A bipartisan bill recently cosponsored by U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) would increase the federal operating share for rural transit to help transportation providers improve their services.
“For rural South Dakotans who do not own a vehicle, transit services are a lifeline to reach their jobs, medical appointments, grocery stores, and other necessities,” Sen. Rounds said earlier this week. “This legislation aims to support the operators who provide these essential services, so that they may continue to get our rural residents where they need to go.”
The Investments in Rural Transit Act, S. 3978, which Sen. Rounds cosponsored on March 3 alongside bill sponsor U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN), would increase the federal share for operating costs to 80 percent from the current 50 percent of a rural transit provider’s operating costs, such as fuel and labor.
Additionally, S. 3978 would direct the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to work with rural transit agencies, tribal transit agencies, and state departments of transportation to recommend administrative relief regarding federal reporting requirements and other rules.
The bill also would allow transit agencies to partner in joint and cooperative procurements to save money and ease the process for agencies and manufacturers, and would direct the secretaries of the U.S. Transportation and Energy Departments to review opportunities for streamlining procurement of low- and no-emission vehicle infrastructure in rural areas.
Finally, S. 3978 would designate an associate administrator for program management and tribal transit to make certain tribal transit is appropriately prioritized and elevated at the FTA, according to a bill summary provided by Sen. Rounds’ staff.
“High-quality, efficient public transit systems are important for Minnesotans who rely on them every day to get to the office, school, the doctor, and to make their lives work,” said Sen. Smith. “This bipartisan legislation would support reliable public transit in rural communities where it’s a lifeline.”