[{"_1":2,"_122":-5,"_123":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6083568,"mediaKeyId","2933559-e191bb3c74bc7ee97ea5f58cb88685a8","parentId",2933559,"title","Committee questions NEPA, permitting and CIG delivery after witnesses warn delays raise costs","audioSeconds",1681,"startMs",11604000,"endMs",13285000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2933559-e191bb3c74bc7ee97ea5f58cb88685a8&start=11604&end=13285","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2933559-e191bb3c74bc7ee97ea5f58cb88685a8/thumbnail_11604000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6083568/Committee-questions-NEPA-permitting-and-CIG-delivery-after-witnesses-warn-delays-raise-costs","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6083568-922339c7bb2b3ee3efd5bc9a5b61d92d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770791943&Signature=fLmNIscYf4-JosYGkg-JPZ4WRX-ofJAqcP48Pf2AjrjHoixZUufzSjlDUbK28ZIbwU~ISi7VFDL5jiRrClZEBM70gR~UyRD3TDGuq91vjBFR~N7iWgn9NsPO4Xi2xP0~Jd0eXTTK5JNbd-N6LCqyN9Ximn3IwSz2xlJuASZneu1aWDzpZqs60k4DyXfdN-qT6jcdF-Gb5yDYUmjRkzIzbMhMq~CSJjI45SRemZ87y~l0R~lqy7a5YJc0Xyn68aAvz8-w2VH~wtyO4H~sdsAyY7jkHCyx02E~GGetOxkYA0zK6KcWJN0qdIMzq1p-MCC90q9BAWJy0w6P9UlXYkUDmQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure","date","2025-04-02T14:27:45Z","article","Multiple witnesses told the House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit that permitting delays and complex federal reviews inflate costs and stall capital projects funded through the Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program.

Brooke Feigenbaum said the United States lags peer nations on delivery time and cost and recommended streamlining environmental reviews and realistic timelines. “NEPA is basically a part of streamlining of environmental reviews…we need to look at this bureaucratic mess…and streamline it so we can get these projects done more cheaply and quickly,” she said.

APTA and local officials described how predictable federal capital funding helps plan and deliver projects, but several witnesses and members urged improvements to the CIG process so that local sponsors can get timely decisions and move to construction. Nat Ford noted that capital certainty allows agencies to plan consultants, engineering and construction schedules and that “certainty is important.”

Members pressed for a combination of NEPA/process reforms, clearer FTA guidance and performance metrics, and faster federal review of awarded CIG projects so federal investments translate into visible local benefits on schedule.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","America Builds: A Review of Our Nation’s Transit Policies and Programs","oneSentenceSummary","Witnesses told the subcommittee that permitting and environmental reviews slow delivery and raise costs for capital projects, and called for clearer FTA timelines and reforms to the Capital Investment Grants (CIG) process so locally‑chosen projects can be built faster.","taxTitle","Transportation and Infrastructure: House Committee, Standing Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal","taxId",1827,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6083573,"Private contractors and autonomous shuttles pitched as tools to boost efficiency and last‑mile service",666,2970000,3636000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2933559-e191bb3c74bc7ee97ea5f58cb88685a8&start=2970&end=3636","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2933559-e191bb3c74bc7ee97ea5f58cb88685a8/thumbnail_2970000.jpg","/articles/6083573/Private-contractors-and-autonomous-shuttles-pitched-as-tools-to-boost-efficiency-and-lastmile-service","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6083573-ae9e49c0acb2b878afd534dfc6c956d3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770791943&Signature=Sw5NSucISLv60Y~rNrgubhfSfMClJTGTq8Sfuw5DRzpDInijmr7NLMvXME30VHdw6gqKkXq501bjN-UZgcKEgoZRv-A8S50HG0YGR47K4k4vq3SAQzxIkdlu69M9oox7OVWDsE0SZFxdr63OJJMKzznNVV63Bjclrk4yWmuh4CjqTSSO-y-3Rvi5tkFOPWPiPQEoaWZKDssvXn9CmkXtZETd2yfWxUyGMUdqXTbTlP-MBR94Wp9UOuWq94uAk8QhAUgYaRp-IvQsO1rXmHgw-DkSD59XGTclI6UUT2GlhmUEb2-dwFPTEaYQsz0gb0wHHrU6JSIFytppnNamk4fxbA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Private contractors and agency leaders told the House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit that contracting and new mobility technologies can help expand service and lower costs, while reiterating the need for federal rules to protect safety and workers.

Matt Buderbaugh, CEO of RATPDev USA and board member of the North American Transit Alliance, described private contracting as “an opportunity by strengthening transit by combining public oversight with private innovation and flexibility.” He urged agencies to test contracting where appropriate and recommended updates to FTA procurement best practices to increase competition.

Nat Ford, testifying for APTA and as CEO of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority, described Jacksonville’s Ultimate Urban Circulator program and its use of autonomous shuttles. “We’re introducing autonomous vehicles into our system we call the Ultimate Urban Circulator Program,” Ford said, describing a build grant that spurred private investment and local manufacturing and expected job creation tied to the project.

