WASHINGTON (October 7, 2020) – “The American Public Transportation Association calls on Congress and the Administration to return to the negotiating table and work together to provide emergency funding for public transportation as quickly as possible. The crisis is worsening, and the industry’s very survival is at stake.
Without at least $32 billion in additional emergency funding, many public transit agencies will soon be forced to cut services and routes for essential workers, as well as furlough frontline workers, leaving our communities without service and jobs during an unparalleled pandemic.
APTA surveys show that six in 10 public transit systems will need to reduce service and furlough employees in the coming months without emergency federal funding from Congress. In addition, nearly one-half of public transit industry businesses expect to lay off employees, and nearly one-third of transit industry businesses are concerned that they may go out of business if additional federal funding is not provided.
The inability to provide emergency funding blatantly disregards the essential lifeline that public transit plays in our communities. Emergency funding is absolutely necessary to avoid catastrophic decisions that will hurt our riders, our communities, and the nation.”
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The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is a nonprofit international association of 1,500 public and private sector organizations which represent a $74 billion industry that directly employs 435,000 people and supports millions of private sector jobs. APTA members are engaged in the areas of bus, paratransit, light rail, commuter rail, subways, waterborne services, and intercity and high-speed passenger rail. This includes: transit systems; planning, design, construction, and finance firms; product and service providers; academic institutions; transit associations and state departments of transportation. APTA is the only association in North America that represents all modes of public transportation. APTA members serve the public interest by providing safe, efficient and economical transit services and products.
