Iowa’s public transit system operates in all of Iowa’s 99 counties, and during the past five years, 126 million rides have been provided on the system.

Who uses Iowa’s public transit system?

First, it’s important to recognize that Iowa’s public transit system is available to anyone who wishes to use it. One out of every 16 households does not own a vehicle. This means that according to 2010 census data, of the more than 1.2 million Iowa households, nearly 72,000 are without a vehicle. Many Iowans use public transit to get to medical appointments, to go to work and school, and to go shopping for goods and services. Thousands of people depend on public transit for the mobility they need to maintain an independent lifestyle and ensure a top quality of life. Public transit is critical to serving the basic medical, nutritional, social and day-to-day mobility needs of Iowa’s seniors. Nationally, 62 percent of public transit users are female, 31 percent are senior citizens, and 23 percent are disabled. Nearly 40 percent of the country’s transit dependent population – primarily senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and low income individuals – live in rural areas.

The average household spends 18 cents of every dollar on transportation, 94 percent of which covers the purchase, operation, and maintenance of a personal vehicle. Public transportation provides an affordable alternative to maintaining a personal vehicle.

Yes! The estimated direct economic benefit of public transit services in Iowa is $33.4 million. Indirect benefits increase the impact times three for a total annual economic benefit of more than $100 million.

Beyond nominal user fees, funding for Iowa’s public transit system comes from a combination of state and federal sources. Secured through a portion of new car sales, state funding continues to be extremely volatile, with year-to-year variances of $1.6 million (ranging from $9.5 million to $11.1 million). Despite the significantly higher costs of doing business, Iowa’s share of gas tax-based federal funding for public transit operational costs has received only small increases during the past five years. During recent years, federal capital funding support in Iowa averaged approximately $15 million. Yet, the new transportation law passed by Congress slashes that support to approximately $5 million annually. During this same period, fuel expenses increased by 60 percent, wages kept pace with living costs, and health insurance rates increased by 8 to 15 percent. Vehicle capital costs also continue to grow by 5 to 10 percent each year as a result of inflation and required additions to meet federal clean air standards. Additionally, in the fiscal year 2011, Iowa received only 0.95 percent ($7.1 million) of the total funds available through the State of Good Repair competitive grants for bus replacement.

At the local level, the state-regulated transit levy for urban areas has remained at 95 cents/$1,000 valuation since 1991, and there is no levy for counties to support rural operations. 

The Iowa Public Transit Association believes the following actions are needed to address public transit needs:

1. New state legislation that creates stable, ongoing funding sources for rural and urban public transit systems;
2. Increased local funding to ensure Iowans in all 99 counties have access to public transit services, new buses, and reasonable transportation expenses; and
3. A strong, collaborative approach by elected officials and related state agencies to secure more federal funding.

The Iowa Public Transit Association is pursuing additional state funding, as well as new and additional resources at the local level. Additional federal support also is necessary. 

The following federal actions are needed to address public transit needs:

1. Establishing a new five-year surface transportation reauthorization act to deliver funding support, stability, and sustainability for public transit systems;
2. Adopting a formula-driven bus replacement program that acknowledges and addresses the high cost of bus replacement and provides the necessary federal support to effectively address these needs;
3. Identifying and employing new/additional stable and dedicated funding for public transportation, including the inclusion of a gas tax increase (included in 2011 federal priorities) and support for the legislation at the federal and state level for Internet sales tax;
4. Enacting an FY 2014 Appropriation Bill in a timely manner to accommodate transit system planning and service implementation. With the Fiscal Year 2013 Appropriation bill still pending, we must operate under the constraints of a Continuing Resolution until late March 2013; 
5. Revising charter regulations to enable local transit systems to address community needs not currently being met by registered charter providers.

