[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5230 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5230
To amend chapter 53, United States Code, to increase local bus service
to levels needed to combat the climate crisis, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 9, 2025
Mr. Frost introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend chapter 53, United States Code, to increase local bus service
to levels needed to combat the climate crisis, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Faster Buses
Better Futures Act''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Bus network redesign grants.
Sec. 3. Transit stop shelter and station accessibility.
Sec. 4. Transit priority measures.
Sec. 5. State purchasing for bus stop equipment.
Sec. 6. Federal Transit Administration staffing and administrative
funding.
SEC. 2. BUS NETWORK REDESIGN GRANTS.
Chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in section 5307(c)(1)--
(A) in subparagraph (K), by striking ``and'' at the
end; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(M) plans to complete a bus network redesign by
fiscal year 2045 and, beginning in fiscal year 2045 and
each fiscal year thereafter, has completed a bus
network redesign in the preceding 20-year period;
and''; and
(2) in section 5339--
(A) in subsection (b)--
(i) by amending paragraph (2) to read as
follows:
``(2) Grant considerations.--In making grants under this
subsection, the Secretary shall--
``(A) consider the age and condition of buses, bus
fleets, related equipment, and bus-related facilities;
and
``(B) give priority to eligible recipients who have
received a grant under subsection (e) and have
successfully increased bus ridership as a result of the
bus network redesign carried out with such grant.'';
and
(ii) by adding at the end the following:
``(12) Authorization of appropriations.--There is
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection
$20,000,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2026 through
2030.''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(e) Bus Network Redesign Grants.--
``(1) Grants authorized.--Not later than 720 days after the
date of enactment of the Faster Buses Better Futures Act, the
Secretary shall establish a program to award grants, on a
competitive basis, to eligible entities.
``(2) Application.--To receive a grant under this
subsection, an eligible entity shall complete an eligible bus
network redesign and submit to the Secretary an application at
such time, in such manner, and containing such information as
the Secretary may require, including--
``(A) an overview of the existing bus network;
``(B) an overview of the eligible bus network
redesign;
``(C) an analysis of the impact of the bus network
redesign on--
``(i) service hours; and
``(ii) route miles;
``(D) an analysis demonstrating that the eligible
bus network redesign can increase transit ridership by
100 percent not later than 6 years after such redesign
is implemented;
``(E) an evaluation examining any equity and
mobility gaps in each transit system operated by the
eligible entity or in the geographic area under the
jurisdiction of the eligible entity, and how the
eligible bus network redesign will significantly close
such gaps, including--
``(i) public transit ridership rates,
disaggregated by--
``(I) mode of transit; and
``(II) demographic group, including
youth (including foster care youth),
seniors, individuals with disabilities,
and low-income individuals; and
``(ii) average length of bus routes,
average speed of bus routes, and average delay
times of bus routes;
``(F) an estimation of additional costs that the
eligible entity will incur in order to implement the
eligible bus network redesign, including--
``(i) fuel costs;
``(ii) personnel costs;
``(iii) maintenance costs; and
``(iv) other operational costs; and
``(G) a description of eligible projects that the
eligible entity intends to carry out to implement the
eligible bus network redesign, including--
``(i) expanding bus fleets; and
``(ii) constructing additional bus garages.
``(3) Grant uses.--A grant awarded under this section may
only be used to--
``(A) carry out eligible projects; and
``(B) pay for the difference in operating costs
between the existing level of fixed-route bus service
and the level outlined in the eligible bus network
redesign submitted pursuant to paragraph (2).
``(4) Federal share.--
``(A) Eligible projects.--The Federal share of the
costs described in paragraph (3)(A) shall be 80
percent.
``(B) First 3-year period.--In calculating the
Federal share of the costs described in paragraph
(3)(B)--
``(i) for the 3-year period beginning on
the date on which an eligible entity receives a
grant under this subsection, such Federal share
shall be 100 percent; and
``(ii) for any period of a grant award that
is during the 3-year period beginning on the
date on which the period described in clause
(i) ends, such Federal share shall be 33
percent.
``(5) Priority.--In awarding grants under this subsection,
the Secretary shall prioritize awarding grants to eligible
entities that propose an eligible bus network redesign that is
capable of increasing transit ridership by the largest
percentage.
