Facing New Federal Priorities: What Transit Agencies Can Control

The funding playbook for transit agencies has been rewritten – marking a return to financial uncertainty for many agencies, large and small. With the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) recent policy changes, the rules that once secured critical funding have shifted, forcing planning and operational leaders to rethink their plans and strategies. 

The Justice40 Executive Order and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law have shaped transit agencies’ funding strategies, emphasizing climate resilience, environmental justice, and accessibility. These policies have driven transformative projects, from electrifying bus fleets to expanding transit options in underserved communities. 

Now, as agencies adjust to new priorities, navigate potential budget gaps, and maintain safe, reliable service, one challenge stands out: keeping riders informed. In our conversations with General Managers and CEOs, a common theme emerges—success lies in finding the overlap between rider needs and the Administration’s focus on economic benefits.

The good news is that the robust emphasis on public engagement over the past several years has positioned agencies well with troves of qualitative feedback on the priorities of their riders and strong relationships with the communities that they serve. 

While the language around funding and priorities may shift, the core mission of public transit remains the same—connecting people and creating opportunities to improve quality of life. Though documenting community profiles may not directly lead to discretionary funding as it once did, understanding unique local needs is more important than ever. This insight helps transit agencies showcase the economic benefits of their investments, a key focus in recent USDOT memos.

Understanding the Policy Changes

The DOT’s latest announcement marks a big shift in how funding decisions will be made. Until now, transit agencies could count on grants and programs that put climate resilience, environmental justice, and accessibility first. These priorities often matched what communities wanted, helping agencies expand their services, invest in greener transit options, and better serve residents.

Here’s what’s changing:

• • Climate and Equity Deprioritized: Climate resilience and social equity won’t be key factors in funding decisions anymore.
  • Increased Focus on Cost Efficiency: Projects need to show they’re cost-effective and financially responsible more than ever.
  • Shift Toward Core Infrastructure: Focus is moving to maintaining and fixing existing systems rather than new, sustainability-focused projects.
  • Competitive Grant Reassessments: Projects that got funding before might need stronger justification to keep it.
  • Service Adjustments and Budget Cuts: Agencies might need to shuffle resources or reduce services as funding changes.

Adapting to Policy Change is Easier with PublicInput 

Navigating federal priorities isn’t just about meeting new requirements—it’s about making informed, strategic decisions and crafting a narrative to support these.  With funding now tied to cost-effectiveness and core infrastructure improvements, having solid data is crucial. But it’s not about collecting more data, it’s much more about organizing the data you collect already, and having the right insights to drive action.  PublicInput helps transit agencies centralize traditional community feedback, such as public meetings, comment periods, and engagement activities, as well as integrate less formal formats of engagement, including customer service conversations, satisfaction surveys, and board meetings, allowing for leaders to mine this data for key themes emerging from the day to day activities of Staff across the organization.

Here’s how: 

• • A Single Source for Public Input: PublicInput combines all your community feedback—public comments, online surveys, and in-person meetings—into one central platform. But we go further. We help you tap into the everyday engagement that’s often missed: board meeting discussions, customer service requests, “How are we doing?” surveys, and even text messages from bus stops. 

The data is already there—just trapped in different departments. PublicInput breaks down these barriers, turning scattered touchpoints into useful insights. This complete view helps you spot trends, make defensible decisions, and align with changing federal priorities—all while telling a convincing, community-backed story.

• Strengthening Funding Requests: With shifting federal priorities, securing funding requires more than just a good project idea – it requires data-driven justification. PublicInput helps tell a compelling story with your data, showing how your projects hit both federal targets and address local community needs.
• Prioritizing Within Budget Constraints: When funding is limited and service changes become necessary, PublicInput helps you understand what the public thinks and prioritize changes that make sense for your community, reducing the chance of pushback.
• Building Trust Through Transparency: Clear communication is essential in times of funding shifts and service changes. PublicInput keeps communication flowing, helping your community stay in the loop and confident about your agency’s decisions.

PublicInput empowers transit agencies like the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) to centralize community engagement, ensuring public feedback drives projects. With integrated surveys, outreach, and data-driven insights, agencies can make informed decisions, strengthen funding requests, and build public trust through transparency.

How Transit Agencies Can Move Forward with Confidence

Even as federal funding priorities shift, transit agencies that stay connected with their communities and use data to guide decisions will handle the changes better. The information you need to make good choices is already there – PublicInput just helps you see it more clearly.

Want to learn more about how PublicInput can help your agency navigate these changes? Schedule a demo today.