Communities, Public Transit Agencies Brace for Hurricane Milton

As parts of Florida are devastated by Hurricane Milton, the second hurricane to strike the area in just two weeks, APTA has issued a statement in support of affected communities and the public transit agencies who continue to go above and beyond for the people who depend on them the most.

“Our thoughts are with the people and the communities devastated by hurricanes Milton and Helene. The loss of life, homes, and livelihoods is truly tragic,” said APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas. “APTA stands ready to aid our members, their employees, families, and communities. Public transportation is crucial in these times, providing essential mobility for evacuation and recovery efforts. The road ahead is challenging, but the public transportation industry is united in helping these resilient communities heal and regain their mobility.”

Hurricane Helene struck the southeastern U.S. Sept. 26-27, in particular Florida, the Carolinas, and Georgia.

In Florida, the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) offered free rides to emergency shelters ahead of Helene. In one incident, the evening before the hurricane was set to make landfall, a local church informed the agency that it had lost power. Temperatures in the church were increasing to 90 degrees. The church had a congregation of almost 300 members, most of whom had accessibility needs. PSTA and Transdev undertook an eight-hour mission to successfully evacuate all to safety.

Following the impact, PSTA initiated a two-week period of free fares within St. Petersburg city limits and assisted in the distribution of essential supplies to the community. PSTA again ran evacuation services as Hurricane Milton approached.

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority and Broward County Transit, FL, have also been providing free transportation to public shelters and distributing safety and recovery resources to the community.

APTA has a number of emergency management programs and materials to assist public transit agencies in maintaining and improving the security of their infrastructure, including the Safety and Risk Management Seminar, peer reviews, and the work of specific committees. Learn more here.

The APTA Standards Program addresses, among other topics, emergency management measures and the implementation of methods and techniques for infrastructure system security. Learn more here.

The Transit Cooperative Research Program publishes numerous reports and documents addressing the preparation for and aftermath of natural disasters. Search here.

APTA will post more information/resources on Passenger Transport as they become available.