April 12, 2024

Dear SPOTLIGHT Awards,

For your 36th Birthday, we SIMPLIFIED THE ENTRY PROCESS.

We’ve streamlined our submission process to submit entries for SWTA’s 2024 Spotlight Awards – among the oldest awards recognizing marketing campaigns and projects in the public transportation industry, first awarded in 1990. Entries are judged amongst similar-sized transit systems and specific print, electronic, social, and event media projects.

Deadline for entries: June 1, 2024.

UPCOMING WEBINAR: Reducing Transit Worker Assaults

As assaults on transit workers increase for agencies across the country, we've assembled a panel of experts to examine the situation and explore effective strategies for reduction. Join us for a webinar to hear Ed English of ELERTS and Andrew Cassidy of Boston MBTA discuss the following:

What are transit worker assaults?
Why do assaults happen?
How do they happen?
How can my agency better leverage the riders to raise concerns before escalation can occur?

Thursday, April 18, 2024 @ 11:00 AM CST, Registration Is Free

Join us in Fort Worth, Texas from July 28-31 for SWTA’s Annual Summer University Conference, featuring sessions on Marketing, Transit Law and SWTA: Next Gen, along with the APTA/AASHTO/CTAA State & Tribal Public Transportation Conference.

Additional details will be released soon on topics and speakers. For more, visit our event page and don’t wait on booking your room at the Sheraton Fort Worth Downtown.

SWTA Awards Senator Sinema with Legislator of the Year Award

This past Tuesday, SWTA awarded Senator Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) with its 2024 Legislator of the Year Award at its annual Bullfeathers Breakfast on Capitol Hill (sponsored by Complete Coach Works). SWTA, which traces its origin to a meeting of transit agency leaders at Bullfeathers restaurant in 1980, presents the award each year to a member of Congress who has demonstrated leadership in support of public transit systems in SWTA's 8-state region and nationwide. The award was presented by SWTA Chair Kendra McGeady of Pelivan Transit in Oklahoma and SWTA Executive Director Rich Sampson. Samantha Edwards of Senator Sinema's staff was on hand to accept the award on the Senator's behalf.

CAPITAL AREA TRANSIT SYSTEM: Keeping people connected and moving forward

The Transit Unplugged Podcast hosted by Paul Comfort features the transformation of transit in Oklahoma City, including Mayor David Holt and EMBARK Executive Director Jason Ferbrache

Austin’s CapMetro Celebrates 1 Millionth Pickup Ride

Experienced, Innovative Leader Joins Executive Team at VIA

City of Scottsdale

SWTA Chair & Executive Director Meet with Congressional Staff on CDL Issues, Other Policy Priorities

Kendra McGeady, SWTA Chair, and Executive Director Rich Sampson visited with staff of the Senate Commerce Committee this past Monday to discuss the challenges transit providers face in hiring drivers requiring Entry-Level CDL certification. Rich also met with staff of the House Transportation & Infrastructure (T&I) Committee to discuss the CDL issue, along with non-federal match flexibility and the crisis in transit vehicles.

Webinar: FTA FY 2024 Formula Apportionments – Thursday, April 18, 1:00 p.m. Central Time

FTA announced the latest tranche of support made possible thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The FY 2024 Apportionments provides funding to states, urbanized areas and tribal governments based on statutory formulas (set in law) and represent a full year of federal support for transit. The webinar will provide an overview of the FY 2024 Formula Apportionments and discuss changes to this year's apportionments based on the 2020 Census and the National Transit Database (NTD).

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $17.6 Million to Help Communities Add Affordable Housing Near Transit