APTA Members: Urge Your Senators to Support Public Transit Funding in Next Surface Transportation Authorization Bill

Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) is organizing a letter urging Senate Banking Committee and Appropriations Committee leaders to ensure robust public transit funding in the next Surface Transportation Authorization bill. Specifically, the letter urges the leaders to maintain current advance appropriations for public transit and ensure that at least 20 percent of new revenues to the Highway Trust Fund support public transportation.

APTA strongly encourages its members to ask their senators to support robust public transit investment and join Sen. Reed’s letter. The deadline for senators to sign the letter is Feb. 4, 6:00 p.m. Eastern.

Advance Appropriations

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) provides historic investment, including guaranteed funding, for public transit. The increased guaranteed funding is due in significant part because of an investment of $21.25 billion in advance appropriations over the five-year authorization act. Under the IIJA, advance appropriations support several critical capital programs including guaranteed funding for Buses and Bus Facilities, the All Stations Accessibility Program, and Capital Investment Grants. In fact, nearly one-half of total Buses and Bus Facilities funding under the IIJA are provided by advance appropriations.

APTA strongly supports increasing public transit investment, including guaranteed funding, in the next Surface Transportation Authorization bill. If Congress does not continue advance appropriations (or provide another form of guaranteed funding), guaranteed public transit investment would be cut by more than 20 percent. Sen. Reed’s letter urges Congress to provide at least $21.25 billion in advance appropriations in the next Surface Transportation Authorization bill.

Mass Transit Account of the Highway Trust Fund

The Highway Trust Fund, which includes a Highway Account and a Mass Transit Account, is principally financed by an 18.3 cent per gallon gasoline tax and 24.3 cent per gallon diesel tax. The Mass Transit Account receives 2.86 cents of the gasoline and diesel taxes, respectively. President Reagan signed the law establishing the Mass Transit Account in 1982.

Over the past four decades, Congress has dedicated 20 percent of all fuel tax increases to public transit investment.

The Highway Trust Fund has run at a significant deficit for several years, and the deficit is projected to grow to more than $150 billion over the next five years under current funding levels. APTA strongly supports any reasonable, bipartisan approach to provide new revenues dedicated to the Highway Trust Fund.

For any new revenues for the Highway Trust Fund, APTA urges that Congress ensure that at least 20 percent of the revenues be deposited into the Mass Transit Account of the Highway Trust Fund. Sen. Reed’s letter supports APTA’s position.

APTA members are encouraged to urge their senators to join Sen. Reed’s letter and support robust public transit investment in the next Surface Transportation Authorization bill.