LaHood used a question submitted from Facebook about transportation grant funding to comment on transportation funding bills under debate in Congress. Hard to imagine there wasn’t a more direct question about the bills, but nonetheless LaHood couldn’t keep from a short show of support for the Senate’s version of the transportation bill, calling it “very good” and “truly bipartisan.”

LaHood is notably diplomatic when referring to the House transportation bill, in fact, downright kind compared to his previously blunt language. He says “we are going to be working with the House to either pass the Senate bill” … or … he doesn’t say or what. We’re left wondering what he’d work with House GOP leaders to craft besides that.

The rest of the video offers a few hints on where the DOT is thinking ahead on safety.

“We’re continuing to do research” on whether GPS distracts people from driving, he says. He points out the DOT has already suggested voluntary guidelines for carmakers that install built-in GPS systems. LaHood wants the devices programmed to disable the controls while the car is in motion. “We hope that they [the carmakers] will do that,” was all he said on the likelihood of that kind of governor setting coming to be. No regulations are in the works.

Watch the full video here:

Bicyclists in Beijing (photo by Superflow via Flickr)

Beijing will put 20,000 rental bikes on the street this year to ease congestion — and open four new subway lines. (Xinhua)

Parts of Nigeria are under a curfew after protests against the ending of fuel subsidies grew violent. “Overnight, prices at the pump more than doubled…The costs of food and transportation also doubled.”  (NPR)

Adding mass transit to the Tappan Zee Bridge would delay the project at least two years, says the head of the New York State DOT. (Journal News)

New MTA head Joe Lhota says he’ll continue to pursue a smartcard system for NYC transit. (New York Times)

Traffic deaths in Florida dropped to a 33-year low in 2011, although the state’s population doubled in that span. (AP via Miami Herald)

Some airlines are suing the DOT over its requirement that advertisements include all taxes and fees in ticket prices for flights. (The Hill)

Sales of diesel-powered cars in the U.S. rose  27.4 percent in 2011 while hybrid sales dropped 2.2 percent. (AutoBlogGreen)

Capital Bikeshare has posted data files with individual (but anonymous) trip data. (Greater Greater Washington)

DC’s Metro would have to condemn many more properties than originally thought in order to build the Purple Line. (Washington Post)

Volkswagen unveils the E-Bugster — an electric Beetle concept car — in Detroit. (Gizmag)

Houston will require businesses to offer bike parking. (Link)

Bay Area bikers are getting free lights. (Link)

Reports of the death of the internal combustion engine have been greatly exaggerated. (Link)

image from "Learn Bart! Your Guide to Ride" (courtesy of Bay Area Rapid Transit)

Beverly Hills wants to stop Los Angeles from boring a subway tunnel under its high school. (AP)

It’s Joseph Lhota’s first day on the job as head of New York’s MTA. (NY Daily News)

And: the MTA may shut down whole subway lines overnight next year as part of a massive work blitz. (NY Daily News)

Select Bus Service comes to New York’s 34th Street. (WABC7)

The DOT slapped American Airlines with a $900,000 fine for tarmac delays — the first ever. (Politico)

A new comic book teaches riders how to navigate San Francisco’s transit system. (Greater Greater Washington)

Chicago’s transit authority is threatening to reduce some suburban bus service if several Cook County commissioners follow through with a plan to cut funding. (WBEZ)

Traffic on New York State’s canal system is down 20%. (Democrat and Chronicle; hat tip to Stateline)

General Motors is producing its first pink car for the U.S. market. (Detroit Free Press)

The DOT announcement described the violations:

Consumers clicking on an advertisement were not notified of the additional charges until after they arrived at the following page and scrolled down to the bottom of the page, where information in fine print about the taxes and fees could be found. Also, consumers selecting discounted fares advertised by Orbitz found that these fares were no longer available, and they were instead taken to a page where a different fare was displayed.

“Consumers have a right to know the full price they will be paying for air fares,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in the announcement. “We established airline price advertising rules to protect the consumer and will take enforcement action when these rules are violated.”

According to dockets posted on Regulation.gov, there have been about 17 price advertising violation fines issued by the DOT this year. “We’ve been finding violations from time to time. And we do take enforcement actions when that happens,” Bill Mosley of the DOT tells Transportation Nation. Most are for failing to disclose fees or taxes, or for web practices that revealed a different price after a “book now” button, or an ad for a lower fare.

Expedia was fined $29,000 in March for not disclosing taxes and fees. In that case the site advertised a fare and had a link with a plus sign next to the fare that took customers to a page outlining the fees. The DOT said that was insufficient because there was no text indicating there were additional fees and information about them at the link.

