H.R. 10662: Better Transit for Riders Act

This bill would direct the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to create a task force focused on how transit agencies can better coordinate with one another and improve service for riders in areas served by multiple transit providers.

What the task force would do

Within 2 years of the bill becoming law, the FTA Administrator would convene a task force of up to 15 people with expertise in transit operations, maintenance, governance, planning, labor, standards, academia, and rider experience. The task force would include representation from transit agencies, local governments, state transportation departments, transit unions, planning organizations, community groups, first- and last-mile service providers, and riders.

The task force would study and recommend benchmarks and best practices for urban transit areas, including:

• How transit funding is allocated and used, such as spending on vehicle and facility upgrades, maintenance, expansion, operations, labor, safety, and resilience.
• What mix of funding sources works best, including federal, state, local, fare revenue, public-private partnerships, and other dedicated funding tools.
• How transit agencies in the same metro area can coordinate better, including fare integration, shared planning, data standards, network redesign, and sharing infrastructure.
• Ways to improve access to transit.
• How to better coordinate transit planning with land use and development decisions.

What the task force must consider

In making its recommendations, the task force would be required to look at:

• How land use, transit-oriented development, and transit service affect each other.
• How to improve the rider experience, especially for people using more than one transit system in a single trip.
• Safety and security for riders.
• How transit agencies can make investment decisions when money is limited.
• Possible long-term financing methods, including value capture.
• First-mile and last-mile connections, such as getting to and from stations.
• Ways to reduce vehicle miles traveled.
• Greenhouse gas emissions, Clean Air Act compliance, and other applicable legal requirements.
• How better data sharing and interoperable technology could improve reliability and operations.

Reports and timeline

The task force would initially exist for 2 years, and the FTA Administrator could extend it for another 2 years. Before the task force ends, it would have to submit a report to Congress and make it public. If the task force is extended, it would also have to submit an earlier progress report within 2 years after it is established.

Relevant Companies

None found