Sponsors (2)
The bill guarantees a small, targeted federal transit share and uses performance-based, data-driven allocations to reward efficiency in mid-sized cities, but strict thresholds, potential reporting bias, and the limited (1.5%) allocation risk leaving needy mid-sized communities without meaningful support.
Medium-sized urban areas (population 200,000–999,999) that meet the performance thresholds receive a guaranteed dedicated share (1.5% of remaining funds) for transit, increasing targeted local transit funding.
Transit agencies in qualifying medium cities are rewarded based on six performance metrics, creating incentives for improved service efficiency and transit‑intensive planning.
State and local governments get more consistent, data-driven allocations because the bill relies on National Transit Database reporting and annual Secretary calculations, improving predictability across fiscal years.
Mid-sized communities that fail to meet the specified large-city industry averages receive no share, risking exclusion of struggling or recovering transit systems and disproportionately affecting low-income riders.
Basing allocations on NTD reporting can favor agencies with stronger reporting practices rather than those with greater transit need, introducing distribution bias.
The dedicated set‑aside is only 1.5% of remaining funds, a small share that may limit the practical impact of the policy in medium-sized cities.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Adds a new apportionment that directs 1.5% of certain unallocated transit formula funds to qualifying urbanized areas (200k–999,999) based on NTD performance metrics.
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 formula that directs a small portion of certain federal transit formula dollars to medium-sized transit‑intensive urbanized areas (those with populations between 200,000 and 999,999) that meet industry-average performance on one or more metrics. The Department of Transportation will use National Transit Database (NTD) data and Secretary-calculated industry averages each fiscal year to allocate the funds under the new subformula. The change is implemented by amending the statute that governs transit formula apportionments, adding a new subsection that defines eligible areas, the six performance categories used in the ratio-based allocation, and the data source and timing for annual calculations.