis- approval of, a $1.9 million ITS Customer Service of our goals for the coming tent transit updates via E-mail. grant from FHWA. (Spring • Update Transit Manager’s year. • Entered into a contract to 2001 Connections, page 1) Handbook. establish a new interactive • Participated in APTA • Continue to analyze pro- Previous Year Web site (iatransit.com). Legislative visit to Washing- cesses used by the Office of Coordination The new designs will not be ton, D.C., and Iowa Transit Public Transit to make im- • Reestablished Statewide posted until this fall; however, Legislative Day. provements to the efficiency Transportation Coordination this link will currently take you and effectiveness. Advisory Council (See article to our existing site. Please Compliance • Develop training programs in in Spring 2001 Connections, save this location and give us • Participated in and re- cooperation with IPTA training page 4). your feedback when the new sponded to the state manage- committee. design appears this fall. ment review regarding Iowa’s compliance with Federal Transit Administration rules. Director’s Column, see next page 2 CONNECTIONS Director’s Column, from previous page Advocacy Compliance • Develop Transit Marketing/ • Perform compliance reviews Advocacy Plan — The Iowa of transit agencies to assist Public Transit Association is them in understanding federal IPTA hears update working on an image cam- rules. paign, and we have commit- on ADA issues ted to work together to make Obviously, this is not an all- By Peter Hallock our total effort as effective as inclusive list of the efforts of the Cheryl Hershey, from the Federal Transit Administra- possible. office, or of our plans for the tion’s Washington, D.C., Office of Civil Rights, spoke at the • Move forward with ITS Plan future; however, I wanted to Iowa Public Transit Training Conference held June 6-9 in development. bring you up to date on where Sioux City. Hershey reviewed the general requirements for • Make presentations to we have been and where we transportation providers under the Americans with Disabili- transit policy boards, cham- are headed. Thanks to all of ties Act. She also discussed the growing number of legal bers of commerce, etc. you who have worked with us actions taken by both the Federal Transit Administration • Coordinate with IPTA, CTAA over the last year, and espe- (FTA) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) against and APTA to ensure a cially to members of the Office local agencies that have failed to comply with the ADA commitment to transit in of Public Transit for their rules. TEA-21 reauthorization — dedication and commitment to While she stated that the rules require full compliance The Public Transit Manage- making these things happen. with the various standards set forth in the rules, Hershey ment System (PTMS) provides I would also like to take this also indicated the courts have taken into consideration a process for analyzing the opportunity to offer my con- local officials’ demonstrated efforts to reach full compli- capital needs for bus replace- gratulations to Karlyne von ance. She pointed out it has been agencies which have ment. In FY2001, PTMS Krog on her retirement, the consciously decided to aim for less than full compliance included a list of 256 vehicles Governor’s Shining Star award, that have, to date, been the primary targets of legal action. that were programmed for and winning the Urban Transit Hershey noted that most investigations begin as a replacement, totaling $21 System of the Year Award (see result of a public complaint to either FTA or DOJ. FTA will million dollars. We were only articles on pages 6 and 7). investigate the complaint and, if they find violations but no able to replace 64 vehicles, Well done. What a way to flagrantly willful noncompliance, will try to work with the even after transferring a make an exit! local provider to reach compliance before resorting to legal portion of the federal transit action. She indicated it is also possible for a transporta- operating assistance funding tion provider to voluntarily request an assessment of their to supplement the Congres- efforts, and her office can provide advice and assistance on sional earmark for statewide questions that may come up in trying to meet the require- capital. We need to empha- ments. size in the federal reauthori- The Iowa Department of Transportation’s Office of zation process that it is Public Transit and Iowa Public Transit Association jointly imperative to more effectively sponsored this training conference. Funding for this meet this need. If this trend conference was provided under FTA’s Rural Transit continues, we will continue to Assistance Program. add buses to the list without replacing an equal number of buses, and the backlog will continue to grow. (See Spring 2000 Connections, page 3) 3 CONNECTIONS New look, same great service By Donna Johnson After more than a quarter the process of changing the transportation services,” said century, two regional transit signs on its buses and other Marty Wymore, Peoplerides systems have taken on new vehicles to reflect its new executive director.