DOT Proposal to White House Proposes Elimination of Transit Investment

Recent reports in the news outline a Department of Transportation (DOT) proposal to the White House potentially eliminating the Mass Transit Account of the Highway Trust Fund and preventing states from using highway funds for public transit.

“Hundreds of thousands of rural Missourians, older adults, people with disabilities, veterans, and low-income citizens rely on public transportation around Missouri. This federal funding is critical for Missouri providers to continue providing essential transportation for their communities. Without federal support, there is the very real threat of the elimination of many if not the majority of Missouri’s rural providers,” said Kimberly Cella, Executive Director of the Missouri Public Transit Association.

In Missouri, transit is delivering more than $4 billion annually to Missouri’s economy, according to a study released last January.

Growth and development patterns are greatly impacted by our decisions on how and where to invest in our transportation infrastructure. For example, public transit dollars invested in mature communities are playing a key role in urban revitalization and redevelopment. This can be seen in Kansas City, where more than $2 billion in development has occurred along the Streetcar alignment. Meanwhile, in rural communities, investment in transit expands access to jobs, education and quality healthcare through providers like OATS, the largest rural transit provider in the country. However, the demand continues to grow.  A Missouri Transit Needs Assessment Study demonstrated a 55 percent increase in unmet demand for transit since 2022.

Now is the time for Missourians to weigh in on the importance of federal investment in transit to this state whether they ride transit or not.  Contact information for the Missouri Congressional delegation is below: