How Much Operating Aid is Your Local Transit Agency Getting?

President Obama has signed into law a $106 billion war funding bill that includes a provision allowing local transit agencies to spend 10 percent of their stimulus money on operating costs.

That sounds good … but how much money are we actually talking about? According to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA):

  • St. Louis’ Metro system can spend up to $4.6 million in stimulus cash on operating. When added to the $7.5 million in FTA aid approved on Wednesday, that fills about one-quarter of the transit agency’s $50 million shortfall. 
  • San Francisco can spend up to $17.4 million in stimulus cash on operating. Total size of the local BART’s deficit for next year: $23 million, even after fare hikes take effect.
  • The New York-New Jersey-Connecticut area can spend up to $118.2 million in stimulus cash on transit operating. Total size of the deficit for next year at New York’s MTA alone: $1 billion.
  • Los Angeles can spend up to $38.8 million in stimulus cash on transit operating. Total size of the system’s deficit for next year: $200 million, as my colleague Damien Newton has reported.

If your home city isn’t one listed above, check out the apportionment tables available for download here.

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