(©Albuquerque Journal) - Consultant to Study Transit

(Mark Hummels, ©The New Mexican) - A Lift from Poverty

(Lee Dye, ©Los Angeles Times) - Center has an Ear to the Ground in Study of Highway Noise Reduction

ATR Institute Director Presents at the National TRB Meeting - Judith M. Espinosa, Director of UNM’s ATR Institute (ATRI), made three presentations during the 84th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) of the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, DC.

 “It is fairly significant when a small institute such as ours has even one paper accepted in a single year.  ATRI wrote three white papers that have been accepted by the peer-review committees for this year’s meeting,” said Ms. Espinosa.

 The presentations were:

• “Creating Intelligent, Coordinated Transit: Moving New Mexico the Smart Way,” an oral presentation on transit software developed by the ATRI.
    

• “A Case Study in Regional Transportation Consensus Building Between Local and Tribal Governments in New Mexico,” a poster presentation on the process used by ATRI in facilitating the establishment of the North Central Regional Transit District in Santa Fe, Los Alamos, and Rio Arriba Counties.
    

• “Engaging the Public Using Computer-Mediated Communication:  The Transportation Resource Exchange Center (T-REX) Website and Virtual Library,” a poster presentation on the T-REX Website and Virtual Library created by ATRI about the transportation of radioactive materials.

The Environmental Justice Background Report and the Final Report:  A Report on Environmental Justice in New Mexico have been completed.  The background report is intended to give the New Mexico Environmental Department (NMED) a general sense of the history of the environmental justice movement, the types of issues that helped frame the debates, and existing evidence of, and various theories about, the cause of existing racial environmental disparities.  Also included in this report is a section on environmental justice at the federal level.  The Final Report is to be used as a guide to take steps to remedy environmental problems and prevent future ones.  This bold initiate by NMED puts New Mexico at the forefront of innovative states addressing Environmental Justice concerns in the region and nationally.

TOD seeks to maximize access to mass transit and nonmotorized transportation with centrally located rail or bus stations surrounded by relatively high-density commercial and residential development. New Urbanists and smart growth proponents have embraced the concept and interest in TOD is growing, both in the United States and around the world.

The New Transit Town brings together leading experts in planning, transportation, and sustainable design—including Scott Bernstein, Peter Calthorpe, Jim Daisa, Sharon Feigon, Ellen Greenberg, David Hoyt, Dennis Leach, and Shelley Poticha—to examine the first generation of TOD projects and derive lessons for the next generation.  Judith Espinosa, Director of the ATR Institute, helped write the third chapter entitled "The Transit-Oriented Development Drama and Its Actors." 

Topic chapters provide detailed discussion of key issues along with case studies that present an in-depth look at specific projects. Topics examined include:

Creating Intelligent, Coordinated Transit:  Moving New Mexico the Smart Way, by Judith M. Espinosa, Eric F. Holm, and Mary E. White (Paper) (PDF:2MB/6 pages)

Creating Intelligent, Coordinated Transit...or How We Learned to Move New Mexico the Smart Way (PowerPoint) (PDF:123MB/32 pages)

This Hispanic Women's Council is a non-profit organization founded to promote, support, and create opportunities for Hispanic women.  Their members include women from all walks of life who share common experiences and want to improve the status of Hispanic women.

The report, authored by the Surface Transportation Policy Project and entitled Transportation Costs and the American Dream: Why a Lack of Transportation Choices Strains the Family Budget and Hinders Homeownership, uses data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to rank metro areas according to the portion of household expenditures devoted to transportation. For many low and middle income families, the costs of owning and maintaining several vehicles may even be prohibiting their ability to own a home, one of the most reliable forms of wealth creation.

Transportation Costs and the American Dream:  Why a Lack of Transportation Choices Strains the Family Budget and Hinders Homeownership (pdf)

Transportation Costs and the American Dream:  Why a Lack of Transportation Choices Strains the Family Budget and Hinders Homeownership (html)

Key legislation included a “Transit Cap Removal Act”, under which New Mexico can now spend state funds for mass transit, a Safe Routes to School bill that helps state counties and municipalities identify school route hazards and implement engineering improving improvements, and the creation of Regional Transit Districts, which provide a framework for local governments to cooperate on regional transit projects.

