I 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6052 
To promote increased public transportation use, to promote increased use 
of alternative fuels in providing public transportation, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 14, 2008 
Mr. OBERSTAR (for himself, Mr. MICA, and Mr. DEFAZIO) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Gov-
ernment Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To promote increased public transportation use, to promote 
increased use of alternative fuels in providing public 
transportation, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Saving Energy 
Through Public Transportation Act of 2008’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) In 2007, people in the United States took 
more than 10.3 billion trips using public transpor-
tation, the highest level in 50 years. 
(2) Public transportation use in the United 
States is up 32 percent since 1995, a figure that is 
more than double the growth rate of the Nation’s 
population and is substantially greater than the 
growth rate for vehicle miles traveled on the Na-
tion’s highways for that same period. 
(3) Public transportation use saves fuel, re-
duces emissions, and saves money for the people of 
the United States. 
(4) The direct petroleum savings attributable to 
public transportation use is 1.4 billion gallons per 
year, and when the secondary effects of transit avail-
ability on travel are also taken into account, public 
transportation use saves the United States the 
equivalent of 4.2 billion gallons of gasoline per year 
(more than 11 million gallons of gasoline per day). 
(5) Public transportation use in the United 
States is estimated to reduce carbon dioxide emis-
sions by 37 million metric tons annually. 
(6) An individual who commutes to work using 
a single occupancy vehicle can reduce carbon dioxide 
emissions by 20 pounds per day (more than 4,800 
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pounds per year) by switching to public transpor-
tation. 
(7) Public transportation use provides an af-
fordable alternative to driving, as households that 
use public transportation save an average of $6,251 
every year. 
(8) Although under existing laws Federal em-
ployees in the National Capital Region receive tran-
sit benefits, transit benefits should be available to all 
Federal employees in the United States so that the 
Federal Government sets a leading example of great-
er public transportation use. 
(9) Increasing public transportation use is a na-
tional priority. 
SEC. 3. GRANTS TO IMPROVE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION 
SERVICES. 
(a) AUTHORIZATIONS OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) URBANIZED AREA FORMULA GRANTS.—In 
addition 
to 
amounts 
allocated 
under 
section 
5338(b)(2)(B) of title 49, United States Code, to 
carry out section 5307 of such title, there is author-
ized to be appropriated $750,000,000 for each of fis-
cal years 2008 and 2009 to carry out such section 
5307. Such funds shall be apportioned in accordance 
with section 5336 (other than subsections (i)(1) and 
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(j)) of such title but may not be combined or com-
mingled with any other funds apportioned under 
such section 5336. 
(2) FORMULA GRANTS FOR OTHER THAN UR-
BANIZED AREAS.—In addition to amounts allocated 
under section 5338(b)(2)(G) of title 49, United 
States Code, to carry out section 5311 of such title, 
there is authorized to be appropriated $100,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2008 and 2009 to carry out 
such section 5311. Such funds shall be apportioned 
in accordance with such section 5311 but may not 
be combined or commingled with any other funds 
apportioned under such section 5311. 
(b) USE OF FUNDS.—Notwithstanding sections 5307 
and 5311 of title 49, United States Code, the Secretary 
of Transportation may make grants under such sections 
from amounts appropriated under subsection (a) only for 
one or more of the following: 
(1) If the recipient of the grant is reducing, or 
certifies to the Secretary that, during the term of 
the grant, the recipient will reduce one or more fares 
the recipient charges for public transportation, those 
operating costs of equipment and facilities being 
used to provide the public transportation that the re-
cipient is no longer able to pay from the revenues 
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derived from such fare or fares as a result of such 
reduction. 
(2) If the recipient of the grant is expanding, 
or certifies to the Secretary that, during the term of 
the grant, the recipient will expand public transpor-
tation service, those operating and capital costs of 
equipment and facilities being used to provide the 
public transportation service that the recipient in-
curs as a result of the expansion of such service. 
