What is Labor Day and how did it get started?  For many school children, it heralds the end of their summer vacation and the return to school and its routine.  For many adults, it is just an excuse to have a long weekend. 

And in actuality, the long weekend is the reason that we have the holiday!  The holiday was created by the labor movement and labor unions and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers.  It is an annual national tribute to the contributions that the American workforce has made to the strength, prosperity and well-being of our country.  A day off is the reward that seems most appropriate for hard-working Americans! 

Nearly 100 years after its founding, it is still unclear who first suggested the US observe Labor Day.  Some stories hold that Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood Of Carpenters And Joiners and co-founder of the American Federation Of Labor (AFL), was the first to suggest a day to honor those “who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold.” 

Others believe that Matthew Maguire, a machinist, founded the holiday while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York.  Recent research seems to support this belief.  What is clear is that the Central Labor Union adopted a Labor Day proposal and appointed a committee to plan a demonstration and picnic on Tuesday, September 5, 1882 in New York City.  They celebrated the second Labor Day on the same date (September 5^th) a year later.  

In 1884, the first Monday in September was chosen as the official holiday, with the Central Labor Union urging similar organizations to follow their example and celebrate a “workingman’s holiday” on that date.  The idea spread with the growth of organized labor and in 1885, Labor Day was celebrated in industrial towns across the country. 

The first law officially recognizing Labor Day was passed by the state of Oregon on February 21, 1887.  During that year, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York passed similar legislation.  By the end of the decade, Connecticut, Nebraska and Pennsylvania also had official Labor Day holidays.  By 1894, twenty-three  states had adopted the holiday in honor of workers, and on June 28^th of that year, Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and its territories.  

Originally, Labor Day celebrations consisted of street parades to exhibit to the public “the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations” of the community, followed by a festival of recreation and amusement of the workers and their families.  Speeches by prominent men and women were introduced later, as more emphasis was placed on the social and economic influence of the holiday.  In 9090, the AFL adopted the Sunday before Labor Day as Labor Sunday and dedicated it to the spiritual and educational aspects of the labor movement.  Today, celebrations take many forms but the message is still the same.  

American workers have added materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known and brought us all closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy. 

Transit Plus salutes those responsible for so much of our nation’s strength, freedom and leadership – the American worker!  Our office will be closed on Monday, September 6, 2010 for the Labor Day holiday.   We wish everyone a safe, restful and happy Labor Day!

The City Of Gainesville Regional Transit System (RTS) has been providing public transportation to the City Of Gainesville, Florida and surrounding areas of Alachua County for over 31 years.  As a division of the Public Works Department, they operate a fleet of 105 buses on its fixed-route system, servicing an area of approximately 74 square miles.  The system consists of 36 routes, 10 of which serve the University Of Florida campus.  Paratransit services for the community are provided by MV Transportation, under contract to RTS.  However, all of RTS’s buses on all routes are wheelchair accessible. 

The partnership between RTS and the University Of Florida was developed during fiscal year 1997, and now provides pre-paid unlimited transit access for all of the University’s students, staff and faculty.  Prior to this partnership, RTS was a small, urban transit system suffering from declining ridership and community support.  The partnership has resulted in increased demand for transit services and increased ridership for the system.  For the last two years, the system’s ridership has been about 9,000,000, and according to Chip Skinner, Marketing & Communications Supervisor for RTS, they are on pace to modestly exceed that number this year, with an increase of 2-4%.  

To relieve the crowding on buses and increase their on-time performance, they are expecting to put 17 brand new buses and 11 pre-owned buses into service in the near future.  Mr. Skinner told us that at the present time, 22 of the buses in the current fleet are running on bio-diesel, and that in the interest of sustainability and eco-friendliness, the remaining fleet will be switched to bio-diesel by the end of this summer.  

With a growing population, and the symbiotic relationship with the University Of Florida, RTS realizes that the demands for public transportation in the area will increase accordingly.  RTS has developed and implemented a Public Outreach Program with the objective of educating the community about transit and transit-related issues, as well as obtaining input from the community to improve the system. 

Their commitment to the community and to providing excellence in public transportation is best described in their 2003 vision statement:  “To continuously improve our position as a premier community and university transportation system, providing a variety of flexible transportation services and promoting accessibility, comfort and sense of fun and community pride!” 

To learn more about the City Of Gainesville Regional Transit System, visit their website at http://www.go-rts.com/. 

