Transit Operating Funding

The federal government provides billions of dollars annually for transit agencies to buy new equipment, such as buses and trains. It provides billions more to repair or replace infrastructure, such as tracks and signals. The federal government, however, does not help cover the operating costs of providing riders with the actual day-to-day service, including fuel and wages, in large, urbanized areas. This makes no sense; change is needed. New buses or trains are useless without qualified operators and mechanics to make them move.  

The TWU supports legislation directing the federal government to allocate taxpayer money to support transit agency operations. Agencies could then increase the frequency of bus, subway, light rail, and commuter train service for riders. They could expand their hours of operation, provide transportation to new areas, and make other improvements. These changes would make it easier for workers to get to their jobs and for customers to patronize area businesses.  

Current federal policy and laws encourage agencies to move money from operating accounts into capital budgets to earn federal matching funds for capital expenses, like purchasing new vehicles. This structure drives poor decisions at local levels and decreases potential transit ridership.