Focusing on Public Transportation Needs -- By William W. Millar

Reprinted from The Hill for February 11, 2004

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At a time when the nation is preoccupied with the economy, security and the approaching presidential campaign, renewing the "Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century" (or TEA- 21) has not yet attracted the public attention it deserves. This is unfortunate since TEA-21 is one federal program that affects the daily lives of all Americans. Congress needs to reauthorize a balanced surface transportation bill that significantly invests in highways and public transportation now.

When Congress first enacted TEA-21 in 1998, building upon the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA), the program changed the way communities planned for and invested in highways and public transportation projects. Right from the start, the promise of TEA-21 was clear: Empower local decision-makers to develop innovative solutions and new transportation options.

For public transportation, it prompted faster project implementation and new transit systems in places where public transportation was once a dream. Government and private-sectors groups formed true partnerships to make investment decisions. The results: the authorization of nearly 200 new or extended rail, bus and rapid-transit lines serving 88 communities, and the highest level of U.S. ridership in 40 years. Every weekday, Americans take more than 32 million trips on public transportation.

Today, public transportation's increasing popularity places a strain on many cities and towns at a time when the public's expectations have never been greater. As traffic congestion and air pollution worsen and the population ages, increased investment in public transportation must be a national priority. Despite the progress made under TEA-21, the public is calling for more mobility options to meet changing needs and lifestyles.

Meeting these challenges will require a new TEA-21 that permits states and localities to balance the needs of diverse populations such as senior citizens, students and persons with disabilities, as well as urban, suburban and rural residents. New TEA-21 legislation will affect traffic congestion and commute times for drivers and transit riders alike. It will determine how many seats are available on local buses and trains, and the number of new highway and public transportation miles to be built. It also will determine whether Americans spend the next six years stuck in the same traffic they are in today-at an annual, nationwide cost of nearly $70 billion.

The top priority of any TEA-21 reauthorization legislation must be to increase federal public transportation investment to at least $65 billion over the next six years. This level of investment will ensure that communities are able to keep up with increasing demands and replace aging equipment.

It also would put more Americans to work. In fact, this investment will create and sustain more than 3 million public transportation-related jobs over the next six years. Studies have shown that every dollar invested in public transportation projects generates at least $6 in new economic activity. This translates into more choices, more efficient movement of people and goods, and a stronger economy.

Increased funding, however, is not the only essential element for a new TEA-21. Funding guarantees need to be preserved to help public transportation agencies obtain private financing, develop long-term capital and plan the best use of federal matching shares for all modes of transit. This funding structure has served the best interests of cities, towns and rural areas.

Equally important is the need to expedite program delivery, simplify rules, improve coordination and expand flexibility. By improving the way existing programs operate, the new TEA-21 can make public transportation more cost-effective and responsive to the needs of local communities. Congress has an opportunity to make the new TEA-21 function faster, smoother and better.

Americans clearly are enjoying the benefits of a renaissance in public transportation spurred by the enactment of TEA-21 in 1998. This is not the time to go backward. Congress now must decide how to preserve and increase these vital benefits-through new technologies, modern equipment and coordinated planning. Increasing our investment will do just that. A new, expanded TEA-21 is the only future for public transportation ... and the future of a more vibrant America.

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Millar is president of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), which represents 1,500 transit organizations in the United States and Canada.