HouseH.R. 10662119th Congress
Better Transit for Riders Act
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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 10662 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 10662
To direct the Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration to
convene a task force on establishing benchmarks for transit operations
and coordination, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 1, 2026
Mr. DeSaulnier introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration to
convene a task force on establishing benchmarks for transit operations
and coordination, 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.
This Act may be cited as the ``Better Transit for Riders Act''.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHING BENCHMARKS FOR TRANSIT AGENCY COORDINATION.
(a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration
shall convene a task force to provide recommendations regarding
benchmarks for urbanized areas (as such term is defined in section 5302
of title 49, United States Code) for--
(1) best practices on the allocation and use of transit
funds, including ranges or consideration for investment across
categories such as capital modernization, state of good repair,
infrastructure expansion, operations, workforce and labor
costs, safety improvements, and resiliency;
(2) best practices regarding the composition of transit
agency funding sources, including roles of Federal, state,
local and farebox revenues, public-private partnerships, value
capture, and other dedicated funding mechanisms;
(3) indicators of effective transit coordination within the
same metropolitan service area that recipients of Federal funds
should consider when developing planning activities, which
shall include considerations for any matters determined
relevant by the task force or Administrator, including--
(A) integrated payments and fare integration within
the same metropolitan service area;
(B) cooperative planning;
(C) transactional data standards for mobility
scheduling software to assist in coordinating services
across multiple providers;
(D) network redesign; and
(E) sharing of infrastructure;
(4) best practices for access to transit; and
(5) best practices for coordinating regional transit and
land use planning, funding, and implementation.
(b) Composition.--
(1) In general.--The Task Force shall consist of up to 15
members selected by the Administrator and having expertise in
an operational or academic discipline that is relevant to the
operations, maintenance, or governance of transit services in
regions that are served by multiple transit agencies.
(2) Fair representation.--The number of members shall be
determined by the Administrator to ensure sufficient and fair
representation of relevant disciplines.
(c) Disciplines.--For purposes of subsection (b), disciplines shall
include transit agencies, municipal governments that have land use
authority, representatives of State departments of transportation,
representatives from transit unions, relevant standards development
organizations, metropolitan planning organizations, academia, first and
last mile service providers, community groups or individuals who use
public transportation, and associations that represent public
transportation.
(d) Duration.--
(1) In general.--Members of the task force shall be
appointed for the duration of the task force.
(2) Length of existence.--
(A) In general.--The task force shall have an
initial length of existence of 2 years.
(B) Option.--The Administrator may exercise an
option to lengthen the duration of the existence of the
task force for a period of 2 years.
(e) Duties.--Not later than the date on which the Task Force is
terminated, the task force shall submit to Congress and make publicly
available a report that provides the recommendations described in
subsection (a)(1).
(f) Considerations.--In developing the recommendations described in
subsection (a)(1), the task force shall--
(1) consider the interconnection between land use, transit-
oriented development, and transit services to provide better
options for transit riders;
(2) prioritize improving the experience of transit riders
and improved service delivery, especially riders who utilize
multiple forms of transit in a single ride, like the ease and
quality of the ride, safety, reducing delays, connection to
other modes of transit, and location of transfer points;
(3) prioritize safety and security of riders across transit
systems;
(4) develop and recommend a framework or model to assist
transit agencies in making strategic investment decisions,
including how to prioritize limited funding to maximize rider
benefits, service reliability, safety, and long-term system
sustainability;
(5) examine potential methods for self-sustaining long-term
funding or public financing for transit to achieve cost-
effectiveness, such as value capture;
(6) consider the use of first and last mile service and
associated infrastructure by riders;
(7) include considerations to reduce vehicle miles traveled
by riders;
(8) consider greenhouse gas emissions impacts, compliance
with the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.), applicable
State and local regulations, and applicable judiciary rulings;
(9) consider the interconnection between land use, transit-
oriented development, and transit services to provide better
options for transit riders; and
(10) examine data and technology needs across transit
providers, including how interoperable data and technology may
improve transit reliability and operations.
(g) Initial Report.--If the Administrator exercises the option to
lengthen the duration of the task force under subsection (d)(2)(B), not
later than 2 years after the date of the establishment of the task
force, the task force shall submit to Congress and make publicly
available an initial report containing an update on the information
described in subsection (a)(1).
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