Passenger Bus, Rail and Motorcoach Industry News

The same hurdles – the Keystone XL oil pipeline and funding the bill – still exist without any new solutions being posited.

Proposal, which has stalled due to the inability to garner Republican support, was meant to help the party stake an election-year claim to being the party of job creation

Democrats on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, who felt they did not have a hand in writing the bill, applauded the news and are hopeful to be more involved in the process.

The one-day event, to be held in March, is designed to promote the importance of a fully-funded, multi-year transportation bill and the role it plays on stimulating the economy, maintaining the nation's global competitiveness and creating American jobs.

This legislation is the largest transportation reform bill since the creation of the Interstate Highway System. It contains no earmarks and cuts high-speed rail, while also significantly reducing Amtrak funding.

Moderated by J. Barry Barker Jr., executive director of the Transit Authority of River City in Louisville, Ky., the session featured insights from key bipartisan congressional staff members.

While the vote was a result of a bipartisan agreement between Senate and House leaders, Chairman of the House Transportation Committee John Mica (R-FL) said it will be the last temporary extension he will support and that a full four-year funding bill needs to be put into place after this one expires.

President also directed the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Interior, Transportation and Housing and Urban Development to each select three "high-priority" construction projects already funded that can be completed within 18 months.

Trip participants will be armed with suggestions to maximize existing dollars, expedite project delivery and maintain the U.S.' global competitiveness, all without major impacts to the federal budget's bottom line, according to Mobility 21 members.

The six-year proposal will also provide $336 billion, a 48 percent increase over the previous authorization, to rebuild America's roads and bridges, and $119 billion, a 128 percent increase over the previous authorization, in funding for affordable, sustainable and efficient transit options.