In 2023, more than 7 billion trips were taken on America’s public transit systems, in towns, cities, and rural areas across the country. Demand for transit is growing, as the cost of car ownership increases and fewer young people express interest in driving. Moreover, as America’s population ages, an increasing number of people will lose the desire or ability to drive. Transit provides an affordable option that allows everyone—including older adults, people with disabilities, youth, and people without cars—to continue participating in the economic and social life of their community.
To meet this demand, transit leaders are finding innovative ways to provide service. Too often, however, these agencies must make difficult trade-offs, shifting and even cutting services as resources are insufficient.
Small Cities, Big Moves focuses on transit in small cities—places with populations between 50,000 and 200,000, of which there are over 300 in the United States. Transit serves an essential role in these communities, yet they are rarely studied.
Review our previous quick takes that highlight the seven case studies of the report before jumping into our recommendations to Congress and our conclusion!
Recommendations
Transit services in small urban areas are becoming more modern and efficient as new technologies and new partnerships take effect. At the same time, demand for transit is growing, and available resources are not keeping pace. Congress has the opportunity to help meet the needs of these communities in the upcoming reauthorization of the federal transportation program. Based on the interviews conducted with transit and community leaders in the seven case study areas, we offer the following recommendations for federal action:
- Congress should increase funding for transit service in both the urban and rural programs. Several of the case study cities make use of funding from both programs, as they serve small urban as well as rural areas. This funding would enable transit systems in these communities to meet a greater portion of the demand than they can today.
- Congress should reduce barriers to using federal funding efficiently by empowering transit providers to blend funding from multiple federal programs. Funding for transit is available from a variety of federal agencies, including not only the U.S. Department of Transportation but also the Veterans Administration, Department of Defense, and Department of Health and Human Services. Today, many of these federal funds come with strings attached that prevent transit providers from effectively coordinating different types of services.
- Congress should make it easier to use federal funding for transit by reducing the local match required for operating funding from 50% to 20%. Most federal transportation funding requires a 20% match. Reducing the match for transit operations funding would help small communities stretch their limited resources further.
- Congress should fund the Federal Transit Administration to develop a team of experts who can be deployed to support staff at transit agencies that serve small urban areas. These technical experts should have specialized knowledge of strategies appropriate to areas of this size so that they can advise agencies that are expanding or modernizing their systems.
Conclusion
As America enters the second quarter of the 21st century, transit is experiencing a renaissance, transforming into a more modern, more convenient travel option chosen by millions daily. Transit is an essential lubricant for the smooth functioning of our economy—bringing people to work, school, and the hundreds of other places that make up a robust and vibrant community.
Small urban communities are participating in this renaissance through innovations in the service they deliver and the partnerships they develop. These communities make the most of every transit dollar, maximizing efficiencies whenever possible. Yet, demand for transit is exceeding supply. Congress can address this gap in the next transportation reauthorization by providing more robust funding for transit and empowering local communities with the tools they need to deploy those funds effectively.