To mark this week's "Don't X Out Public Transit Day," the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) released a new survey that focused on what the consequences would be on public transportation riders and systems around the country if a House of Representatives-proposed cut of more than one-third of federal funding for public transportation actually took place.

The survey showed that if the cuts were implemented, "public transit riders can expect service cutbacks, service delays and overcrowding, as systems will be forced to reduce service, lay off workers and forego maintenance projects and curtail critical service improvements."

The analysis estimated that over the six-year authorization period, 620,000 private and public sector jobs would be lost and $17.2 billion in transportation projects would be abandoned.

The cuts would also have a ripple effect into the private sector, with APTA estimating that 12,002 fewer buses, 6,113 fewer vans and small vehicles, and 2,268 fewer rail vehicles would be made in America over the six year authorization period.

The entire survey can be found here.

As I've mentioned before, the hope President Barack Obama brought that public transportation was turning a corner and taking its rightful place in the further development of this nation just a couple of years ago is now gone. And now, what is the industry left with?

While there is still support from the Administration, there are still no ideas for funding a new bill, and it is growing painfully obvious that the "Golden Age of public transportation," which lasted maybe a bit longer than a year, is done.

So, what do you think...is public transportation doomed for good?

In case you missed it...

Read our METRO blog, "From farm to table via public transit," here.