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DOT Head Sympathizes With Transit Cuts…But Says Meager Budgets Will Continue
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Transportation For America’s United States of Transportation Cutbacks
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This map—courtesy of our friends over at Transportation For America—show how widespread the negative effects of the recession has been. Click on a pin to see transit agency details, and what cuts are being considered (yellow pins designate a Stranded at the Station case study).
In a speech given earlier this week to the heads of transit agencies from across the country, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood expressed support for growing transit systems in American cities, but warned that a “lousy economy” would hinder efforts to increase levels of federal investment.
The speech, given as part of the annual conference held by the American Public Transportation Association in Washington, D.C., included a question and answer session, where transit heads expressed frustration at the lack of a permanent, transit-friendly successor to the federal surface transportation policy which expired last fall (Congress has been passing a series of short-term extensions in the meantime). Passengers across the country have been hurt as transit agencies faced with widening budgetary shortfalls—due to decreased commuter traffic resulting from high levels of unemployment, and decreased tax revenue in general—are forced to choose between cuts in service and fare hikes. (New Jersey Transit, New York City’s MTA, and Washington D.C.‘s WMATA have all recently been faced with these decisions)
More after the jump…
Posted by NARP
Tags: apta, budget cuts, commuting, economy, fare increases, public transportation, ray lahood, recession, service cuts, t4america, transit, travel(1) Comments
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