what we want

The National Campaign for Transit Justice has identified a set of demands that we have an opportunity to pass at the federal level this year. It is an ambitious list of priorities that would transform our transit systems large and small.

Taken together, these priorities would invest nearly $60 billion annually in new public transit funds for our communities. These measures if adopted would bring transit spending up to the level our highways are funding, modernizing our transportation priorities for the benefit of our communities, workers and local economies.

• Operational Funding: Congress should provide $20 billion in annual funding for operations to ensure the majority of Americans are within walking distance of frequent transit by 2030.

• Capital Funding: Congress should establish a $12 billion annual capital investments program, with $6 billion allocated by formula and $6 billion allocated through discretionary grants for capital projects that improve access to frequent transit for low-income people.

• Funding for Repairs: Congress should $18 billion for maintenance annually with a goal of eliminating the backlog in 12 years.

• Zero-emission fleets: Congress should require that the Bus and Bus Facilities program be used exclusively to procure no-emission vehicles and the infrastructure needed to support them.

• Safe streets and transit-friendly communities: Congress should provide $7 billion to fund equitable Transit-Oriented Development (eTOD) to fund and integrate preservation of affordable housing.

• Support workers: Transit workers are essential, they should receive prevailing wages and receive hazard pay during the pandemic. The jobs created by this new investment in transit should create good-among union jobs and not be used to displace existing jobs.