Transit Plus is proud to provide buses to RTS under the State of Florida’s TRIPS (Transit-Research-Inspection-Procurement Services) Program, formerly known as the Florida Vehicle Procurement Program (FVPP).

Transit Plus is pleased to introduce everyone to our client, Midland Care in Topeka, Kansas.   

Midland Care is a 501(c)3 non-profit, community-based organization, providing options to families facing challenging health care needs.  Midland Care has served northeast Kansas for over thirty years, specializing in end-of-life, palliative, bereavement and frail elder services.  They offer many programs, including Hospice, PACE (Program Of All-Inclusive Care For The Elderly), Respite, Adult Day Health Care, Grief & Loss Center, Home Health Care and Home Support.  Midland Care is committed to providing specialized care to all who come to them, regardless of their ability to pay.

Their Hospice program will provide support in the patient’s home, nursing facility or assisted living facility. With their team approach to meeting each patient’s individual needs, their hospice care focuses on comfort and serenity for the last days of a patient’s life.

PACE is a Medicaid/Medicare program for older adults and those over 55 living with disabilities.  PACE provides care and services in the home, community and at the PACE Center.  Midland Care contracts with Medical Specialty Services and other providers in the community to be sure each client receives the services he or she needs.  PACE also provides medically necessary transportation to the PACE Center for activities or medical appointments, whether they are at the center or not.

Midland Care Adult Day Health is a program for adults over age 18 who are unable to stay at home alone during the day.  Licensed by the State Of Kansas, offering a variety of enjoyable, stress-free activities, including art, music, gardening, games and more.  It also provides opportunities to make new friends and try new things to stimulate new interests.  The program operates from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm, Monday through Friday, and transportation is provided, if needed.

Midland’s grief and loss services are available to those who have experienced a loss at any stage of life.  They provide grief support groups, individual grief counseling, book discussion groups, children’s camps and art therapy.

Home Health Care and Home Support provide health-related and personal care assistance in an eligible client’s own home.  Home Support Aides provide assistance with bathing, dressing, oral care, incontinence care, meal preparation, companionship, wake up and tuck-in services, laundry, light housekeeping and medication reminders, allowing elderly people to remain in their own homes longer.

Palliative care is provided for patients with advanced illnesses.  This team-oriented program is for persons whose illness may not be responsive to curative treatment, allowing them to live their lives to the fullest each day.  Palliative care may be instituted at any point in an illness, whether or not the patient chooses to continue treatment or not.  The patient may choose to continue treatments such as radiation, chemotherapy or dialysis while participating in the Palliative Care Program.

At the Midland Care Respite Center, Registered Nurses, Certified Nursing Assistants and Certified Medication Assistants offer clients and caregivers an affordable overnight and weekend respite care program.  The Center also offers Adult Day Care on weekends and holidays.

Midland Care has locations in Council Grove, Lawrence, Seneca and Ottawa, Kansas as well as in Topeka.  Learn more about them by visiting their website at http://www.midlandcareconnection.org/Page.aspx?pid=557.

Transit Plus would like to thank Midland Care Connection for the purchase of their third Glaval Universal Minibus, and for the wonderful work they do every day serving their communities.

Many ground transportation companies across the country are currently looking at the dangers of devices that cause driver distraction.  As of January 29, 2010, New York City’s Taxicab and Limousine Commission (TLC) has taken it one step further – they have banned the use of “any and all portable electronics equipment that is capable of distracting someone from being 100% focused on the road, and on their passengers” in all vehicles for hire in the City.  In the Spring 2010 issue of Transportation Leader, the quarterly magazine of the Taxicab, Limousine And Paratransit Association,  TLC Chairman/Commissioner, Matthew Daus goes on to say that if a driver is found guilty of a violation three times in a 15-month period, that driver will have his TLC license revoked.   Not only will violators accrue points against their licenses, they will also be required to attend a mandatory Safety Refresher Course that focuses on the dangers of distracted driving.  Use of such devices is only allowed in a “true emergency.”
                                                                                    �
Black Car, Limousine and Livery drivers are exempted from some of the provisions and are allowed to use vehicle-mounted, non-handheld, voice-activated or one-button devices that allow for expeditions, dispatch-related communications.  Since New York Cities are not dispatched, they did not receive this exemption.

Hundreds of taxicab, livery, black car, limousine, commuter van and paratransit drivers were ticketed during the first 10 days after the regulation went into effect.  Obviously, this is being taken very seriously in New York City.  Can such regulations be far away in other cities and towns across the US?  We think not.

To read the full text of the new regulation, visit http://nyc.gov/html/tlc/downloads/pdf/electronic_device_rule.pdf.