Union witnesses emphasized that innovation must include workforce protections: the Transportation Trades Department said automation policy should require certified operators on board, workforce development plans, and retraining guarantees so workers are not displaced. Members and witnesses agreed a federal framework for autonomous vehicles linked to safety and workforce rules would be critical if AVs are to be deployed in publicly funded systems.","Private operators and transit agencies told the subcommittee that contracting and new technologies — including micro‑transit and autonomous shuttles — can improve efficiency, expand service and address first‑mile/last‑mile gaps, but witnesses urged federal safety and workforce guardrails.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6083578,"Rural transit director: small agencies hamstrung by matching rules, paperwork and staffing shortages",283,3038000,3321000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2933559-e191bb3c74bc7ee97ea5f58cb88685a8&start=3038&end=3321","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2933559-e191bb3c74bc7ee97ea5f58cb88685a8/thumbnail_3038000.jpg","/articles/6083578/Rural-transit-director-small-agencies-hamstrung-by-matching-rules-paperwork-and-staffing-shortages","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6083578-d07d352b035bccdb277fed062e802a14/orig.mp4?Expires=1770791943&Signature=kV7nkcZub6o~fHC~-K3XdCj-J81g8yZbf3lIar7iBAWDf4DOdeoVig~IeCU8GtYy-ZHDrGFUYM9lwwdaRJTYEyw9doACtd46arF8B91bJ1x7uJvPYcf3BVY7J~fu5Lysf0i1Y8CKTm986VeiZn7fNd-47qUViyJV0bC~wOVeUSX-ccQv2rY9kcR3fBPAaZIhVCCFtSwPNoe3NL2CcxZU72cgvm3EBvdNsMsmF~TR2O2ndwZEtk~cRdYXS~db8W2QT8f0LHYd7ATuRh7yzXeRX0nGfEEQQTLCDN1RbibmrNsQ~iwcM7XigTM2zhCVrYwplZCA~W1YZPFyoqpe2eLE5A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Prairie Hills Transit executive director Barb Klein told the House subcommittee that small and rural transit systems face a different set of challenges than large urban agencies and that federal policy and program rules often worsen those challenges.

Klein described Prairie Hills Transit’s service area and scale: “We operate 60 vehicles with a staff of 60. In 2024, we carried 132,000 passengers representing a nearly 5% increase from our pre pandemic ridership,” she said. The operation serves a 16,500 square‑mile area and runs routes for veterans, medical trips and other rural needs.

Klein and other witnesses urged Congress to standardize local match rates so smaller systems do not face a 50% match requirement for operating funds while larger systems get lower rates. “The vast majority of federal transit programs require 20% local match. Rural and small city transit systems required to match at 50%,” Klein testified, urging a uniform 20% match for rural operating funds.

Witnesses asked for FTA discretionary program set‑asides for rural applicants, simplified procurement and reporting requirements, and help getting local match (through federal incentives, state routing of funds, or flexible formulas). Committee members from rural districts pressed for these changes and asked for a list of regulations that could be scaled to agency size.

Klein said regulatory relief and more predictable formula funding would let small systems expand hours and routes while preserving safety and training standards.","Prairie Hills Transit and other small providers told the subcommittee that federal match rates, administrative burdens and procurement rules disadvantage rural systems and that targeted set‑asides and regulatory ‘‘right‑sizing’’ are needed.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6083584,"Transit unions and operators press Congress for stronger worker protections after rise in assaults",90,3996000,4086000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2933559-e191bb3c74bc7ee97ea5f58cb88685a8&start=3996&end=4086","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2933559-e191bb3c74bc7ee97ea5f58cb88685a8/thumbnail_3996000.jpg","/articles/6083584/Transit-unions-and-operators-press-Congress-for-stronger-worker-protections-after-rise-in-assaults","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6083584-c302fdcbad349be027b57a7eaf2ec719/orig.mp4?Expires=1770791943&Signature=hLc2HW9Q1vCXRvTuq9U99n7XSXSAl5GHPrF9M5gdzEknaZ8XrvYDO6WqUGP0zqbD2SMl-8iL7jMlamD2SvGGK-eg2hzH8LhLnwnLBM4nJldn5a97ith81nsjXkj3fyzn353YNvr7Fi3JYTbvoSxZsN9PDyPnCYMU1TgPhXDQg8pTBGrbbLA6jUYSOHuXZ2fHshrGDtzCqPcVqebhYJHONVdssVTSW6fwjIskDw1dW8x5502hXaaZcBzMCUF5NAjFw6f5zgV1VOALNgLL3Jjjay-wHiLOQFmxGzyLiRLumrZHnigWUaRXMz4FGqF~RRBwgtc7KNX-cuHRuduGlNF5gA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Union leaders and transit agency officials told the House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit that assaults and threats against transit workers have grown in recent years and require federal policy and funding changes.

