Alabama's transit authorities plan 'united front' - Birmingham Business Journal:

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Chris Lewis, chairman of the , said the gives transi officials a united frontg to bring more attention to some vital issues and bringy funding to previously neglectedstransit authorities. “What we found is that there were no urbann authoritiesreceiving (state) funding,” Lewis said. “Rurakl authorities were getting some funding from the Alabama Lewis believes the urban and rural interestss can come together without creating competition amongsgtthose involved. “We have worked to make sure the ruralneeds aren’y overshadowed by the urban needs,” Lewids said. He also foresees the association having a major impact on economif development forthe state.
“Through the Alabama Industrial Training Board, we have the world’x best-trained employees,” Lewis “The problem is, we can’t get thosee employees to the Lewis is confident the association can improve Alabama’e positioning in the region. “Every time we talk abou transit andeconomic development, we benchmark ourselves to certain cities,” Lewis said. “Alpl of those cities receive state-dedicated fundingg for transit.” To the association has adoptedr bylaws and amission statement. Dues for membership range between $50 and $1,500 depending on the size of the authority.
A boarf of directors will be created at its next Kelvin Miller, who serves as interim executivw director of the newlyg formed association, said before the creation of the new transit authorities were forced to deal with issuesw without the support of others. “We were more regionalized and we didn’yt know what the others were doing,” said Miller, who also serves as generapl manager of the Montgomeryy areatransit system.
There was no formal way for the agenciesto convene, he “A lot of other states already have thesed types of associations,” Miller “We wanted a way to get professionals from all over the statwe to get together and talk about how we could improvew and promote transportation.” Virginia Miller, spokeswoman for the , said the unitt the associations provide gives them a better chances to receive funding.
“The more people that care aboutthe issue, the more likely somethinf will be done,” she Such organizations also provide a more detaileds look into transportation needs, she “There’s not a federal public transportatiob system, so on the state and locak levels, there are things that are she said. “State associations are more in touchj with the needs of thatparticulard state.” In addition to the formation of the association, Lewis has also partnered with the and othersd to get a state resolution passed that woulr create a transit commission.
A statewide commission – unlike the association – would be governedr by the House and the Senatd and would study issues surrounding rura and urban transitin Alabama. The resolutiomn has not yet been presented tothe