(c) FEDERAL SHARE.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, the Federal share of the costs for which 
a grant is made under this section shall be 100 percent. 
(d) PERIOD OF AVAILABILITY.—Funds appropriated 
under this section shall remain available for a period of 
2 fiscal years. 
SEC. 4. INCREASED FEDERAL SHARE FOR CLEAN AIR ACT 
COMPLIANCE. 
Notwithstanding section 5323(i)(1) of title 49, 
United States Code, a grant for a project to be assisted 
under chapter 53 of such title during fiscal years 2008 
and 2009 that involves acquiring clean fuel or alternative 
fuel vehicle-related equipment or facilities for the purposes 
of complying with or maintaining compliance with the 
Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.) shall be for 100 
percent of the net project cost of the equipment or facility 
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attributable to compliance with that Act unless the grant 
recipient requests a lower grant percentage. 
SEC. 5. TRANSPORTATION FRINGE BENEFITS. 
(a) REQUIREMENT THAT AGENCIES OFFER TRANSIT 
PASS TRANSPORTATION FRINGE BENEFITS
TO THEIR 
EMPLOYEES NATIONWIDE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 3049(a)(1) of the 
Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation 
Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (5 U.S.C. 7905 
note; 119 Stat. 1711) is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘Effective’’ and all that 
follows through ‘‘each covered agency’’ and in-
serting ‘‘Each agency’’; and 
(B) by inserting ‘‘at a location in an ur-
banized area of the United States that is served 
by fixed route public transportation’’ before 
‘‘shall be offered’’. 
(2) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENTS.—Section 
3049(a) of such Act (5 U.S.C. 7905 note; 119 Stat. 
1711) is amended— 
(A) in paragraph (3)— 
(i) by striking subparagraph (A); and 
(ii) by redesignating subparagraphs 
(B) through (F) as subparagraphs (A) 
through (E), respectively; and 
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(B) in paragraph (4) by striking ‘‘a cov-
ered agency’’ and inserting ‘‘an agency’’. 
(b) GUIDANCE.—Section 3049(a) of such Act (5 
U.S.C. 7905 note; 119 Stat. 1711) is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘(5) GUIDANCE.— 
‘‘(A) ISSUANCE.—Not later than 60 days 
after the date of enactment of this paragraph, 
the Secretary of Transportation shall issue 
guidance on nationwide implementation of the 
transit pass transportation fringe benefits pro-
gram under this subsection. 
‘‘(B) UNIFORM APPLICATION.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The guidance to 
be issued under subparagraph (A) shall 
contain a uniform application for use by all 
Federal employees applying for benefits 
from an agency under the program. 
‘‘(ii) REQUIRED
INFORMATION.—As 
part of such an application, an employee 
shall provide, at a minimum, the employ-
ee’s home and work addresses, a break-
down of the employee’s commuting costs, 
and a certification of the employee’s eligi-
bility for benefits under the program. 
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employee travel, leave, or change of ad-
dress; 
‘‘(ii) removal from the program is in-
cluded in the procedures of the agency re-
lating to an employee separating from em-
ployment with the agency; and 
‘‘(iii) benefits provided by the agency 
under the program are made available 
using an electronic format (rather than 
using paper fare media) where such a for-
mat is available for use. 
‘‘(E) ENFORCEMENT
AND
PENALTIES.— 
The guidance to be issued under subparagraph 
(A) shall contain a uniform administrative pol-
icy on enforcement and penalties. Such policy 
shall be implemented by each agency to ensure 
compliance with program requirements, to pre-
vent fraud and abuse, and, as appropriate, to 
penalize employees who have abused or misused 
the benefits provided under the program. 
