April 4, 2008

From the Desk of the KPTA President ... 

Spring is here and of course in Kentucky it’s the monsoon season.  Congratulation to Joe Duke and LKLP for being selected to receive one of eight Senior Transportation demonstration projects to be funded by the National Center on Senior Transportation.  We’re so proud of LKLP and we extend to them our best wishes as they move forward in this project.

My sincere thanks goes out to the KPTA nominations committee (Barry Barker, Pam Shepherd, Shirley Cummins, and Wanda Trimble) for putting together an excellent slate of nominee’s to serve for the next two years on the Board of Directors.  The slate was unanimously approved at our March Board meeting.  I would like to thank the Board for the opportunity to serve again as your President for the next two years.  I look forward to the many challenges we face in the transit industry and working together with you to solve some of the issues.

Finally, I would like to thank Shirley Cummins for accepting the responsibility of chairing the Fall Mini Conference.  Shirley will keep us informed of the dates of the conference as soon as she and the Office of Transportation Delivery can lock in some dates with FTA, Region 4.

As always, I want to thank the membership for there ongoing support of KPTA.

Sincerely,

Beecher Hudson

Beecher Hudson, KPTA President

Executive Director

WHEELS Transportation, Inc.

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KENTUCKY PUBLIC TRANSIT ASSOCIATION

KPTA FY 2008 DUES 

Small Systems:  $325.00 

Please Send Check to:  Pam Shepherd, FTSB1460 Newtown Pike, Suite 209 Lexington, KY  40511