Due to the implications of significant variances in state and federal funding, more than half (54 percent) of Iowa’s public transit bus fleet exceeds the federal standard for useful life. The cost to eliminate outdated buses in Iowa is currently $88 million. With an additional $85 million required to maintain Iowa’s bus fleet over the next five years, update costs through 2018 total $173 million. Stable funding is needed to ensure a transportation fleet that is safe and fuel-efficient.

The environmental benefits of public transportation are substantial. As an alternative to private autos, public transit reduces U.S. gasoline consumption by 4.2 billion gallons and cuts the nation’s carbon emissions by 37 million metric tons – the combined equivalent of New York City; Los Angeles; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta, and Denver completely eliminating the use of electricity.

Buses account for only 1 percent of all transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions in Iowa.

Absolutely! According to the American Public Transit Association, an individual who switches his/her commute to public transit can reduce a household’s carbon emissions by 10 percent and up to 30 percent if a second car is eliminated.

Access to bus and rail lines reduces driving by 4,400 miles per hour household annually, according to an American Public Transit Association study. This equates to an individual household reduction of 223 gallons per year, which can be great savings and adds additional money into your personal budget for other household expenses.

Yes! More than 1,600 Iowans work in the public transit industry, and providing access to transportation services enables all businesses to recruit and retain employees from a larger labor pool, which is critical in a tight labor market.

While Iowan’s public transit system helps thousands of people get to work, expanding system hours is necessary and is an area of emphasis for the Iowa Public Transit Association. There are 428,000 Iowans (or 30 percent of our population) employed in business sectors that traditionally run second and third shifts which have business hours that run after 7 p.m. and/or are open for business on Sundays. The majority of small urban area systems and many of the large urban area systems end their service day between 6:30-7 p.m. and do not operate on Sundays. Adequate funding is the cornerstone of being able to provide expanded services that align with a diverse workforce.

Public transit is essential for Iowans that do not drive, cannot afford a car, or need to reduce their transportation expenses. Through safe, reliable, and affordable transportation, these Iowans are able to become part of Iowa’s workforce. However, their ability to compete for evening, overnight, and weekend employment opportunities is limited due to the public transit system’s limited or non-available service hours after 7 p.m. and on weekends. There are 334,000 Iowans living people the federal poverty level.  These Iowans would have better access to jobs and lower transportation expenses through expanded passenger transportation service. The Iowa Public Transit Association continues to seek additional funding so that service can be expanded for Iowans.

Public transit is critical to serving the basic medical, nutritional, social, and day-to-day mobility needs of Iowans. This is particularly true for the state’s senior population. Iowa ranks No. 1 in the nation for the number of residents 85 and older and No. 5 nationally for people 65 and older. Iowa’s senior segment grows by approximately 5,000 more individuals each year. Unfortunately, 11 percent of Medicaid patients have missed medical appointments due to unreliable transportation. That’s more than 33,000 missed appointments each year, according to the Iowa Statewide Passenger Transportation Funding Study (December 2009). Public transit provides Iowans of all ages with access to various state-sponsored programs – maximizing the impact and success of important initiatives ranging from early childhood development to eldercare human services support.

More support is needed for public transit systems in rural Iowa. Nearly 40 percent of the country’s transit-dependent population – primarily senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and low-income individuals – live in rural areas. Public transportation services in smaller communities and rural areas help revitalize downtown districts, support new businesses, and generate additional employment opportunities. According to the American Public Transportation Association, a higher percentage of rural transit trips are related to medical purposes. In addition, the percentage of people with disabilities is slightly higher in rural areas than in urban areas.

While Iowa still has a robust rural population, the Iowa Passenger Transportation Funding Study shows that during the past 60 years, Iowa’s population is shifting from rural and smaller communities to our state’s medium and larger urban areas. With the trend toward growth to larger communities, there is a higher demand for expanded fixed bus routes, paratransit services, and higher levels of public transit services. Extensive and growing urban market public transit needs compete for limited transit support due to existing funding methods at the federal, state and local levels.