Opportunities Arrive to Realign Transportation Program

This article outlines conditions that will affect transit’s future. These include increased competitiveness from growing nations such as China and India, the collapsing Highway Trust Fund, increasing capital and operating costs, the need for energy independence, and changing demographics. The author suggests that these challenges offer an opportunity to grow federal transit funding and expand transit service. The author also describes way transportation professionals can make the case for increased funding among the general populace. One way is to provide high quality transit service within one-half mile of everyone living within a metropolitan area of 200,000 or more within 20 years. In addition, the author suggests a number of future funding options, including raising and indexing the gas tax, as well as investing in cleaner and more efficient technologies.