A message from Vickie S. Bourne, Office of Transportation Delivery ... 2007 National Drug-Free Work Week    The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has established October 14 – 20, 2007 as Drug-Free Work Week. The purpose of the annual campaign is “to educate employers, employees and the general public about the importance of being drug-free as an essential component of a safe and healthful workplace.” All employers and employees are encouraged to actively participate and to implement activities and business practices that promote safer, healthier workplaces and encourage workers with alcohol and drug problems to seek help. Drug-Free Work Week provides the opportunity to highlight activities that should be ongoing throughout the year.    The following suggestions are provided for transit employers and employees participating in the campaign. Promote your Drug-Free Workplace Program—Use this opportunity to remind your employees that you have a drug-and alcohol-free workplace. Update, display, and distribute informational materials about the effects of drugs and alcohol to every covered employee. Materials such as posters, brochures, and fact sheets can be obtained from the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI) at http://ncadi.samhsa.gov. Update materials placed on bulletin boards and in break areas or other locations frequented by employees. Focusing attention on your drug-and alcohol-free workplace during this week can also help you meet the ongoing education program requirements of the Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988. Provide Refresher Training for Supervisors—Even though supervisors are only required to have reasonable suspicion training one time, standard industry practice is to provide periodic refresher training. Drug-Free Work Week provides a good opportunity to remind supervisors how to make reasonable suspicion determinations, how to deal with safety-sensitive employees who have performance problems and how to refer employees to available assistance. Educate Employees—The focus on Drug-Free Work Week also provides you with the opportunity to review your Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy with all of your employees and conduct training sessions or safety meetings on the negative impact that drug and alcohol use has on safety in the workplace, productivity, and customer relations. Remind Employees of Available Assistance—If you have an Employer Assistance Program or if your insurance program has a wellness component, use this opportunity to remind employees of how these services can be accessed. Also advise employees of available community treatment resources and hotline numbers. Feature Drug-Free Work Week in Your Employee Communications—Include information about Drug-Free Work Week in your employee newsletter, e-mails, and other employee announcements. Distribute Payroll Stuffers—Produce a leaflet, brochure, or letter that reminds employees of your drug and alcohol policy, methods for self-referral (if applicable), and management commitment to creating and maintaining a drug-and alcohol-free workplace. For more ideas on how to recognize Drug-Free Work Week, go to the DOL’s website at http://www.dol.gov/asp. And remember, in transit, every week is Drug-and Alcohol-Free Week! KYTC Announces Highway Hazard Hotline Operators (And Equipment) Are Standing By at 1-800-728-2448 FRANKFORT, KY.  – (March 2, 2007)—Temperatures are warming, birds are singing, and Punxsutawney Phil says there’s only 3 weeks left until it’s springtime in the Commonwealth! Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) highway crews are setting their sights on eliminating highway hazards and the KYTC is asking for the public’s help.  You can help to inform the cabinet of any highway hazards in your area by calling the 1-800 Highway Hazard Hotline (1-800-728-2448). “With our toll-free line, motorists have a direct way to report maintenance concerns or other hazards they see along our state highways,” Secretary of Transportation Bill Nighbert said.  “Since our state highway crews can’t be everywhere at all times, we depend on drivers to inform us of the needs that are out there. This is one way we can all work together to help fulfill Governor Ernie Fletcher’s directive to make our roads safer. We greatly appreciate the public’s involvement in our Highway Hazard Hotline.” The Highway Hazard Hotline is answered 24 hour a day, seven days a week by Transportation Operations Center personnel.  The hotline is available throughout the year for the public to report problems with state maintained highways.  “When we receive a call, we ask for the location of the problem, the name or number of the state highway and either a mile point or landmark,” says Commissioner of Highways Marc Williams.  “That way our crews can act quickly, respond to the concern, and remedy the situation on the state roadway.”  “It’s everyone’s responsibility to make our roads as safe as possible,” continued Tim Hazlette, Commissioner of the KYTC’s Department of Transportation Safety.  “Our highway hazard hotline is an easy way for people to get involved and help get hazards off our roadways.” The Transportation Cabinet spends $230 million each year to maintain our state highways. That figure includes activities like snow and ice removal, tree and brush removal, mowing and litter removal, bridge repair, roadway striping, and traffic signal repair among other activities.  “One of the most evident maintenance efforts this time of the year is pothole patching,” concluded Chuck Knowles, Executive Director for System Preservation and Operations. “Potholes occur because of the freezing and thawing cycle.  Identifying potholes on state roads is just one of the many ways the public can help us eliminate highway hazards by calling our hotline.”  Dear Colleague Letter  |  Model Bus Transit Safety and Security Program This message being sent on behalf of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), and the Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA). Dear Colleague,  We are pleased to share with you the attached "Dear Colleague Letter"  and its enclosure, distributed under the joint signatures of FTA, AASHTO, APTA and CTAA - partners to the Model Transit Bus Safety and Security Program Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).  The letter and its enclosure represent increased collaboration and cooperation between FTA and its partners to the MOU as well as input we have received from bus transit industry stakeholders. We believe that the new Model Program Strategies highlighted in the letter enclosure continue along the path of the valuable progress and exceptional work over the last few years by our transit bus industry stakeholders.  These strategies emphasize increased partnership and the development and distribution of practical technical assistance to bus transit agencies as well as the identification of assessment  measures to maintain the voluntary nature of the Model Program.   Initial objectives include the compilation of technical assistance materials that are tailored to meet the needs of small and rural bus transit agencies. In the near future, FTA will establish a Working Group with representatives from its partners to the MOU, bus transit agencies, national and state Rural Transit Assistance Programs (RTAP), State Departments of Transportation, Federal partners and other key stakeholders.  The Working Group will improve program coordination and communication and ensure that an ongoing dialogue is maintained with all Model Program stakeholders.  You will be consistently updated on Working Group activities and deliverables. FTA and its Bus Safety Partners are hopeful that you will continue in your support of the Model Program.  We appreciate your patience in cooperating with FTA on the Model Program and look forward to working with you as we move forward.  We also understand that additional questions may be raised as a result of this communication and we want to assure you that answers will be forthcoming in future outreach efforts.  Thank you again for your ongoing support. Sincerely, Carole Ferguson - Program Manager FTA's Office of Safety and Security A message from Vickie S. Bourne, Office of Transportation Delivery ... Here is the proposed Section 5311 Circular. If the members would like to send their comments to our office by the end of next week, we will incorporate with the State comments and send to the Federal Docket. Please send to Della Davis/Public Transit Manager, Office of Transportation Delivery, 200 Mero Street, Frankfort, KY 40622 by August 11, 2006. This will be our last chance before the Circular or 5311 guidelines become effective and how we dictate and/or implement the 5311 Program. Kentucky Highway Safety Laws on the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's Web SIte, including Primary Seatbelt Law, Quick Clearance and other laws that may affect Kentucky Transit Operators.