Virgin America, Continental,  JetBlue, Air Canada and several other airlines have all been fined this year, usually around $30,000 to $60,000.

“These are negotiated civil penalties. They are arrived at after negotiations with the DOT and the company,” Mosley explained. “We base it on the severity of the offense and if the company has any prior infractions.”

Currently and through the end of the January of next year, fare listings must include taxes and fees, or prominently declare that there are additional taxes and fees with a link to details. In print ads, an asterisks can point readers to a footer section at the bottom of the page. The only exception permitted by the DOT are government-imposed fees charged on a per-passenger basis, like airport facility charges. Those too must be disclosed prior to purchase, though. For online listings, the rules state that taxes and fees may be disclosed through a “prominent link” next to the fare. A “reasonable” number of seats must also be available at the advertised fare.

In April, the DOT adopted a new rule expanding these  consumer protections. When it takes effect in January 2012, advertised prices must include taxes and fees. The term “plus taxes and fees” will become a thing of the past on air travel websites, and that price grid above from Orbitz, will display just one price per box. That’s the intention of the DOT rule change anyway.

Yarn-bombed tricycle on Prince Street, Manhattan (Photo by Kate Hinds)

How to make the DC area more pedestrian-friendly: discuss. (Kojo Nnamdi Show/WAMU)

The TSA will pilot an expedited security screening program this fall (Atlanta Journal Constitution.)  Meanwhile, Donald Rumsfeld got the pat-down treatment at Chicago’s O’Hare (MSNBC)

Another Massachusetts transportation secretary is quitting. “No other Cabinet position has had as much turnover,” writes the Boston Globe.

TN’s Matt Dellinger talked carmageddon on The Takeaway; listen to the conversation below!

Iowa Senator Tom Harkin wants an ADA-compliant Taxi of Tomorrow. (New York Daily News)

New York is adding surveillance cameras to 341 more buses. (NY1)

Streetsblog looks at emails about the Prospect Park West bike lane, says the only people referring to the lane as a “trial” were the lane’s opponents, not the DOT or city officials.

The DOT has announced yet another rail grant. It’s been an active week in funding, and once again the announcement highlights job creation along side the intended transportation improvement.

Full Press Release:

U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood Announces $72.8 Million for Massachusetts to Cut Travel Time by Nearly 30 Minutes on Amtrak’s Growing Vermonter Line

WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced travel time on Amtrak’sVermonter line will be cut by nearly 30 minutes through a $72.8 million grant to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.  The project will restore a rail line, improving 50 miles of track and infrastructure on a direct route from Springfield to East Northfield, MA along the Connecticut River Valley.

“Thanks to President Obama’s commitment to create jobs and strengthen our manufacturing sector, these dollars are delivering more than 200 new jobs along with the purchase of 50 miles of American-made steel rails,” said Secretary Ray LaHood.  “Coupled with previous federal investments along the Vermonter line, these improvements will bring almost a one hour reduction in travel time for passengers traveling in Vermont and Massachusetts.”

With more than a sixteen percent ridership increase in 2010, the Vermonter line operates between St. Albans, VT and Washington, DC.  The Massachusetts portion of the rail line dates back to the mid-1800’s.  After track conditions deteriorated in the 1980’s, Amtrak service was shifted to a rail line farther east.  Work to restore the original passenger route on Pan Am Southern Railway’s Connecticut River mainline also includes construction of two new stations in Greenfield and Northampton, MA.

Progress on the Vermonter service began last year with a $50 million grant to the Vermont Agency of Transportation, improving 190 miles of track between St. Albans and Vernon, shaving 30 minutes off of travel time within Vermont.  Long-term, the investments in Vermont and Massachusetts will also increase reliability and for future expansion of service to Montreal, Quebec.

(Photo: Amtrak Locomotive (cc) by Flickr User Slideshow Bruce)

UPDATED WITH DOT RESPONSE (see below)

The U.S. Department of Transportation is loaning Amtrak more than half a billion dollars to buy new locomotives for the Northeast and Keystone Corridors. This will pay for first fleet upgrade in the Northeast since Acela service was introduced a decade ago.

This is big news, in part because federal money for Amtrak is rarely for new equipment. State of good repair projects— like signal upgrades, bridge repairs, switch maintenance—generally rise to the top of the federal funding list. Today’s announced loan is also the largest, by leaps and bounds, so far issued under an obscure and, some say, underused federal loan program that has not been tapped to its full potential thus far.

