METRO Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

APTA Honors 5 Congressional ‘Champions’ of Public Transportation

This year’s recipients were instrumental in enacting the 2022 and 2023 THUD Appropriations Acts, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and COVID-19 emergency relief funding.

APTA Honors 5 Congressional ‘Champions’ of Public Transportation

The awards recognize Members of Congress who have led efforts to increase investment in our nation’s public transit, passenger rail, and multimodal infrastructure and strongly support public transportation.

Credit:

APTA

1 min to read


The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) announced the winners of the 2023 Advocacy Champion Awards at its Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. The awards recognize Members of Congress who have led efforts to increase investment in our nation’s public transit, passenger rail, and multimodal infrastructure and strongly support public transportation.

This year’s recipients were instrumental in enacting the 2022 and 2023 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations Acts, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and COVID-19 emergency relief funding.

Ad Loading...

The 2023 APTA Advocacy Champion Awards winners are:

  • Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate.

  • Sen. Susan M. Collins (R-ME), Vice Chair, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate.

  • Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), former Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Transportation and Safety, Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, U.S. Senate.

  • Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), former Chair and Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. House of Representatives.

  • Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Ranking Member and former Chair, Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, U.S. House of Representatives.

“Investment in public transportation remains critical for America’s future strength and prosperity, and we applaud this year’s Advocacy Champions for their extraordinary commitment to infrastructure improvements for passenger connectivity around the country,” said APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas.  

More Management

Local, Federal, State, and LA Metro officials at the opening of the D Line.
Railby StaffMay 10, 2026

LA Metro Opens D Line Extension

The only new subway opening in the US this year, the D Line Extension represents one of Metro’s top transit priorities and a historic milestone for Los Angeles, with Sections 2 and 3 set to open in 2027.

Read More →
Cover for Part 2 with AC Transit's Cecil Blandon
ManagementMay 8, 2026

Bus Tech Talk: Part 2 with AC Transit's Cecil Blandon

In Part 2 of a two-part conversation, AC Transit’s director of maintenance joins co-hosts Alex Roman and Mark Hollenbeck to discuss his maintenance team’s work with various types of vehicle, training, augmented reality, and more.

Read More →
A Société de transport de Montréal transit bus driving past a grassy area with trees.
Managementby StaffMay 8, 2026

Montreal’s STM Reports Ridership Decline, Service Modernization Efforts

The transit agency cites labor disruptions, demographic shifts, and evolving rider needs as it advances safety initiatives, paratransit changes, and major infrastructure projects across its network.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Maintenance officials examining a vehicle on a lift.
Managementby Alex RomanMay 8, 2026

Avoiding Mid-Season Breakdowns: A Fleet Readiness Q&A

John Hatman, COO of Master’s Transportation, breaks down the priorities, warning signs and common mistakes fleet managers should address now to stay ahead of summer demand.

Read More →
A vintage TTC sign against a blue cloudy sky.
Managementby StaffMay 7, 2026

TTC Launches New Wayfinding Pilot, Announces Fare Capping Ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026

See how the TTC is testing a new wayfinding system at major subway stations while planning to introduce fare capping to make transit easier to navigate and more affordable for riders.

Read More →
PATCO's New Control Center
Managementby StaffMay 7, 2026

PATCO Opens New Operations Control Center

The new center serves as the central hub for monitoring and managing PATCO train operations, communications, customer service coordination, incident response, and overall operational oversight across the transit system.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
VIA Rail Canada logo
Railby StaffMay 7, 2026

VIA Rail reports Stable Ridership, Rising Revenue Amid Ongoing Challenges

Despite these pressures, VIA Rail is reporting that total revenues increased to $514.8 million as more travelers took advantage of the wide range of options available through the corporation’s new reservation system.

Read More →
SEPTA's advertisement for multi-rider feature.
Technologyby StaffMay 7, 2026

Philadelphia's SEPTA Introduces Multi-Rider Feature for Contactless Payments

Up until now, this feature was only available when using a SEPTA Key card.

Read More →
Books with graduation mortar board
Managementby StaffMay 6, 2026

New Chicago Scholarship Program Targets Student Pathways to Construction Careers

Created in partnership with Walsh-VINCI Transit Community Partners, the contractor for CTA’s historic $5.7 billion RLE project, the new $250,000 scholarship program will provide three students a year from 2026 to 2030 with $3,000 scholarships.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Steve Goodreau
Technologyby Alex RomanMay 6, 2026

Trackless Rapid Transit: Hype or Viable Option?

Steve Goodreau of WSP explores the technology’s promise, limitations and where it may fit in the evolving transit landscape.

Read More →