APTA Sustainability COMMITTEE Meeting

Tuesday, August 8, 2017, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM

Great Lakes: A1

Hyatt Regency Minneapolis

1300 Nicollet Avenue

Minneapolis, MN 55403

MINUTES

Attendees:

  • Aliesa Adelman (Wendel), J. Barry Barker (Transit Authority of River City), Andrew D. Brennan (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority), Sarah Buckle (TransLink), Steven Eget (Dewberry), Andrea Elcock (Port Authority of Allegheny County), Jeffery A. Freeman (Metro Transit), Janet R. Gonzalez (HDR), Rachel Healy (Washington Metropolitan Area), John Hroncich (BAE SYSTEMS), Christina Jaworski (Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority), Karen Jealous (Stacy and Witbeck, Inc.), Pat Jones (Metro Transit), Ronald J. Kilcoyne (North County Transit District), Emmanual ‘Chris’ BattadLiban (LA County Metropolitan Transportation Authority), Deborah W. Matherly (Louis Berger), Joanne L. Maxwell (AMTRAK), Petra Mollet (APTA), Lawrence J. Murphy (CDM Smith), Sean O’Brien (Kennedy/Jenks Consultants), Cole Peiffer (Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County), Amy Shatzkin (Sound Transit), Mark Teschauer (WSP USA), Heather Unger (Louis Berger), Peter Varga (Interurban Transit Partnership), Carl Weekenmann (JTA), Kevin Kirk (Microvast, Inc.), Robin Rederick (Transit Authority River City), Art Guzetti (APTA), Leo Thorbecke (TRC), Ann Calnan (Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority), Berwyn Salazar (Global ASR Consulting), Zach Smith (APTA), Pam O’Connor (Santa Monica Big Blue Bus), and Rich Weaver (APTA)

1.Welcome and Introductions (5 minutes)

A.J. Barry Barker, Chair; Executive Director, Transit Authority of River City, Louisville, KY

B.Janet Gonzalez, ENV SP, LEED AP BD+C, Vice Chair; Transportation Sustainability Director, Senior Transit Planner, HDR Inc., Chicago, IL

Introductions were made, and first-time attendees were identified and welcomed.

2.Approval of Minutes fromMay 7, 2017 meeting

Andrew Brennan motioned to approve, and Rachel Healy seconded.

3.Checking in on 2017 Workshop – Initial thoughts with survey to follow (10 minutes)

Participants provided initial thoughts on the 2017 Workshop.

Peter Varga – Mentioned attending other sessions, including the Multimodal-focused sessions. He appreciated the honest, open discussion. The best part of the conversation for him was the openness.

Another participate noted she liked the connection between the two groups, and thought the ability to interject and take those opportunities back to her agency for a learning experience was of high value. Several folks in the room nodded their heads in agreement.

B. Barker asked if any others had comments they wanted to share.

Mark Teschaur – Highlighted that now that the Sustainability Committee has gotten over the pilot of a joint workshop, the committees should continue to build on the commonalities. We should look for opportunities to have sessions with overlapping content and attract folks on the multi-modal side (and vice versa) – education, health care, access, technology, economics.

Andrew Brennen – Noted merging together was more seamless than he thought it would be. Minneapolis was an excellent host – thank you. Economic and social session was more blended opportunity – there are connections here. Suggested same idea for the future, with more opportunity to blend and be direct on separate sessions, and combined.

B. Barker – Asked how many folks are in attendance for the first time, and then how many had been to over five (5) workshops. Eight (8) folks raised their hand, andsix (6) noted they have attended more than five (5) workshops.

Another attendee noted they thought there would be more mixing, but didn’t see a lot of that. She noted a heavy focus on electric bus, and suggested the plan as it was organized in the original opening session comments didn’t note all areas of sustainability and make the clear distinction (and overlap) between both workshop opportunities. Suggested there be more opportunities to give attendees the time to attend each others’ sessions. She noted there was not a lot of opportunity in the schedule to mix as much as she would have liked.

Barry Barker suggested we can be more deliberate in the overlap for the next workshop.

Andrew Brennansuggested we explore broader topics to overlap, and be more inclusive of each others’ mission. Suggested a focus on key focus areas. He also noted the round table conversations were lacking, and competed against a couple of key sessions. Andrew suggested this as an opportunity to focus on to bringing new attendees as participants and to not oversee this. Commonalities are a good place to do this – at the round tables.

Rachel Healy suggested a naming convention opportunity to identify sessions and call them out specifically.

PeterVargahighlighted he really enjoyed the key note on Tuesday (Lewis Fulton, and the fit to both sustainability and multimodal.

4.Recognition of Higher Level Signatories (15 minutes)

(Certificates given out to signatories).

A.Platinum

  1. Foothill Transit

B.Gold

  1. Amtrak
  2. TRC Companies

C.Silver

  1. Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA)
  2. HDR, Inc.
  3. Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA)
  4. Louis Berger
  5. Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County

D.Bronze

  1. Transit Authority of River City (TARC) – Louisville, KY
  2. Wendel

Pictures were taken for each signatory, and then as a group picture with all signatories.

