The Bus Operator Safety and Security Act requires that new fixed route buses purchased with specific federal funds be equipped with protective barriers separating the driver's area from passengers. This mandate applies to buses at least 30 feet long with a useful life of 10 years or more, excluding those funded under section 5311. The required barrier must extend from the floor to the ceiling and fully enclose the workstation to prevent unauthorized entry by people, fluids, or objects while maintaining the driver's line of sight. This requirement takes effect two years after enactment, unless a labor organization representing the majority of frontline workers agrees to waive it for that specific purchase.
The Incentivizing Value Capture for Greener Transportation Act establishes a federal program to help states and local governments develop strategies for funding public transit through value capture, which involves collecting a portion of the increased economic value generated by government infrastructure investments. To receive grants under this program, recipients must demonstrate that their plans will increase transit ridership and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, vehicle miles traveled, and traffic congestion while maintaining existing funding levels for these initiatives. The legislation also requires that construction projects funded by these grants adhere to prevailing wage standards and mandates an evaluation of the program's effectiveness three years after funding is received. Additionally, the bill directs the Secretary of Transportation to create voluntary best practices for value capture and publish a report on existing state and local laws that successfully promote affordable transit-oriented development.
The PATH Act modifies federal funding rules for fixed guideway transit projects, such as light rail and subway lines, to better support high-growth communities. It allows agencies to use population density, population growth rates, and local development plans when forecasting how many people will use a new transit line. By updating these criteria, the bill aims to make it easier for cities with rapidly growing populations to qualify for capital investment grants. This change directly affects transit agencies and local governments seeking federal money to build or expand rail systems in expanding areas.
The Modal Parity in Permitting Act allows federal transit funds to be used for purchasing or leasing real property needed for transit projects before environmental reviews are finished, provided the transaction follows federal law. This change applies to projects receiving financial assistance for transit corridors and passenger rail lines, enabling earlier acquisition of land or buildings. However, the bill strictly prohibits any physical development or improvements to that property until all required environmental reviews are complete. Additionally, the Federal Transit Administration must update its existing guidance documents within six months to reflect these new rules.
The PATH Act modifies federal funding rules for fixed-guideway transit projects, such as rail lines, to allow grant recipients to use more flexible ridership forecasting methods. Under the new provisions, agencies can choose to base their forecasts on either population density or population growth rate, whichever factor is most beneficial for predicting ridership. The bill also requires these forecasts to consider local development planning activities alongside the chosen population metric. This change directly affects transit agencies applying for capital investment grants by expanding the data they may use to justify project viability.
The Transportation for Reentry Act requires transit agencies receiving federal funding to offer free public transportation to individuals released from prison after serving at least one year. Under this bill, these agencies must provide the service for one year starting from the person's release date and cover costs related to program setup, staff training, and outreach. To receive federal grants, transit recipients must establish enrollment systems, track usage data, and ensure compliance with the program's duration requirements. The legislation authorizes $40 million annually from 2027 to 2031 to support these efforts and mandates a final report on the program's impact five years after enactment.
This bill creates a new tax incentive to encourage the construction and renovation of affordable housing near public transportation hubs. It directly affects developers and investors by increasing the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit for buildings located within half a mile of rail, bus, harbor, or waterway stations in high-density zones. The credit amount is boosted to 150% of the standard value, rising to 155% for projects in Hawaii, Alaska, or U.S. territories, with limits on how many areas can be designated in each region. Additionally, the bill requires the Department of Housing and Urban Development to study geographic cost-of-living differences and propose changes to how tax credit funds are distributed among states.
This bill, known as the Streamlined Apportionment, Flexibility, and Efficiency Transit Act, aims to reduce administrative burdens on public transit agencies by simplifying federal funding rules. Key provisions include requiring faster distribution of certain urban transit funds, extending the availability period for bus purchases from three to five years, and allowing agencies to retain leftover funds for future capital projects if they provide a specific certification. The legislation also directs the Department of Transportation to minimize documentation for environmental reviews, encourage early talks with historic preservation offices, and conduct a review to cut or combine unnecessary reporting requirements. Additionally, it modifies the triennial review process for transit grants to focus primarily on past deficiencies and randomly sample compliance in only up to five categories. These changes collectively seek to make federal oversight more efficient and less time-consuming for transit operators.
The Safe Transit for All Act of 2026 requires large public transit agencies in urban areas with over 200,000 people to collect and publish data on street harassment experienced by passengers. This data collection includes details about the type of harassment, the demographics of those affected, and how these incidents impact ridership, while also establishing reporting mechanisms and response protocols. The bill defines street harassment as intimidating or threatening words, gestures, or actions directed at individuals based on protected characteristics such as race, age, or disability. Additionally, the legislation mandates that this information be added to the national transit database to improve overall safety monitoring.
This bill creates a new funding stream for medium-sized cities with populations between 200,000 and 999,999 that operate public transit systems. It directs 1.5 percent of unallocated federal transit funds to these eligible areas based on how well their performance matches that of larger cities with over 1 million residents. To qualify, a city must meet or exceed the national average in at least one specific metric, such as passenger miles per vehicle or ridership per capita. The Department of Transportation will use existing data to calculate these rankings and distribute the money accordingly.
