APTA Webinar Addresses 2024 Election Results and Impact on Public Transportation
12/20/2024
APTA held a webinar, Dec. 12, on the 2024 election outcomes and the impacts on public transportation. More than 270 people participated.
APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas kicked off the webinar noting that over the past three years, nearly 11,500 public transit and passenger rail projects have been planned, started, or completed in large and small communities across the U.S. The industry can take pride, he said, “in how we are making life better for millions of Americans by investing in more accessible and modern public transit and passenger rail.” But now we must complete the job we started, he added, and make the full promise of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act a reality. This will mean working closely with the incoming Trump Administration, USDOT Secretary nominee Sean Duffy and his team, and a new Republican-led Congress.
Skoutelas emphasized the need to continue to explain the economic and business benefits of investing in public transportation throughout the push for full funding in FY25 and 26 THUD appropriations. This investment will help the industry maintain the foundation for enacting the next Surface Transportation Authorization Act. APTA, he said, will continue to advance the policies and principles on which the industry depends, as well as continue to be a respected and successful resource for legislators and government leaders of both political parties.
Ward McCarragher, APTA vice president, government affairs and advocacy, provided insight into the opportunities and challenges ahead in the 119th Congress and the new Administration. He noted that President-elect Trump is nominating former Representative and current Fox News co-host Sean Duffy as Secretary of Transportation. He noted that there are 66 new House members and 12 new Senators. These new DOT leaders and Members of Congress offer a key opportunity for APTA and its members to educate them on the importance of the public transportation industry and the economic and business impacts of public transportation investments.
McCarragher said some of the challenges and opportunities ahead include possible new executive orders and new tariffs; Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is expected to propose cuts to government spending and eliminate regulatory burdens; and possible budget cuts in transportation investments.
He urged members to tell their stories and speak with one voice as champions of public transportation. He also suggested meeting with the new members of Congress to tell them the benefits of public transit and emphasize the important work they are doing.
TJ Doyle, APTA vice president of communications and marketing, discussed the association’s advocacy communication messaging strategy and outlined opportunities for members ahead of the next Congress. He noted that many people prioritized the economy when casting their vote in November, choosing candidates who connected with them on immediate concerns for finances, families, and communities. The Congress they are sending to Washington, he said, will be looking to show progress before the midterm elections in 2026.
Fortunately, public transportation has an important story to tell, Doyle said. “We are contributing to America’s economic growth and success on a local, state, and national level. We benefit Americans in red states and blue states, big cities, and small communities. What’s more, the IIJA provided historic investments in transit and infrastructure that are reaching communities in all U.S. states and territories.”
APTA and its members need to give Congress a clear and consistent message that provides concrete examples of how federal funding has benefited constituents and that help make the economic impact of public transportation real and memorable. That means talking about new manufacturing jobs supported by public transit, local businesses that rely on public transit for their customers and workers, and private-sector engineers and analysts designing public transit infrastructure.
APTA’s “Rethink Public Transportation” campaign, showcasing the buses, trains, and ferries that are the face of public transit, was built on research that showed moderate Republicans and Independents were most supportive of funding for public transportation when it was tied to the economy and jobs. Doyle said that APTA is doing further research to discern the most effective messages to deliver to the new Congress.