Washington, D.C. — Dec. 16, 2025—As transit agencies across the country continue facing funding shortfalls and security concerns, a bill introduced last week by U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and John Fetterman aims to address the problem.
Endorsed by SMART-TD, the Moving Transit Forward Act creates a new federal funding program to help transit systems deploy service improvements and safety upgrades.
“SMART-TD strongly supports Senator Van Hollen in this effort to make federal transit funding work for the people on the front lines of our nation’s transportation systems,” said National Safety & Legislative Director Jared Cassity. “The Moving Transit Forward Act empowers communities to direct essential safety funding where it’s needed most: protecting operators, passengers, and the public by making transit systems safer and more secure for everyone.”
The money will come from modifications to the Federal Transportation Administration’s Urbanized Area Formula Funding program, which provides transit funding to local governments or other approved organizations that serve 50,000 or more people.
Mounting Safety and Service Problems Demand Congress Revisit the Bill
The legislation was originally filed in May of 2024 but failed to gain traction.
Since then, countless headlines have described one transit agency after another forced to grapple with possible service cuts due to financial shortfalls or increasing dangers faced by transit operators and the riding public.
SMART News has covered both the funding crisis and transit safety issues extensively this year, and many of our members are on the front lines of both problems.
“This bill will help ensure that transit agencies have the resources they need to provide consistently safe and efficient service to the millions of Americans who depend on public transit every day,” said Senator Van Hollen.
Transit systems are vital to communities across the country, and we are optimistic that the Moving Transit Forward Act will be a game changer for agencies, operators, and riders across the country.
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