If you are interested in getting involved in transit issues in Detroit, here’s a great opportunty for you.

Transit Riders United is hiring an Organizer.

Read all about it here.

I just received an email from Transportation for America regarding their efforts to put more support for transit into the Economic Recovery Bill.

According to T4America:

After countless calls and emails from our allies and supporters like you, we logged our first major legislative victory yesterday when the House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a last-minute amendment adding $3 billion for transit into the economic recovery bill.

Rep. John Mica (R-FL) put it simply on the House floor yesterday: “Nothing will create more jobs than transportation infrastructure.” But across the country, tens of thousands of buses need to be replaced, transit agencies are facing unprecedented budget shortfalls, and hundreds of billions of dollars for critical maintenance and repair have been neglected and ignored.

This amendment pushes $12 billion to transit investment – a critical step towards creating jobs, providing much-needed support to ailing transit systems across the country, ensuring access to opportunity for all of us, and making a down-payment on a green energy future.

We now know what can happen when all of us raise our voices for smarter transportation investments.

Looks like the next step is for the Senate to finalize the bill and vote.  We’ll see what happens.

To read more about the transit amendment, click here.

This sounds like a great event that I am planning on attending:
Kissin’ Cousins – A Presentation by Gordon Feller on What Happens when Transport, Energy, and Urban Planning Systems meet (… and related opportunities for SouthEast Michigan)

January 30: Noon – 1:30 p.m. Gordon Feller, Urban Age Institute. SMART Distinguished Speaker Series.
University of Michigan Palmer Commons, Great Lakes Central Room 4th floor. 100 Washtenaw Avenue, Ann Arbor

What happens when transport systems and urban energy systems and urban planning systems start to meet? Well, they’ve always met, and in most cases they’ve been very close cousins, if not outright siblings. Gordon Feller’s presentation will ask (and maybe even begin to answer) a few important questions:

* Now that the world is noticing these inter-relationships, what’s the best way to take advantage of the opportunity created by the new perceptions of systemic interconnections?

* If Obama’s economic stimulus plan intends to pump hundreds of billions into upgrading urban infrastructure (plus rural and some other things), will it simply be renovation? Or will there be room for innovation?

* What kinds of innovations will make for sustainable urban mobility that goes beyond the usual silos and categories (smart transport, clean transit, greener built environment, livable city plans, revitalized neighbourhoods)?

* What contribution could be made by advocates of a “whole systems approach” to policy making, especially where city leaders are hard-pressed to cope with the harsh realities of dysfunctional urban economies and their underlying systems?

* What lessons can Southeast Michigan draw from these systems approaches?

ABOUT GORDON FELLER

As CEO of Urban Age Institute, Feller leads a 15-year old international organization. UAI was founded inside the World Bank and later spun off. UAI’s team of recognized innovators help leaders to assess urban transport projects, to structure key projects and create partnerships, and increase the innovative content within these projects, to reduce risk factors. For nearly 30 years, Feller has been assisting leaders from national governments (Canada; Germany; Japan), mayors and governors (Lyon; Paris; Yokohama; Ohio), international agencies (UN; World Bank) and corporations (Citigroup; Chevron; WS Atkins).

Feller’s “Meeting of the Minds” annually convenes a select group of corporate and government leaders. It is sponsored by Toyota and Metropolis (world association of the mayors of the world’s largest cities), among others. Oregon‘s Governor hosted the 2008 program with IBM and Portland General Electric as co-sponsors. While completing undergraduate and graduate degrees (both cum-laude) at Columbia University (New York), Feller received numerous fellowships and international awards. Feller’s writing has appeared in 400+ newspapers and magazines on all five continents. His first book was published during his undergrad years at Columbia.

The following article will be appearing in the Ann Arbor Business Review’s B2B section on Thurs.  I thought I’d give you a chance to check it out ahead of time.

Commuting for Cash: 6 Sneaky Ways to Save Your Business Money

In tough economic times, everyone is looking for creative ways to save a little extra money. I recently heard a great story about a family who picked up all the loose change they saw lying in the street. By the end of the year, they had collected more than $1,000!

Your business can also look at some “sneaky” ways to save a little money. I call them sneaky because you might not realize the cost savings they can provide. This is especially true with commuting costs.

