APTA Urges Congress to Make a New Year's Resolution -- Reauthorize TEA 21 Now

Contact: Virginia Miller
(202) 496-4816 vmiller@apta.com

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is calling on Congress to make its number one New Year's resolution the swift passage of an expanded six-year surface transportation bill with increased investment for public transportation.

The current federal highway and transit program, known as TEA 21 or the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, is due to expire on February 29, 2004, having already been extended by Congress for five months last fall.

"This is the perfect time for Congress to commit to passing a balanced national transportation bill that provides for quality transportation choices," said William W. Millar, APTA President. "This is one New Year's Resolution that will benefit every American for many years to come -- and Congress needs to make it a reality now."

Citing the need to put transportation at the top of every lawmaker's list in 2004, Millar said that increased federal investment would be a leading economic driver, creating jobs and promoting economic development. Studies have shown that every $1 billion invested in the nation's transportation infrastructure creates and sustains approximately 47,500 jobs. The federal transportation reauthorization bill before the House (H.R. 3550) would create more than 1.7 million jobs nationwide and increase the federal investment in transit systems nationwide to $69.2 billion over the next six years.

In its latest annual report on congestion, the Texas Transportation Institute reported that regular bus and train services in America's most congested cities saved drivers more than one billion hours in travel time in 2001. Without transit, nationwide travel delays would have increased by nearly 30 percent; costing residents in the major urban areas studied an additional $21.2 billion in lost time and fuel.

"Without making public transportation a national priority, we are asking for more of the same -- congestion, a weakened transportation infrastructure and a slow-growing economy, " said Millar. "Early reauthorization of vital transit programs would make this a happy new year for every American."

For more details on APTA's recommendations for reauthorization of the federal surface transportation program, please visit www.apta.com.

###

APTA is a nonprofit international association of 1,500 member organizations including public transportation systems; planning, design, construction and finance firms; product and service providers; academic institutions; and state associations and departments of transportation. APTA members serve the public interest by providing safe, efficient and economical public transportation services and products. APTA members serve more than 90 percent of persons using public transportation in the United States and Canada.