Three Main Messages, with Sub Messages

Message #1 (What)

  • APTA and the Public Transportation Industry opposes President Trump Administration’s Fiscal Year 2018 (FY 2018) budget recommendations, which proposes cutting the U.S. DOT budget by $2.4 billion.
  • Sub Messages
  • The Administration’s proposal would halt construction of new and expanded public transit projects around the country.
  • Specifically, the budget proposes phasing out the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grant (CIG) program, after fulfilling the funding obligations for projects with existing, signed agreements.
  • In addition, the budget proposes eliminating the TIGER program and subsidies for Amtrak’s long-distance routes.
  • More than 50 CIG public transit projects in 23 states could be in jeopardy based on President Trump’s budget recommendations.

Message #2 (Why)

  • Cuts to DOT, specifically the CIG program, would put public transit projects and the associated thousands of direct and indirect jobs at risk. And it will have a devastating impact on working-class and everyday Americans’ quality of life. Communities will forgo the growth and economic development that come with investment in these public transit projects.
  • Sub Messages
  • There is a federal role for funding public transportation because it makes interstate commerce work better by helping to reduce congestion on our roadways.
  • President Trump’s budget is inconsistent with his promises on the campaign trail and the major infrastructure bill that is promised for later this year.
  • Most Americans, including President Trump supporters, do not support cuts to public transportation. A November election poll found that 81 percent of Americans who voted for Donald Trump oppose any cuts to the current levels of public transportation investment.
  • Public transportation gives people the freedom to pursue opportunities to better their lives.
  • Public transit is critical to our local economies. In fact, 87 percent of the 35 million public transportation trips taken each weekday in the United States directly impact the economy.
  • Already, our country has an estimated $90 billion backlog just to bring our public transportation infrastructure into a state of good repair. When more than 40 percent of our buses and 25 percent of our rail train assets are in marginal or poor condition, the last thing we need is to cut investment in the systems that make our country run.

Message #3 (How)

  • APTA calls on Congress to reject President Trump’s budget cuts and reaffirm their support for these programs as part of the FY18 budget process. In addition, APTA calls on Congress to include increased funding in public transportation as part of any new infrastructure initiative.