Bus

With the passage of MAP-21, Congress provided FTA the much needed authority to regulate safety across our nation’s transit systems. Codified at 49 USC 5329, the mandate requires FTA to develop a comprehensive Public Transportation Safety Program intended to improve the safety performance of transit systems. This NPRM seeks to implement several components of that Program by formally adopting Safety Management Systems (SMS) as the foundation of FTA’s safety oversight and regulations; establishing procedures for FTA to conduct inspections and audits of equipment, facilities, and operations; creating procedures for the agency to make enforcement actions against noncomplying transit agencies; and setting the framework for the National Public Transportation Safety Plan (National Safety Plan).

It may come as a surprise to some that one of the fastest-growing modes of transportation in the U.S. is intercity bus. After decades of declining ridership, intercity bus service has rebounded in a big way, boasting eight consecutive years of consistent growth. Driving this comeback are service modernization efforts, growing onboard amenities, and additional […]

As published by Sean Kilcarr in Fleet Owner.   Groups lay out transportation agenda items for 2015 A variety of groups, from unions to safety-themed organizations, laid out their transportation agendas for the rest of the year – especially where highway funding and electronic logging devices (ELDs) are concerned. The primary focus of the Transportation Trades […]

ATLANTA, GA—The Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD) and its 32 affiliated unions waded into every major transportation policy debate in Washington and focused on expanding transportation investments, reforming safety policy, protecting workers’ rights, and rejecting job-killing trade policies. “2015 must be the year when we break the stalemate on funding our badly deteriorated transportation system […]

Intercity bus transportation has grown rapidly in the last several years, offering Americans additional travel options as routes expand across the country. But this growth must not come at the expense of passenger and public safety, a fear that has become magnified by an influx of poorly regulated new entrants that have flooded the intercity […]

Whether traveling through New England, the Northwest, or in between, passengers riding on an intercity or charter bus expect to reach their destination safely. To better understand how to ensure this remains the case, the federal agency responsible for setting safety standards for commercial motor vehicles—including both buses and trucks—has wisely decided to study whether […]

On behalf of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), I write in response to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) notice of a new Information Collection Request (ICR), “The Impact of Driver Compensation on Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Safety.” By way of background, TTD consists of 32 affiliate unions that represent workers in every mode of transportation, including those employed in the CMV industry. We therefore have a vested interested in this proceeding.[1] We also endorse the comments filed by the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU).

On behalf of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), I write to comment on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Notice of Intent to pursue a Negotiated Rulemaking to implement section 32304 of MAP-21. This mandate calls on the Secretary to establish minimum entry-level driver training (ELDT) requirements for individuals who operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs). By way of background, TTD consists of 32 affiliate unions that represent workers in all modes of transportation, including a wide range of workers of who hold commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) and operate a variety of CMVs.[1] We therefore have a vested interest in this rulemaking. In addition to this filing, some of our affiliate unions have commented as well, and we express support for those submissions.

Now that Memorial Day, the unofficial start of summer, is behind us, people planning their summer vacations are in search of the best deals in town. In these tough economic times, finding good deals can be the difference between staying home and affording summer travel. A lot of people do the search on their own, […]

TTD’s Executive Committee has long taken the position that when our government invests in transportation infrastructure and rolling stock, these expenditures must be leveraged to achieve the greatest possible economic impact and U.S. job growth.  For this reason we have consistently and effectively advocated for the inclusion of strong Buy America provisions in federal transportation […]