Eno Transportation Weekly

February 8, 2019 – On February 6, the U.S. House of Representatives passed five bills from the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Three of the five bills were significant for the transportation sector as they would improve oversight of rail safety, protect scenic byways, and establish a commission to commemorate Route 66.

The Eno Center for Transportation on September 26 released a new study, The Implications of the Federal Ban on Chinese Railcars.

September 28, 2018 – On September 25, the Senate passed a bill setting standards for state mass transit safety oversight agencies (SSOAs) to use when investigating local transit agencies. The bill (S. 3139), called the Transit Rail Inspection Practices (TRIP) Act, passed by unanimous consent.

Wednesday, October 3 – Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation – full committee hearing on positive train control implementation status (witness list here) – 10:00 a.m., SR-253 Russell.

September 21, 2018 – Hopes that another four-bill package of appropriations legislation for fiscal year 2019, including the Transportation-HUD appropriations bill, could be signed into law before the elections are fading, despite more meetings of Appropriations Committee staffers to be held next week.

September 14, 2018 – As the Dec. 31 deadline to fully implement positive train control (PTC) or else qualify for an alternative schedule approaches, railroads and regulators are already turning towards challenges that will remain after 2018.

September 5, 2018 – The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee approved Wednesday two transportation-related nominees and a bill to streamline Department of Transportation reporting requirements.

Thursday, September 13 – House Transportation and Infrastructure – Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials – subcommittee hearing on positive train control (PTC) implementation (witness list here) – 10:00 a.m., 2167 Rayburn.

August 24, 2018 – This week, the Federal Railroad Administration announced the recipients of $203.7 million in fiscal year 2018 grants to railroads for the installation of positive train control (PTC) technology ahead of a looming December 31 deadline. At the same time, FRA released the PTC implementation progress reports of all railroads as of June 30, which showed most railroads making significant progress.

August 1, 2018 – The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee approved by voice vote today several items including a bill to establish a new port improvement grant program, a bill to criminalize attacks on interstate passenger rail crews, and another nominee for a seat on the Surface Transportation Board.

July 27, 2018 – On Thursday morning, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation considered presidential nominees Rick Dearborn for the Amtrak Board of Directors and Martin Oberman for the Surface Transportation Board, for two unfilled rail transportation board seats.

July 20, 2018 – This week, the Federal Railroad Administration issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity for $318 million in railroad grant funding under the  Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program.

July 20, 2018 – The Federal Transit Administration this week finalized two long-awaited safety rules governing all transit agencies that receive federal funds.

June 27, 2018 – On June 26, the chairman and ranking minority member of the Senate Banking Committee introduced a bill clarifying that state transit safety oversight agencies should conduct safety inspections of the local mass transit agencies they are overseeing.

Having spent over thirty years in transportation operations and leadership positions of government, I have seen that most public transportation systems have at least five hidden flaws that good leaders must address.

Tuesday, May 15 – Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs – full committee business meeting to consider nominations including Thelma Drake to be FTA Administrator – 10:00 a.m., SD-538 Dirksen.

April 19, 2018 – The House Subcommittee on Government Operations, held a hearing today to examine All Aboard Florida’s (AAF) use of private activity bonds (PABs) to help finance the first and second phases of Brightline, its new Florida-based passenger rail system.

February 23, 2018 – The House Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials held an oversight hearing on February 15 to examine which railroads might not make the December 31, 2018 statutory deadline for installation of positive train control (PTC) technology – and what the consequences might be for the railroads that fail to meet the deadline.

February 14, 2018 – As Congress again focuses on positive train control (PTC) implementation in the U.S., it is worth examining how much farther along we are in this regard than the European Union.

February 14, 2018 – The federal budget isn’t just about spending. President Trump’s fiscal 2019 budget has also proposed several significant changes in transportation-related taxes and user fees.