Senate sets the right course, House heads in wrong direction
Media Contact: David Roscow, 202-487-4990
Washington, DC – The Senate sets the right course for U.S. transportation policy while House Republicans are headed in the wrong direction, says the Amalgamated Transit Union in reaction to competing transportation bills introduced in Congress today.
“These two bills are a lesson in contrast. The House Republican bill would effectively coerce cash-strapped local governments into privatizing their transit systems regardless of what is best for their communities,” said Larry Hanley, international president of the Amalgamated Transit Union. “The bill is an early Valentine to foreign national corporations who operate U.S. transit systems and who would reap a financial bonanza if the bill is passed.”
“Meanwhile, the Senate bill is good for riders and communities, improving passenger safety and security and assisting in the development of a well trained workforce,” Hanley continued. “It recognizes that a strong transit program requires an unbiased, inclusive decision making process. It also gives larger transit systems the much needed flexibility to use federal assistance to keep service on the street and fares down.”
ATU called the House legislation - the American Energy & Infrastructure Jobs Act (H.R. 7) - a throwback to the Reagan era when the administration and Congress attempted to steer state and local transportation dollars to private companies that have no regard for riders and the community.
“It wasn’t until these policies were reversed freeing local governments to make their own decisions that public transportation really took off in the United States over the past few decades,” continued Hanley. “Contracting out public transit to private companies all too often doesn’t save communities as much money as they’re led to believe, and always leads to a degrading of transportation quality and service.”
Many transit systems that contract-out their services have reported concerns over safety and maintenance as well as high employee turnover. In addition, many report a decline in the quality of service and customer experience.
This Senate bill - Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) - provides transit agencies the much needed funding and flexibility in deciding how they use federal funds. Under current law transit systems serving areas of more than 200,000 people can only use their federal funds for capital expenses such as buying buses and trains. They cannot use funds for operations. Consequently, many agencies simply don’t have enough funding to maintain essential service while newly purchased transit vehicles sit idly in their lots.
“At a time when our transit systems cry out for more funding this is no time to inject ideologically driven initiatives which will not help our country dig out of this economic crisis,” Hanley continued. “Our nation needs a bill that is good for passengers, workers, transit systems and our communities. It’s time for Members of Congress to roll up their sleeves in bipartisan fashion and come up with a bill to save our nation’s transit systems.”
About the ATU
The Amalgamated Transit Union is the largest labor organization representing transit workers in the United States and Canada. Founded in 1892, the ATU today is comprised of over 190,000 members in 264 local unions spread across 44 states and nine provinces, including 3,000 workers at Greyhound Lines, Inc. Composed of bus drivers, light rail operators, maintenance and clerical personnel and other transit and municipal employees, the ATU works to promote transit issues and fights for the interests of its hard-working members.
