Don’t Take ‘No’ for an Answer

Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) delivered a message of optimism and urgency to attendees at APTA’s Legislative Conference, April 12-14 in Washington, DC, emphasizing the power of storytelling and investment to advance public transportation.

Drawing on her personal experiences—from riding buses as a child in Philadelphia and Delaware to commuting via Amtrak as a member of Congress—Sen. Blunt Rochester underscored how transit connects communities, expands opportunity, and drives economic growth. She highlighted stark contrasts between regions with robust transit systems and those facing “transit deserts,” reinforcing the essential role public transportation plays globally and locally.

The senator framed the current moment as pivotal for the industry, pointing to emerging challenges and opportunities, including artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, cybersecurity threats, climate change, and workforce impacts. She also noted the rising cost of driving, using a personal anecdote about high gas prices to illustrate transit’s affordability advantage.

Serving on multiple committees with jurisdiction over surface transportation, Blunt Rochester emphasized the need for coordinated federal investment across transit, highways, and passenger rail. She called attention to transit’s strong return on investment—citing that $1 billion in funding can generate $5 billion in economic activity—while stressing that the sector remains underfunded.

She also highlighted her role in advancing the bipartisan Build Housing, Unlock Benefits and Services (Build HUBS) Act, aimed at promoting development near transit systems to maximize accessibility and economic impact.

Closing with a call to action, Blunt Rochester urged industry advocates to engage effectively with lawmakers by understanding their priorities, clearly articulating policy needs, and persisting in their efforts. She reinforced that while innovation and expertise exist, achieving meaningful progress will require the political courage to fully fund and support public transportation.

“When you meet with Members of Congress, remember my 4 nos.: [1] Know the Member; what’s important to them and their state. [2] Know your issues. Talk to them based on what they care about but also let them know you know your stuff. [3] Know your ask. You might ask for money, but they might say right now we can’t get that, but we can get a bill. [4] Finally: don’t take ‘no’ for an answer!”

View images from the Legislative Conference and Advocacy Afternoon.