JTA is getting fed money!

[Coolyfett]

JTA is getting stimulis money!!!

[strider]

OK, I'll bite...and going to do what with it?

[tufsu1]

$9.3 million for new buses and misc. other stuff...its actually pretty impressive consiering the whole state only got $28 million

[Coolyfett]

9 million is what I read on bizjournal. it says that Jax is getting the most in the state....hope they do the RIGHT thing with it.

[Coolyfett]

Lake most be on vacation..the dude is slacking on the news updates lol

[coredumped]

From the article:
http://jacksonville.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2010/03/08/daily3.html

Florida is in line to receive $27.6 million in federal stimulus dollars to improve its mass transit operations.

The U.S. Department of Transportation said Friday that the grants, part of the $7.5 billion the Federal Transit Administration has awarded since February 2009 under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will fund seven projects in Florida.

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority will receive the largest grant: $9,313,745 to buy nine low-floor, 40-foot replacement buses, and for transit enhancement, facility improvements, bus shelters and shelter enhancements, rehabilitation or renovation of administration and maintenance buildings, cooling systems for buses, park-and-ride lots and miscellaneous bus support equipment.

Other Florida project that will be funded include:

    * Florida Department of Transportation: $3,063,695
    * Lake County Board of County Commissioners: $180,067
    * Lakeland Area Mass Transit District: $3,928,562
    * Martin County Board of County Commissioners: $1,199,564
    * Miami-Dade Transit Agency: $5,255,528
    * Sarasota County Transportation Authority: $4,618,693

“These funds are creating jobs now while investing in the future of our transit systems,” FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff said in a news release. “The public’s need for transit service continues to grow, and these dollars will help meet that need.”

Since President Barack Obama signed the Recovery Act a year ago, the FTA has awarded 881 grants totaling $7.5 billion. The money has supported the purchase of nearly 12,000 buses, vans and rail vehicles; the construction or renovation of more than 850 transit facilities; and the performance of more than $620 million in preventive maintenance, which has helped to save transit service and jobs, and enhance service reliability, according to an FTA news release.

[coredumped]

Wait - the article says BUS SHELTERS???

[ProjectMaximus]

Yeah, i saw that headline on JBJ this morning. It's a sad indication of how disillusioned I've become that I didn't even for a second feel like this might be anything but money for buses. My hopes for commuter rail/streetcar/skyway extensions have plummeted over the past year. And I'm normally an unabashed optimist.

[Ocklawaha]

9 million is what I read on bizjournal. it says that Jax is getting the most in the state....hope they do the RIGHT thing with it.

HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!!

Wow, my friend, THAT was rich!!

Even within the bus fleet, the best buses we own (actually "Coaches" not city buses) are the 3 well worn MCI's used on our long distance express routes. The JBJ article sure doesn't appear to say we're in for replacements... The service was originally planned for 6 Coaches, but in a brand new factory fresh demonstration vehicle, due to dead batteries, cut wires, flat tires, and other sabbotage by some of JTA's directors, only 3 were ever approved for order, and frankly it might be a LONG time before MCI will ever send another new demonstrator for us to try. Some good ol boy didn't get his cut and was willing to wreck the whole system or endanger lives to make his or her point. How stupid our City must have looked to those executives from MCI. Of course it was just a "bus manufacturer," so no great loss if we didn't impress them with our dirty little games right? Let's see... MCI = Motor Coach Industries, was a division of Greyhound Corporation, a division of Armor - Dial Corporation... Yeah, as in canned spam and dial soap! No big deal right? 

Proof that we can't even do buses right in Jacksonville!





"Hey Jax? Your ride is here!"


BTW, I've been talking us up to some old friends over at Silver Eagle Coach, with discussion now focused on bringing a sweet new Eagle down here for a demonstration... If that Eagle Ride Torsion Suspension, Lifting Tag Wheels - Behind Drive Wheels, Latest Design Full Multiplex Electronics, Disc Brakes on all wheels - Detroit Diesel, Silver Sided Stainless Steel - Mirror Finish Original Eagle Fluting & Design, doesn't light their fire, their wood is wet!! This is the same suspension used on European Luxury Cars, and all of the other brands (including MCI) use air bag suspension (which is why they tend to lean the wrong way on turning a corner).


OCKLAWAHA

[CS Foltz]

Ock............JTA would have to really care what the riding public wants or says .....we can't even get shelters at the places that need them and you think they will actually buy bus's that are advanced and efficient? Come on big fella.......now if someone was treading on their turf, ohhhhh nooooo, battle royal would commence but the paying public, getting something for their tax dollars? Surely you are jesting? (This is tongue in cheek humor Ock..........you do realize this right?)

[duvaldude08]

This is great news!

However, I hope JTA uses the money wisely as well. Is this the money the we were waiting on to break ground on the transportation center? Anyone know?

[tufsu1]

no duvaldude....that was a $60+ million grant using TIGER stimulus funds....overall, there was about $50 Billion in requests submitted for $1.5 Billion in funds....TIGER projects were announced a few weeks ago and nothing in Florida was funded.

[duvaldude08]

no duvaldude....that was a $60+ million grant using TIGER stimulus funds....overall, there was about $50 Billion in requests submitted for $1.5 Billion in funds....TIGER projects were announced a few weeks ago and nothing in Florida was funded.

OOOO Ok thanks. Well no doubt this is still good news. Atleast we get some for a change. Thats why I say we must use it wisely. 

[heights unknown]

Tampa, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale or St. Petersburg, the other big cities didn't get ANY.  Poor Miami, they got some, but not as much as us.  Finally, it seems, someone is paying attention to "poor old Jacksonville."

"HU"

[stjr]

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority will receive the largest grant: $9,313,745 to buy nine low-floor, 40-foot replacement buses, and for transit enhancement, facility improvements, bus shelters and shelter enhancements, rehabilitation or renovation of administration and maintenance buildings, cooling systems for buses, park-and-ride lots and miscellaneous bus support equipment

So, tell me why we are needing ads for bus shelters, again?  More lies about how the Feds wouldn't fund bus shelters?  We discussed that other communities were getting such monies.  More misinformation by JTA and its proponents for sure.  Will JTA now back off the ads-for-bus shelters plan after putting the community in a tizzy and wasting the City Council's time and political capital once again?