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Daus, the former longest-serving New York City Taxi & Limousine Commissioner/Chair and President of the International Association of Transportation Regulators (IATR), has worked at the UTRC for the past eight years. During this time, he has authored and published substantial research in the area of transportation policy, innovation, law and regulation. He has also lectured around the world, and continues to teach courses in transportation sustainability, history, technology, regulation and policy to graduate students at CCNY's Grove School of Engineering. Daus is also a frequent contributor to Chauffeur Driven magazine.
As Transportation Technology Chair, Daus will continue to serve in his faculty and academic position at CUNY, but will immediately undertake enhanced responsibilities at the UTRC as Transportation Technology Chair. He will have the responsibility to grow and support the activities of the UTRC throughout the region and globally through collaboration on educational activities and events, research endeavors, strategic partnerships, and other initiatives involving transportation policy, technology, multi-modal integration, automation, and innovation.
“Matt has and continues to do an outstanding job of helping the UTRC spread knowledge and influence policy through his research, lectures and activities at CUNY, and at this critical time of mobility change, is well positioned to help build and expand the influence and reach of the UTRC,” commented Dr. Camille Kamga, UTRC director.
In addition to teaching and researching, Daus' expanded responsibilities will now include the following initiatives and roles:
- To chair and build the UTRC Advisory Board, and foster relationships and strategic partnerships with other academic institutions, transportation related organizations, government agencies, and the private sector to promote collaboration in research and educational initiatives involving data management and transfer.
- To focus on law, policy, and governance in the transportation technology mobility ecosystem, and to conduct research and educational endeavors in the areas of data privacy and access, insurance, labor, and employment law and other disciplines related to the advent of "Mobility-As-A-Service" (MAAS), Shared & Automated Vehicle Mobility.
- To build, manage, and maintain the UTRC transportation Data Commons, through hosting, participating in and conducting transportation related "Hack-a-Thons" and "Data Challenges" for a wide variety of purposes and goals, and to develop partnerships with academic institutions, students, non-profit think tanks, and organizations, government agencies, and the private sector to advance the scope of knowledge, innovation, and proactive policy change.
- To oversee and supervise government affairs and relations for the UTRC with respect to events, partnerships, grants, and strategic initiatives, and to enhance the public profile of the UTRC locally and internationally.
Visit ccny.cuny.edu or utrc2.org for more information.
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Also in attendance were the Asian American Motorcoach Association, the International Motorcoach Group, the National Association of Motorcoach Operators, and Trailways, as well as leadership from every state and regional association in the motorcoach industry.
ABA President & CEO Peter Pantuso and UMA President & CEO Stacy Tetschner released the following joint statement:
“We would like to thank the 116 members of our organizations that met with more than 150 Congressional offices to discuss the priorities and issues facing the motorcoach industry today. By bringing together the leadership, energy and strength of our organizations, we delivered a powerful message to our leaders in Congress.”
While the two organizations remain separate operational entities, they recognized the importance of presenting a unified front as they worked together to bring their individual members’ and the general industry’s concerns to D.C., with a focus on advancing shared safety and regulatory reforms, as well as preservation of the fuel tax exemption for motorcoaches.
Tetschner and Pantuso give credit for this first-time-ever combined fly-in to both volunteer leadership UMA Chair Gladys Gillis and ABA Chairman Don Devivo.
Three primary areas of regulatory reform were on the list of operators' priorities:
- Require separate and distinct impact analyses for rulemaking when it comes to trucks and buses in recognition of the fact that there are vast differences between trucking and the transportation of passengers.
- Require transit recipients to report verifiable data when certifying to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) that they encouraged private sector participation in publicly funded projects. Currently, public transit operators do little more than “check-the-box” without providing any detail.
- Enhance transparency in the FTA's intercity bus grant program by requiring state Governors expanded certification, again with greater detail.
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Although Petri and his fellow PPA representatives were invited to the PRLA board meeting, he declined in favor of the general membership meeting. He provided a short overview of his duties and goals as the new executive director, but eschewed any discussion about the registration rate structures that are currently being challenged by the PRLA.
In the past year, the association has worked with lobbyist Jodie Stuck of government affairs firm Malady & Wooten to introduce two bills that propose an assessment fee of 1 percent of gross revenue for work done in the city instead of the $550 per vehicle fee that the city currently imposes. This is a significant contrast to the 1.4 percent levy paid by the TNCs for rides originating in Philadelphia.
“In the past, we always had a good relationship with the PPA,” said PRLA Vice President Anthony Viscusi of Global Limousine. “They used to come to our events, and when it was time to distribute registration stickers, they’d come, and we’d buy stickers at the meeting. I’m unsure if they’re now being extra cautious about their dealings with us.”
Struck was next to address the members, providing an update on the bills. Unfortunately, with the elections coming up, things have slowed down in the state legislation. However, she did assure the PRLA that hope is far from lost, and that things are still in motion. The permit price currently stands at the reduced $550 per vehicle, despite the city’s desire to increase it to $800.
Before the meeting concluded, Viscusi recognized John Arone from Hub International Insurance for his help with the PRLA membership drive. The association has recently welcomed two new vendor members to its ranks: Carl Restivo from Access Commercial Capital and United Leasing and Toni Trabb from Mercedes-Benz of Paramus.
The PRLA’s next meeting is scheduled for June 13.
Visit prlainc.org for more information.
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