Fetterman, Van Hollen reintroduce legislation to bolster public transit across the country
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), joined by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Edward Markey (D-MA), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), reintroduced their Moving Transit Forward Act to boost federal funding for state and local transit to improve service, safety, and reliability for riders. The 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.
“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.”
“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.”
“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 Actprovides 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.”
According to PennDOT’s Fiscal Year 2022-2023 annual performance report, nearly one million Pennsylvanians rely on public transit every day; however, many of our transit providers are struggling with operating budget deficits that threaten service cuts in our communities. Pennsylvanians saw the effects of these deficits firsthand when SEPTA was forced to temporarily institute across-the-board service cuts in southeastern Pennsylvania. When state legislators could not reach an agreement to provide our transit agencies with a long-term, recurring funding source, Pennsylvania’s largest public transit providers, SEPTA and PRT, dug into funds normally reserved for maintenance and repairs just to keep trains and buses running. The Moving Transit Forward Act will ensure that our transit agencies aren’t forced into this impossible position by providing them with the funding and certainty they need to keep our communities moving.
Importantly, the Moving Transit Forward Act does not allow state and local governments to substitute their existing funding with the federal resources provided through the bill. 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 Moving Transit Forward Act is endorsed by Transit for All PA!, Transit Forward Philadelphia, 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 International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).
“We are grateful to Senator Fetterman for fighting for public transportation and the millions of Pennsylvanians who rely on it every day. SEPTA is facing unprecedented funding challenges, and a robust federal funding program is a cornerstone of SEPTA’s state of good repair and vehicle replacement priorities. As we work with transit agencies across Pennsylvania on sustainable statewide transit funding to maintain service, additional federal transit investment would provide critical operating stability,” said SEPTA General Manager Scott A. Sauer.
“Public transit is a vital lifeline for millions of people – whether you’re a parent juggling childcare and work, a senior heading to a medical appointment, or a commuter trying to avoid traffic. At Pittsburgh Regional Transit, we’re incredibly grateful to the leaders fighting to keep transit front and center in the conversation. The Moving Transit Forward Act would provide long-overdue federal support for transit operations without cutting into the capital investments we rely on to keep our vehicles and infrastructure in good shape. This sustained federal investment would strengthen our ability to preserve service, keep fares affordable, and ensure long-term sustainability,” said Pittsburgh Regional Transit CEO Katharine Kelleman.
“Public transportation is a vital public service in each of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties. Meeting the future mobility needs of Pennsylvanians in communities large and small will require new investment from all levels of government. The new federal operating formula program proposed in the Moving Transit Forward Actoffers the promise of future federal funding to support and increase transit service. We appreciate Senator Fetterman’s proactive efforts to ensure Pennsylvanians have the transit service they deserve and look forward to supporting his efforts to include this proposal in the next surface transportation authorization,” said Sheila Gombita, Pennsylvania Public Transit Association (PPTA) Board Chair and Executive Director of Freedom Transit.
“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.
“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.”
The full bill text can be found here.
