The American Public Transportation Association is once again calling on Congress to pull together more than $30 billion in emergency funding for the public transportation industry.
In a statement on Oct. 7, Paul Skoutelas, president and CEO of APTA, asked Congress and the Trump administration to return to the negotiating table and work to provide the public transportation industry with $32 billion in emergency funding.
The latest call for help comes just days after President Donald Trump ordered his administration by Tweet on Tuesday to stop negotiating any stimulus package with the Democrats until after the election. Later that same day, Trump tweeted that he would sign bills offering stimulus checks for individuals and millions in funding for the airline industry.
“Without at least $32 billion in additional emergency funding, many public transit agencies will soon be forced to cut services and routes for essential workers, as well as furlough frontline workers, leaving our communities without service and jobs during an unparalleled pandemic,” Skoutelas said. “APTA surveys show that six in 10 public transit systems will need to reduce service and furlough employees in the coming months without emergency federal funding from Congress. In addition, nearly one-half of public transit industry businesses expect to lay off employees, and nearly one-third of transit industry businesses are concerned that they may go out of business if additional federal funding is not provided.”
In late March, Congress passed that Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) that included $25 billion for public transit. Since then, a second stimulus package was passed by Democrats in May but was never brought to the floor of the Senate for a vote.
In late September, Congress passed a continuing resolution to keep the government from shutting down, which continues to pay the bills until December. No additional money was included in that bill, however.
“The inability to provide emergency funding blatantly disregards the essential lifeline that public transit plays in our communities. Emergency funding is absolutely necessary to avoid catastrophic decisions that will hurt our riders, our communities, and the nation,” Skoutelas wrote.