METRO Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

U.S. DOT finalizes New Starts, Small Starts changes

They include adopting a simpler, more straightforward approach for measuring a proposed project’s cost-effectiveness and expanding the range of environmental benefits used to evaluate proposed projects.

December 27, 2012
3 min to read


The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) unveiled a streamlined approach for administering its primary capital public transportation program for expanding transit systems.

The New Starts/Small Starts program, one of the largest competitive grant programs in the U.S. government, funds roughly half the cost of new and extended light rail, commuter rail, bus rapid transit and ferry systems built in the U.S.

The new approach is the product of more than two years of public outreach to identify ways to cut red tape, reduce regulations for communities seeking federal funds, and help get critical transit projects under construction more quickly without compromising a stringent project review process. The changes are estimated to save taxpayers almost $500,000 annually by requiring less time-consuming paperwork and allowing communities to pre-qualify for certain projects. Additional savings may result from accelerating project delivery.

“The changes we’re making to the New Starts capital investment program are a huge win for communities that want to see more of their local transportation priorities become reality,” said FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff. “We’ll be in a position to save federal and local taxpayers’ money and put more Americans to work by allowing good projects to begin construction more quickly.”

The FTA is making four key changes to the New Starts/Small Starts program. These are:

1) adopting a simpler, more straightforward approach for measuring a proposed project’s cost-effectiveness. FTA will no longer require communities to compare a proposed project’s travel time savings against a hypothetical alternative project. Instead, FTA will look at the estimated cost to construct the project communities intend to build compared against a rigorously-analyzed estimate for the number of passengers the project will serve.

2) expanding the range of environmental benefits used to evaluate proposed projects. In addition to taking into account the Environmental Protection Agency’s regional air quality designations, FTA will also look at the dollar value of the anticipated benefits to human health, energy use, air quality (such as changes in total greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants) and safety (such as reductions in accidents and fatalities).

3) adding new economic development factors to its ratings process.  The FTA currently looks at local plans and policies already in place to encourage economic development and how well they’re working in a given area. Going forward, a broader set of economic impacts will be included, such as whether local plans and policies maintain or increase affordable housing.

4) streamlining the project evaluation process by reducing regulations and red tape. It will allow project sponsors to forgo a detailed analysis of benefits that are unnecessary to justify a project. For example, projects that receive a sufficient rating on benefits calculations will not be required to do an analysis to forecast benefits out to some future year. Similarly, FTA is developing methods that can be used to estimate benefits using simple approaches.  

FTA received approximately 1,000 comments on the proposed changes from a wide range of stakeholders and individuals. The agency also conducted extensive outreach, holding a webinar and public meetings in Atlanta, Dallas, and San Diego. Additional interim guidance on New Starts/Small Starts will be forthcoming to address provisions affected by the enactment of the legislation on Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21).

The changes are consistent with Executive Order 13563 issued by President Obama in January 2011, calling on Federal agencies to “modify, streamline, expand, or repeal” rules that may be “outmoded, ineffective, insufficient, or excessively burdensome.”

In FY2012, FTA’s New Starts/Small Starts program provided more than $2 billion for capital projects to help build light rail, commuter rail, and bus rapid transit projects. In FY2011 and FY2012 alone, FTA signed more capital construction agreements for transit projects than in any two-year period in the agency’s history.

Topics:RailBus

More Bus

frontrunner bus
SponsoredMay 1, 2026

ADA Compliant Transit: Easier, More Dignified Travel for Every Passenger

Today’s riders—and the communities you serve—expect more from public transit. While ADA compliance is required, leading transit agencies know that true accessibility also means delivering dignity, efficiency, and a better rider experience. This whitepaper reveals why forward thinking agencies nationwide choose the Low Floor Frontrunner as their first choice for ADA compliant vehicles—setting a new standard with passenger first design, faster boarding, improved safety, and unmatched operational performance.

Read More →
Cover photo for Part 2 with Cecil Blandon
Managementby Alex RomanApril 30, 2026

Bus Tech Talk: Part 2 with AC Transit’s Cecil Blandon

Deck: In Part 2 of a two-part conversation, AC Transit’s director of maintenance joins co-hosts Alex Roman and Mark Hollenbeck to discuss his maintenance team’s work with various types of vehicle, training, augmented reality, and more.

Read More →
A Valley Metro bus
Managementby StaffApril 28, 2026

Keolis Contract Extended for Valley Metro's East Valley Fixed-Route Bus Service

Under this extension, Keolis will continue to manage and operate fixed-route bus service across the East Valley, serving communities including Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale, the town of Gilbert, parts of Phoenix, and the Gila River Indian Community.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A Des Moines DART bus
Busby StaffApril 28, 2026

Iowa DART Prepares for June Bus Network Launch

The new network reflects extensive input from riders and the community through Reimagine DART on what matters most in public transit — and those priorities are reflected in the changes ahead.

Read More →
A Route 8 bus travels on Denny Way in congested traffic.
Busby StaffApril 24, 2026

Seattle Speeds up Service on Denny Way

A new bus lane project aims to improve reliability on one of King County Metro’s busiest and most congestion-prone corridors.

Read More →
WMATA 7000-series railcars at Navy Yard
Managementby StaffApril 24, 2026

WMATA Adopts FY2027 Budget, Boosts Service Without Raising Fares

While recognizing regional economic constraints and continuing to improve service, the budget increases the jurisdictional subsidy to less than 1.8%, significantly below the inflation rate and the 3% regional target, said agency officials.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A WMATA bus underneath a cherry blossom tree
Busby Alex RomanApril 24, 2026

Bus Coalition Leaders Push to Protect Transit Funding in Critical Reauthorization Year

Coalition leaders outline priorities for preserving bus funding, maintaining competitive grants, and ensuring flexibility for transit agencies nationwide.

Read More →
A Community Transit Swift Articulated Bus
Managementby StaffApril 23, 2026

City of Everett, Community Transit Advance Transit Consolidation Effort

In the coming months, the parties will develop an interlocal agreement for the city’s annexation into Community Transit’s district. The proposal will be considered by the Everett City Council and the Community Transit board this fall, said officials.

Read More →
Cincinnati Metro's new battery-electric bus, which was unveiled on Earth Day
Zero Emissionsby StaffApril 23, 2026

Cincinnati Metro Goes Electric

Two battery-electric buses entered service on Earth Day, with four additional vehicles expected to join the fleet this summer. Seven more buses are planned for the end of 2027, bringing Metro’s total zero-emission fleet to 13.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A photo of a San Antonio VIA Metropolitan Transit zero-emission bus.
Busby Staff and News ReportsApril 20, 2026

Recovery and Risk Define the Transit Bus Market in 2025

A 5% rise in deliveries and a surge in zero-emission buses signaled progress in 2025, but high costs, long lead times, and shifting funding priorities continue to cloud the outlook.

Read More →