HARTFORD, Conn. The Northeast Passenger Transportation Association and the Federal Transit Administration are jointly sponsoring a three-day conference and exposition in mid-March that will focus on critical public transportation issues.

Attendance by both private and public ground passenger transportation executives is being encouraged.

The conference/expo centerpiece will be a discussion of the important federal highway and public transportation reauthorization legislation that will be considered by Congress later this year.

A panel, composed of both private and public bus industry association leaders, will offer their views on the omnibus public transit and highway reauthorization legislation.

Included on the panel are United Motorcoach Association President and CEO Victor Parra and American Bus Association President and CEO Peter Pantuso, plus top leaders from public transportation organizations.

Other sessions and panel discussions will deal with public-private partnerships, bus maintenance, the federal economic recovery program and its implementation, and public transportation planning, project development, program management and oversight, civil rights and joint development.

Speakers and presenters will include Richard H. Doyle, regional administrator of the FTA; Joseph F. Marie, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Transportation, and Joan McDonald, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development. Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell has been invited to speak.

Most sessions will take place in the headquarters hotel, the Hartford Marriott Downtown, while the transportation expo will be in the nearby Connecticut Convention Center.

The conference begins with a reception March 17 and ends at noon March 19.

For registration and other information contact the FTA Region One office at (617) 494-2055; Mary Beth Mello, FTA deputy regional administrator, at (617) 494-1784 or e-mail mary.mello@dot.gov, or e-mail Chris Anzuoni of Plymouth & Brockton St. Railway and Brush Hill Transit at CAnzuoni@P-B.com.