In a letter sent to the President and House and Senate leaders, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) strongly urged the Administration and Congress to find common ground and open the federal government. According to a survey conducted by APTA, more than one-third (36%) of public transit agency members indicated that the government shutdown is substantially impacting their operations and/or capital programs.
"This record government shutdown is having critical impacts on public transit systems across the country that are compounding daily," said APTA President/CEO Paul P. Skoutelas and APTA Chair David M. Stackrow Sr. in APTA's letter to Congress. "Agencies report cutting back service, delaying hiring, transferring capital funds to operations, using reserve funds, and other direct impacts. With each passing day, these impacts become worse."
Under the government shutdown, the Federal Transit Administration is not able to execute grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts. Public transportation agencies, which rely on grants to support operations and capital projects, are not receiving any reimbursements for previously approved projects and expended funds.
The APTA letter further states that the shutdown is also beginning to delay important progress to repair, maintain, and expand needed public transportation services. Delaying these projects adds costs to the current $90 billion backlog in state-of-good-repair priorities, prevents expansion of public transit in some of the nation's fastest-growing communities, and impedes mobility for millions of people.