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.

We need to redouble our efforts to get what the country’s economy needs passed into law, not just this year and next, but beyond, in the form of a stable source of revenue for the Trust Fund to fully fund the program.

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

All of these changes, designed to improve the public’s perception of the industry, can only be good for operators around the country who provide top-notch services to millions of passengers each year.

Upon first glance, it might seem as if the new federal transportation law, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century, was a setback for transit oriented development.

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.

Bill includes N.Y. Sen. Charles Schumer’s well-publicized “Grading System,” changes in how safety measures will be implemented and how the industry does business with public transit agencies.

In July, Congress passed a new two-year bill – MAP-21. Highlights contained include an expanded TIFIA program as well as streamlined New Starts and project delivery processes.