Why Federal Transit Subsidies are a Necessity Right Now
Why it matters. Historically, public transport’s primary sources of revenue have been from fares and local subsidies, both of which have hit all-time lows due to the current pandemic. The lack of revenue has forced public transport systems around the country to reduce operations significantly, suspending routes, and overnight activity. According to the New York Times, The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the largest transit agency in the country, faces a $15.9 billion deficit through 2024 after revenues from fares, tolls, and state and local subsidies were cut when the pandemic hit. The shortage will force the agency to undergo massive shifts to stay afloat, such as cutting bus routes, increasing wait times, and suspending subway lines. The problem is particularly challenging for minorities and lower-income workers who rely on public transport to get to work. A Pew Research study demonstrates that among urban residents, 34% of Blacks and 27% of Hispanics report taking public transit daily or weekly, compared with only 14% of whites. The suspension of public transit will disproportionately detriment lower-income and minority individuals, perpetuating the structural harms that have been apparent in America since its conception in 1776.
My take. With a utilitarian approach in mind, public transit should fundamentally be about providing as much access to as many people as possible. However with the revenue pressure from the pandemic, that philosophical approach is at severe risk. As with most of the complex issues America faces today, there are multiple solutions to the threat of service cuts to the transit system. As of right now, all hope lies in a proposed $15 billion for public transit agencies as part of a $908 billion pandemic-relief package. Unfortunately, the plan is met with resistance from Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell whose proposed bill offers no public transit financing. Congress needs to compromise and offer financial relief and subsidies for the transport systems to help them through the pandemic. However, while the stimulus bill provides a band-aid short-term fix, a much-needed one at that, public transport systems will continue bleeding out due to a systematic and administrative ineptitude apparent within the system. Christina Goldblum from the New York Times writes that the public transport system “has a reputation for massive overspending and labor redundancies.” Potential remedies include but are not limited to; following the Japanese Shinkansen model of only having one worker on the train at a time, switching to a proof of payment method, and reworking the maintenance systems to be more cost-effective. Using the money given by Congress to transition to a more efficient model, public transport can both survive and improve, further serving the American people.
