Monday, November 17, 2014

Passenger Rail Forum

The Toledo Amtrak station is the busiest passenger rail station in Ohio with more than 85,000 passengers in 2013. There is a strong regional interest in train travel in the general public as can be seen in the large crowds that attend National Train Day Toledo in May. The Northwest Ohio Passenger Rail Association (NOPRA) and TMACOG presented a Passenger Rail Forum for everyone interested in train transportation Monday, November 17.

The keynote speaker for this year’s event was David King, general manager of Triangle Transit in the Durham/Raleigh/Chapel Hill region of North Carolina. King is a former leader of the North Carolina Department of Transportation rail division where he was instrumental in extending passenger rail in the state. He is past chair of Reconnecting America, an organization working to redefine national policies on intercity travel for a convenient, secure, financially viable, and sustainable network. 

The forum also included a panel discussion with public transit experts:
·         Rob Greenlese, Commissioner, Ohio Rail Development Commission
·         Gabriel Hall, President, US RAIL Corporation

·         Royce Maniko, AICP, Manager of Community Planning–Michigan, The Mannik & Smith Group

Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments | www.tmacog.org

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Save the Date - 2015 General Assembly of TMACOG Members

General Assembly of the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments
Wednesday, January 21, 2015, 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Holiday Inn French Quarter, Perrysburg
Educating for Innovation: How Colleges and Universities Create Entrepreneurs

Join area educators, elected officials, business leaders, and economic development professionals for a focus on education. The Bowling Green State University, College of Business will provide the keynote. Speakers are Gene Poor, the Hamilton Endowed Professor of Entrepreneurship; and Kirk Kern, director of the Dallas-Hamilton Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership.

In a panel discussion, representatives from the region’s community colleges and universities will discuss how they work with business and industry to educate the next generation of smart, nimble business leaders.


For more information contact
Jennifer Allen at
allen@tmacog.org, or 419.241.9155 ext. 107.

Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments | www.tmacog.org

Friday, November 7, 2014

Gas Cap Testing and Replacement Report

Although people in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan are not required to have environmental checks on their cars, hundreds of drivers volunteer every year to have gas caps on their passenger vehicles tested for leaks. An annual summer program provides free replacements for leaky gas caps.

In 2014, there were 23 testing events in Lucas and Wood counties and one in Lambertville, Michigan. One hundred forty-four of 910 tested gas caps (nearly 16 percent) failed the compression test and were replaced with new gas caps. 

Monday, November 3, 2014

Practice Your Roundabout Skills Online

Several roundabout intersections are under construction in northwest Ohio. This interactivevideo allows drivers to choose various scenarios and learn how to navigate different situations. How should bicyclists use a roundabout? What if a fire truck is coming? How do you make a left hand turn in a two-lane roundabout?

Annual Passenger Rail Forum

Learn about what’s new in passenger rail and meet with transit professionals at the annual Passenger Rail Forum, Monday, November 17, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Toledo Club. TMACOG Public Transit & Passenger Rail Committee and the Northwest Ohio Passenger Rail Association (NOPRA) are hosts. The luncheon and meeting are open to the public.

The keynote speaker for this year’s event is David King, general manager of Triangle Transit in the Durham/Raleigh/Chapel Hill region of  North Carolina. King is a former leader of the North Carolina Department of Transportation rail division where he was instrumental in extending passenger rail in the state. He is board chair of Reconnecting America, an organization working to redefine national policies on intercity travel for a convenient, secure, financially viable and sustainable network. 


Registration for the forum is required. Log on to PassengerRailForum.eventbrite.com. Tickets are $28 for NOPRA members, $34 for non-members, and $20 for students. For more information, contact NOPRA at NWOhioPassengerRail@gmail.com, or Diane Reamer-Evans at TMACOG at 419.241.9155 ext. 117. 

Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments | www.tmacog.org