Public Transportation Needs Your Voice
The impact is felt in every state, powered by a nationwide industry at work. Back the 2026 Surface Transportation Authorization Act. Invest in public transit and keep the returns coming (www.apta.com/). #PublicTransitImpact
Every $1 invested in public transportation returns $5 to the economy.
It builds the infrastructure that powers our economy.
It keeps factory floors busy and supply chains strong.
It creates good-paying jobs in every state.
And it provides families with an affordable and reliable way to get where they need to go.
The 2026 Surface Transportation Authorization Act is how Congress fully funds public transit—and keeps America moving.
On April 3, 2026, President Donald Trump released his Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Budget request. President Trump requests a budget that greatly reduces the transit budget, only $16.3 billion (-23%) for public transit and $2.8 billion (-82%) for passenger rail in FY 2027.
The President’s Budget does not request to continue any advance appropriations under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which results in substantial cuts to key public transit and passenger rail investments, including:
Capital Investment Grants (-$1.6 billion)
Low or No Emission Competitive Grants (-$1.05 billion)
State of Good Repair grants (-$950 million)
All Station Accessibility Program (-$350 million)
Ferry Competitive Grants (-$250 million)
Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Grants (-$7.2 billion)
Railroad Crossing Elimination Grants (-$500 million)
This will disproportionately affect the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA), which remains the least funded transit agency in the state of Florida and one of the least funded transit authorities in the country. Click here to learn more about how PSTA is funded.
Finally, the Budget request does not include U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) surface transportation authorization funding or policy proposals.
We urge you to contact your US Congressperson and Representative and let them know public transit matters. The American Public Transit Association (“APTA”) is requesting Congress and the Administration to provide $138 billion for public transit and $130 billion for passenger rail over five years.These investment levels restore the purchasing power lost to inflation over the past five years and grow total public transit and passenger rail funding (including guaranteed funding) moving forward.
You can find representatives here.
SAMPLE EMAIL OR SCRIPT:
Please fund public transit in a meaningful way and restore levels of funding for both public transit and rail, accounting for inflation. Public transit is more than buses and trains. It’s advanced technologies, high skills, and American-made products that spur productivity, efficiency, and local economies. The economic benefits extend beyond any single bus route or rail line, even to communities with limited transit services.
OR
Please fund public transit in a meaningful way and restore levels of funding for both public transit and rail, accounting for inflation. As the cost of living rises and household budgets tighten, families who choose public transit can save up to $13,000 a year compared to owning a car—leaving more money for rent, groceries, and other everyday needs.
OR
Please fund public transit in a meaningful way and restore levels of funding for both public transit and rail, accounting for inflation. Investing in public transportation supports high skills and specialized expertise that increase the nation’s productivity and keep us competitive. American workers design, engineer, build, and maintain the next generation of innovative, advanced vehicles and high-tech systems.
Connect Pinellas is a support of the American Public Transportation Association.