Here are six sneaky ways to save your business (and your employees) some money in the coming year:

1. The Commuter Tax Benefit: Qualified transportation fringe benefits (Section 132(f) of the Internal Revenue Code) or “Commuter Tax Benefits” are like money in the bank. Through Commuter Tax Benefits, employers can save on payroll related taxes and employees can save on federal income taxes. If you or your employees pay transit, vanpooling or parking costs, this voluntary benefit could potentially save you money. If you are interested in learning more about the Commuter Tax Benefit, please speak with a lawyer who understands this portion of the tax law. Potential Savings: up to $1,000 a year.

2. The Bike Commuter Benefit: Starting in 2009, this benefit will allow employers to provide up to $20 a month for employees who commute to work by bike (for commuting-related expenses). If you would like to encourage your employees to bike to work (at least for some of the year) this might be a great low cost option for your business. Potential Savings: up to $1,260 a year if you pay for parking.

3. Transportation Stipend: Instead of a “parking stipend,” why not give your employees a “transportation stipend”? Employees could use this stipend for anything from a parking space to the a2Chelsea Express. You can save some money by not covering the entire cost of a monthly parking pass while supporting employees who may want to try another commuting choice. Potential Savings: up to $900 a year per employee if you offer a $50 transportation stipend instead of paying for parking.

4. Preferential Parking for carpools and vanpools: Employees that carpool to work may be eligible to park in a guaranteed first floor parking spot in a downtown parking structure at half the cost of a monthly parking pass. Check out www.getdowntown.org/ride for details. Potential Savings: up to $750 a year per carpool.

5. Park and Ride Lots: Employees can park for free at any of AATA’s Park and Ride Lots and then take the bus to work. With a go!pass the cost of the bus ride is also free. To learn more, visit www.getdowntown.org/bus. Potential Savings: up to $1,500 per employee if you pay for parking.

6. The go!pass: If you haven’t already heard, the getDowntown Program offers a transit pass for downtown businesses. For just $5 per full time employee (part time employees are optional), the go!pass provides unlimited rides to your employees on all AATA buses (excluding the a2Chelsea Express) for an entire year. And this doesn’t even include the discounts to downtown businesses! For more information, visit www.getdowntown.org/bus. Potential Savings: up to $1,495 per employee if you pay for parking.

But wait, there’s more! GetDowntown will also be offering a special presentation on the Commuter Tax Benefit, Bike Commuter Benefit and more sneaky strategies on February 3^rd. Click here for details.

Ever wondered:

• When you need to take in your bike for maintenance?
• How to clean and lube your bike?
• How to fix a flat tire or adjust your brakes?

You’ll find all of this information and more on the Wheels in Motion homepage.  It’s called “Do it yourself central” and you’ll find it at the top of the page.  Good stuff.

And while you’re there, make sure you check out the info on the Worst Day of the Year Ride, happening this Sunday, January 25th!

Hello all,

If you haven’t heard, Great Lakes Cycling and Fitness is moving down the street on Stadium.  Their location will be closer to the street and will allow them to have even more space.

In preparation for their move, Great Lakes is having a moving sale.  You can read all about it here.

Rapping about a bike rack on a bus?  Yep.  Here’s an amazing rap created by a Kentucky based transit authority.  You can also check out a blog post that talks about how successful it’s been in getting people to use bike racks.

Some of you might be following the discussion on the AATA proposed Fare increases over on Arbor Update.

If you want more detailed information, you can also check out the AATA Board Packet for tonight’s meeting.

The AATA also has some info on it’s website seeking input on proposed fare changes.

If you work downtown and have a go!pass (or purchase them for your organization/business) you might be wondering “what does this mean to me and my go!pass?”

Well, luckily the AATA, getDowntown and DDA have been anticipating a fare increase for a couple of years now.  So at this point the cost of a go!pass for an employer will not be impacted by the fare increase.  If anything changes, I will let you know.

Hello all,

There is an AATA Board Meeting Tonight starting at 6:30pm at the AATA Offices.

The AATA Board Packet is online at the AATA website here.

Some of the things in the Board Packet that might be worth a look:
–update on the WALLY
–Info on the New Fare Structure, including a listing of all of the new proposed fares
–Info on designing Countywide Service
–Riders by Route
–Much, Much More (it is 72 pages long).

Perhaps I’ll see you there.

I recently wrote this post for Arbor Update about all of the Parking Geekiness in Ann Arbor.

Go over there and take a look: http://arborupdate.com/article/1762/a2-parking-geeks