With the announcement that the Senate passed the CARES Act by a vote of 96-0, APTA President/CEO Paul Skoutelas released the following statement:
"The American Public Transportation Association (APTA), on behalf of the public transportation industry, applauds Congressional leaders and the Trump Administration for reaching a bipartisan agreement on the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that includes $25 billion in desperately needed funds for essential public transportation services. Last night, the U.S. Senate passed the bill unanimously, by a vote of 96-0. The House of Representatives is expected to consider the bill on Friday and the President has expressed his support for the legislation.
Ad Loading...
Public transit is a critical lifeline for millions of Americans, and this legislation will provide much needed support to the transit systems working tirelessly to provide essential public transit services for health care workers, first responders, and grocery and pharmacy workers, as well as medical transportation for kidney dialysis, cancer treatments, and other critical care.
Our wholehearted thanks to Congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Democratic Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), President Trump, and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin for working tirelessly to craft this bipartisan, bicameral emergency funding legislation.
We would also like to thank the leadership of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees for their critical work in crafting this essential legislation. From the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Chairman Richard C. Shelby (R-AL), Vice Chairman Patrick J. Leahy (D-VT), Subcommittee Chairman Susan M. Collins (R-ME) and Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI), and from the House Committee on Appropriations, Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY), Ranking Member Kay Granger (R-TX), Subcommittee Chairman David Price (D-NC) and Ranking Member Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL). Finally, we thank the leaders of the authorizing committees of both the House and Senate.
We urge swift passage by the House of Representatives and signing of the bill by President Trump so that these funds can be distributed to transit systems as quickly as possible."
The region’s fixed-route system finished out the year with a total of 373.5 million rides. Adding 12.3 million rides over 2024 represents an increase that is equal to the annual transit ridership of Kansas City.
The service is a flexible, reservation-based transit service designed to close the first- and last-mile gaps and connect riders to employment for just $5 per day.
The upgraded system, which went live earlier this month, supports METRO’s METRONow vision to enhance the customer experience, improve service reliability, and strengthen long-term regional mobility.
The agreement provides competitive wages and reflects strong labor-management collaboration, positive working relationships, and a shared commitment to building a world-class transit system for the community, said RTA CEO Lona Edwards Hankins.
The priorities are outlined in the 2026 Board and CEO Initiatives and Action Plan, which serves as a roadmap to guide the agency’s work throughout the year and ensure continued progress and accountability on voter-approved transportation investments and essential mobility services.
