Bringing The Jobs on Board: The Stronger Communities Through Better Transit Act would create 230,000 new jobs

By Emmett Hopkins - The Climate and Community Project, February 2024

Transit plays a central role in providing access to schools, jobs, medical care, parks, grocery stores and other everyday necessities. For decades, the United States has underinvested in this essential building block for economic mobility and equitable prosperity. Transit is also a vital climate solution, providing the fastest pathway for cutting transportation emissions. Ambitious investment in reliable, fast, and affordable public transit systems will help communities flourish and support an economy that works for all.

Congressman Hank Johnson introduced a federal bill that would invest $20 billion in transit operations through a formula grant program that increases by 50% the operations funding for every recipient of the Federal Transit Administration’s existing urbanized area and rural area formula funds, and increases the federal share of operating costs for rural transit agencies from 50% to 80%.

This infusion of funds could translate into up to 230,000 new high-pay, high-quality jobs nationwide, including for transit operators and staff who work tirelessly to keep the systems moving, and also the indirect jobs set in motion by the increased economic activity.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed here are not the official position of the IWW (or even the IWW’s EUC) and do not necessarily represent the views of anyone but the author.