“This type of loan will allow Amtrak to move ahead today to purchase equipment to improve service on the Northeast Corridor and create jobs when we need them the most,” said Petra Todorovich, Director of America 2050.

Amtrak’s President Joseph Boardman said in a statement that the loan means that “Amtrak’s purchase of 70 new, energy efficient and higher performing electric locomotives is fully funded.”

The new Siemens locomotives will be built in the United States, creating 250 manufacturing jobs, and will replace units that have been in service for 20-30 years, with an average of 3.5 million miles traveled. The new locomotives will enter service in 2013.

This purchase is part of a larger fleet strategy plan (details pasted below) from Amtrak that also involves almost $300 million for 130 passenger cars for long distance trains.

The $562.9 million loan is the largest to date in the history of the Railroad Rehabilitation & Improvement Financing (RRIF) Program. In fact, this loan nearly matches all previous loans under the $35 billion program since it began in 2000. Including Wednesday’s announced loan. Just $1.66 billion has been allocated, less than five percent of available funds.

“This is a program that has been underutilized. So it’s heartening to see the U.S. DOT putting the program to use,” said Todorovich.

RRIF allows railroads, government agencies and rail shippers to receive 35 year loans at government interest rates, extremely favorable financing terms for businesses that can get them. Most of the money so far has gone to freight railroads.

The catch is, that not many have done so. Advocates for newer rail construction, particularly high-speed rail, have called for the program to ease the collateral requirements as one way to facilitate more RRIF lending.

From a DOT spokesperson:

‪‪The $35 billion is the cap amount available.  When a loan is paid in full (not as they are paid down over time), the principal amount lent is then added back to available funds for lending activities.

The RRIF program has not made a change in lending philosophy and continues to receive applications on a continuous basis.  FRA holds many pre-application meetings each month to potential borrowers to assist in ensuring they understand the program and how it might work for their project.  The most recent changes in the credit markets (making it more difficult to finance capital improvements and at higher rates) has made RRIF more attractive to various types of borrowers.
‪
‪The RRIF program offers very favorable terms for borrowers especially when compared to terms offered in the private sector via commercial financing.  RRIF loans can be made for a term up to 35 years and the interest rates charged are basically the cost of financing to the government (i.e. treasury rates) which are far lower than normal financing costs.
‪
‪Lastly, the current RRIF statistics are:  30 loans with a total financing of $1,659,949,761.
‪

From Amtrak:

NEW AMTRAK ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVESFOR NORTHEAST AND KEYSTONE CORRIDORSUpdated Fleet Strategy PlanIn April 2011, Amtrak released its updated Fleet Strategy Plan that analyzes the company’s need to replace its existing conventional and high-speed fleet and manage capacity to meet the forecasted growth in ridership across its national network.The report lays out the basis for recapitalizing the entire fleet over a period of time in a manner that will not only provide new and modern equipment for passengers, but will also develop and sustain the domestic production capacity needed for the long term viability of intercity passenger rail in the United States.The $465.9 million contract for 70 electric locomotives is a key element of the Fleet Strategy Plan and follows another major equipment procurement of a $298 million contract to build 130 single-level passenger rail cars to support growing ridership on its long-distance trains.Electric Locomotives Contract and BenefitsAs part of this comprehensive plan to modernize and expand its fleet of equipment, Amtrak has purchased 70 new electric locomotives to provide improved performance and reliability for its Northeast intercity passenger rail services.The first Amtrak Cities Sprinter ACS-64 electric locomotive is to be delivered in 2013 and will operate at speeds up to 125 mph (201 kph) on the Northeast Corridor from Washington, D.C. to Boston and up to 110 mph (177 kph) on the Keystone Corridor from Philadelphia to Harrisburg, Pa. They will replace locomotives in service between 20 and 30 years with average mileage of 3.5 million miles traveled.The six-year, $465.9 million contract was awarded to Siemens Mobility and will create 250 jobs primarily at a facility in Sacramento, California, but also at plants in Norwood, Ohio and Alpharetta, Georgia.FundingThe Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) loan from the Federal Railroad Administration totals $562.9 million and includes $465.9 million for the 70 electric locomotives and $97 million for maintenance facility upgrades and spare parts.Amtrak projects that improved ticket revenue from more reliable locomotives can fund the debt service payments to repay this loan.Amtrak has worked strategically to improve its financial performance across a number of measurements, including successfully reducing its debt by half since 2002 to about $2 billion at the end of FY 2010.

