Executive Summary
The U.S. public transportation systems, including mass transit, rail transit, and intercity passenger rail, are integral and vital components of the nation’s intermodal transportation network. Each mode plays a key role in improving economic growth, quality of life, national security, and the environment.
The U.S. public transportation system consists of multiple-occupancy vehicle services operating on local and regional routes, including private and public buses, fixed guideway systems, bus rapid transit systems, commuter rail and streetcar operations using both public and private operators, passenger rail, ferryboats, para-transit, taxi or van pool services contracted by public transportation agencies with private transportation operators.
The American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) believes the federal government has a major role to play in the development and maintenance of public transportation systems. These systems are interdependent and, combined with the nation’s network of roads and bridges, must be maintained, and expanded to the needs of America’s traveling public.
Public transportation systems must be developed and maintained as a shared responsibility that requires partnership between federal, state, and local governments, along with the private sector. This partnership allows execution of a national vision that ensures state flexibility. To achieve this, public transportation systems should not be treated as independent entities, but rather integrated components that serve the demand for travel.
Federal investment in public transportation capital improvements is an effective means of adding capacity and mobility options to the overall surface transportation system, thereby reducing traffic congestion. This improves interstate commerce, regional quality of life and productivity, while encouraging mobility and linking people to economic and social opportunity, in rural and urban communities.
Further, public transportation can have sweeping effects in communities, thanks, in part, to transit-oriented development programs. This approach can boost ridership, provide congestion relief, and generate economic development, all while enhancing the environmental benefits that public transportation systems can provide to communities.
The following outlines policy perspectives on behalf of the transportation construction industry, which is involved in all phases of the design, construction and maintenance of rail and transit projects.
To provide maximum benefits to the overall surface transportation system, federal public transportation investments should be increased to meet the systems needs as quantified by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The federal role in funding public transportation should be maintained as a “needs–based system,” providing investment in transit facilities, equipment, and service where justified.
The nation’s public transportation systems are owned and operated by state and local governments or governmental agencies, in partnership with the federal government. The private sector also plays a significant role in this system, designing and constructing capital facilities, furnishing rolling stock and equipment, as well as managing and operating services for governmental partners.
Public transportation systems range in capital construction and maintenance requirements, given the varied type of systems. However, ARTBA encourages all transit systems to be developed with certain considerations.
Public transportation offers safety benefits for its riders, who are statistically less likely to be in an accident than car collisions. ARTBA supports the National Public Transportation Safety Plan, which establishes voluntary minimum safety standards for public transportation systems, including roadway worker protections.
ARTBA encourages and supports federal involvement and funding of education and research programs to improve public transportation technology and safety, including enhancing public awareness and understanding of transit operations and safety matters.