From Surface Transportation Policy Project's Electronic Update   

The Earn A Car Program is a program that assists Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) participants in obtaining reliable and affordable transportation to attend school and obtain employment—options that are often impossible because of a lack of transportation. The program is sponsored through the collaboration of the New Mexico Retail Association, New Mexico State Highway and Transportation Department, and New Mexico Human Services Department. The Earn A Car Program is worthwhile to TANF participants who, in the past, have found transportation to be an obstacle in obtaining and maintaining steady employment. The biggest hurdles facing welfare recipients are lack of transportation, childcare, and work-place skills. The problem of transportation involves not only getting to and from work, but also getting to and from adult training or education programs, childcare, doctors, government offices, and children’s schools. Bringing home the groceries can be a monumental task for a TANF family that has no car. The eventual outcome of the Earn A Car Program is to assist TANF participants in securing reasonable transportation that will, ultimately,  lead to steady employment and a transition from welfare to work.

On the first day of the workshop, the Multimodal Steering Committee members met for a listening session with five panels of multimodal constituents. The panels included: aviation, sustainable communities/social justice, tribal concerns, transit/light rail, bicycle, pedestrian, health and safety, and rail/trucking. On the second day, the Multimodal Steering Committee used the information from the previous day’s listening session to recommend options in four area: NMSHTD multimodal vision; policy framework; performance measures; and investment strategies.

From this effort, the Multimodal Steering Committee will develop and assist in implementing a multimodal strategy. Members of the Multimodal Steering Committee include: Mike Rice, Wayne York, Rebecca Montoya, Larry Velasquez, Chris Ortega, Debbie Bauman, Muffett Foy Cuddy, Jim Kozak, Fred Friedman, Greg White, Dan Stover, Ricardo Campos, Josette Lucero, Virginia Jaramillo, Alvin Dominguez, Tom Raught, and David Albright.

Working with Congressional leaders in transportation, environment, and economic policy, STPP members helped create the policy structure underlying the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA). 

• Developing the Client Referral, Ridership and Financial Tracking (CRRAFT) Transit Management System: CRRAFTing a Bridge to Coordinated Interagency Transportation 
     
• Building on a Common Desire for Better Tribal/State Governmental Relationships: The 2002 Four Corners Institute for Tribal/State Relations.

These papers represent two vital interests of the ATRI: (1) achieving affordable, available public transportation for all New Mexicans and (2) supporting the coordination effort of government-to-government relations between New Mexico's sovereign Tribes and the State of New Mexico in providing seamless services for all their citizens.

The publication of these papers is noteworthy.  The success of these projects has the potential to markedly improve people's lives.  We are very proud of this effort.  Congratulations to the many people who have worked with us to make this possible.

Better Transportation Improves Quality of Life for New Mexicans with Disabilities - Albuquerque, NM -- February 11, 2003 -- A study on transportation needs of 644 New Mexicans with disabilities reports the quality of life for most could be improved with better transportation options. The statewide study, At the Crossroads: Disability and Transportation in New Mexico, was researched and written by the ATR Institute (ATRI), University of New Mexico.

"A tremendous need exists for affordable, accessible transportation for individuals with disabilities," said Patrick Putnam, Executive Director of the New Mexico Developmental Disability Planning Council (DDPC), the agency funding the study. "This research shows that sometimes transportation is all that stands between a person with disabilities and getting a job."

The study found that 92 percent of the State's persons with disabilities require mechanized transportation to travel to work. Over one-third of participants have missed an opportunity to become employed and almost one-quarter have lost a job due to lack of transportation.

"One of the biggest problems for persons with disabilities in the State is that they lack transportation to needed support services," said Judith M. Espinosa, Director of the ATRI.  "No matter how good the support service, if the client does not have transportation, accessing that service is not an option."

The report showed that almost half of those study participants who were unable to drive, rely on family and friends for transportation to medical services, and over one-third of participants have missed at least one medical or rehabilitation appointment in the last 12 months due to lack of transportation.