Greg Regan, representing the Transportation Trades Department, AFL‑CIO, said transit workers have faced a “scourge of violent assaults” and urged Congress to require physical protections for operators. Regan said agencies need “physical barriers that fully enclose their workstation to protect them.”

Reason Foundation transportation analyst Brooke Feigenbaum summarized the public safety trend with data drawn during testimony: “The number of assault related injuries in US public transit rose by 232 percent in the last 10 years,” she said, and listed recent violent incidents on several systems to underline the stakes.

Witnesses recommended a layered approach: improved data collection, worker-led safety committees, more uniformed presence in stations and on vehicles, operator de‑escalation training, better camera coverage and fare‑gate design, and clearer FTA guidance enabling agencies to use federal resources efficiently for safety. Greg Regan also proposed strengthening workforce development tied to capital programs so training is funded alongside equipment purchases.

Committee members pressed witnesses on how to translate data into enforceable agency changes and discussed statutory and programmatic fixes that could be included in the next surface transportation bill. The subcommittee record remains open for additional submissions.","Union leaders and transit operators told the House subcommittee that assaults on transit workers have surged and urged Congress to fund operator barriers, staffing, worker training, and data-driven safety measures in the reauthorization bill.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":46,"_47":116,"_49":117,"_51":118,"_53":119,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":120,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":121,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6083589,"House subcommittee pushes for flexible funding, faster delivery in next surface transportation bill",11523,1762000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2933559-e191bb3c74bc7ee97ea5f58cb88685a8&start=1762&end=13285","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2933559-e191bb3c74bc7ee97ea5f58cb88685a8/thumbnail_1762000.jpg","/articles/6083589/House-subcommittee-pushes-for-flexible-funding-faster-delivery-in-next-surface-transportation-bill","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6083589-7eb8c43fe5a1678345c96fd68c161172/orig.mp4?Expires=1770791943&Signature=JcNDUrY95XeCwhcmTy1bqO2YC3oyAPMKVspdM9tLM1uztpU~qf~O8dqgZp11F6jMIuWczP6Q9xpTTz-IEk3Oj9Td79n44j0sAyYHJGD1e30np5-elvCPJemhSQfOXFl0On6s5o6CxZVa4zKHAJswU-Fsax~zE15tEhUu~6gAvVp9u55OQPIm-Vs--zgGnp46rH2Bh315gN1df5qT6PPsJEEzHzVbmGYzKP43g7rx1sPGIulJQtMl4xZ-6-iI~v5cP0I16pUbLFt09Lnox8fqI81faUH2PWNMsvtjJbbfaE4HChuB39-AIMt2i0wBPP26IatqnePzO5wVHtpeoHkoFg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit heard bipartisan calls Thursday to redesign federal transit funding so agencies can respond to local needs, move projects faster and show clearer results.

Chair Rausser said the hearings are timed to inform development of “the next surface bill” and argued lawmakers should give systems more flexibility. “We have an opportunity in the next surface bill to ensure public transportation systems have the flexibilities needed to deliver high quality services,” he said during his opening statement.

Witnesses from large and small agencies urged Congress to preserve capital investment while allowing federal dollars to be used for operations in places that need them. Nat Ford, CEO of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority and testifying for the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), said federal investment is critical to maintaining state of good repair and that continued, predictable funding allows agencies to plan and improve safety and reliability. “One crime or one incident harming, an employee or any of our riders is one too many,” Ford said when asked about balancing safety investments with budget constraints.

Multiple witnesses and members pressed for clearer timelines and paperwork requirements so grants and construction do not stall. Brooke Feigenbaum of the Reason Foundation told the panel that streamlining environmental and permitting reviews (NEPA and related processes) and setting concrete time limits would speed project delivery and reduce costs.

Members and witnesses also discussed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and pandemic supplemental funds, noting the large federal infusion since 2020 but warning that money alone will not ensure outcomes. Several witnesses asked Congress to pair funding with metrics for on‑time performance, safety and ridership so the public can track results.

The subcommittee signaled it will weigh proposals to (1) allow more operational flexibility for systems with demonstrated need, (2) require clearer timelines and simpler application guidance from FTA, and (3) strengthen reporting and oversight to make federal spending more auditable. The hearing record remains open for additional submissions.","Lawmakers and transit officials told the House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit that the next surface transportation reauthorization should give agencies more flexibility to use federal funds for operations, shorten delivery timelines, and improve oversight so projects are built on time and on budget.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee questions NEPA, permitting and CIG delivery after witnesses warn delays raise costs

Private contractors and autonomous shuttles pitched as tools to boost efficiency and last‑mile service

Rural transit director: small agencies hamstrung by matching rules, paperwork and staffing shortages

Transit unions and operators press Congress for stronger worker protections after rise in assaults

House subcommittee pushes for flexible funding, faster delivery in next surface transportation bill