WASHINGTON (April 1, 2020) – This week, both House Democratic leaders and President Trump made it clear: increasing investment now in America’s infrastructure will be a critical step in fueling the nation’s economic recovery.
“Increased investment in infrastructure creates jobs and strengthens local economies, and that is exactly what America needs right now,” said Paul P. Skoutelas, APTA President and CEO. “As the nation moves forward and works to address the effects of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, renewed investment in public transportation infrastructure will provide a solid economic foundation for recovery.”
APTA applauds House leaders and the President for jumpstarting the infrastructure conversation, and we look forward to working with the House and Senate on bipartisan, bicameral legislation that will repair, maintain and improve our public transit and passenger rail systems today and in the future. APTA has emphatically urged lawmakers that now is the time to invest more in our nation’s public transportation infrastructure to help our communities provide critical public transit services and economic opportunities.
House Democratic leaders, including Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Peter A. DeFazio (D-OR), spoke Wednesday about their plan to address America’s growing infrastructure needs, the Moving Forward Framework, first proposed in January. The proposal calls for an investment of $489 billion over five years in surface transportation, including $105 billion for public transit and $55 billion for passenger rail.
APTA has proposed $178 billion over six years to restore our nation’s public transit and passenger rail systems to a state of good repair and meet the mobility demands of growing communities. This $178 billion investment will generate a 5-to-1 return of more than $890 billion in economic activity. Americans know that investing in our public transportation infrastructure will lead to benefits that repay the investment multiple times over, as the nation emerges from the coronavirus pandemic and builds for the future.
APTA’s surface transportation reauthorization priorities focus on maintaining and expanding our public transportation network, and represent a commitment to growing jobs, supporting our communities, and providing expanded mobility options.
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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.
