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Souder Fights For Citilink
Letter Urges Agency to Make Key Change in Regulations
June 18, 2008
U.S. Rep. Mark Souder announced today that he has sent a letter to the head of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) in support of Citilink.
For the last 10 years, the FTA has prohibited any public transit system serving a population of 200,000 or more Americans from using federal funding to pay for its operating costs. While Fort Wayne’s Citilink operates a fleet size similar to that of a system serving fewer than 200,000 people, the city’s public transportation corporation is unable use federal funding for operating costs because it serves a population of 218,133 people.
“Because of Citilink’s revenue shortfall, public transportation users in Fort Wayne are currently facing the very real prospect of increased fares and cutbacks in routes,” Souder said. “I am disappointed that the federal government continues to enforce rigid bureaucratic limitations, instead of exercising some common sense. Citilink is a small public transportation system, and it should be treated as one. It’s smaller than at least six Hoosier transit companies that are currently able to pay for operational costs with their federal funding, and yet it’s subject to a different set of rules. I urge the FTA to let Citilink better serve the many Hoosiers who rely on this important service.”
“We are grateful to Congressman Souder for his continued work to convince the FTA to allow transit systems that operate 100 buses or less the flexibility to use federal funds for operating expenses,” said Betsy Kachmar, Citilink’s General Assistant Manager. “This policy change would enable Citilink to increase service without added federal funding.”
Souder has a long history of working to return taxpayer dollars back home to Citilink. Over the years, he has helped secure more than $3 million in federal funding for Fort Wayne’s public transportation corporation.
Click here to view a copy of the letter.
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