Hotline #133 - April 7, 2000

Senators and Representatives still need to hear two simple messages -- fund Amtrak at the authorized $989 million in fiscal 2001, and enact the High Speed Rail Investment Act (S.1900, H.R.3700). Legislators who are not co-sponsors should be. Finally, Senators also need to be urged to ask Senator Lott to bring to the floor S.1144 (making intercity passenger rail eligible for flexible gasoline-tax funds). He is a co-sponsor, and has made pro-passenger-rail remarks publicly within the past month, but he needs to act because other senators have "holds" on the bill.

The Senate on April 6 passed a non-binding "Sense of the Senate" resolution that the fiscal 2001 resolution should not assume any gas-tax "holidays," on a two-to-one margin. The leading bill to reduce the gas tax, S.2285, may come to a vote next week.

California Gov. Gray Davis (D.) proposed a campaign to ease transportation congestion in his state on April 5. He made the announcement in front of the San Jose railroad station. The total package is for $5.2 billion, with $3 billion of that coming from general funds, and the rest from a bond measure that would need voter approval. Of the $5.2 billion, less than $700 million is for intercity passenger rail. This includes $100 million for triple-tracking between East Los Angeles and Fullerton, and $30 million for more San Diegan service. Amtrak welcomed the prospect of new funds, saying it would release a five-year program for passenger rail in California in May.

Donald Sweitzer, member of the Amtrak Reform Council, has been replaced. Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D.-S.Dak.) has appointed James E. Coston, an attorney from Chicago.

Amtrak and Vermont have signed a $1.2-million agreement to operate the Ethan Allen and Vermonter through summer 2001.

A special weekend fare will be offered this month on the Vermonter. Tickets between any stations on the St. Albans-Springfield segment are $5, on Saturdays and Sundays in April.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is negotiating with Amtrak to extend for three years its contracts for commuter-train operations and track maintenance. This is a change from previous MBTA policy to put these contracts out for bid in order to save money, once a changeover from Amtrak to Bay State Transit Services was accomplished in the area of train maintenance. However, that changeover, originally planned for November, still has not happened in the wake of controversy involving questions about Bay State's ability to provide the services specified in the contract and the quality of compensation packages offered to current Amtrak maintenance workers.

The Surface Transportation Policy Project has released a report that finds that transit is getting a smaller share of federal money as states pour funds into building highways that are unlikely to solve traffic congestion. STPP says that in the last two years, the portion of federal spending going to new road capacity grew 21% while spending on other transportation modes fell by 19%. The study, called "Changing Direction," is available on STPP's web site.

The Utah Transit Authority reports that total system ridership in February was up 23% from a year ago, thanks to Salt Lake City's new light-rail line. Total farebox revenues were up over 30%. (Bus ridership was down just 3%).

America's newest light-rail system starts revenue service April 17. New Jersey Transit's Hudson-Bergen line will run two routes from Exchange Place (Jersey City, PATH connection) to West Side Ave. (Jersey City) and 34th St. (Bayonne). Future extensions will be made north of Exchange Place.

The Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration seek public comment on the use of funding under TEA-21's Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) program for high-speed rail investments that may be outside of a nonattainment or maintenance area. CMAQ funds can be used by state DOT's for a wide range of projects to help achieve emission reductions, including high-speed rail projects. At issue is whether such funding, which is normally used for projects within a nonattainment or maintenance area, should be eligible for use for high-speed rail improvements outside of the area. The request for comments was in the March 30 Federal Register. Comments are accepted until May 1 at Docket Clerk, U.S. DOT Dockets, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh St., S.W., Washington, DC 20590-0001. For more information, contact Michael J. Savonis at 202/366-2080.