"Half the participants who routinely use public transit reported that it is not available when needed," said Mr. Putnam. "It is obvious that expanded transit operations could make an important difference in the lives of persons with disabilities. Start-up of new transit systems in communities without public transit would be helpful as well."

"Reasonable efficiencies of transportation services across the board could more easily be achieved if transportation options were integrated among all the State's clients who need services. Coordination among all State agencies funding transportation services is a must in these times of lean budgets," Ms. Espinosa said.

The Executive Summary and full report, which was released in December 2002, is online at the ATR Institute Web site (www.unm.edu/~atr/DevDis2002.pdf).

Judith M. Espinosa said, "The paper discusses how development and use of CRRAFT has spurred continued coordination between transit providers and state agencies with clientele who need affordable, reliable public transportation to access life services. The CRRAFT technology bridges the gap between the rural New Mexico transit providers whose offices are staffed by only two to three people and the governmental funding agencies requiring specialized reports showing how clients are being served."

CRRAFT Presentation with Viewer

CRRAFT PowerPoint Presentation (PowerPoint file)
15th National Rural Public and Intercity Bus Transportation Conference
Huron, Ohio
October 27-30, 2002

CRRAFT Presentation with Viewer
(same presentation as above with HTML slide viewer)

The United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA) is the country’s largest grassroots foreign policy organization, and the leading center of policy research on the United Nations. It is a nonprofit, nonpartisan group designed to educate Americans of every age about critical issues tackled by the UN. With a growing membership of 25,000 and more than 100 affiliated organizations, UNA-USA sponsors programs and events designed to encourage participation in global issues. Through its Business Council for the United Nations division, UNA-USA also works to promote increased cooperation between the UN and the business community.

Congressman Blumenauer is a Democrat from Portland, Oregon. He is the Congressional leader and spokesman for the Livable Communities movement, which helps ensure that communities are safe, healthy and economically secure through policies that encourage smart growth, environmental responsibility, economic vitality, and more diverse transportation and housing choices. He serves on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the House International Relations Committee and is active on trade, technology, defense and environmental issues. For more information on Congressman Blumenauer go to www.house.gov/blumenauer/.

Congressman Udall is a Democrat from New Mexico. He serves on the House Committee on Resources and has been a powerful voice for the environment. Congressman Udall has established programs to preserve clean air and water, protect open space, and fought for sound conservation measures. For more information on Congressman Udall go to www.house.gov/tomudall/.

Sponsoring organizations:

The Alliance for Transportation Research
The Surface Transportation Policy Project
The Great American Station Foundation
1000 Friends of New Mexico

Transit systems in small- and medium-sized New Mexico communities can now log-on to CRRAFT and view or enter data on their Web browsers, streamlining operations such as client scheduling, planning or updating routes, and recording or tracking vehicle usage. CRRAFT can generate routine reports such as drivers’ logs, vehicle maintenance, or the types and numbers of monthly rides given. In addition, CRRAFT electronically produces financial management and administrative reports and provides the user with other tools to increase efficiency in accounting.

The U. S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Joint Program Office; the Public Transportation Programs Bureau (PTPB), New Mexico Highway and Transportation Department (NMSHTD); and the New Mexico Human Services Department have been the major funding agencies for ATRI to develop the CRRAFT software. The primary impetus for the software development was continuing efforts by the ATRI and New Mexico State agencies to expand rural transit programs for the working poor and those moving from welfare to work. During the 1997-2002 fiscal years, Congress provided federal funding to the FTA and the Health and Human Services Department for low-income persons and welfare recipients. Federal agencies have provided an increase in grants to New Mexico and other states, with the incentive that states move to provide additional coordinated public transportation efforts to their residents.

Judith M. Espinosa, ATRI Director, explained: "Rural transit providers are small operations having office staffs of two or three people at most. The use of CRRAFT spurs continued coordination between transit providers and state agencies with clientele who need affordable, reliable public transportation to access life services. The CRRAFT technology bridges the gap between these transit providers and the governmental funding agencies requiring specialized reports showing how clients are being served."

