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ATU Action Weekly Update - 3/26/07
Greyhound Local Calls for National Bus Program, Safety Improvements Last Tuesday, Bruce Hamilton, President/Business Agent of ATU National Local 1700, testified before a House Subcommittee regarding the need for a national surface transportation program, as well as various safety and security issues. At a hearing on motorcoach safety, Brother Hamilton emphasized the important role that intercity bus service can play in responding to natural disasters or terrorist attacks. "The tragic events of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina demonstrate the importance of having buses available across the U.S. to safely transport people out of harms way," said Brother Hamilton. "A strong national bus program would meet this need." Brother Hamilton also called on Congress to pass the Employee Free Choice Act and to take action to ensure that curbside bus operators comply with federal safety and accessibility regulations and requirements. To read Brother Hamilton's full statement, click here.
Cong. Matsui Introduces ATU-Drafted FIG Bill Last Wednesday, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) introduced H.R. 1606, the Flexibility Incentive Grant Pilot Program. The ATU-drafted legislation would encourage states to invest in public transportation, significantly increasing the amount of operating assistance available to transit systems of all sizes. The bill would authorize a $250 million annual grant program that would reward states and local communities for investing in their local transit systems. "Because transportation is based on strong partnerships, it is important that we encourage states and localities to invest in public transit. It is equally important for us to reward those localities that are already making a substantial investment in public transportation," Matsui said. The ATU encourages all ATU members to contact their U.S. Representative and encourage them to become a co-sponsor of H.R. 1606. To find out who your Member of Congress is, click here.
House to Consider Rail and Transit Security Legislation Tomorrow, the U.S. House is scheduled to take up legislation that would result in significant enhancements to the state of rail, transit, and over-the-road bus security in the U.S. The bill, H.R. 1401, the Rail and Public Transportation Security Act of 2007, would authorize $3.36 billion over 4 years for transit security grants that would go directly to transit agencies for security improvements, including frontline employee training. In addition, the bill would authorize $87 million over 4 years for grants to over-the-road bus companies for similar security enhancements. Among other ATU-supported provisions in this legislation is a requirement that all transit systems provide security and emergency preparedness and response training to all frontline transit employees, including vehicle operators, maintenance employees, and customer service personnel. The bill would also ensure that transit employees who are subject to employer-required background checks have a mechanism to contest the results of those checks or to otherwise show cause that they should not be fired or denied employment. The U.S. Senate passed legislation on March 13th which likewise includes grants for transit and over-the-road bus security enhancements. The Improving America's Security Act of 2007, S. 4, would require all grant recipients to provide security training to all frontline employees, but would not extend the training requirement to all U.S. transit systems. Keep posted to ATU Action Weekly Updates for additional information on the status of this imporant legislation. |
