Transportation News

Visit the digital archive of the SMART-TD News (PDFs)

TSA update on ASAC recommendations

WASHINGTON — The Transportation Security Administration has completed its review of 28 airport access control recommendations provided to the agency by the Aviation Security Advisory Committee (ASAC) at the request of Secretary Jeh C. Johnson, Department of Homeland Security. [...]

Furloughed members may be entitled to benefits

In light of the recent furloughs by Union Pacific and BNSF railroads, below is a Q&A offered by the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) addressing common questions about unemployment benefits. To be eligible for unemployment benefits from the RRB, furloughed members must have [...]

GOP bill would undermine auto, rail safety regulations

Washington, D.C. – At a time of record auto recalls and high-profile train wrecks, Republicans are working on legislation to roll back safety regulation of the auto and railroad industries. A bill approved this week on a party-line vote by a Senate committee brims with [...]

Airlines: don't use TSA fees to pay for infrastructure

The U.S. Travel Association is criticizing House Republicans for planning to use fees that are paid by airline passengers for the Transportation Security Administration to pay for an extension of federal highway spending that is set to expire at the end of the month.  House R [...]

President Obama announces PEB 248 in NJT dispute

Washington, D.C. – Today (July 15, 2015), President Barack Obama signed an Executive Order creating a Presidential Emergency Board to investigate and to make recommendations for settlement of the current disputes between the New Jersey Transit Rail and the NJT Rail Labor Coal [...]

House Republicans unveil $8.1 billion transport bill

Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives on Monday unveiled an $8.1 billion plan to fund highway and rail transit projects through the end of 2015, paid for by extending an airport security fee increase and various tax rule changes. Congress faces a July 31 deadline t [...]

Obama announces two Amtrak board nominees

President Barack Obama yesterday announced his intent to nominate Derek Kan and Anthony Coscia to serve on Amtrak‘s board. Kan is director of strategy at Genapsys. Previously, he served as a management consultant at Bain & Co. and as an adviser at Elliott Management [...]

Elizabeth Warren welcomes SMART TD to Providence

In a video message, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D – Mass.) welcomed SMART Transportation Division attendees to the Providence, R.I. regional meeting held July 13-15, 2015. The video was played at the opening session July 13. Sen. Warren, who has made her life’s work th [...]

DOT highlights grim state of U.S. infrastructure

Washington, D.C. – The Highway Trust Fund is set to expire on July 31. Without action from Congress, federal funding for transportation will come to a screeching halt. And with it, so will traffic in many places across the country. Over the last six years, Congress has passed [...]

FTA seeks nominations for TRACS

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) recently published a Federal Register notice seeking nominations for up to eight representatives from the public transportation safety community for Transit Advisory Committee for Safety (TRACS) membership. TRACS was chartered in 2009 [...]