U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) announced he had introduced legislation that allows transit agencies more flexibility in using federal grant dollars for operational costs.
The Transit Funding Flexibility Act or 2025 would give recipients of urbanized area formula grant funds the ability to apply those funds for equipment and facility operating costs. The legislation would remove existing prohibitions that prevent using grants to pay for things like increased law enforcement presence, monitoring systems for violence, responding to criminal activity and other public safety measures.
“Public transit is vital to communities across New York and the Hudson Valley. Federal transit grants mostly cover big-ticket items like buying new buses or building stations, but not the day-to-day costs of running them. This bill provides transit agencies with greater flexibility to use these federal dollars for both physical infrastructure and operating expenses that keep transportation running safely and efficiently,” Lawler said.
The bill is supported by the Transit Workers Union. Union officials said currently, the bill forces transit agencies to buy new infrastructure and equipment they don’t need and can’t operate because the law prevents them from using funds to pay for the workers they need to operate and maintain them.
“This bill fixes a critical problem for transit workers and the traveling public across the country,” TWU International President John Samuelsen said. “Giving transit agencies the flexibility to spend federal funds on operations will result in better service delivery for working families and provide a better return on investment for federal dollars. This is a commonsense fix that will empower local agencies to make better decisions for our communities.”