Study: $1B transit investment yields 30,000 jobs

A new APTA study released Wednesday shows that investing in public transportation provides jobs to the American workers who may need them the most. 

“Job Impacts of Spending on Public Transportation: an Update” shows that two-thirds (67 percent) of the jobs created by capital investment in the public transit industry replaces lost blue-collar jobs with “green jobs” in the public transit sector. The Economic Development Research Group prepared the study for the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). 

Overall, the study shows an investment of one billion dollars in public transportation supports and creates 30,000 jobs in a variety of sectors. Based on these projections, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), which provides $8.4 billion for public transportation projects, will create approximately 252,000 jobs for Americans and help transit systems meet the steadily growing demand for public transit services.

APTA released the study at the U.S. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing Recovery Act: 10-Week Progress Report for Transportation and Infrastructure Programs.

The study reveals that two out of three (67 percent) of these new construction and manufacturing “green jobs” resulting from public transit capital investment typically fall in the category of "Blue-Collar Semi-Skilled" (59 percent) and "Blue-Collar Skilled" (8 percent). These jobs include positions in manufacturing, service, repair worker, drivers, crew, ticket agents and construction. 

In addition, 33 percent of the new jobs as a result of public transit investment fall in the "White-Collar Skilled" (32 percent) or "White Collar Semi-Skilled" (1 percent) category. These jobs include clerical, managerial and technical engineers.

To view the full report click here:  http://www.apta.com/research/info/online/jobs_impact.cfm