The January 2012 Issue

• Who’s Afraid of Big Investments?

  By Joshua Schank
  President and CEO

  The continuing saga of the California High Speed Rail (HSR) program has captivated the attention of the transportation community and beyond. The program is sweeping in scope and, if completed, would transform California and the nation. But so far it has not been a smooth ride. The resignation of the CEO of the California High-Speed Rail Authority was the latest sign of trouble, and this followed an independent report from the California High-Speed Rail Peer Review Group, which found serious problems with the project’s feasibility.

• Board of Advisors' Corner: The Challenge of Change

  By Janet Kavinoky
  Eno Board of Advisors and U.S. Chamber of Commerce

  I am as positive as ever about the prospects for Congress moving transportation bills. There have been bipartisan and bicameral indications of the desire and actual intent to advance legislation related to aviation, surface and marine transportation. By the time this newsletter publishes, the President will have signed the final (fingers crossed) FAA extension; the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will be ready to mark up a transportation bill that includes highway, transit, and water resources provisions; and the Senate Banking committee will be ready for its markup of the transit title.

• Eno, YPT to Host Trivia Night on February 21

  The Eno Center for Transportation will join forces with the Washington, DC chapter of Young Professionals in Transportation (YPT) to host a Transportation Trivia Event on Tuesday, February 21. All interested parties are invited to attend.

• Transit Executive Seminar Application Deadline Extended to February 3

  The Eno Center for Transportation is extending the application deadline for its Transit Executive Seminar to Friday, February 3. Candidates selected to participate will be notified by mid-February. This intensive weeklong course is held in Washington, DC, and is tailored specifically for senior-level managers who report to their General Manager or CEO in public transportation agencies and in companies that serve the transit industry, as well as senior staff in that Federal Transit Administration.

• Eno Programs for Emerging Transportation Professionals

  In the first quarter of the New Year, the Eno Center for Transportation Leadership will offer three programs designed to further professional development for transportation’s emerging professionals.

• Public Lands Transportation Scholars Program Now Accepting Applications

  The Eno Center for Transportation is proud to partner with The Paul S. Sarbanes Transit in Parks Technical Assistance Center (TRIPTAC) on the Public Lands Transportation Scholars Program. TRIPTAC is looking for recent master and doctoral graduates in transportation-related disciplines to apply. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States.

• Apply Now for the 2012 National Park Transportation Scholars Program

  The National Park Transportation Scholars Program, which offers transportation specialists a unique opportunity for career development and public service, is now accepting applications for 12-month assignments. The Scholars Program places transportation professionals—as well as Master’s and doctoral candidates in transportation, engineering, and planning—in National Parks across the country to assist Park Service staff in developing transportation solutions that preserve valuable resources and enhance the visitor experience.

• Leadership Development Conference Nominations Due February 17

  Nominations for the Eno Leadership Development Conference (LDC)—a week-long course that gives 20 of the nation’s top graduate students in transportation a first-hand look at how national transportation policies are developed—are now being accepted and are due by February 17.