Federal Transportation Bill Reauthorization Campaigns

Transit Riders for Public Transportation

Urban Habitat has joined civil rights and environmental justice groups across the country to support the launch of a national campaign to ensure that the 2009 Congressional re-authorization of the $500 billion Federal Surface Transportation Act (FSTA) funds prioritizes the needs of transit riders in low-income communities of color, which form the backbone of urban transit ridership. This effort, called Transit Riders for Public Transit (TRPT), is being organized and led by the Labor/ Community Strategy Center.

The re-authorization debate comes amidst a nationwide crisis in transit operations. Federal support for transit has not kept pace with record-setting ridership increases.  The resulting budgetary woes have forced many municipalities to cut back desperately needed transit services.

In the Bay Area, Urban Habit and its allies have been challenging funding decisions by the MTC to ensure that existing transit services for low-income communities are maintained and improved. Urban Habitat's work with the TRPT campaign ensures that these regional efforts are supported at a federal level.

Transit Riders for Public Transportation National Campaign Demands

Dramatic reduction in highway funding and dramatic expansion of public transit funding. 80 percent for public transit, 20 percent for highway maintenance, no new highway construction (the present formula is 80% for highways, 20% for public transportation.) Continuing federal support for a private auto system is a global warming disaster and will dramatically expand greenhouse gas emissions. Our plan will lead to dramatic greenhouse gas reductions.

Federal requirement for dramatic restriction in auto use in all metro and rural areas, states and federally funded projects; auto free zones, public transit, bicycles and pedestrian traffic, auto free rush hours, bus only lanes on surface streets and freeways, auto free days, with ensured viable transportation for disabled.

Increase funding for transit operations to a minimum of 50 percent of the entire act’s allocation for transit. Of those funds at least 50% should be used for bus operations. This will stop the massive fare increases and service cuts and allow for more bus and rail service on existing lines, dramatic fare reductions, free transfers, 24/7 transit service with a block grant to cities and rural areas to reduce all transit fares by 50 percent.

Increase in funding for bus capital by a minimum of 50 percent of the total allocation. Bus is the most cost effective way to move people in larger urban and rural areas and has historically been short-changed as powerful rail lobbyists get the lion’s share of federal funds. This contributes to the deterioration and bankrupting of bus systems, which often are the centerpiece of the transportation system. The first use of bus and rail capital would be for system preservation and modernization. In terms of expansion, the focus should be on bus expansion. New clean fuel buses can be put on existing streets and freeways in a year and thus bus expansion requires very little construction costs. Rail costs $150 million a mile for above ground construction and $350 million mile for subway expansion and that is before rail cars are purchased and funds are found to operate the new rail lines. This focus on bus capital protection would focus on system preservation and create a fair division of transportation dollars between bus and rail.

Establish a Title 6 provision that would prohibit racial discrimination in any federally funded transit projects. This provision would allow private parties, that is, civil rights and community groups to bring discrimination complaints against any federally funded projects based on “disparate impacts.” We also support a new civil rights bill that would strengthen civil rights protections for all federal, state, and local programs.

Mandate on dramatic reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollution for all federally funded projects. Each project must be able to demonstrate at least a 25% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and air toxic emissions before they are funded. Complaints must be allowed to FTA and EPA with the power to stop the projects.

The Transportation Equity Network (TEN)

is a national coalition reforming unjust and unwise transportation and land use policies.

For the past eight years, TEN has:

•     Won millions for transportation and job training programs,
•     Helped create new funding programs to benefit disadvantaged people,
•     Successfully advocated for equitable transportation policy reform, and
•     Fostered stronger local, regional and state transportation equity groups and initiatives.

 Read About TEN's Role in the 2005 SAFETEA-LU Reauthorization

Transportation for America (T4A)

is a broad coalition of housing, environmental, public health, urban planning, transportation, equitable development, and other organizations. We’re all seeking to align our national, state, and local transportation policies with an array of issues like economic opportunity, climate change, energy security, health, housing and community development.