Van Hollen, Fetterman Reintroduce Legislation to Bolster Public Transit Across the Country

Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and John Fetterman (D-Pa.) reintroduced their Moving Transit Forward Act, legislation to boost federal funding for state and local transit to improve service, safety, and reliability for riders. The lawmakers’ bill creates a new federal funding program under the U.S. Department of Transportation to provide state and local transit agencies with additional resources to cover the costs of adding new routes, increasing service frequency, preventing cuts to current services, and improving safety for customers and workers, among other investments to improve rider experiences. In addition to Senators Van Hollen and Fetterman, the legislation is cosponsored by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).

“Public transit connects our communities and boosts our economy while creating jobs and reducing congestion on our roads. That means there’s a lot riding on these systems to run at their best,” said Senator Van Hollen. “This bill will help ensure that transit agencies have the resources they need to provide consistently safe and efficient service to the millions of Americans who depend on public transit every day.”

“Like I’ve said before, public transit is the backbone of our communities. Hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians in both red and blue counties rely on these services every day to get where they need to go,” said Senator Fetterman. “As transit agencies like SEPTA and PRT are being forced to divert critical capital improvement and maintenance funds just to keep trains and buses running, it’s more important than ever that we step up to provide them with the support and reliable funding they need to deliver for our communities. I’m proud to join Senator Van Hollen once again in leading the Moving Transit Forward Act, which will help our public transit systems avoid service cuts, add new routes, and improve safety on board.”

“Marylanders rely on public transit – whether it's our buses, Metro, Amtrak, planes, and more – it’s how we stay connected. The Moving Transit Forward Act provides the resources our communities need to keep our transit system operating efficiently – adding routes, increasing service, and improving safety. Let’s get this bill passed so we can keep moving,” said Senator Alsobrooks.

“The Moving Transit Forward Act boosts federal funding for state and local transit agencies—helping travelers get where they need to go on time,” said Senator Blumenthal. “By providing transit agencies with the additional resources they need to add new routes, increase frequency, and bolster public safety, our measure will strengthen overall service and improve rider experiences across the board.”

“Hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans rely every day on public transit to get to school, work, doctors’ offices, and more,” said Senator Booker. “This legislation will ensure that transit agencies in our state get the resources they need to improve reliability, expand service, and get New Jerseyans to their destinations safely and on time.”

“Americans deserve access to efficient public transit options to help them get to school, get to work or wherever they need to go,” said Senator Duckworth. “Investing in our public transit systems is critical to improving access and expanding opportunities, and this legislation would do exactly that. I’m proud to help introduce this important bill with Senators Van Hollen and Fetterman and I’ll continue working to help make sure our transit works for everyone.”

“Millions of New Yorkers rely on public transit to get to school, work, doctor’s appointments, and more. Ensuring that transit agencies have the resources they need to operate safely and reliably is crucial to give New Yorkers the mobility they deserve,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The Moving Transit Forward Act will provide transit agencies with the federal dollars necessary to help prevent cuts to current services, cover the costs of adding new routes, and improve safety, allowing public transit riders to get where they need to go in a safe and timely manner. I’m proud to support this legislation, and I will do everything I can to get it passed.”

“More transit means lower costs, cleaner air, and fewer road fatalities,” said Senator Markey. “The lack of robust transit service in many communities is one reason why transportation is the second largest household expense, the top contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, and the second leading cause of death among children. The Moving Transit Forward Act finally provides communities the resources they need to tackle all these problems at once—making daily travel more affordable, driving down emissions, and saving lives.”

“Our communities thrive when good public transportation is available, and residents suffer when trains and buses run infrequently, or services are reduced. The Moving Transit Forward Act is a new direction for public transportation in our nation’s cities: it provides investment for transit agencies to operate more buses and trains on existing routes, add new routes and improve safety, and it provides more flexibility to transit agencies, helping prevent service cuts when economic headwinds stretch local budgets,” said Senator Warren. “Transit agencies, the transit workers who deliver service every day, and Americans who use transit all support this bill – Congress should take it up.”

