Economy roughs-up transit; thousands of jobs in the balance

Times are tough right now. The folks in the transit world know this as well as anyone.

I have spoken personally to mayors and other local officials around the country about the challenges they're dealing with on their transit systems, and it's not pretty.

Although public transit provided over 10.2 billion rides in 2009, the recession has dented ridership revenues. What's worse for the transit climate is that the states--strapped for cash--are pulling back funds from local transit agencies. Without the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, with its support for state governments and its transit grants, furloughs and reductions would certainly be worse. But this situation calls for further action.

What happens when service cuts turn this...

Recently, I spoke to the members of the American Public Transportation Association, and--over and over again--I heard about the unpleasant choices they're facing, particularly in meeting operating costs. The folks I talked with at the Amalgamated Transit Union are equally concerned.

Read the news and you'll see: from Sacramento to New York City, and from Chicago to Atlanta, transit agencies across the country are being forced to cut services or increase fares--sometimes both.

...into this?

But transit services are essential for getting people who can’t afford a car to the jobs they count on. And the most vulnerable of these workers often rely on the very same routes being slashed.

Hospital employees on the early shift can't afford the news that their 4:30 a.m. bus is no longer running. Hotel workers trying to get home from the late shift need a subway line that’s still running to their neighborhood. Cleaning crews, emerging from deserted downtown office buildings in the middle-of-the-night, don't feel safe waiting--often alone--at unsheltered bus stops for long stretches of time.

And that's not even to mention the thousands of transit employees nationwide who find themselves out of work entirely. In Atlanta alone, up to 1,500 transit workers are facing the possibility of layoff as that city considers eliminating  50% of its bus routes and reducing its rail service by 20%.

Photo courtesy Robert Thomson, The Washington Post's Dr. Gridlock
What happens when transit agencies are forced to double the intervals between trains?

America’s transit agencies are hurting. That's the simple fact. Significant service cuts and thousands of layoffs have been proposed.

And, although addressing these issues will always be a primarily local and state responsibility, the federal government should try to help.

Accordingly, I will work with members of the House and Senate this year to see if we can allow transit agencies more flexibility to use a portion of their federal funds to cover operating costs during these tough economic times.

Now, this cannot be a blank check. There must be limits. 

And clearly, we’re talking about temporary assistance, not the normal course of business.

But for right now, we should do what we can to keep our trains and buses operating, to keep people working, and to keep people getting to the jobs they need so badly. 

We need to support this industry so it can help families meet their daily needs all across the country.

Comments

[Wade White]

Absolutely true. Many states & localities can not afford to match federal dollars right now and even if they could they can't afford to operate the service they have- let alone add more. Flexing the capital money for a couple of years makes a great deal of "common sense".

[A. David Frederick]

This is great news and the right decision.

[Chris W.]

It's a shame that with all this stimulus going out to high speed rail and transit expansion, that the agencies can't even run the services they have now. I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir, but this can't go on. We need totally new surface transportation policy thats as big as the healthcare bill. Washington needs to fund transit system at an 80% match, just like highways have enjoyed for years. The Highway Trust Fund should just be "Surface Transportation Fund." And let the states and cities decide what would be best for them, highway, rail line, rapid bus, etc. But we have to stop this glut toward cars and highways that they have enjoyed for so many decades now.

[Patricia]

Perhaps you are too inside the box, too personally involved to see outside the box, especially here.
--We need totally new surface transportation policy thats as big as the healthcare bill.--

Not to personalize but do you really enjoy paying that much in taxes and want an increase?

Federally subsidized "everything" has to stop.

There is no mass transit in my small county. To get around you need a personal Vehicle.

If you own a vehicle you alone are responsible for the purchase, maintenance, insurance and licensing.
Why do all Americans have to subsidize mass transit.

It sounds like a major increase in transit fares is needed here. If you utilize the service you need to pay a fair amount for it. Or it will be lost and then how to you get about.

Maybe Greyhound can takeover and run the bus transit systems. As far as Amtrak, maybe it is time to let it go too. Maybe a private company could make train travel viable.

The Buck as to stop. At this point I doubt so many are so blind to how indebted we are. With so many unemployed and so many federal obligations now is the time to really look at where the money is going and let allot of organizations seek private funding or donations get the Federal dollar out of subsidizing everyone and everything.

If it does not benefit EVERY citizen it should not be federally funded.

[Paul K McGregor]

Will this also include assistance to get those vacant positions filled that have been left unfilled? Not only is it about those people currently employed avoiding layoffs but also allowing those positions that have been vacant to be filled as well. Too many times as I look for jobs in transit I get caught having the jobs I apply for remain vacant because a hiring freeze is imposed.

[Andy]

Even at the best of times many localities cut funding to bus routes and train routes in favor of highways. And yet the attrition on those highways and the bridges they cross is greater than it would be if more people rode the busses and trains.

