1、CRS INSIGHT Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress INSIGHTINSIGHTi i Emergency Funding for Public Transportation Agencies Due to COVID-19 William J. Mallett Specialist in Transportation Policy March 23, 2020 Public Transportation Agency Budgets The COVID-19 pandemic has reportedly resulted
2、in a swift and large loss of public transportation ridership and fare revenue. Examples in the early days of the crisis include an 88% loss of ridership for New Jersey Transit, a 60% loss of subway ridership for New Yorks Metropolitan Transportation Authority, a 60% loss for Denvers Regional Transpo
3、rtation District, and a 90% loss for Bay Area Rapid Transit in San Francisco. Many transit agencies, including the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, have responded by cutting service, encouraging people to travel only when necessary, and requiring riders to enter buses through the rear
4、 doors without paying a fare. Fare revenue losses are likely to be compounded by a less immediate decline in local tax revenue dedicated to transit agency budgets, particularly sales and property taxes. In 2018, fare revenue was 31% of operating budgets and 22% of overall transit agency funding (Tab