Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout051526 - The WSTA WeeklyALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them. Registation Now Open, From the Other Washington, Transit Jobs, and Transit in the News Vol. 11, Issue 15: May 15, 2026 View this email in your browser <https://mailchi.mp/4b94b98e334f/the-wsta-weekly-17995528?e=850008f825> <https://mcusercontent.com/6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361/images/0215a8c9-44a7-2be0-30d1-b2a80c32f66a.png> <https://mcusercontent.com/6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361/images/2c8e6652-d073-90e1-f80b-b0a9089f27a6.png> ________________________________ <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=7f0806cccd&e=850008f825> WSTA is pleased to open registration for the 50th Washington State Public Transportation Conference, Vendor Expo, and State Roadeo. This year, we will celebrate 50 Years in Motion in Tacoma, Washington. The Conference website is now live with information regarding registration, vendor opportunities, and hotel accommodations. While the full program will not be finalized for a few more weeks, the Program At-A-Glance is available now to provide a preview of this year’s schedule. Based on feedback from previous conferences, this year’s agenda includes a slightly later morning start to better accommodate attendees commuting from across the central Puget Sound region. <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=caa8d0427d&e=850008f825> Speaking of commuting, this will be the most transit-accessible conference in my 10 years of planning. Tacoma is served by direct bus connections from Downtown Seattle, Olympia, and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, along with Sound Transit rail service from Seattle and Amtrak service connecting communities from Bellingham to Eugene. With a Tacoma LINK stop directly outside the hotel, attendees can easily connect from Tacoma Dome Station and ride LINK straight to the conference. The Conference is brought to you by WSTA in partnership with the Public Transportation Division at WSDOT and our host agency, Pierce Transit. The first time in well over a decade, we look forward to seeing you in Tacoma for a true milestone of 50 years! <https://mcusercontent.com/6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361/images/92c7b85f-59ef-784f-7669-38170c8ec978.png> House Lawmakers Continue Progress on FY 2027 Appropriations Bills Later today, the U.S. House of Representatives will convene to vote on passage of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469 <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=ee49dd84d2&e=850008f825> ). The appropriations bill would provide $157 billion in funding for the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to support military personnel and veterans. Yesterday, lawmakers approved <https://watransit.us12.list-manag e.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=2c1d62374b&e=850008f825> multiple amendments to the bill, including one that would allow military veterans to receive recommendations for medical marijuana through their doctors. If passed, it would mark the first of the 12 annual appropriations bills approved by the House this fiscal year. Earlier this week, the House Appropriations Committee advanced <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=3b5371c5c7&e=850008f825> the FY 2027 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act in a 32-28 vote. The measure would provide $77.34 billion in funding for the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and other agencies, a $670 million decrease from the FY 2026 enacted level. It would also provide $1.07 billion for 1,226 Community Project Funding (CPF) requests submitted by Members of Congress. Please see our previous update for a summary <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=bee1efb67b&e=850008f825> of the bill for more information. Transportation Congress * With gas prices continuing to rise across the United States, President Donald Trump and a number of lawmakers expressed openness to a temporary suspension of the 18.4 cents-per-gallon federal tax on gasoline and 24.4 cents-per-gallon federal tax on diesel fuels. However, those federal gasoline and diesel fuel taxes, which have not been raised since 1993, represent the vast majority of deposits into the Highway Trust Fund (HTF), which finances most surface transportation spending on highways, bridges and mass transit. * The HTF already faces the prospect of insolvency because of advancements in fuel economy standards and the widespread adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles. Revenue solutions to address the solvency of the HTF have been a major point of contention amongst lawmakers in their work on the next surface transportation reauthorization measure, which will succeed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA, P.L. 117-58) that expires at the end of September. * New Hampshire Congressman Chris Pappas and Arizona Senator Mark Kelly introduced <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=9404f40910&e=850008f825> the Gas Prices Relief Act of 2026 (H.R. 7919 / S. 4032 <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=8a8a3dc1df&e=850008f825> ) back in March to suspend the gas tax through October 1, 2026, but the idea gained new momentum from some Republican lawmakers this week. * On Monday, Missouri Senator Josh Hawley introduced <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=a6efd6029a&e=850008f825> the Gas Tax Suspension Act <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=df8e5e9fcd&e=850008f825> to suspend federal taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel for 90 days, with the option for the President to extend the suspension for an additional 90 days. Florida Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna indicated <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c2 2fe2ef2a8361&id=c458354cde&e=850008f825> that she intends to introduce similar legislation in the House of Representatives. * In a statement to Politico, Senate Majority Leader John Thune offered <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=04ae0f70b6&e=850008f825> that he has “not in the past, obviously been a fan of that idea” but “I’ve got some colleagues out there who think it’s a good idea, and so we’ll hear them out.” In conversation with The Hill, Leader Thune expanded <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=0f74636b48&e=850008f825> on his thinking, stateing “The best way to get gas prices to normalize in my view is to get the [Strait of Hormuz] open.” He continued in offering that “We do have a Highway Trust Fund and it does perform an important service in making sure that we’ve got highways and roadways across our country that are serviceable.” * House Democrats are lining up against the proposal, including House Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard Neal, who noted <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d7 6c22fe2ef2a8361&id=8d3edea25f&e=850008f825> that “the trust fund is already ailing.” * A group of 44 Democratic Senators urged <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=ee9ef7d3ec&e=850008f825> the Senate Appropriations Committee in a letter <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=c411fd7c55&e=850008f825> to plus-up annual appropriations in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies spending bill for key transportation programs that were funded partially or entirely by advance appropriations that will expire with the IIJA at the end of September. The law provided $36.8 billion per year in advance funding for federal transportation programs over five years. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Ranking Member Maria Cantwell released <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=435a67d6be&e=850008f825> a series of reports detailing each program that would be affected. The publications include an overview report <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=0cdf2a0389&e= 850008f825> and additional reports specifically focused on potential impacts to freight infrastructure <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=709e5ba753&e =850008f825> , local economic development <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=79dd1a2954&e=850008f825> , and rail <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.co m/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=52b509a8d1&e=850008f825> programs. * Examples of programs administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) that would be significantly impacted by that lapse in resources include the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program, Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program, Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP), National Infrastructure Project Assistance (MEGA) Program, Bridge Formula Program (BFP), and Capital Investment Grants (CIG) Program. * Nearly three dozen Democratic Representatives led by California Congresswoman Lateefah Simon asked <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=d54e8323e2&e=85 0008f825> that leaders of the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee provide robust funding for public transportation from the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) in the next surface transportation reauthorization. The lawmakers specifically requested in a letter <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=a3b65604e8&e=850008f825> that the Committee maintain an additional $950 million in annual funding for the Section 5337 State of Good Repair program that was provided through IIJA advance appropriations. The T&I Committee may consider its reauthorization measure in the weeks ahead. U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration * Earlier this week, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) opened <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=c8f7a6b413&e=850008f825> submissions for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development Planning (TOD Pilot Program). The agency will award $28.5 million to support comprehensive, site-specific transit-oriented development (TOD) planning for new fixed guideway and core capacity improvement transit projects. In the FY 2026 round, FTA seeks projects that enhance economic development, ridership, and other established goals; facilitate multimodal connectivity and accessibility; expand access to transit hubs for pedestrian and bicycle traffic; promote mixed use development; identify infrastructure needs; and engage with the private sector. The application deadline is July 10, 2026. See our grant memorandum <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d 76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=5d2024f47d&e=850008f825> . * FTA shared <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=db60746e84&e=850008f825> that it will now include updates regarding the Drug and Alcohol program in its quarterly Transit Safety and Oversight (TSO) Spotlight newsletter. The agency encourages transit officials responsible for drug and alcohol programs to sign up for the newsletter using the following link <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=eee2d1ad90&e=850008f825> . * We also wanted to flag that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a final rule <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=9ed2d68aec&e=850008f8 25> revising its drug and alcohol testing procedures to mandate a “directly observed urine collection in situations where oral fluid tests are currently required but cannot be conducted because oral fluid testing is not yet available.” The rule will become effective on June 10, 