What's in the New Economic Stimulus Package for U.S. Transit Agencies

A new economic stimulus package that appears headed for approval as of this writing will give $15 billion to public transit, far less than transit advocates had hoped, but far better than nothing.

2 minute read

December 17, 2020, 12:00 PM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


New York City Subway

Kits Pix / Shutterstock

Kea Wilson writes: "Congress is racing to pass a coronavirus relief bill that would throw transit agencies across the country a life raft — but as the saying goes, we’re going to need a bigger boat."

The COVID-19 Emergency Relief Act of 2020, as the new relief package is called, is a long time coming. The federal government approved its last stimulus package, the CARES Act, in March, and let another stimulus package called the HEROES Act, approved by the House of Representatives in May, languish in the Senate.

According to Wilson, the Emergency Relief Act of 2020 "would grant $15 billion to mass transportation agencies to be distributed on the basis of Federal Transit Administration formulas, restricting each urbanized area to a maximum of $4 billion. "No large city can receive more than 75 percent of its 2018 operating budget from the grants, and experts don’t expect there to be much left over after every small agency gets its initial cut," adds Wilson.

For transit agencies facing an existential crisis because of plummeting revenues of all kinds (sales and gas tax revenues are down in addition to fare receipts), the new funding will provide only a temporary relief, as mentioned by Wilson in the lede.

As noted by Wilson, advocates were hoping for funding on the order of $32 billion to help transit agencies weather the storm. Jeff Davis of the Eno Center for Transportation is quoted in the article saying that the funding should get "everyone" through March 31. A Tweet by Yonah Freemark also provides a breakdown of the expected allotments to specific transit agencies.

Tuesday, December 15, 2020 in Streetsblog USA

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 11, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Metrorail train pulling into newly opened subterranean station in Washington, D.C. with crowd on platform taking photos.

Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”

The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).

June 2, 2025 - The Hill

Large crowd on street in San Francisco, California during Oktoberfest festival.

The Simple Legislative Tool Transforming Vacant Downtowns

In California, Michigan and Georgia, an easy win is bringing dollars — and delight — back to city centers.

June 2, 2025 - Robbie Silver

Street scene in Kathmandu, Nepal with yellow minibuses and other traffic.

The Small South Asian Republic Going all in on EVs

Thanks to one simple policy change less than five years ago, 65% of new cars in this Himalayan country are now electric.

45 minutes ago - Fast Company

Bike lane in Washington D.C. protected by low concrete barriers.

DC Backpedals on Bike Lane Protection, Swaps Barriers for Paint

Citing aesthetic concerns, the city is removing the concrete barriers and flexposts that once separated Arizona Avenue cyclists from motor vehicles.

2 hours ago - The Washington Post

Bird's eye view of studio apartment design.

In These Cities, Most New Housing is Under 441 Square Feet

With loosened restrictions on “micro-housing,” tiny units now make up as much as 66% of newly constructed housing.

4 hours ago - Smart Cities Dive