The American Bus Association (ABA) released the following statement Friday, commending the Trump Administration for recognizing the importance of the private bus industry as part of the national transportation network in the administration’s recently released proposed FY 2020 budget.
The administration’s Amtrak restructuring proposal outlined in the budget, which proposes rural Amtrak service be replaced with intercity bus service, highlights just one of the many ways the private bus industry can assist in better serving national transportation needs through public-private partnerships.
“We believe our industry, being environmentally friendly, cost-effective and efficient, can and should play a greater role in meeting public transportation needs,” ABA President & CEO Peter Pantuso said. “Oftentimes, traditional transportation programs promote single-mode outcomes, rather than considering the system as a whole and how best to meet travelers’ needs. We believe transportation decisions should be based on addressing mobility challenges from the perspective of the traveling public, while seeking efficiencies through partnering, in an operational manner, with the private sector. ABA encourages expanding the discussion to include public-private opportunities that promote greater interconnectivity between all modes of transportation, ensure access to federally funded facilities by private operators, and obtain efficiencies through increased use of the private sector to better serve the traveling public, both in the urban and rural environments.”
This release originally appeared on the ABA website. You can view it here.