The Bus Coalition is a national advocacy organization that supports federal funding for bus transit bus and bus facility programs. With over 900 coalition members and supporters and a footprint in 48 states and the District of Columbia, the Coalition includes small, medium, and large transit agencies, state transit associations, and bus manufacturers and suppliers.
Founded in 2013 with only 17 charter members, The Bus Coalition has grown tremendously in the past seven years and with that growth the Coalition’s influence has grown too. Working with our champions in Congress, we successfully increased funding for bus programs in the FAST Act by more than $1 billion and more recently increased bus funding by $790 million in the FY18 and FY19 Omnibus Appropriations bills.
The Bus Coalition is a national advocacy organization that supports federal funding for bus transit bus and bus facility programs. With over 900 coalition members and supporters and a footprint in 48 states and the District of Columbia, the Coalition includes small, medium, and large transit agencies, state transit associations, and bus manufacturers and suppliers.
Working in concert with APTA and CTAA, our shared mission is to highlight the needs and benefits of bus transit and ensure bus programs are adequately funded at the federal level.
Buses are the backbone of transit service across America. More than one-half of all transit trips are carried by buses. MAP-21 cut bus funding by 57% from $984 million per year to $422 million, and the bus competitive grant program was eliminated. The Bus Coalition was formed to restore federal funds to critical bus programs.
Following years of divestment and funding reductions, the age and health of U.S. bus fleets is skyrocketing. Between 2009 and 2016, the number of transit buses operating past their 12-year useful life increased nearly 40%. However, with TBC's work, over $8 billion in new bus capital funds have been invested in the American bus fleet.
In 2025 and 2026, TBC and our allies will fight for long-term investments in bus capital grants and crucial policy reforms through the upcoming Surface Transportation Reauthorization legislation. We welcome all members of the American bus transit community to join our work!
