APTA’s Skoutelas Testifies Before PA Senate Transportation Committee

APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas testified before the Senate Transportation Committee, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hearing on “Optimizing Pennsylvania’s Multimodal Transportation System” Sept. 17.

He discussed national transportation trends and the state of public transportation. He also noted his decades long connection with the state of Pennsylvania, where he grew up, went to college, and served as CEO of what is now Pittsburgh Regional Transit. He noted that Pennsylvania is seen across the U.S. as a leader in its support of public transportation.

Noting the theme of the event, he stated: “Everywhere you go, the overall transportation system needs to address both movement of people and movement of goods. It must be balanced between modes, it must be integrated, and it must offer options and choices.”

Skoutelas also commended Pennsylvania Transportation Secretary Mike Carroll for his leadership and vision in putting Pennsylvania at or near the top as being forward thinking on transportation issues.

He recognized such “agencies such as SEPTA and Pittsburgh Regional Transit for steps they have proactively taken to reduce costs through actions such as SEPTA’s Accountability and Efficiency Initiative. And I applaud the best practices demonstrated through the Pennsylvania Public Transportation Association and its members that have attracted national attention in areas such as customer service improvements, coordinated transportation, technology, and service improvements.”

View a recording of the session and read his testimony here.