Letter to the Editor, Springfield News Leader, September 15, 2024
The funding landscape for public transportation remains a key topic of conversation as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) – which authorized the largest federal investment in public transportation in the nation’s history – reaches its midpoint. Missouri must maintain its momentum if the state wants its 32 local transit providers to be able to continue to take advantage of funds available through FFY 2026.
BIL support requires a 50:50 match for transit operations and an 80:20 match for capital programming. Without local matching funds, federal dollars cannot be secured. This is why Missouri’s $11.7 million transit allocation for each of the last two years is such an incredible win. It represents a more than 580% increase in state funding since 2021.
Statewide funding increases like this are not happenstance. They are a result of the hard work of organizations like the Missouri Public Transit Association (MPTA), a recent recipient of the 2024 Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA)’s State Leadership Award. The MPTA has a tremendous ground-level game. It works tirelessly to explain what transit service means to all Missourians, how it plays a role in statewide economics, and why state and federal funds work in tandem. It’s also the voice of transit-related issues – and communicates those in ways decision-makers can easily digest.
Increased state investment in public transit is vital to Missouri and other states. More agencies and organizations need to take note of the work of the MPTA, as the nation heads into the home stretch of the BIL.
Scott Bogren, Executive Director, of the Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA)