Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Campaign Contributions

Know Your Transportation Lobbyists: Transit Beats Roads — Sort Of

Transportation lobbying is a complicated universe, in which multi-issue environmental groups can be as active as organizations that exist only to influence infrastructure decision-making.

But to shed some more light on a cast of characters that Streetsblog Capitol Hill began introducing last month, it's worth exploring who represents Washington's two largest transportation players and how much those groups have spent this year.

aashto.jpg(Logo: FHWA)

The American Association of State and Highway Transportation Officials, or AASHTO, is the road lobby's leading voice, reporting more than $53 million in annual revenue on its most recent publicly available Internal Revenue Service (IRS) filing.

With a membership of state-level public officials, AASHTO does not employ in-house lobbyists but contracts out with several firms, spending $270,000 in the first half of this year, according to congressional disclosures.

AASHTO's team includes Jack Schenendorf of Covington & Burling, a former chief of staff on the House transportation committee who advised the Bush administration's DOT transition team in 2001, and Brett Thompson of the International Government Relations Group, a firm run by his former boss, ex-Sen. Jim Talent (R-MO).

The other lobbyists reporting work for AASHTO this year are William Malley of Perkins Coie, whose experience lies in environmental review of infrastructure projects, and Kathy Ruffalo-Farnsworth, a veteran staffer for members of both parties who helped craft the 2005 federal transportation bill before Congress appointed her to serve on a high-profile commission that examined the system's financing challenges.

APTA_colour_logo.gif(Logo: Novax)

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA), which represents local transit agencies as well as companies involved in transit networks, reported $21 million in annual revenue in its most recent IRS filing.

APTA spent $720,000 on in-house lobbying during the first half of this year, according to its congressional disclosures -- more than double the amount AASHTO spent on outside consultants.

APTA also reported one outside contract with Ruffalo-Farnsworth and another with Clyburn Consulting, a firm led by William Clyburn Jr., former vice chairman of the national Surface Transportation Board and the cousin of House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC).

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Wednesday’s Headlines Are Bigger and Beautiful-er

There's a lot of bad news in the Big Beautiful Bill — but it also may have helped kill a major highway expansion in Oregon.

July 9, 2025

Removing ‘Rainbow Crosswalks’ Won’t Make America’s Arterials Safer

Secretary Duffy wants to tackle dangerous arterials. So why is he coming after rainbow crosswalks most often seen on narrow city roads?

July 9, 2025

The ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ Is About Our Transportation Future, Too

Transportation didn't get a lot of mention in the public discussion of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. But it's everywhere.

July 8, 2025

Tuesday’s Headlines of Many Colors

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called rainbow crosswalks "a distraction" and called on cities to eliminate them.

July 8, 2025

Form-Based Codes Mean More Sustainable Cities

New research shows that prioritizing building "form" over their use leads to more sustainable cities.

July 8, 2025

Monday’s Headlines Are Big and Beautiful

The ginormous GOP tax and spending bill President Trump signed on July 4 will make the air dirtier, a lot of it from tailpipe emissions.

July 7, 2025
See all posts