President's Proposed FFY '14 Budget Increases Funding for Transportation

The President's FFY 2014 budget, released yesterday, recommends full funding for federal transportation programs at MAP-21 authorization levels and also proposes $50 billion in immediate transportation investment to jump start job creation ($40 billion for "Fix It First" investments and $10 billion to spur state and local innovation).

Following are the highlights of the President's proposal:

Fully funds FFY 2014 MAP-21 authorization levels for highway and transit programs

• Proposes $50 billion in immediate transportation infrastructure investment including:
  • $27 billion for highway programs
  • $5 billion for intercity passenger rail
  • • $9.0 billion for increased transit investment as follows:
      • $2.5 billion for transit formula programs (using existing formulas)
      • $0.5 billion for transit core capacity projects to expand fixed guideway systems
      • $4.5 billion for fixed guideway modernization (using existing fixed guideway formula)
      • $1.5 billion for bus and bus facilities (using Section 5336 population and bus formula)
    • The federal share of immediate highway and transit projects can be up to 100%
• Proposes a $40 billion five-year reauthorization for federal railroad programs
• Recommends $4 billion for TIGER and TIFIA competitive programs
• Creates a national infrastructure bank and America Fast Forward bond program (modeled after Build America Bonds)
• Reserves future funding to allow a 25% increase in surface transportation programs after expiration of MAP-21 in 2015
• Pays for the increased funding in highway and transit programs, rail reauthorization and out-year surface transportation reauthorization from savings from ramping down overseas military operations, a proposal that Congress has not embraced in the past 

Funding recommended for specific federal transit programs in FFY 2014 includes:

• $8.595 billion for urban and rural formula grant programs (MAP-21 levels) including:
  • $4.437 billion for urbanized area program
  • $2.166 billion for state of good repair program
  • $608 million for rural program
  • $526 million for growing states and high density state program
  • $258 million for enhanced mobility for seniors and individuals with disabilities program
  • 428 million for bus and bus facilities program
  • $129 million for transit planning
  • $10 million for transit oriented development planning pilot program
• $1.98 billion for New Starts grants (including $215 million for LIRR East Side Access and $15 million for 2nd Ave Subway)

What does this mean for NYPTA Systems?

The President's proposal for an additional $9 billion in immediate infrastructure investment for transit, if approved by Congress, would nearly double the MAP-21 level of transit funding for FFY 2014. Transit formula funding to New York State's urban and rural systems could increase by at least 50%. Fixed guideway systems (MTA and NFTA) could see state of good repair funding triple above MAP-21 levels, and funding designated specifically for bus and bus facilities could also triple, as more of the proposed new investment is targeted to modernize these systems.

While all of New York's transit systems would benefit from the increased investment recommended by the President, the lack of past consensus on the revenue source to pay for this increased funding may be a difficult issue to resolve. Efforts by Republicans in Congress to reduce the federal deficit could also impact the level of MAP-21 funding provided in FFY 2014. The President's budget is good news for transit funding, but there are significant hurdles before FFY 2014 funding is ultimately decided.

Additional information will be provided as more details on the impact of the budget become known."

State Budget Good for Transit and State Economy

This week, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo detailed the more than $4.7 billion included in the 2013-14 Budget to support public transportation systems across New York State.

The Governor and Legislature increased support for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) by 9.2% increase – more than $358 million – bringing the total MTA budget to $4.2 billion. The Budget also includes more than $454 million to support Upstate and Downstate public transportation networks, in addition to millions of dollars in new capital grants.

"The 2013-14 State Budget recognizes the important role that transit systems across the state play in serving our economy and our communities", said Carm Basile, President of the New York Public Transit Association. "I want to thank the Governor and the Legislature for increasing state investment in transit services and infrastructure."

The Budget continues support for the MTA capital program, reauthorizing spending for $770 million in State capital funding that was committed for the MTA 2010-14 capital program and approximately $570 million for the continued spend-out of the MTA's 2005-09 capital program from reappropriations of the Rebuild and Renew New York Bond Act of 2005.

The Budget also includes $21 million in new funding, including $16 million in grants and an additional $5 million in NY Works Capital Assistance, to support Downstate Suburban and Upstate public transportation capital investments (Non-MTA)

"An investment in transit is also an investment in jobs and our state economy," said Basile. "The public transit industry takes people to work, employs over 75,000 people, and is a consumer of products and services produced right here, in our communities throughout New York State. We appreciate the State's investment and know it will continue to yield positive results for economic growth."

Click here to download NYPTA's SFY 2013-14 State Budget Transit Funding Update PowerPoint presentation

Principles of Transit Management A Grand Success
April 23-25, 2013
The Desmond, Albany, NY

The Principles of Management Training program held at The Desmond Hotel in Albany was a success. The program, sponsored by NYPTA, NYSDOT RTAP and the Transit Training Institute, and presented by the Small Urban & Rural Transit Center, Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute and North Dakota State University, is nationally recognized management course designed to break down transit management responsibilities into manageable segments such as Human Resource Management, Financial Management, Administration, Operations and Service Design, Procurement, Vehicle and Facility Maintenance, Safety, Security and Emergency Management, and Drug and Alcohol Program Compliance.

The program sold out with 33 transit managers attending from across the state, and one participant from Atlanta (MARTA). Over the three days, participants eagerly shared their insights and input with the instructors and their classmates. Also, NYSDOT representatives were on hand each day to lend their expertise and knowledge. Thank you to John Fabian, Chief Investigator of the Public Transportation Safety Board, Mike LaBello, Intermodal Transportation Specialist, Office of Integrated Modal Services and Marc Boucher, Intermodal Transportation Specialist 2, Public Transportation Bureau for taking the time to attend the program and interact with participants.

Invest in Transit:
Keep New York Moving!
Transit Awareness Day
March 4 & 5, 2013

Transit managers, riders, labor and businesses convened for Transit Awareness Day, March 4, 2013, at The Well of the Legislative Office Building (LOB) in Albany. The two-day event emphasized the public transit industry’s value to New York State’s economy and sustainability efforts. "This event reinforces the social and economic impact of public transportation,” said NYPTA President Carm Basile. “It provides a platform to educate decision-makers about how important transit is to the quality of life throughout New York.”

NYPTA Welcomes Bob Zerrillo, Policy Director

We are pleased to announce and welcome Bob Zerrillo as our policy director for the New York Public Transit Association.  Bob recently retired from the position of acting Assistant Commissioner for Policy and Planning at NYSDOT, a position he held since March, 2009.  Bob can be contacted at rzerrillo@nytransit.org.

Click to read the full press release.