11,000 transit, ground-passenger transportation jobs lost in April

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.atu.org/media/releases/11000-transit-ground-passenger-transportation-jobs-lost-in-april

Washington, DC – The need for a strong, multi-year transportation bill was confirmed today, as the monthly jobs report for April showed 11,000 transit and ground passenger jobs were lost, says the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU).

The Congressional conference committee, charged with reconciling the House and Senate transportation bills, is scheduled to meet May 8 to begin to hash out the legislation. The ATU says the bill must include measures from the Senate bill that help local transit systems maintain service and avoid fare increases in order to create jobs and deal with mass transit crisis.

“This jobs report shows the policy of starving mass transit is crippling America and hurting our nation’s economic recovery,”says Larry Hanley, ATU international president. “It should create a sense of urgency among the members of the Congressional conference committee meeting next week to reconcile House and Senate versions of the transportation bill that change is needed and needed now.”

“It’s way past the time Congress should have faced this problem. Long-term transportation legislation must retain key provisions of the Senate version of the bill that provide transit systems much-needed flexibility to use their federal funds to maintain service and keep fares low.”

FULL story at link.

[appleannie1]

1. In Pittsburgh the Governor has cut everything and the transit system is down to a skeletal service.

It means people in other sectors will no longer have a way to get to their jobs because entire areas have lost access to the city.

[patrice]

2. I wonder if entrepreneurial youth don't follow community investment strategies like those we see in

cities like Portland, Oregon, so that their own personal investments in their futures are maximized in environments that relieve them of the financial burdens from things such as the daily commute to work places.