WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is a statement by American Public Transportation Association (APTA) President William Millar:

"On behalf of the 1,500 member organizations of the American Public Transportation Association, I applaud President Obama for addressing the very important issue of creating American jobs in his State of the Union address.

I am especially pleased that President Obama recognizes that investment in transportation infrastructure is one of the key ways that Americans can get back to work.  Our nation has a backlog of transportation projects that need to be addressed, and passing a jobs bill to employ Americans in infrastructure rebuilding is a solid policy.  In regard to public transportation investment, research shows that for every $1 billion invested in public transportation capital and operations, 36,000 jobs are supported and created.  

I also praise the president for taking the historic step of bringing the vision of high-speed passenger rail to fruition in the United States.  Both public transit and high-speed rail will create hundreds of thousands of long-term, good, 'green' American jobs.   We stand ready to build a new industry that will help bring economic prosperity to this great nation."

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is a nonprofit international association of 1,500 public and private member organizations, engaged in the areas of bus, paratransit, light rail, commuter rail, subways, waterborne passenger services, and high-speed rail. This includes: transit systems; planning, design, construction, and finance firms; product and service providers; academic institutions; transit associations and state departments of transportation. APTA members serve the public interest by providing safe, efficient and economical transit services and products. More than 90 percent of the people using public transportation in the United States and Canada are served by APTA member systems.

SOURCE American Public Transportation Association