Senator Fetterman introduces legislation to support U.S. public transportation services

On Tuesday, Senator John Fetterman (D-PA), along with Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), announced introduction of legislation that provides additional federal funding to transit agencies across the country.  

The Moving Transit Transit Forward Act, as its known, creates a new federal funding program under the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration to supply transit agencies with resources additional to their operating budget. The act will also help cover the cost of increasing the number of routes available, increasing service frequency, preventing cuts to current services, and improving safety. 

In Pennsylvania, approximately 338,000 people use public transportation as their primary way of getting to work, according to a 2019 PennDOT survey. This makes it the third highest public transit commuter state across the country.

Sen. Fetterman spoke on the need for retaining and improving public transportation for Pennsylvanians, and people across the country.

"Public transit is the heartbeat of our communities," Sen. Fetterman said. "Hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians rely on it to get to school, work, the doctor – you name it. But across the commonwealth, some of our transit agencies are being left behind, and Pennsylvania families are paying the price. The Moving Transit Forward Act will make it so transit agencies can get the federal dollars they need to strengthen service by adding new routes, increasing service, and improving safety on board. Simply put, this bill will help make sure Pennsylvanians can get where they need to go – and get them there on time. I'm proud to lead it with Senator Van Hollen." 

Pittsburgh Regional Transit CEO, Katharine Kelleman said, "Public transit in a vital lifeline that serves and supports millions of people across Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and our nation. Regardless of whether you're a single parent picking your kids up at childcare, a senior going to a doctor's appointment, or a businessperson who simply wants to avoid sitting in traffic or paying for parking, increased funding to support public transit is a win across the board. PRT applauds Sen. Fetterman and our supporters at every level of government for keeping public transit at the forefront of this important conversation."

In some communities, transit service levels are rebounding quickly after the pandemic, but that does not mean providers of these services aren't still facing an array of service cuts resulting in the inability to make investments in their operations. With the Moving Transit Forward Act, these agencies will have access to a new funds for service expenses, safety upgrades, and security refinements. 

However, 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 Moving Transit Forward Act is endorsed by several transit unions and transit support coalitions, including the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), Transit for All PA, and Pittsburgh Regional Transit. 

John Costa, International President of the Amalgamated Transit Union, the largest transit union in North America, said, "With the transit systems across the country strapped for cash and federal COVID relief funding running out, cuts to bus and subway service have unfortunately become commonplace, especially in low-income communities where people rely on public transit. Through the transformational bill, the Moving Transit Forward Act of 2024, introduced by Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Senator John Fetterman (D-PA), our transit systems could see a substantial increase in operations funding. The importance of operations funding cannot be overstated, it's the lifeblood of our transit systems. We can have the latest technology and equipment, but if we don't invest in our service, workforce, and day-to-day operations, including maintenance, then we're left with empty and unsafe transit systems."