Bipartisan legislation recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study why there is a high cost associated with procuring public transit buses.
The Transit Bus Affordability Act would require the GAO to study the factors responsible for the high costs and report its findings to Congress. The study also would examine what drives costs and recommend policies to reduce bus prices.
In 2024, 7.7 billion public transportation trips were taken. Communities must enhance their capacity to deliver public transit, but the cost of providing service is high. In 2023, a transit bus typically costs between $580,000 to $1.024 million. Federal programs, such as the Buses and Bus Facilities program, cover a large portion of bus procurement costs.
U.S. Reps. Maxwell Frost (D-FL) and Mike Turner (R-OH) introduced the bill. Turner is the former mayor of Dayton and a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee member.
“Our bipartisan legislation will help inform lawmakers on the federal, state and local levels on options to lower bus costs – which will ultimately lead to savings-generating strategies for transit agencies providing essential services to riders in communities like Dayton and those across the country,” Turner said.