On Tuesday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood released the latest video in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (U.S. DOT) “Transporting America” series. The video highlights United Streetcar, the first company to manufacture streetcars in America in more than 50 years.
“With high gas prices taking a bite out of family budgets, communities across the country are looking for affordable, efficient transportation options,” said Secretary LaHood. “United Streetcar is answering that call with the streetcars they build and they’re doing it all with American parts, labor and ingenuity. That means less congestion on our roads, more jobs for American workers and a future we are prepared to win.”
United Streetcar was founded in 2005 as a subsidiary of Oregon Iron Works. Thanks in part to grants from the U.S. DOT and the Federal Transit Administration, United Streetcar has developed and built streetcars with the highest percentage of American parts and labor in more than 50 years.
More than 200 vendors in over 20 states worked on United Streetcar’s first prototype, creating a ripple effect for businesses across America. The company is currently building streetcars for the City of Portland’s East Side Loop Extension as well as the City of Tucson’s new streetcar project.
“The Federal government believed in us and believed in American manufacturing. Now, we’ve had over $50 million in orders and there will be more to come as streetcars return to communities throughout the country," said United Streetcar President Chandra Brown. “United Streetcar is a perfect example of how good public policy can not only create jobs, but also re-create an entire manufacturing sector.”
The DOT video series “Transporting America” explores how investments in our roadways, runways and railways are preparing America for the future and creating economic opportunities today. The series highlights projects, workers, and businesses that are dreaming big and building big to help America win the future.
METRO TV:To watch the video, click here.