The federal government is loaning Amtrak more than half a billion dollars to buy 70 American-built, energy-efficient locomotives from Siemens. The loan is intended to help Amtrak improve frequency and reliability along the Northeast Corridor where service has been especially poor in recent weeks.

The move will create 250 jobs according to the DOT.

Full Press Release:

DOT Announces $562.9 Million AMTRAK Loan for 70 Locomotives to Run on Northeast Corridor

American Manufacturers Get a Boost From U.S. Department of Transportation Financing Plan

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced a $562.9 million loan to Amtrak under the Federal Railroad Administration’s Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) program that will create hundreds of manufacturing jobs across several states. This is the largest loan issued through the RRIF program to date, and the dollars will finance the purchase of 70 high-performance, electric locomotives from Siemens Industry USA. These locomotives are more energy-efficient and will enable Amtrak to improve frequency, performance and reliability for regional and intercity routes along the Northeast and Keystone Corridors.

“President Obama has a bold vision to provide Americans with a world-class, passenger rail network, while giving American manufacturers and suppliers nationwide an opportunity to get into the rail business,” said Secretary LaHood. “The Obama Administration is committed to making strategic, long-term investments that create jobs and boost the economy now, and this financing plan is already putting Americans back to work at assembly plants and supply companies in Ohio, Pennsylvania, California and Georgia.”

Siemens Industry USA is adding 250 new manufacturing jobs in order to design and build 70 new energy-efficient locomotives for Amtrak. Three of Siemens’ U.S. manufacturing plants will deliver the equipment order, with traction motors and gear units being produced in Norwood, OH, traction converters and braking choppers being built in Alpharetta, GA, and final assembly of the locomotives in Sacramento, CA. The RRIF loan will also upgrade maintenance facilities and allow for the purchase of spare parts needed to support the new locomotives.

Suppliers from communities around the country will soon be tapped by Siemens Industry USA to provide components for the order, further boosting U.S. manufacturing. For example, PHW, Inc. a company based in East Pittsburgh, PA, has already been contracted to manufacture safety-related parts for the locomotives.

“The RRIF program is a model of how we can leverage federal dollars to spur private investment and build up the economy,” said Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph C. Szabo. “It provides steady, affordable financing for major rail construction and expansion projects, and best of all, it comes at zero cost to the taxpayer.”

As part of a comprehensive plan to modernize and expand its fleet of equipment, the 70 Amtrak Cities Sprinter ACS-64 locomotives – still in the final design phase – will replace existing units that have been in service for 20-30 years with an average of 3.5 million miles traveled. The electric locomotives will begin operating along regional and intercity routes in 2013 on the Northeast and Keystone Corridors, which together serve more than one million Amtrak passengers every month.

The Federal Railroad Administration’s RRIF program provides direct loans and loan guarantees through $35 billion available for railroads to acquire, improve, or rehabilitate rail and intermodal equipment, infrastructure or facilities. RRIF offers a responsible approach to supplementing capital investment for all types of railroads. For more information about the RRIF program, please visit www.fra.dot.gov.

To see what’s getting funded in your area, click here.

Full press release:

U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood Announces $1.58 Billion for 27 Major Transit Projects Across America
WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced $1.58 billion for 27 transit projects nationwide that will improve public transportation access for millions of Americans while reducing our dependence on foreign oil and curbing air pollution.

“Investing in a modern transportation network is a key part of President Obama’s strategy to win the future by out-building and out-competing the rest of the world,” Secretary LaHood said. “America’s long-term economic success requires investing now in transportation infrastructure capable of moving people and goods more safely, efficiently and quickly than ever before.”

“Our investments in expanding America’s transit networks will not only improve reliable transportation access for communities across the country, they will support construction jobs and economic development,” said Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff.  “And, a more efficient and reliable transit network means new opportunities for Americans to keep more of their paychecks in their wallets and spend less at the gas pump.”

Twenty-seven transit projects across America are on a path to receive funding under the New Starts program, through which Federal Transit Administration (FTA) provides federal support for major capital construction projects such as subways, light rail, streetcars, and bus rapid transit. These projects include:

