Both agencies and the supply side need to engage FTA officials and members of Congress to address ... upcoming bus-related issues.

A modest tax increase is at least better than a small program, which is what we are facing if the no-tax, sequester, governing-by-created-crisis madness continues to bleed a program that used to have bipartisan support.

Although Congress just enacted a new transportation bill, the next one will soon need to be debated.

A lot will be dictated by the outcome of the election, which is also why we need to start making, or rather restating, the case for public transportation investment.

With impacts including a shrinking number of vehicles and less road congestion currently being ignored when the financial feasibility of projects is being studied, a new economic value added model must be used to illustrate the total realizable benefits that can be obtained.

Federal officials look at new rules to make streetcars more eligible — but overall funding may be cut in budget battles.

Cited as the top challenge experienced by one-fifth of participating operators. Coming in second was land use coordination, at 17%, down by slightly more than 10% from last year, when it was listed as the top challenge.

Restrictive legislation, dwindling funds and growing paratransit needs are some of the issues that agencies serving small populations share. New legislation may offer some help.

The easing of the fiscal crisis has produced a situation where many deferred or stretched-out projects are now scheduled for service openings in the next two years.

The real job creator, of course, is what APTA and its business members have advocated for more than a decade: a stable, longer-term funding bill at current levels or better.