WASHINGTON (February 2, 2021) – “On behalf of the more than 1,500 member organizations of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), we congratulate Pete Buttigieg on his Senate confirmation today as the U.S. Secretary of Transportation. Secretary Buttigieg brings a wealth of knowledge and hands-on experience to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and will be a strong leader for the Department.
The public transit industry faced tremendous challenges in 2020 but has continued to serve millions of essential workers and their communities despite devastating financial hardships. Our members have been on the front lines throughout the pandemic, connecting essential workers to their jobs in hospitals, grocery stores, and other vital services while ensuring that Americans are not cut off from medical care, groceries, or pharmacies and healthcare appointments.
We look forward to working closely with Secretary Buttigieg as Congress advances President Biden’s American Rescue Plan to address the ongoing impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. In particular, we urge Congress and the Administration to provide $39.3 billion of COVID-19 emergency funding to help public transit agencies continue to provide a critical lifeline to essential workers and help our communities begin to rebuild our economy.
We also know that rebuilding America’s infrastructure will be a major priority of President Biden’s administration and that Secretary Buttigieg is a stellar selection to lead DOT at this moment in history. Public transportation has a critical role to play in our economic recovery, reducing our nation’s carbon footprint, and advancing racial equity. Our industry stands ready to address these issues head on, while revitalizing our communities and getting Americans back to work.
We look forward to working with Secretary Buttigieg and the Biden Administration to help America ‘Build Back Better’.”
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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.
