… With APTA President William W. Millar

Railway Age, April, 2004 by Marybeth Luczak

Bill Millar got his "start" in the transit business on his grandmother's front steps, watching Cleveland's rapid transit lines going up. Years later, after a short stint in urban planning, he rose through the ranks to take the helm of the Port Authority of Allegheny County. His biggest challenge? "Providing a good level of service with limited financial resources." The same answer is echoed today by the 1,525 APTA members that Millar serves as president of the Association--a position he's held since 1996.

To maintain quality service and fuel growth, "APTA's goal this year is to work with Congress and the Administration to obtain the best possible reauthorization of TEA-21," Millar says. "We want to expand the program, preserve funding guarantees, and streamline delivery of programs."

Since 1998, transit has grown more than 20% with a federal infusion of $36 billion. APTA is now calling for doubling the federal transit program by 2009. "We are grossly under-investing in our transportation infrastructure," Millar says, citing an American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials study that claims the country should devote $43-plus billion to transit each year.

President Bush's TEA-21 reauthorization proposal earmarks $256 billion over six years. It has disappointed APTA, Millar says, because it authorizes $45.8 billion for public transportation, but only guarantees $37 billion. "We've interpreted this as a no-growth proposal," he asserts.

Among other policy, changes, the plan streamlines pay-outs, but cuts the federal share for new start funding from 80% to 50%, boosting the local requirement from 20% to 50%. (The highway share remains unchanged at 80% federal.) "While we're pleased the budget continues to recommend new-start transit projects for funding," Millar says, "there's an automatic bias for the local decision to be for highways and not public transportation."

In February, the Senate adopted a $318 billion program, dedicating some $56.5 billion in guaranteed funding to public transit over six years. "We're very supportive of the Senate bill," Millar confirms. "It recognizes that many areas of the country will grow rapidly in the coming years, so more money will be needed for them, and it would increase transit investment in rural locations and the national parks system."

Transit fares best under the House version with $69.2 billion in guaranteed funding through 2009, says Millar. While still under consideration, the proposal is based on the U.S. DOT's annual Conditions and Performance report, which states that the country should be funneling $375 billion to highways and public transportation in the next six years. Like the Senate, this version maintains the 80:20 federal local new-starts ratio. However, funding would be subsidized, in part, by a gas tax hike--a move the Administration has threatened to veto.

"Our polling shows that, overwhelmingly, people are willing to pay higher user fees if they are invested back into the national transportation system," Millar says. "Eighty-one percent believe investing in public transportation is essential. Nine out of 10 say they want to see a transportation bill passed, and more than half prefer investment in transportation infrastructure to tax cuts. The public 'gets it.'"

"For every $1 spent on transit, as much as $6 is returned," he adds. "And for every $1 billion spent, 47,500 local jobs are created."

It's unclear what will happen when Congress's extension of TEA-21 runs out this month, but Millar remains optimistic. "There's strong bipartisan support for reauthorization in the House and Senate," he says. "Hopefully, a well-funded, six-year bill will be worked out. But a two year bill is also under discussion now."

Meanwhile, APTA continues campaigning. "It's important for people to understand how transit benefits them whether they use it or not," says Millar. "According to the Texas Transportation Institute, congestion in U.S. cities would be 30% worse if public transportation services weren't available."

He encourages APTA members to involve communities in new transit projects. "If you involve them at an early stage and work to meet their needs, they will be more willing to support you." This strategy also helps prevent the spread of misconceptions by outspoken critics, Millar says.

Future transit growth will come from partnering with the private sector, freight railroads, and government agencies like FTA and FRA, Millar reports, "Increasingly, we have to take advantage of economies and efficiencies and look to the private sector to expand and develop service and share the risk," he says. "Also, I think there will be improvement in shared rights-of-way for freight and passenger rail in ways that will benefit the flow of both."

With Americans taking public transit 32 million times a day, maintaining safe operations is crucial. APTA is helping its members by offering safety audit programs, developing safety standards, and providing a forum for safety/security best practices. It also sponsors intelligence exchanges with the Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration. "We want to make sure that transit needs are understood and dealt with," Millar sums up. That's why APTA will continue to speak with a "loud and strong voice" for public transit.