"This system may become a model program for the deployment of rural intelligent transportation technology," says transportation specialist William Wiggins of the FTA Office of Research, Demonstration, and Innovation in Washington, DC. "Our office supports new technologies that will provide efficiencies in public transportation systems and allow for greater mobility of rural residents. The CRRAFT is an attractive Internet-based management technology tool for public transportation agencies in states with large rural populations."

Field testing of the software has been completed and user training with 27 of the state's rural transit providers continues through September. ATRI will continue to enhance the functionality of the software as new users from other regions are added.

The Congressional hearing examined the current planning practices and innovative ideas on transportation planning and smart growth that promote both economic and sustainable development in connection with regional, state, and local partners.  Ms. Espinosa addressed specific issues such as the appropriate linkage between transportation planning, land use planning, economic development planning, and growth management.  In addition, she addressed how the transportation planning program can most effectively advance economic growth and sustainable development.

Judith Espinosa's Testimony for EPW Hearing
Tom Downs' Testimony for EPW Hearing

 Institute and Registration Information (PDF)

The ATRI was one of a few select presenters at the “Communicating the Future Conference: Best Practices for Communication of Science and Technology” at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg, MD. The aim of the conference was to assemble a comprehensive set of “national best practices” for communicating science and technology to the public. The goals of the conference were to increase the public’s involvement in science and technology issues.

Generated by an open call for papers, the best practices papers were selected by a distinguished panel of science writers, educators, and researchers. ATRI staff Nancy Bennett and Mary E. White co-authored the paper that was submitted to the best practices conference, “Using the Internet for Stakeholder Outreach: A Case Study of the Transportation Resource Exchange Center.”  The papers describe science and technology communications projects in one or more of the following program categories: direct to consumer, scientist-based, for the general media, for the specialized media, for legislators and opinion leaders and/or for children (outside of classroom instruction). The projects which typify best practices can be easily adapted by other organizations. Other criteria used to select best practice presentations included: Strategic targeting of one or more audiences; use of research before and measures of effectiveness after a communication program is conducted; involvement of technical experts in the program; and inclusion of information on both the product and process of scientific research.

T-REX Program to Make Presentations - ATRI's T-REX Program will make presentations at two meetings:

• In November 2001 at the Thirteenth Technical Information Exchange (TIE) Workshop to be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at Sandia National Laboratories.
• In January 2002 at the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting to be held in Washington, DC.

Background - On August 22, 1996 President William J. Clinton signed Public Law 104-193, the "Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 which reforms decades old federal welfare law by terminating the entitlement program, Aid to Families with Dependent Child and beginning a new work program, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF).

The TANF program gives both States and Federally recognized Indian tribes new flexibility in the design of welfare programs which promote work and responsibility and strengthen families. The purpose of the new law is to support programs designed to provide assistance to needy families so that children may be cared for in their own homes or in the homes of relatives; reduce dependency on public benefits by promoting job preparation, work,, and marriage; prevent and reduce the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies; and encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent families. Thus, the new legislation provides both challenges and opportunities to help needy families.

Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, is a non-profit membership society of nearly 75,000 scientists and engineers who were elected to the Society because of their research achievements or potential.  Sigma Xi has more than 500 chapters at universities and colleges, government laboratories and industry research centers.  In addition to publishing American Scientist, Sigma Xi awards grants annually to promising young researchers, holds forums on critical issues at the intersection of science and society, and sponsors a variety of programs supporting honor in science and engineering, science education, science policy and the public understanding of science.

In a separate ceremony held on May 8, 2001, Thomas and Ken also received special recognition from the ATR Institute (ATRI) and the Department of Civil Engineering. Acknowledgement for their work and years of service to the ATRI and Department of Civil Engineering was marked by the presentation of plaques of appreciation and commemoration. Judith Espinosa, Director of the ATRI, and Gordon McKeen, Associate Director of the Materials Research Center, along with Lary Lenke, Senior Research Engineer, Department of Civil Engineering, presented the awards to Thomas and Ken in a meeting held at the ATRI.

