Neilson’s public transit funding legislation voted out of Transportation Committee
Said he hopes that it soon will be brought up for a chamber vote
Rep. Ed Neilson May 5, 2025 | 4:13 PM
Today, legislation authored by House Transportation Committee Majority Chair, state Rep. Ed Neilson, to fund public transit infrastructure in alignment with Gov. Josh Shapiro’s budget proposal was voted out of committee.
The $292.5 million investment the legislation calls for will help avoid the fiscal cliff that transit agencies in Pennsylvania currently face, according to Neilson.
“Public transit provides invaluable service to Pennsylvania. It not only has a rippling effect on our economic prosperity through many different sectors and job creation, but for some Pennsylvanians, service cuts and fare increases would rob them of their livelihoods as they lose the only mode of transportation they have for work or school,” Neilson said. “The biggest threat is to people who rely on paratransit and medical transportation, along with seniors and people with disabilities who rely on these services for medical appointments and much more.
"The bottom line is that public transit is used in all 67 counties in Pennsylvania, it’s not just about Philadelphia and Pittsburgh,” the legislator added. “This funding aligns with Gov. Shapiro’s call for a game-changing investment in his 2025-26 budget proposal and it’s a vital economic engine for Pennsylvania.”
During the 2023-24 legislative session, House Democrats advanced -- and the House passed -- three separate bills to fund public transit agencies in Pennsylvania.