Sponsors (2)
The bill creates a small, targeted, performance‑based funding stream for transit‑intensive mid‑sized cities—encouraging efficiency and predictability—but the set-aside is limited and the metric-driven approach may exclude needy communities or favor better-reporting agencies.
Medium-sized urban areas (pop. 200,000–999,999) that meet the bill's performance thresholds receive a dedicated federal transit share (1.5% of remaining funds), giving those cities an explicit new funding stream for local transit.
Cities that score better on the six performance metrics are rewarded with funds, creating an incentive for medium-sized, transit‑intensive communities and transit agencies to improve efficiency and service.
Allocations are calculated annually using National Transit Database (NTD) data and Secretary determinations, promoting a consistent, data-driven, and transparent allocation process across fiscal years.
Medium-sized cities only receive 1.5% of the remaining funds, a relatively small set-aside that may limit the practical impact of the program on local transit improvements.
Communities that fail to meet or exceed at least one large-city industry average get no share, which can exclude struggling or lower-resourced mid-sized areas—potentially leaving low-income riders without needed support.
Basing allocations on NTD reporting and performance metrics risks favoring agencies with stronger reporting capacity rather than those with the greatest transit need, introducing distribution bias.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a new formula that awards 1.5% of certain transit formula funds to urbanized areas of 200,000–999,999 population that meet or exceed industry-average performance using NTD data.
Official title: To amend section 5336 of title 49, United States Code, to provide for certain apportionments to medium-sized transit intensive cities, and for other purposes.
Introduced May 13, 2026 by Salud Carbajal · Last progress May 13, 2026
Creates a new small share of the federal transit formula that directs 1.5% of amounts not otherwise apportioned to urbanized areas with populations between 200,000 and 999,999 that meet or exceed industry-average performance in one or more transit categories. The Department of Transportation must use National Transit Database (NTD) data and annually calculate industry averages and apportionments under a new formula for “medium-sized transit‑intensive cities.” The change amends the existing urbanized-area apportionment statute, adds a new subsection defining eligible areas and performance metrics, and adjusts cross-references and numbering in the statute to accommodate the new subformula.