Ruth Hashimoto's Washington Trip - Ruth Hashimoto of the ATR Institute visited Washington, DC, in March 2001 to attend a Sister Cities International Board Meeting.  Although she has retired her active membership of the board, she has retained an honorary board membership as well as a special interest in the organization. 

ATRI Staff Attend Annual TRB Meeting - Elaine Brouillard and R. Gordon McKeen presented research at the 80th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board in Washington D.C. in January 7-11, 2001. Ms. Brouillard presented Native American Voices in New Mexico: Tribal Opposition to Transportation Corridor through Petroglyph National Monument in a poster session. Mr. McKeen co-authored the research Virtual Environment for Transportation Data Management System with Koon Meng Chua, John Burge, and George Luger. Dr. Chua, the principal author, presented the paper.

In the TRAM, the information seeker is provided with user-friendly, plain English key words, key phrases, and search categories. T-REX Tips, which are given when multiple organizations result from a single search, help the user distinguish the subtle differences in function between these organizations. Once the appropriate organization is identified, the user can view background information on that organization, the information products that the organization produces, the corporate affiliations that the organization maintains with other organizations, and the personnel who comprise the organization.

The T-REX TRAM database and search engine is continually evolving to provide current information on all groups of stakeholder in the process of radioactive materials and waste transportation. User feedback is actively sought so that the language, jargon and meanings most relevant to stakeholders are used to organize the database, drive the search engine and produce the search results.

New Mexico Receives JARC Funding for FY 2001 - On October 23, 2000, President Clinton signed into law H.R. 4475, the "Department of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001."  

The Act contains Job Access and Reverse Commute funding earmarked by Congress for the City of Las Cruces ($260,000), Dona Ana County ($250,000), and the State Highway and Transportation Department's Public Transportation Programs Bureau ($2,000,000).  

Job Access Grants (also known as Section 3037) fund transportation projects that improve low income workers' access to job sites. The funds may also be used to transport these workers' children to childcare.  Reverse Commute grants are used to improve access to suburban jobs for people of all incomes who live in rural or inner city environments.

In addition to these earmarked funds, municipalities and states competed for JARC funds through the Federal Transit Administration's competitive process. Competitive grant applications require submission of detailed project outlines and budgets, demographic and statistical information on the project area, consultation with the communities to be served, and letters of support.

New Mexico has three winners. The City of Santa Fe was awarded $315,000.  The City of Las Cruces was awarded $260,000. The Public Transportation Programs Bureau was awarded $601,190 for several rural projects in a grant written by the ATR Institute.

All JARC grants require a 50% state or local match, but states may use other federal (non-transportation department) funds such as Community Block Grants, Welfare-to-Work, Workforce Investment Act, and TANF funds as match.

Congratulations to the Cities of the Las Cruces and Santa Fe and to the Public Transportation Programs Bureau.

Under Congressional mandates passed in 1996, welfare recipients must work in order to continue to receive benefits.  But the lack of transportation alternatives is often a significant barrier to those welfare recipients because of gaps between where recipients live and where jobs are located.  Data gathered in the Transportation Toolkit show that 80 percent of welfare recipients interviewed do not have access to a car for more than three days a week because the vehicle is not working or they have no money for gas.  Problems are compounded by inadequate public transportation in many areas of the State.

The Transportation Toolkit brings together in one location, detailed information about the transportation needs and resources of New Mexico communities trying to implement welfare reform.

"The databases compiled for the Transportation Toolkit provide comprehensive information, some of which has never been collected before," said ATRI Director Judith Espinosa.  "Welfare recipients often need a variety of support services ranging from child care to substance abuse counseling, from parenting classes to employment training.  This Transportation Toolkit provides detailed information showing recipient locations and the destinations they must access for a successful transition to long-term meaningful employment," Espinosa said.

Matthew Baca, ATRI Information Research Manager, also said that by providing such all-inclusive information in one spot, the Transportation Toolkit will enable State departments to coordinate their responses.  "State agencies can make more efficient use of taxpayer money by reducing the duplication of transportation services existing in the State, while also enhancing their response to the transportation needs of welfare recipients," he added.

Over 300 Transportation Toolkits are also being distributed to tribal governments, public libraries in counties, universities and colleges, and nonprofit organizations around the State.

