A $1.7 billion emergency transit bill passed the US House or Representatives Thursday by a 322-98 margin (wow). The bill, if it passes the Senate, would provide the money over the next two years to local transit agencies to help offset their increased operating costs. Hopefully King County Metro and the rest of the cash-strapped local agencies can get some of that money.
(Thanks to Gordon Werner for the link!)
The site looks better today.
$1.7 billion for the entire country is pathetically tiny. Who are they kidding? We spend that much in Iraq in a couple of days!
Drop, bucket, etc.
I think we spend about that much a week in Iraq. Sadly, the Federal Transit Administration’s entirely yearly funding is something like $4 billion a year.
Sure but it’s emergency funding, and it’s going to pay for operations cost, which is different than the normal FTA funding.
I am sure our rural systems could use some relief, and I hope they get a piece of this money too. On both sides of the Cascades. $4.50 per gallon gasoline might hurt city people, but it will hurt the rural areas even harder if the residents do not have any other options. Diesel Fuel costs are going to hurt them, right as they probably see their highest ridership in history, such as LINK Transit in Chelan/Douglas Counties.