The House Appropriations Subcommittee On Transportation, Housing and Urban Development approved legislation setting spending levels for transportation programs for fiscal year 2011 on Thursday, July 1, 2010.

The bill provides $11.307 billion for Federal Transit Administration (FTA) programs.  This represents an increase of $574.89 million over last year’s funding.  Part of this total amount will be $8.961 billion for Formula and Bus programs, an increase of $618.18 million over last year. 

The bill also includes $2 billion for the Capital Investments Program (New Starts) and $150 million for capital grants for the Washington Area Metropolitan Transportation Authority. These amounts remain unchanged from the last fiscal year.

No funding was provided for the TIGGER (Transportation Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction) program. 

The additional funding for trust fund programs is subject to enactment of future legislation that will extend the current authorization (which expires on December 31) and will provide increased contract authority on spending from the Mass Transit Account of the Highway Trust Fund.

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) recently announced their Bus Safety & Security Excellence Awards winners for 2010. 

Awarded in three categories based on annual ridership, these awards recognize public transportation organizations for their positive safety and security programs and their dedication to improving safety and security.  The top honor is the GOLD award, which is given to organizations with the best overall bus safety or bus security program.  Certificates Of Merit are awarded to organizations in recognition of exceptional achievement in safety and security.

In Category I – Bus Systems With Fewer Than 4 Million Passenger Trips Annually, the GOLD Award for Safety was awarded to Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (Burnsville, MN).  The GOLD Award for Security went to Go West Transit (Macomb, IL).  SouthWest Transit (Eden Prairie, MN) received a Certificate Of Merit for Security.

In Category II – Bus Systems With Over 4 Million But Fewer Than 20 Million Passenger Trips Annually, the GOLD Award for Safety was awarded to Metropolitan Transit Authority Of Nashville (Nashville, TN).  The GOLD Award for Security was awarded to Community Transit (Everett, WA).  Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (Cincinnati, OH) received a Certificate Of Merit for Safety.

In Category III – Bus Systems With 20 Million Or More Passenger Trips Annually, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (Cleveland, OH) received a GOLD Award for Safety.  A GOLD Award for Security was given to Orange County Transportation Authority (Orange, CA).  Connecticut Transit (Hartford, CT) and Dallas Area Rapid Transit (Dallas, TX) both received Certificates OF Merit for Safety.

Congratulations to all of the winners!  Keep up the good work!

The ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act) will celebrate its 20th birthday on July 26, 2010.  Signed into law on July 26, 1990 by President George H.W. Bush, this is arguably the most comprehensive piece of legislation ever written to protect the rights of people with disabilities. 

Even the most broadly written laws sometimes need updating or redefinition, as court rulings and other circumstances change.  The ADA is no different.  The ADA Amendments Act Of 2008, which became effective January 1, 2009, was implemented to further broaden the definitions of disability and accessiblity under the ADA, which court decisions had narrowed.  More changes are being discussed to further define the ADA in relationship to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s  (EEOC)anti-discrimination regulations for the workplace.  While these changes are still pending and have not been enacted, they are expected to further broaden the ADA’s scope to the level that many feel is more in line with the law’s original intent.

From a one act play in Jasper, Alabama to ground breaking ceremonies for a new, accessible playground in Pasadena, California, this 20th anniversary will be marked with special events all around the country.

For a complete listing of events by state, visit the website of the American Association Of People With Disabilities at http://www.aapd.com/site/c.pvI1IkNWJqE/b.6084553/k.9A76/ADA_20th_Anniversary_Events.htm

Happy Birthday, ADA! 

The Center For Urban Transportation Research (CUTR), established at the University Of South Florida in Tampa in 1988, is nationally recognized as an important resource for policy makers, transportation professionals, the education system and the public.  As part of USF’s College Of Engineering, it emphasizes the development of innovative, implementable solutions to transportation problems, CUTR provides high quality, objective transportation expertise in the form of technical support, policy analysis and research support.      

CUTR’s success is largely due to its diverse faculty/staff of 45 full-time employees dedicated to conducting research.  The multidisciplinary research staff includes experts in economics, planning, engineering, public policy and geography.  Together they develop comprehensive solutions for all modes of transportation based on their academic and “real world” experiences. �
�
CUTR conducts $8 million in research annually for a variety of public and private sponsors not only in Florida, but also across the United States, including the Florida Legislature, the Florida Transportation Commission, and various state and local governments, agencies and organizations. Their research focuses on many areas of transportation, including public transportation, transportation planning, intelligent transportation systems (ITS), transportation demand management (TDM), transportation economics and finance, geographic information systems, access management, alternative fuels and transportation safety.
�
CUTR houses the National Center For Transit Research, designated by Congress in 1991 and reaffirmed in 1998 and 2002, and the National Bus Rapid Transit Institute, sponsored by the Federal Transit Administration in partnership with the University Of California Berkeley. Through these two organizations, CUTR conducts research projects in rapidly growing urban areas to develop innovative, pragmatic ways to enable public transportation to better meet the evolving needs of US citizens and improve the quality of life within urban communities.
�
CUTR also prides itself on its contributions to the future of transportation by providing practical work experience and educational opportunities for students. They also encourage charitable activities.
�
The Center has also been charged with administering the TRIPS Program – Transit – Research - Inspection – Procurement Services (formerly the FVPP – Florida Vehicle Procurement Program) State Contract, under which state agencies and Section 5310 awardees can receive funds to purchase transit vehicles and vehicles equipped with wheelchair accessible equipment. Cindy Wooten, Senior Research Associate, is in charge of vehicle procurement under the TRIPS Contract. As a 1999 graduate of the University Of South Florida, with a Masters Degree in Management, Cindy is uniquely qualified to oversee purchasing, grant management, vehicle procurement, customer relations and finance & accounting under the Florida State TRIPS Contract.
�
For more information on CUTR and all of its various programs, visit their website at  http://www.cutr.usf.edu/index.shtml.

The Community Transportation Association Of America held its 2010 National Paratransit Roadeo on May 22 and 23 in Long Beach, California.  The Roadeo winners were recently announced and are as follows: 

In the Body On Chassis (Bus) Category, David Smith of Cape May County Fare Free Transportation (Cape May, New Jersey) placed first.  Second place went to Sisto Garcia of CalACT (Sacramento, California), and third place was won by Hardev Rakka of Paratransit, Inc. (Sacramento, California). 

In the Van category, first place was won by Ron Stewart of BRATS (Robertsdale, Alabama), while Michael Molina of North Central Regional Transit District (Espanola, New Mexico) placed second.  Third place was won by Lawrence Ford of Garrett Transit Service (Oakland, Maryland.) 

Florida’s Michael Wimberly of Calhoun County Transit in Blountstown, Florida, who won first place in the van category at the Florida Paratransit Roadeo, placed fifth in this category. 

Ron Stewart of BRATS (Robertsdale, Alabama) was named the Sure-Lok Driver Of The Year. 

Congratulations to all of the winners!  Keep up the good work!

Florida’s 2010 Legislative Session has ended and not without impact on public transportation.  As Wes Watson, Executive Director of The Florida Public Transportation Association reports in the Association’s Spring Newsletter, “overall transportation funding has survived its biggest threat” – one which would have reduced next year’s FDOT budget by around $600 Million and continued an 8% surcharge on the Trust Fund that would have also gone to General Revenue in future years.  Transit programs will still be impacted, and how much pain we will feel is still unknown, but FDOT has assured the industry that the Block Grant will remain whole. 

An attempt by lawmakers to require privatization of a proportion of Florida’s transit operations was voted down early in the Session.  CUTR (The Center For Urban Transportation Research) will now initiate a study, funded by FDOT, to look into whether privatization would have the positive impact on public transportation that legislators seem to think it would have. 

Unfortunately, FPTA’s effort to pass regulations that would prohibit cell phone use by transit operators while the vehicle is moving reached an untimely end when all 17 of the bills on the subject died.  The House committee chair killed them all, despite widespread support by virtually every person and organization involved in Florida’s transportation industry.  Now, we must rely on an FDOT rule to address this matter of public safety.

A bill introduced by Republican Senator from District 14, Steve Oelrich, would have allowed student fees at community colleges to be used for transit purposes (SB208).  While this bill was passed unanimously last year, and then vetoed by Governor Charlie Crist, it did not survive the latest Legislative Session.  

Eleven more counties can now take advantage of the “Charter” County Local Option Sales Tax, bringing the total number of counties covered to 31.  This is due to legislation allowing any county within a regional transportation authority to use the statute to increase their sales tax by up to 1% to provide for public transportation, subject to approval by local voters.  Levying this tax will have a two-fold effect on the Florida’s public transportation:  the cost of public transportation will be evenly absorbed by all consumers within a charter county (including tourists), and it will also help offset any loss of revenue from the gasoline tax as gasoline use declines and prices fall.