News Release
March 18, 2007
Virginia Miller
202-496-4816
vmiller@apta.com
(Download In Adobe PDF format)
In the same week that the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) announced that 10.1 billion trips were taken on public transit in 2006, U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern introduced new legislation to increase the transit commute benefit to equalize it with the parking benefit.
"I applaud Rep. James McGovern for proposing legislation this week to increase the transit commute tax benefit," said APTA President William W. Millar. "Rep. McGovern has been a long-time champion of public transportation and on behalf of the U.S. public transportation industry and the millions of people who take public transportation every day, I thank him for his support."
The announcement of this new legislation, "Commuter Benefits Equity Act of 2007" (H.R. 1475), was made at the APTA Legislative Conference on Tuesday, March 13. The legislation intends to equalize transit and parking commute benefits.
"Establishing parity between commuter benefits and parking benefits will provide American workers with an incentive to utilize transit for their commute to work," said U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA). "Enactment of this legislation will help ease congestion, improve air quality, and reduce dependency on foreign oil. It also makes sense for employers who can use it as an effective employment recruitment and retention tool."
Similar legislation has been introduced by House Majority Leader Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), as there is much interest in the 110th Congress to equalize the tax commute benefit.
"Public transportation is on the move," said Millar. "With record numbers of people taking public transportation and a growing recognition of its importance, congressional leaders are moving forward on legislation to increase the transit commute benefit."
In closing, McGovern said, "I want to thank APTA for their leadership and their advocacy, and I look forward to working with them to get this legislation into law."
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APTA is a nonprofit international association of more than 1,500 member organizations including public transportation systems; planning, design, construction and finance firms; product and service providers; academic institutions; and state associations and departments of transportation. APTA members serve the public interest by providing safe, efficient and economical public transportation services and products. APTA members serve more than 90 percent of persons using public transportation in the United States and Canada.
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