Download The Honorables Susan Collins and Jack Reed October 30, 2015

The Honorables Susan Collins and Jack Reed
October 30, 2015
Page 2
October 30, 2015
The Honorable Susan Collins
Chairman
Subcommittee on Transportation,
Housing, and Urban Development, and
Related Agencies
U.S. Senate
125 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
The Honorable Jack Reed
Ranking Member
Subcommittee on Transportation,
Housing, and Urban Development, and
Related Agencies
U.S. Senate
125 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Chairman Collins and Ranking Member Reed:
On behalf of the more than 1,500 member organizations of the American Public
Transportation Association (APTA), I write to you to express our priorities for the Fiscal
Year (FY) 2016 bill funding the Department of Transportation.
APTA appreciates what the Senate and House Appropriations Committees were
able to accomplish under the tight budget limitations that constrained the development of
the respective bills. We are also hopeful that the committees will have an opportunity to
better address transit industry priorities under the recently adopted budget agreement.
Among our chief concerns with previous bills were the underfunding of Capital
Investment Grants, the Transit Cooperative Research Program, and passenger rail.
We support the funding of Capital Investment Grants (New Starts/Small Starts) at
the highest possible levels. These grants are the primary source of federal investment in
the construction or expansion of heavy rail, light rail, commuter rail, bus rapid transit and
ferryboat projects. The ability for systems to expand or grow, in the face of a growing
demand for high capacity service, is dependent on these funds. With public transportation
ridership at a 58 year high of 10.8 billion trips in 2014, the ability to respond to this
increasing demand is essential to keep our communities moving efficiently.
The Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) is an applied research
program that provides solutions to practical problems faced by transit operators. Through
this national program, transit agencies are able to operate more efficiently and at less cost,
by sharing experiences and best practices throughout the industry. This program over the
past 20 years of its existence has produced more than 500 publications that have greatly
The Honorables Susan Collins and Jack Reed
October 30, 2015
Page 2
by sharing experiences and best practices throughout the industry. This program over the past 20
years of its existence has produced more than 500 publications that have greatly benefitted the
public transportation community. For example, the commuter rail industry response to the Rail
Safety Improvement Act (RSIA) establishing requirements for radio spectrum to enable Positive
Train Control (PTC) deployment was facilitated by a TCRP study. This program was funded at a
level of $3 million in FY 2015, 70 percent below its pre-2012 level of $10 million. Underfunding
this program will make it nearly impossible for TCRP to conduct the extensive research which has
benefitted the industry for two decades. APTA requests that TCRP be funded at no less than $5
million to provide the minimum needed to continue to produce this important research.
APTA continues to support robust new funding for high speed and intercity passenger rail
service through a distinct reauthorization measure to succeed the Passenger Rail Investment and
Improvement Act of 2008 (PRIIA). We also oppose provisions that limit funding for the
development of this service. The Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act of 2015, which
passed the House by a vote of 316 – 101, authorized $300 million for state grants to expand and
improve intercity rail. Without appropriations, however, 32 state projects continue without a
Federal partner. Investment in a multi-modal system is essential to dealing with the growth that
are nation is and will continue to experience.
Additionally, Congress recently agreed to extend the deadline contained in the Rail Safety
Improvement Act of 2008 for implementation of positive train control on our nation’s railroads.
APTA supports this action by Congress to provide more time for commuter and freight railroads
to implement this life saving technology. However, many challenges still remain, including the
substantial implementation costs for publicly funded commuter railroads. We urge the conferees
to use this opportunity to provide funding to help commuter railroads in meeting this new deadline.
Finally, we support language (with modifications) included in Sec. 199C of the Senate
Appropriations Committee mark, that would provide greater clarity on how and when the
Department of Transportation may use funds to implement a program for geographic, economic,
or any other hiring preference.
Thank you for your consideration of our priorities on the FY 2016 Appropriations bill. We
look forward to continuing to work with you to expand and improve access to public transportation
in communities throughout the nation.
Sincerely,
Michael P. Melaniphy
President & CEO
cc: Members of the Senate Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development,
and Related Agencies