``(6) Conditions of grant assistance.--As a condition of
receiving a grant under this subsection, an eligible entity
shall--
``(A) in the case of an entity that is a recipient
of a grant under section 5307--
``(i) report to the Federal Transit
Administration, for inclusion in the National
Transit Database--
``(I) the service frequency,
vehicle revenue hours, and unlinked
passenger trips originating and
terminating in areas of persistent
poverty and underserved communities;
``(II) the number of jobs and
essential services accessible by
transit, and improvement in such
access, including specific reporting on
access by transit for areas of
persistent poverty and underserved
communities; and
``(III) any other data the
Secretary determines necessary and
appropriate; and
``(ii) during the 1-year period preceding
the date on which the entity receives such
grant, and at least every 2 years thereafter,
conduct a survey of transit riders and
nonriding residents of areas of persistent
poverty and underserved communities on transit
service improvements, using means designed to
maximize participation from riders and
nonriders, and publish the survey results in an
online format;
``(B) in the case of an entity that is Indian
Tribe--
``(i) report to the Federal Transit
Administration, for inclusion in the National
Transit Database--
``(I) revenue vehicle hours and
unlinked passenger trips; and
``(II) any other data the Secretary
determines necessary and appropriate;
and
``(ii) during the 1-year period preceding
the date on which the entity receives such
grant, and at least every 2 years thereafter,
conduct a survey of transit riders and
nonriding residents of the service area on
transit service improvements, using means
designed to maximize participation from riders
and nonriders, and publish the survey results
in an online format; and
``(C) in the case of an entity that is a State
receiving a grant under section 5311--
``(i) report to the Federal Transit
Administration, for inclusion in the National
Transit Database--
``(I) revenue vehicle hours for
each State, including revenue vehicle
hours and unlinked passenger trips
originating and terminating in areas of
persistent poverty and underserved
communities; and
``(II) any other data the Secretary
determines necessary and appropriate;
``(ii) provide an annually updated report
to the Secretary--
``(I) that identifies underserved
communities and areas of persistent
poverty in the nonurbanized areas of
the State that do not have any reported
public transit services, or in which
either the availability or utilization
of rural public transit is in the
bottom quintile of all rural public
transit services in the United States,
using measurements identified by the
Secretary; and
``(II) that describes progress
toward achieving a strategy for
establishing high-quality transit
service in such communities and areas;
and
``(iii) during the 1-year period preceding
the date on which the State receives such
grant, and at least every 2 years thereafter,
conduct a survey of transit riders and
nonriding residents of areas of persistent
poverty and underserved communities within the
State regarding transit service improvements,
using means designed to maximize participation
from riders and nonriders, and publishes the
survey results in an online format.
``(7) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this subsection may
be construed to prevent an eligible entity from implementing a
redesigned bus network through the use of any other Federal or
non-Federal funds.
``(8) Authorization of appropriations.--To carry out this
subsection, there is authorized to be appropriated
$250,000,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2026 through
2030.
``(9) Definitions.--In this subsection:
``(A) Additional forms of collective
transportation.--The term `additional forms of
collective transportation' means forms of collective
transportation that are not considered public
transportation, including intercity passenger rail
transportation, intercity bus service, and school bus
service.
``(B) Area of persistent poverty.--The term `area
of persistent poverty' means--
``(i) a county that has consistently had
greater than or equal to 20 percent of the
population of such county living in poverty
during the most recent 30-year period for which
data is available, as measured by the 1990 and
2000 decennial censuses; or
``(ii) a census tract with a poverty rate
of at least 20 percent as measured by the 2014
through 2018 5-year data series available from
the American Community Survey of the Bureau of
the Census.
``(iii) Eligible bus network redesign.--The
term `eligible bus network redesign' means a
fixed route bus network redesign that--
``(I) through eligible projects, is
expected to increase total transit
network ridership levels by 100 percent
more than such ridership levels as of
April 1, 2025, by the end of the 6-year
period beginning on the date of
implementation of such redesign;
``(II) is informed by extensive,
equitable outreach to affected
communities, underserved communities,
and areas of persistent poverty
communities; and
``(III) does not rely on ridership
increases from--
``(aa) microtransit;
``(bb) automated buses; and
``(cc) fare elimination.
``(iv) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible
entity' means a recipient of funds under
section 5307 or 5311.
``(v) Eligible project.--The term `eligible
project' means any project, or program of
projects, that is implemented as part of an
eligible bus network redesign, including--
``(I) a project that reconfigures
routes to better serve trips
individuals are seeking to take;
``(II) a project that improves
integration of fixed route bus service
and--
``(aa) higher order forms
of public transportation; and
``(bb) additional forms of
collective transportation;
``(III) a project that consolidates
stops on fixed route bus service;
``(IV) a project that rationalizes
fare policies through means such as
fare integration, fare capping, and
fare subsidization;
``(V) a project that decreases
headways;
``(VI) a project that expands
service area, hours, or days;
``(VII) a project for new or
increased frequent nonfixed guideway
service or frequent fixed guideway
service; and
``(VIII) associated capital
improvements related to projects
described in clauses (i) through (vii).
``(vi) Higher-order forms of public
transportation.--The term `higher-order forms
of public transportation' means bus rapid
transit, light rail transit, heavy rail
transit, and commuter rail.
``(vii) Overview.--The term `overview'
means a list of routes on a bus network, a
timetable for each route, and a map showing
each route, with connections to higher-order
forms of public transportation and additional
collective transportation noted on the