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: 
(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 
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) Public transportation stakeholders should 
engage and involve local communities in the edu-
cation and promotion of the importance of utilizing 
public transportation. 
(10) Increasing public transportation use is a 
national 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, not later 
than 7 days after the date on which the funds are 
appropriated, in accordance with section 5336 (other 
than subsections (i)(1) and (j)) of such title but may 
not be combined or commingled 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, 
not later than 7 days after the date on which the 
funds are appropriated, in accordance with such sec-
tion 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 within the time the Sec-
retary prescribes that, during the term of the grant, 
the recipient will reduce one or more fares the re-
cipient charges for public transportation, or in the 
case of subsection (f) of such section 5311, intercity 
bus service, those operating costs of equipment and 
facilities being used to provide the public transpor-
tation, or in the case of subsection (f) of such sec-
tion 5311, intercity bus service, that the recipient is 
no longer able to pay from the revenues 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 within the time the Sec-
retary prescribes that, during the term of the grant, 
the recipient will expand public transportation serv-
ice, or in the case of subsection (f) of such section 
5311, intercity bus service, those operating and cap-
ital costs of equipment and facilities being used to 
provide the public transportation service, or in the 
case of subsection (f) of such section 5311, intercity 
bus service, that the recipient incurs as a result of 
the expansion of such service. 
(3) To avoid increases in fares for public trans-
portation, or in the case of subsection (f) of such 
section 5311, intercity bus service, or decreases in 
current public transportation service, or in the case 
of subsection (f) of such section 5311, intercity bus 
service, that would otherwise result from an increase 
in costs to the public transportation or intercity bus 
agency for transportation-related fuel or meeting ad-
ditional transportation-related equipment or facility 
maintenance needs, if the recipient of the grant cer-
tifies to the Secretary within the time the Secretary 
prescribes that, during the term of the grant, the re-
cipient will not increase the fares that the recipient 
charges for public transportation, or in the case of 
subsection (f) of such section 5311, intercity bus 
service, or, will not decrease the public transpor-
tation service, or in the case of subsection (f) of 
such section 5311, intercity bus service, that the re-
cipient provides.