I live in Albany, NY and because there are only two busses a day I have to have a car or else spend all day coming and going instead of a half hour by car. I think there should also be more parking lots for those who wish to use bus or train. If I could drive to the local shopping mall and leave my car there for an hour or two while I rode the bus downtown and back I'd save plenty of money on down town parking. And if shopping malls were located adjacent to train stations and bus stations more people would ride the train or bus when shopping.

I think that if more money was spent by the stimulus on train and bus routes there would be less need to spend money on highways.

[Andy]

There have to be more express bus routes too. In my area if the bus companies would just run an express connecting downtown to shopping centers and Colleges without stops in between lots of people would leave their car and travel by bus or train.

And if old people and disabled were automatically given a free pass or half fare on trains and busses their families would pay to ride with them similar to the way some restaurants do who provide free meals to servicemen, low rates to children but regular rates to working people and the entire extended family shows up.

[David Eldridge]

I think we have over-expanded, and this is the best time to cut back and re-assess the viability of all of this. We cannot afford to continue to throw money at everything that bleeds. Instead of watering every plant and weed, lets weed and prune and water the important stuff.

[Michael E. Bailey]

Federal support for transit operations is critical now. But when the economy improves state governments need to do more and county governments may need to increase the sales tax by 1 cent or so to support their local transit systems. It is good to note that even in times like these when a local election is held to increase the sales tax some to support transit, the voters are still likely to support an increase to save their bus system. Transit really is a lifeline service for seniors, the disabled community, and those who can't afford the cost of a car but who do work every day and need to get to and from their jobs. This is great news the support of federal funding for transit operations. Thank you and best wishes, Michael E. Bailey.

[jayson]

The basic idea is that it will serve to connect business voices that want to send a message about transportation policy to the audiences that most need to hear that message—and need to hear it particularly from the business community.”
International vehicle Shipping

[Dan J.]

Thank you, Secretary, for your ability to empathize with the everyday American. In this day and age, we all rely heavily on transportation – planes, trains, and automobiles. I myself, live in Washington, DC and rely mostly on the federally subsidized, Metrorail, but understand other communities rely on both the Highway Trust Fund and Aviation Trust Fund (in response to Patricia). As urban population grows and family budgets diminish in America, I’m just glad that such a large federal government is not out of sync with the needs of its people. In response to this economic downturn, state, and therefore local, fiscal conditions are still worsening. So even if the aid is temporary, we deeply need it. Our individual budgets cannot suffer further fare increases, nor can our cities budgets suffer further layoffs and payroll reductions and cancelling capital spending projects and city services shouldn’t be an option when America’s infrastructure is already in a pitiful condition compared to other developed nations. We can’t afford to let this be an age of relapse or stagnation. Investing in our infrastructure may add to an increasing deficit, but at least rail is energy efficient, self-sustainable from foreign importation, increasingly relied upon, and even a return to this country’s transportation origins.

[Maggie Underwood]

The job market is tough everywhere. In many places using public transportation is the only way many people have to get to and from work. I realize not all people use public transportation but public transportation relieves the congestion and maintenance cost of public roads and that is a help to everyone. Without public transportation many more people would suffer from the recession.

[Michael E. Bailey]

It is becoming more important each day to address the transit funding crisis with emergency funding for operations. I just saw a minute ago that the C-TRAN system--the Clayton County transit system that serves a portion of the City of Atlanta and Clayton County will terminate all fixed route bus service and paratransit service as of 11:59 PM tonight, March 31st. This will leave over 50% of C-TRAN users unable to afford a car including many disabled persons unable to drive stranded. C-TRAN did over 2 million trips a year. And on Monday night Regional Transit that serves the City of Sacramento had a Board vote to eliminate 27 bus routes altogether and nearly eliminate another 7 in June. I also saw the MARTA Plan for the City of Atlanta and they are planning the total elimination of 63 bus routes. Emergency funding will come too late for C-TRAN but can't come too soon for the other sysyems. Best wishes, Michael E. Bailey.

[Peter Varga]

I agree with you that operating assistance cannot be a blank check and nor should it be permnanent. A temporary measure would be appreciated by those systems that are in particular difficulties.
I also wish to say that I appreciate the investment in public transportation infrastructure that you have been making. The stimulus funds in Grand Rapids put people to work quite quickly and the investment will help stabilize our operating environment. I am optimistice that we will see things turn around.

[Andy]

The trouble is to many think "if it aint broke don't fix it". The problem comes when actually determining when its broke and when can we afford to fix it (and every year we wait it costs more to fix it). In recent years it almost seems as though we could become a third world country based on the condition of infrastructure alone. If a country wants a strong vibrant business section they need to constantly maintain infrastructure while upgrading. The point is Fix it now stupid! We cant afford to wait any longer.

[Rob C.]

Philadelphia is the most important.

http://www.dot7.state.pa.us/transportationfundingcrisis/