The United States Of Transit Cuts
Downturn forcing service and Job cuts, fare hikes, even as ridership grows
With transit ridership at record highs across the U.S., transit agencies are cutting jobs and service and raising fares as the economic downturn wreaks havoc on their operating budgets. According to the New York Times there will be no more service at 2,300 bus stops in St. Louis; WMATA, which broke ridership records on inauguration day, is cutting 900 jobs; Charlotte, where ridership on a new light rail line is the envy of other transit agencies, is cutting service and raising fares; NYC’s MTA is contemplating the deepest service cuts in years; in California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed eliminating operating assistance for transit agencies altogether.
Surely this will deal yet another blow to the weakened economy and hit the transit-dependent hard. The problem is that farebox revenues typically pay for only a portion of the cost of operations, and declining city and state tax revenues have cut into other sources of operating revenue. So far there’s no money in the economic stimulus bill for operations; all the transit funding is for capital expenditures, and even that was reduced from $17 billion to $10 billion, though amendments may eventually raise the amount, while highway spending in the bill remains untouched at $30 million.
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Yellow = Service Cuts Green = Fare Increases Purple = Service Cuts and Fare Increases Red = Service Cuts and Job Losses Turquoise = Fare Increases and Job Losses $$ = Service Cuts, Job Losses, and Fare Increases. This information is compiled from media and online coverage of proposed cuts in these agencies, and is not comprehensive. Most cuts are proposed and subject to change. The map will be updated as warranted.
This map, compiled from nationwide media coverage, highlights operating cuts in 53 communities. According to the Amalgamated Transit Union, every $1 billion invested in public transit operations generates 60,000 jobs. This map is posted at Transportation for America. The Transportation for America coalition is co-chaired by Reconnecting America and Smart Growth America. Please join!
Posted February 3, 2009
