The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is developing a new public dashboard that measures key family-friendly metrics on transit systems across America.

Transit systems can use this dashboard to track their progress in becoming more family-friendly, said the FTA

Launching the Initiative

To kickstart this initiative, the FTA is requesting input on five key quality performance measures:

• Safety and security.
• Cleanliness.
• Universal accessibility.
• Real-time service data availability.
• System reliability. 

“American families deserve transit systems that actually work for them. That means a safe, clean, and reliable experience every time,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “By focusing on these family-friendly features, transit systems will be putting the needs of American families first. It will also help states learn from one another on what efforts are already helping communities elsewhere.”

Building on Past Actions

The family-friendly transit dashboard is part of a broader effort by the FTA and U.S. Department of Transportation to increase transparency, accountability, and service quality across the nation's public transportation systems, said officials.

In recent months, the agency has launched several initiatives to improve safety, reliability, and the overall rider experience, while encouraging transit agencies to adopt best practices.

The proposed dashboard would provide transit agencies, policymakers, and the public with a standardized way to evaluate system performance across a range of quality-of-life measures that directly affect families and everyday riders.

Federal officials say the tool could also help transit systems identify areas for improvement and learn from successful strategies implemented by peer agencies around the country.

FTA is accepting public comments on the proposed performance measures through August 3. Feedback received during the comment period will help shape the final framework and determine whether additional metrics or data sources should be included before the dashboard is launched.

The agency has not announced a timeline for the dashboard's release, but says the initiative is intended to support ongoing efforts to make public transportation safer, cleaner, more accessible, and more reliable for riders nationwide.