2026. <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361/images/ea436c8d-6255-4572-b705-ffd9193ee521.png> Transit Job of the Week ________________________________ Administrative Support Specialist Community Transit Salary Range: $82,304.00 - $123,456.00 As the Administrative Support Specialist of Communications, Marketing & Engagement (CME), you will provide crucial support to the Chief Communications Officer (CCO) and department staff. You will provide comprehensive administrative, events, and project-related support. You will serve as the subject matter expert in budgeting, business planning, and travel coordination, ensuring compliance with agency processes and policies. You will play a pivotal role in organizing communication, schedules, and facilitating departmental interactions. <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=9d7b9a1a39&e=850008f825> ________________________________ ________________________________ WSTA Jobs Board: WSTA offers a comprehensive clearinghouse for transit jobs across the state. Use our website to see the latest job postings. <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=ae0b9f31b8&e=850008f825> If you are a transit agency and have an opening - please use the submit button on the website. Attention Transit Vendors Please sign up for the WSTA Vendor Email Distribution List to be the first to know. <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=e7908fe918&e=850008f825> *If you are not a vendor please do not sign up <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361/images/1877cd28-850f-4d18-987c-7fcdc524d617.png> <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361/images/16fd6fee-3218-4d70-b1fe-2056df0f1434.gif> WSTA pays an annual membership to the Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC), which allows our Transit Agency members access to their services. Check out what is new with MRSC. Available for WSTA Transit Members: Ask MRSC - Ask MRSC Archives <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=134d9ea371&e=850008f825> ________________________________ Ask Transit WSTA's partn <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361/images/d4f5e03c-25b5-4812-8415-e6065dfea42a.png> er, the Washington State Transit Insurance Pool (WSTIP), provides an "Ask Transit" tool, which allows agency employees to ask a question, and staff will work to research that question and respond back. . Click Here to Ask Transit <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=82dce1fd82&e=850008f825> <https://maassets.higherlogic.com/image/APTA/Executive_Action_Update_650x200_Final_3009955.png> Impacts of Executive Actions on Public Transportation: Since January 20, President Trump has issued almost 100 Executive Orders, Memoranda, and Proclamations to carry out his Administration’s policy goals and agenda. Many of these directives, together with U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) actions, directly impact the public transportation industry. These Executive Orders and other directives pause some transportation funding; terminate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs; impose new tariffs; and establish priorities for DOT competitive grants. APTA’s Executive and Regulatory Actions Tracker <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=ae43fbd445&e=850008f825> provides real-time updates and summaries regarding the President’s Executive Orders and other Administration actions that impact the public transportation industry. <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361/images/fb82d603-27ab-431a-ac10-5225f4a43f6c.png> * Seattle braces for World Cup traffic and transit crunch <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=2f4aa4a688&e=850008f825> . Axios Seattle * Sound Transit to decide May 28 on rail cuts, delays and phased builds across region <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=599ceb3518&e=850008f825> . KOMO * C-Tran board wants light rail into downtown Vancouver <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=a7f28cc2ef&e=850008f825> . The Columbian (pdf included) ________________________________ * Passenger Transport <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=1d87dd01b5&e=850008f825> Latest Issue <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6 c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=b67213650e&e=850008f825> * Metro Magazine News <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=f91ebabeef&e=850008f825> * National RTAP <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=20de8617d0&e=850008f825> * Transit Talent <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=d2f61cd251&e=850008f825> * Voices of Public Transportation <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=215128c31e&e=850008f825> * T4America <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=20857d840b&e=850008f825> * CTAA News <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=9ab86c0576&e=850008f825> * Shared-Use Mobility Center <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=475691a926&e=850008f825> ________________________________ <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=74d711cfdf&e=850008f825> <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=5f4b7cddda&e=850008f825> <mailto:justin@watransit.com> <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=ee621342f5&e=850008f825> Copyright © WSTA, 2016, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: 2629 12th Court SW Olympia, WA 98502 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/profile?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=c7c0e5ee8e&e=850008f825&c=7f81a7c0e1> or unsubscribe from this list <https://watransit. us12.list-manage.com/unsubscribe?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=c7c0e5ee8e&t=b&e=850008f825&c=7f81a7c0e1> <https://watransit.us12.list-manage.com/track/open.php?u=6c70c3a1d76c22fe2ef2a8361&id=7f81a7c0e1&e=850008f825>