Bold Proposal for Upcoming Surface Transportation Bill Would be a Game Changer for Transit
Silver Spring, MD – Calling on Congress to boost transit funding, improve safety, and invest in workforce development, the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), the largest union representing public transit workers in the U.S., sent its new proposal for the upcoming federal surface transportation bill up to Capitol Hill.
The Union’s proposal, which is named “Your Ride is Here,” sets out a vision for the legislation, which will replace the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).
“Issue number one is funding. As the COVID emergency funds under BIL dry up, transit agencies are staring out over a fiscal cliff. While some had the foresight to save their money for a rainy day, in all corners of America, it is now pouring,” said ATU International President John Costa.
Under current federal law, with few exceptions, transit systems may only use their Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funds for capital projects. Operating assistance, including wages and benefits to provide service or even pay for fuel, is not an eligible expense. The ATU’s proposal calls for giving agencies flexibility to use their FTA funds to keep service on the road. “The prohibition on transit operating assistance has been in place since 1998, and like many of the broken-down buses of that era, this outdated law has outlived its useful lifespan,” Costa continued.
In addition, the Union endorses separate legislation by Rep. Hank Johnson and Sen. Chris Van Hollen that would create new programs to maintain and improve transit service.
With assaults on transit workers increasing more than 232 percent between 2014 and 2024, the ATU is calling for increased safety measures on public transit. The Union won a huge victory in the BIL on safety issues, requiring labor-management safety committees, with equal numbers on each side, giving workers a role in how Public Transit Agency Safety Plans (PTASPs) are developed and implemented.
“We had Brothers in Seattle and Atlanta who were tragically murdered on the job just a few months ago. We need immediate improvements to the bus operator workstation to protect our members,” said Costa. “Not one more bus driver should be attacked on the job! I have been to way too many funerals over the years. Enough is enough!”
Under ATU’s proposal, no fixed-route or paratransit bus would be operated unless the vehicle is equipped with a barrier between the passenger and driver compartments that fully encloses the operator’s workstation, and prevents the unwanted entry of persons, fluids, and articles into the workstation. In addition to secure workstations, ATU calls on Congress to fund unarmed transit ambassadors and fare enforcement inspectors to protect operators and deter disruptive behavior. “We should no longer be sitting ducks out there,” said Costa. “Sometimes, we all need a guardian angel by our side. It’s time to let our members concentrate on driving the bus, which is hard enough to do on its own.”
With the transition to Zero Emissions Bus and changing technology in the industry, Your Ride is Here calls for increased investment in workforce development. Today, transit mechanics need more training to keep their jobs and perform them safely. Bus mechanics now require new skills and knowledge, including electric motor repair, computer literacy, and diagnostic troubleshooting. The ATU proposes to increase the amount that transit systems must set aside for workforce development training, including registered apprenticeships and other labor-management training programs under the Zero Emissions Bus Program. “These new buses are highly sophisticated. No mechanic should be electrocuted because they haven’t received the training, they need to do their job,” Costa continued.
Over the next year and a half, the ATU will mobilize its members to educate Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle in an effort to move our agenda and improve public transit for our riders.
The entire comprehensive report, which also covers other issues such as mictrotransit and autonomous buses, can be downloaded @ https://www.atu.org/pdfs/LEGIS_YourRideisHere.pdf