• The New Britain-Hartford Busway will provide commuters traveling between New Britain and Hartford a more efficient and cost-effective alternative to the current daily commute on Interstate 84, the region’s most congested highway. The dedicated busway will provide the area’s relatively large transit-dependent population better access to the 81,000 jobs along the route and across the busway’s 11 stations, promote redevelopment opportunities along the 9.4-mile corridor, and provide faster transit access to major activity centers throughout the area. The FTA anticipates an overall federal commitment of $275.3 million to the $572.7 million project.
• Denver’s 13-station Eagle Commuter Rail project, which will add nearly 23 miles of service to Denver’s transit system connecting downtown Denver and Denver International Airport to the east with numerous communities in between. Ultimately, the FTA projects contributing approximately $1 billion towards the $2 billion project, which is expected to create 5,400 jobs during peak construction. This is one component of FasTracks, a multi-billion dollar, multi-year transit-expansion program that will help Denver support smart, sustainable growth, create jobs, and compete for business for decades to come.
• The Rapid C Bus Rapid Transit Line will help to relieve traffic congestion in West Seattle, Washington, improve access to downtown Seattle’s 150,000 jobs, and connect the popular Washington State Ferries serving Vashon Island and Southworth among other spots along the corridor. Nearly $21.3 million in discretionary 2011 funds has been budgeted for construction of the $28.4 million project. The C Line, which should be fully operational by the fall of 2012, is expected to create approximately 180 construction, manufacturing, and transportation jobs during the peak construction period.
• The Central Corridor light rail project will connect Minnesota’s two largest cities—Minneapolis and Saint Paul—by light rail for the first time. The FTA recently signed a Full Funding Grant Agreement making a long-term financial commitment to the $957 million light rail line, which will carry 40,000 riders along this busy 11-mile corridor. The project, which includes 18 new stations and 31 new rail cars, is scheduled to open in 2014. In addition to serving the downtown areas of the Twin Cities, the Central Corridor line will provide more efficient access to the University of Minnesota, the Midway area, the State Capitol complex, Target Field and the Metrodome, and many neighborhoods in between.
• The Austin MetroRapid is a 37.5-mile, 40-stop, bus rapid transit (BRT) system.  The FTA is supporting the local vision with a $24.2 million investment in 2011 towards the nearly $50 million project.  The project, which is scheduled to open in the summer of 2013, is the first phase of Capitol Metropolitan Transit Authority’s comprehensive and forward-leaning All Systems Go ten-corridor long-range transit plan.

A complete list of the 27 projects receiving New Starts funding allocations for 2011 can be found here.

NJ filed paperwork contesting the bill in January and has hired a well known Washington law firm to fight it as well.   As of March, the Newark Star-Ledger reported, NJ Transit had already paid a third of a million dollars  in legal bills.

It had seemed possible that New Jersey would only be asked to pay half the $271 million in late January.

But now, LaHood is sticking to his guns, telling Christie he has to pay back all the money.  Christie is expected to continue to resist paying for the ARC tunnel.

Catch up on our past coverage of the money fight here.

Here’s the response to the decision-posted below-from Kevin Robert, a spokesman for Governor Christie:

“We disagree with the FTA’s conclusion and its continued efforts to bill New Jersey taxpayers for completed work that will be of substantial value to future transportation projects not just in New Jersey, but in the Northeast corridor. Furthermore, New Jersey was unable to move forward with the ARC project for reasons beyond the State’s control — billions of dollars in unaccounted for cost-overruns and re-estimates of project costs late in the process only continued to increase New Jersey’s already heavy financial burden. For now, we will review the decision before determining next steps moving forward.”

Here’s the full 52 page final decision of the Federal Transit Administration on the debt collection action, New Jersey Transit Corporation, Access to the Region’s Core Project (ARC). (PDF)

And the two page letter from Transportation Secretary to NJ Senator Frank Lautenberg, (Dem.), a supporter of the ARC project.

Dot Arc Repayment

Lautenberg also released this statement.

SENATORS LAUTENBERG AND MENENDEZ STATEMENT ON ARC REPAYMENT DECISION

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) released a statement today following the U.S. Department of Transportation decision that the State of New Jersey must repay the full $271 million in federal funding spent on the cancelled Access to the Region’s Core (ARC) tunnel.

“This is an unfortunate situation.  We worked hard to get the parties to negotiate a fair resolution of this conflict.  However the state’s outside lawyers pursued an all or nothing approach, which brings substantial risk to New Jersey taxpayers.  Given the high stakes involved in this matter, we hope the state’s approach is ultimately successful,” the Senators said.

Following Governor Christie’s decision to cancel the trans-Hudson tunnel project, Senators Lautenberg and Menendez called on Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to ease the financial impact on the State.  In response to the Senators’ efforts, Secretary LaHood agreed that if the state repaid $271 million, the federal government would return nearly half the money by placing $128 million in New Jersey’s Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) account for mass transit and emission reductions projects. However, the Governor’s legal team pursued a different course.

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