5.Update from U.S. Department of Energy (10 minutes)

A.Sarah Olexsak, Energy Project Manager, Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, US Department of Energy, Washington, DC

Sarah gave a DOE presentation overview. Highlights: DOE mission revolves first and foremost on energy security. Noted focus areas in nuclear security, energy efficiency and renewable energy, petroleum consumption, building efficiency, renewable energy, and transportation. More fuel efficient vehicles will be a new norm, readily available and more efficient. Talked about a New Program – investing dollars. Solicitations and opportunities for agencies to apply for are a resource available to APTA and members. Open to feedback from the group. Reviewed the presentation…energy demands increasing. Maximum Mobility but Minimal Energy. Energy Efficient Mobility Systems (EEMS). Smart Mobility (laboratory consortium). Living Labs Projects. Process – R&D, Smart Mobility, Living Labs projects.Discussed coordinating with DOE, DOT, DOC initiatives. SMART Mobility Consortium and highlighted a MOU between DOT and FTA.

6.APTA StandardsUpdates (15 minutes)

Working groups were thanked for their good work and importance of contributions to the work plan.

Petra provided an overview of the Standards Program. APTA is the standards organization for the transit industry in North America. Guidance and Standards. This committee oversees the SUDS program, and attendees will hear updates on that today to highlight effort status, relevance to our industry, etc.

Barry Barker asked participants in attendance to raise their hands if they participate on the working group.Six (6) people raised their hands.

A.Update on APTA Standards Working Groups

  1. Recommended Practice on Quantifying Emissions from Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Transit -(Eric Hesse and Mark Teschauer)

Mark Teschauer provided an overview summary. He highlightedthe recommended practice on specific guidance on how to communicate emissions that result from operations and associated emission reduction. Consideration of mode shift, land use impacts, and providing a quantifier tool to go with these items are referenced to not be created from scratch. This document was originally published in 2011, and the working group is now working on identifying new research and guidelines on recommended practices to update. We are now in a different state of practice. The group has received great substantial feedback, and the working group is updating to prepare for CEO buy-in, and then feedback from the oversight committee for the SUDS program.

Question:

Art – Does any other organization have anything like this?

Mark – not aware of any other guidance along these lines, specific to transit. This guidance informs metrics for the Sustainability Committee. Should be a go-to resource. Backed-up with the protocol – climate registry, research from TCRP and strong case between land use impacts and mode shift – VMT reductions that are produced.

  1. Recommended Practice on Social and Economic Sustainability for Transit(Rachel Healy)

Rachel Healy provided an overview – Recommended practice is a new set of recommendations. This is a move forward from the 2011 original sustainability guidelines focusing on the environmental goals of sustainability. There has been a lot of progress in the industry. Better grappling on how we are dealing with social and economics impacts as an industry, and making sure it is relevant to the end user and stakeholders. The working group has approved, and this is now in public comment on the APTA Standards Website. Post public comment, the CEO Committee will be asked for approval and hoping for adoption in October, 2017. Contents include – community building and engagement, economic impact, employees and workforce, financial, mobility and accessibility, safety and preparedness.

Question:

Attendee: Any new metrics?

Rachel Healy – One of the reasons why there was a lot of focus on environmental originally was that they are measureable, but there are actions for the others that can be counted and referenced too. The plan is to incorporate these measured possibilities and incorporate into future assessments of future recognition levels.

MarkTeschauer – Metrics can have a baseline to the recognition. Requirements might be a threshold. Example. 2-3 for each column, etc. Still under development – comment and discussion.

Rachel Healy – Useful for transit agencies to articulate the value that they serve to their internal stakeholders. This is considered and an important aspect on the guidelines, and aimed at providing a tool to qualify and quantify meaningful benefits.

  1. Recommended Practice on Bicycle Accessibility and Transit( DanSuracci)

Zack Smith provided a summary –Focus on this recommended practice is the first and last mile on the complete trip. Growing interest in incorporation will provide guidance on bikes on board transit vehicles, rail, facilities, internal policy opportunities/recommendations, safe routes to transit, and bike share. Goal is to prepare for public comment period in October, 2017.

  1. Recommended Practice on Universal Design (Tian Feng)

Zack Smith provided an overview – This document is intended to focus on all users; everyone you can think of that would use a transit system. The group is currently trying to focus on group themes to focus the research and make it more attainable.

7.Review and input on work plan for FY 2018 (10 minutes) (Discussed how to stay connected , webinars, program workgroup for sessions at APTA conferences including Bus, Rail, )

Barry Barker – Proposed to discuss at APTA Annual – Atlanta, October, 2017. No objections received from the group.

8.Other Items

Barry Barker highlighted the discussion at the Signatory Committee Meeting. He noted the total number of signatories 128, of 1500 eligible members. 10% of membership. Discussed having a panel to discuss ways to market this in a CEO panel.

Petra added it is worth underlining there is no prerequisite to sign-up. Allows organization to organize around factors on a sustainability program. Nothing you have to have done before, process of continual improvement, and opportunity for mentorship.

9.Next Committee Meeting – 2017 Annual Meeting and EXPO (Atlanta, GA)

Barry Barker – Apta Annual. Sunday. Location and time TBD. Rich Weaver – identifying action items for Wednesday, and additional sustainability sessions.

10.Adjourn – 5:27 P.M. CST.

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