The president’s proposed fiscal year 2011 budget underscores the need for a long-term authorization bill that increases public transportation investment that will create and support American jobs. In the short-term, we also join with President Obama in urging Congress to pass a new jobs bill with public transit investment.
We are pleased to see the President’s budget places an increased emphasis on sustainability and livability. We look forward to working with Congress and the Administration in supporting more livable communities and job creation. Adequate public transportation investment will play a significant role in creating jobs and advancing livability.
We recognize President Obama for following up on his commitment to continue funding high-speed rail projects. However, we are disappointed the President’s budget does not include money to implement Positive Train Control, which employs a system capable of automatically controlling train speeds and movements to prevent certain accidents. We urge Congress to fund this system which has a Congressional mandate.
We look forward to working with Congress and the Obama Administration to ensure public transportation funding boosts the economy and supports robust job creation in the transportation sector.
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The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is a nonprofit international association of over 1,500 public and private member organizations, engaged in the areas of bus, paratransit, light rail, commuter rail, subways, waterborne passengers services, and high-speed 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 members serve the public interest by providing safe, efficient and economical transit services and products. More than 90 percent of the people using public transportation in the United States and Canada are served by APTA member systems.