‘‘(F) PERIODIC
REVIEWS.—The guidance 
to be issued under subparagraph (A) shall re-
quire each agency, not later than September 1 
of the first fiscal year beginning after the date 
of enactment of this paragraph, and every 3 
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years thereafter, to develop and submit to the 
Secretary a review of the agency’s implementa-
tion of the program. Each such review shall 
contain, at a minimum, the following: 
‘‘(i) An assessment of the agency’s 
implementation of the guidance, including 
a summary of the audits and investiga-
tions, if any, of the program conducted by 
the Inspector General of the agency. 
‘‘(ii) Information on the total number 
of employees of the agency that are partici-
pating in the program. 
‘‘(iii) Information on the total number 
of single occupancy vehicles removed from 
the roadway network as a result of partici-
pation by employees of the agency in the 
program. 
‘‘(iv) Information on energy savings 
and emissions reductions, including reduc-
tions in greenhouse gas emissions, result-
ing from reductions in single occupancy ve-
hicle use by employees of the agency that 
are participating in the program. 
‘‘(v) Information on reduced conges-
tion and improved air quality resulting 
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from reductions in single occupancy vehicle 
use by employees of the agency that are 
participating in the program. 
‘‘(vi) Recommendations to increase 
program participation and thereby reduce 
single occupancy vehicle use by Federal 
employees nationwide. 
‘‘(6) REPORTING
REQUIREMENTS.—Not later 
than September 30 of the first fiscal year beginning 
after the date of enactment of this paragraph, and 
every 3 years thereafter, the Secretary shall submit 
to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc-
ture and the Committee on Oversight and Govern-
ment Reform of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Af-
fairs of the Senate a report on nationwide implemen-
tation of the transit pass transportation fringe bene-
fits program under this subsection, including a sum-
mary of the information submitted by agencies pur-
suant to paragraph (5)(F).’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Except as otherwise specifi-
cally provided, the amendments made by this section shall 
become effective on the first day of the first fiscal year 
beginning after the date of enactment of this Act. 
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SEC. 6. CAPITAL COST OF CONTRACTING VANPOOL PILOT 
PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Transpor-
tation shall establish and implement a pilot program to 
carry out vanpool demonstration projects in not more than 
3 urbanized areas and not more than 2 other than urban-
ized areas. 
(b) PILOT PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Notwithstanding section 
5323(i) of title 49, United States Code, for each 
project selected for participation in the pilot pro-
gram, the Secretary shall allow the non-Federal 
share provided by a recipient of assistance for a cap-
ital project under chapter 53 of such title to include 
the amounts described in paragraph (2). 
(2) CONDITIONS ON ACQUISITION OF VANS.— 
The amounts referred to in paragraph (1) are any 
amounts expended by a private provider of public 
transportation by vanpool for the acquisition of vans 
to be used by such private provider in the recipient’s 
service area, excluding any amounts the provider 
may have received in Federal, State, or local govern-
ment assistance for such acquisition, if the private 
provider enters into a legally binding agreement with 
the recipient that requires the private provider to 
use all revenues it receives in providing public trans-
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portation in such service area, in excess of its oper-
ating costs, for the purpose of acquiring vans to be 
used by the private provider in such service area. 
(c) PROGRAM TERM.—The Secretary may approve an 
application for a vanpool demonstration project for fiscal 
years 2008 through 2009. 
(d) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than one year 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infra-
structure of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the 
Senate a report containing an assessment of the costs, 
benefits, and efficiencies of the vanpool demonstration 
projects. 
SEC. 7. INCREASED FEDERAL SHARE FOR END-OF-LINE 
FIXED GUIDEWAY STATIONS. 
Notwithstanding section 5309(h) of title 49, United 
States Code, a grant for a capital project to be assisted 
under section 5309 of such title during fiscal years 2008 
and 2009 that involves the acquisition of real property for, 
or the design, engineering, or construction of, additional 
parking facilities at an end-of-line fixed guideway station 
shall be for 100 percent of the net capital cost of the 
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project unless the grant recipient requests a lower grant 
percentage. 
Æ 
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