The Transportation Toolkit full report can be found on the ATRI web site at www.unm.edu/~atr/w-t-w.html.

The Alliance for Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) in cooperation with the US Department of Energy's National Transportation Program (NTP) has launched the Transportation Resource Exchange Center—T-REX—a Virtual Library containing over 600 web site links and cataloguing more than 50,000 pages of detailed original documents relating to all facets of radioactive materials transportation. "This is the most unique and comprehensive database for information relating to the transportation of radioactive materials available today," said ATRI Director Judith Espinosa. "Users will no longer have to search for hours to locate the information they need. All levels of users from national policy makers to students will benefit from T-REX," she added.

The T-REX Virtual Library is divided into major subject categories such as Shipping Routes, Carriers, Packaging, Laws and Regulations, States and Sovereign Indian Nations, International Issues, Current News, Environmental Management, and Emergency Management.

T-REX will be constantly updated and is provided as a public service. Users can contact

T-REX by phone, toll-free, at 1-877-287-TREX, or by email at trex@unm.edu.

From stories like York's, state welfare workers have long known that a major barrier to moving welfare recipients into the work force is simply getting people to work--literally.  

Now, a new state study shines light on the scope of welfare recipients' transportation problems.  At the same time, it offers recommendations and a wealth of data to be put toward solutions.  

Called "Moving Forward:  A Transportation Toolkit for Welfare Reform," the report is intended to be a reference database for moving people to job training and employment.  It provides a detailed analysis of the transportation resources and needs across the state.  

"What we're trying to point out in our study is we need to move toward more coordinated transit systems," said Judith Espinosa, director of the Alliance for Transportation Research Institute at The University of New Mexico, which conducted the $200,000 study.  

In many communities, Espinosa said, various agencies provide transportation--but each only to a specific group of clients, such as Head Start students, senior citizens, or disabled residents.  Getting the various transit systems to work together could offer opportunities--available seats in the bus or van--for welfare-to-work parents, she said.  

"The thrust of all this work was to say:  How can we start coordinating and collaborating our resources, because we are a poor state," Espinosa said.  

"It's a big job.  It's going to take a lot of work," she said.  "But we're starting to implement already some of the recommendations, so it's not just a study that's going to sit on the shelf."

Lawrence Quintana, community services director for the city of Las Vegas, N.M., is helping coordinate a daily welfare-to-work shuttle to Santa Fe.  He hopes to have the van running within two weeks.  

"The idea is to expand the job opportunities into Santa Fe.  It has to happen," he said.  "Right now, we don't have the jobs."  

The Las Vegas ride-to-work program will also offer welfare recipients transportation within Las Vegas, between Pecos and Santa Fe, and from Las Vegas to Raton, Quintana said.  The program is one of 12 already contracted with the State Highway and Transportation Department, which has $3.9 million available from New Mexico's federal welfare grant to transport welfare parents in search of job training or work.  

"They need the transportation if they want to get jobs," Quintana said.  "We're trying to expand the job opportunities for a community like Las Vegas that has minimal jobs.  

People are really appreciative.  They've said we've needed transportation, that we're finally catching up to the needs of the community."  

Of 440 welfare recipients surveyed for the study, as many as 85 percent need transportation assistance to get their children to child care.  Half of those surveyed have a vehicle with a trade-in value of less than $620.

Marise McFadden, deputy director of the State Income Support Division, said the variety of circumstances throughout urban and rural New Mexico will likely require many different solutions.  

"There's not going to be one best strategy," she said.  

Among the study's suggestions:  

• Establish "charity car" programs with donated vehicles for low-cost lease by nonprofit agencies to welfare recipients.  The program has been successful in five other states, Espinsoa said.  

• Tie in carpools to "feeder services" such as a school bus or senior-center van that drops off riders at a set pickup point for the private commuter pool.

• Locate human services, work-force-development, child-care, and educational facilities close together.  Consider the feasibility of mobile substance abuse treatment facilities to underserved areas.

• Establish a "voluntary relocation fund" to provide moving costs to welfare recipients who choose to move to communities where jobs and transportation are more available.