New Members Named to SURTC Advisory Board

The SURTC Advisory Board has added several new members. "The new members indicate an expansion of the states that we serve and bring viewpoints to the board that will improve our long-term vision and help us better connect with various segments of the transit industry," says director Jill Hough.

Ryan Marshall is president of the Utah Urban Rural Specialized Transportation Association. He is the Public Works Services Administrator for the City of St. George, Utah and is responsible for the transportation divisions for the city which include the streets division, the fleet division and SunTran, the city's public transportation system.

Art Bowen is vice president of the Utah Urban Rural Specialized Transportation Association. He is the regional manager of the Utah Transit Authority's Mount Ogden Business Unit and has worked at UTA for 29 years. He oversees bus operations, maintenance, administration and customer service.

Alan Abeson is executive director of Easter Seals Project ACTION. Funded through a cooperative agreement with the Federal Transportation Administration, Project ACTION promotes cooperation between the transportation industry and the disability community to increase mobility for people with disabilities under the ADA and beyond. The program offers training and technical assistance and other resources. Before becoming executive Director in 2002, Abeson was executive director of the Arc of the United States, headquartered in Arlington, Texas. While living in Arlington, he served as chair of the Special Transit Advisory Board and was an advocate for the establishment of city-wide public transit.

SURTC Funding Increases Under New Transportation Bill

SURTC will receive $4 million in funding over the next four years under the new federal transportation bill passed by congress this summer.

"The funding represents an endorsement of the work we've been doing," says SURTC director Jill Hough. "The new funding means we will be able to truly regionalize our programs."

The funding is part of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) legislation signed on Aug. 10 by President George W. Bush. SAFETEA-LU authorizes the federal surface transportation programs for highways, highway safety, and transit for the 5-year period 2005-2009.

Hough says the basic thrust of SURTC's research, educational and training efforts will not change. "We will, however, be able to expand them and take a broader view." The center's advisory board will provide key input on that expansion, she notes.

SURTC was established in May of 2002 through an initial appropriation of $400,000 through the Federal Transit Administration. The Center has seen significant growth in the number and depth of its programs attracting more than $500,000 in contracts and grants in the past year.