Diverse Coalition from New York, New Orleans, Denver, Indianapolis, Cleveland, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Miami, and Philadelphia Request Urgent Federal Action to Fund the Lifeblood of the National Economy, Mass Transit  

View Video of Online Rally Featuring Agencies from Across the Nation   

Today, New Orleans Regional Transit Authority CEO, Alex Wiggins, joined transit agency leaders from New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD), Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation (IndyGo), Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA), San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), Utah Transit Authority (UTA), Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works and Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) at a virtual rally hosted by MTA calling on Congress to urgently deliver significant and immediate federal aid to public transportation systems nationwide.  

As Congress debates the next coronavirus relief package, transit agencies across the country are facing an unprecedented financial catastrophe caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In New Orleans, the RTA is facing the possibility of service reductions in 2021 should an additional round of federal funding not be received. The agency has maintained operations throughout the pandemic, but there are growing concerns due to low ridership and sales tax revenue declines.   

“The impacts from COVID-19 are felt at the revenue and ridership perspectives but also from the human perspective,” said Alex Z. Wiggins, RTA CEO. “RTA has successfully maintained operations throughout the pandemic but without a second round of federal aid the agency will need to make tough decisions regarding the level of service that can be maintained moving forward. Today, we call on Congress to include transit in the next stimulus package to ensure critical transit services can continue for riders who rely on transit.”  

Transit agencies across the country detailed the devastating impact of continued inaction from Washington and pushed for an immediate infusion of federal aid to stave off additional deep cuts. 

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