- APTA urges Congress to provide at least $21.6 billion for public transit and $20.2 billion for passenger rail in fiscal year (FY) 2024.
- Every $1 invested in public transportation generates $5 in long-term economic returns.
- For every $1 billion invested in public transportation, nearly 50,000 jobs are created or sustained across the entire economy.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 10, 2023) –Yesterday, President Biden released his FY2024 Budget request, outlining his Administration’s priorities. When combined with the advance appropriations included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the President requests $21.3 billion for public transit and $18 billion for passenger and freight rail in FY 2024.
“We applaud the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic investments in public transportation and call on Congress to harness the potential of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law by fully funding public transportation in the FY 2024 THUD Appropriations bill,” said APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas. “Strong public transportation grows the economy by connecting people to jobs, education, healthcare, businesses, and opportunities. Investing fully in public transportation will benefit all Americans.”
The Budget request includes a $356 million increase in public transit formula funds. Together with IIJA funding, the Budget provides $4.5 billion for Capital Investment Grants in FY 2024 for dozens of critical public transit investments. It also includes an additional $1.4 billion for passenger rail, including significant increased investment in Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Grants and Railroad Crossing Elimination Grants.
APTA urges Congress to:
- Provide at least $21.6 billion for public transit and $20.2 billion for passenger rail in the FY 2024 THUD Appropriations bill (when combined with the advance appropriations of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law);
- Streamline project delivery by enacting commonsense regulatory reforms (e.g., expediting Capital Investment Grant (CIG) review; simplifying Commercial Driver’s License requirements); and
- Create a new Mobility Innovation and Technology Initiative to integrate new mobility solutions into public transit networks. In APTA 2019 Surface Transportation Authorization Recommendations, a new Mobility Initiative was a top priority; however, Congress did not enact it as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
For information on the benefits of public transportation, please visit Public Transportation Facts.
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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 $80 billion industry that directly employs 450,000 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.
