Aid for Mass Transit Gains Support

Recent NYSTEA Partners
Thanks for Your Support!

ATU Local 923

Transit News
NYSTEA Recommended Reading!

-NYSTEA Partners Participate in Rally with Rev. Jesse Jackson

-America Public Transportation Association
(APTA) Latest Report on Public Transportation Funding Crisis

-DOT Secretary Ray Lahood's recent blog post on federal funding for transit op's

-The Obama administration improves fuel efficiency and regulates GHG's for automobiles

Join us on

Share with your friends and colleagues!

For more information about NYSTEA and how you can get involved contact:

James Burke

347-465-8488

burke@weact.org

Greetings!

Recently, there has been an outpour of support for one of our most important transportation equity demands - flexible funding for transit operating assistance. Currently, large urban areas are barred from using federal transit dollars for operating expenses. Due to the current budget crisis facing transit agencies across the country, Congress allowed a one-time exception for 10% of transit stimulus funds to be used to keep buses and trains running. Unfortunately, this short term solution is not enough.

For the past year NYSTEA and our national allies have been building support for H.R. 2746, a bill introduced by Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-MO) which would allow between 30%-50% flexibility depending on the size of the metropolitan region. Finally, last month we gained an ally on the Senate side, when Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) introduced S. 3189, which resembles the existing house bill.

Here in New York State and across the country, transit riders and workers are facing severe service cuts, fare hikes, and lay-offs. As the majority of transit users nationwide, people of color and low-income communities are disproportionately impacted by these cuts and would be most positively affected by this policy change.

NYSTEA is working to advance sustainable, equitable, green, and job-creating policies within the federal transportation bill. Both the maintenance and expansion of public transportation are essential to these ends. This summer we plan to meet with our local partners to discuss our campaign in more detail. Hope to see you then!

Cecil, Drew,James, Kate, Katie, Peter, Soledad, Veronica, and Ya-Ting

NYSTEA Partners and Harlem Youth Travel to D.C.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and other members of Congress discuss transit issues with NYSTEA!

Click on image above for more photos

Last month members of NYSTEA and students from the Harlem Heritage school attended the annual Transportation Equity Network conference in Washington D.C. During our visit we met with many New York Representatives to highlight the need for more federal funding for mass transit and transit operating assistance.

The students came with hundreds of signatures from fellow classmates speaking out against the proposed student metro card cuts in New York City. Due to inadequate funding from the city and state, approximately 500,000 youth may lose their student cards. This looming crisis would pose a much greater financial burden to already hard hit family budgets.

Following our meetings Rep's Charlie Rangel, Gregory Meeks, and Yvette Clarke all signed on to H.R. 2746. We appreciate their support! Currently there are 105 co-sponsors to this bill and only 1 on Senator Brown's bill. There are still some New York Representatives yet to sign on. Together we hope to secure their endorsement moving forward.