Many transit providers are struggling with a self-defeating cycle of service cuts and declines in ridership because they cannot afford to make the necessary investments in their operations. Existing federal funding sources for large state and local transit agencies are not fully available for operational purposes; they are generally eligible only for capital expenses such as construction and state-of-good-repair maintenance in larger metropolitan areas. By creating a new fund for service expenses and safety and security improvements, the Moving Transit Forward Act will ensure agencies can enhance the consistency and reliability of service for transit customers, even in the event of budget shortfalls resulting from declines in fare revenue – ultimately helping spur an increase in ridership and recovery of revenue. This legislation does not permit state and local governments to substitute their existing funding with the provided federal resources. The recipient of the new federal funding must maintain the same level of non-federal funding as the most recent fiscal year to ensure that service is expanded or previously cut services are restored.

The text of the legislation is available here.

The Moving Transit Forward Act is endorsed by the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), the National Campaign for Transit Justice, the SMART Transportation Division, the Transportation Trades Department-AFL-CIO, and the Transport Workers Union (TWU), the Maryland Department of Transportation, the Central Maryland Transportation Alliance, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

“Transit systems are struggling to keep service on street and service cuts have unfortunately become commonplace, especially for people of color and low-income families. Through a transformational bill reintroduced by Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), our transit systems could see substantial investments in operations funding through the Moving Transit Forward Act,” said John Costa, International President of the Amalgamated Transit Union, the largest organization representing transit workers in North America. “Operations funding is critical to getting people safely and on time to work, school, and other destinations. We urge Congress to pass this bill immediately to ensure we keep our communities moving.”

“This bill is a gamechanger for transit agencies across the country. Transit is not just important, it is essential. It is essential to our communities, local economies, and the lives of millions of people across the country. Essential workers rely on and operate transit, small businesses depend on transit, and historically marginalized communities depend on transit. Transit is not just a key component of economic recovery, it's the lifeline to a more environmentally sustainable society and a road to equity for disconnected communities, rural, urban and suburban. And this bill will help ensure that transit is well funded,” said LeeAnn Hall, Director of the National Campaign for Transit Justice.

“SMART-TD strongly supports Senator Van Hollen in this effort to make federal transit funding work for the people on the front lines of our nation’s transportation systems. The Moving Transit Forward Act empowers communities to direct essential safety funding where it’s needed most: protecting operators, passengers, and the public by making transit systems safer and more secure for everyone,” said Jared Cassity, National Safety & Legislative Director, SMART Transportation Division

“As America's largest transportation labor federation, representing transit workers across the country, we know federal funding is essential to keep public transportation programs going,” said Greg Regan, President of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO. “At a time when mass transit agencies are confronting a funding death spiral, we must allow greater flexibility for federal funding to support operating expenses in addition to capital expenses. We commend Senators Van Hollen and Fetterman for reintroducing the Moving Transit Forward Act to allow for this flexible funding use and better sustain public transit services.”

“Funding the day-to-day operation of transit is critical for the traveling public and hardworking Transport Workers Union members. Right now, the federal government can fund new equipment for transit agencies but can’t pay transit workers to operate that equipment. This bill fixes a funding structure that doesn’t make sense,” said TWU International President John Samuelsen. “Congress needs to make a change or else transit agencies will have brand new trains and buses sitting empty without anyone to operate or maintain them."

State and local transit leaders from Maryland also expressed support for boosting federal funding for transit operations.

“Everyday millions of Marylanders across the state depend on buses and trains to take them to work, school, medical appointments and life’s opportunities. As a state that supports the Maryland Transit Administration and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority — two of the country’s largest transit agencies— as well many high-quality local transit systems throughout Maryland, there is a great need for federal operating assistance to help maintain and expand access to frequent and reliable transit,” said Maryland Department of Transportation Acting Secretary Samantha J. Biddle. “The Moving Transit Forward Act will provide the critical investment needed to further connect Americans and create economic growth nationwide.”

“Investing in operations, not just capital, will unlock the potential in our nation’s transit systems. In Maryland it will help kids get to school and people get to jobs quickly and efficiently, so we all benefit,” said Brian O’Malley, President and CEO, Central Maryland Transportation Alliance.