Doomsday Across America

Following up on Sarah’s post about transit funding woes in Illinois, this CNN segment from earlier in the month brings home the effect of service cuts and fare hikes in St. Louis. Similar scenarios are playing out all over the country. According to the latest tally from Transportation for America, 85 transit systems serving 22 million riders are facing some combination of shrinking service and higher fares.

Let’s not forget that House Democrats tried to include funds for transit
service in the stimulus bill
, but never received backing from the White House. Now we’re seeing millions of transit riders grappling with the consequences of that decision.

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Photo: Bradlee9119 via Flickr

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Editor’s note: This article originally appeared on Transit Center and is republished with permission.  On March 13, 2020, at the onset of the pandemic, the Federal Transit Administration responded to the emergency by enabling transit agencies to spend federal funds to run buses and trains. It was a break with longstanding policy. Normally, federal grants are reserved […]

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How many true transit advocates are in this picture? Just how bad are the service cuts and layoffs that transit agencies across the country will soon be forced to enact? Severe enough to weaken the national economy, the New York Times reports — all while Congress pieces together a stimulus plan that does nothing to […]

Eight Senate Dems Offer $2B Plan for Emergency Transit Operating Aid

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Transit agencies forced to raise fares or cut service to close budget gaps would be eligible for $2 billion in emergency operating funds under legislation unveiled today by Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-CT) and seven other Democratic senators, including two members of the party’s leadership. Sens. Chris Dodd (D-CT), left, Charles Schumer (D-NY), […]

Should Transit Systems Charge More During Peak Hours?

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Should peak-hour Metro commuters pay a surcharge in the most congested part of the system? (Photo: roboppy via Flickr) This morning on the Streetsblog Network, there’s a lively and intelligent discussion going on at Jarrett Walker’s Human Transit over the question "Should fares be higher during peak hours?" The Human Transit post was sparked by […]