I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5230 
To amend chapter 53, United States Code, to increase local bus service 
to levels needed to combat the climate crisis, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 9, 2025 
Mr. FROST introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To amend chapter 53, United States Code, to increase local 
bus service to levels needed to combat the climate crisis, 
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; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Faster Buses Better Futures Act’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Bus network redesign grants. 
Sec. 3. Transit stop shelter and station accessibility. 
Sec. 4. Transit priority measures. 
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Sec. 5. State purchasing for bus stop equipment. 
Sec. 6. Federal Transit Administration staffing and administrative funding. 
SEC. 2. BUS NETWORK REDESIGN GRANTS. 
Chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code, is amend-
ed— 
(1) in section 5307(c)(1)— 
(A) in subparagraph (K), by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(M) plans to complete a bus network re-
design by fiscal year 2045 and, beginning in fis-
cal year 2045 and each fiscal year thereafter, 
has completed a bus network redesign in the 
preceding 20-year period; and’’; and 
(2) in section 5339— 
(A) in subsection (b)— 
(i) by amending paragraph (2) to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(2) GRANT
CONSIDERATIONS.—In making 
grants under this subsection, the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) consider the age and condition of 
buses, bus fleets, related equipment, and bus-re-
lated facilities; and 
‘‘(B) give priority to eligible recipients who 
have received a grant under subsection (e) and 
have successfully increased bus ridership as a 
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result of the bus network redesign carried out 
with such grant.’’; and 
(ii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(12) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this subsection $20,000,000,000 for the period of 
fiscal years 2026 through 2030.’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(e) BUS NETWORK REDESIGN GRANTS.— 
‘‘(1) GRANTS
AUTHORIZED.—Not later than 
720 days after the date of enactment of the Faster 
Buses Better Futures Act, the Secretary shall estab-
lish a program to award grants, on a competitive 
basis, to eligible entities. 
‘‘(2) APPLICATION.—To receive a grant under 
this subsection, an eligible entity shall complete an 
eligible bus network redesign and submit to the Sec-
retary an application at such time, in such manner, 
and containing such information as the Secretary 
may require, including— 
‘‘(A) an overview of the existing bus net-
work; 
‘‘(B) an overview of the eligible bus net-
work redesign; 
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‘‘(C) an analysis of the impact of the bus 
network redesign on— 
‘‘(i) service hours; and 
‘‘(ii) route miles; 
‘‘(D) an analysis demonstrating that the 
eligible bus network redesign can increase tran-
sit ridership by 100 percent not later than 6 
years after such redesign is implemented; 
‘‘(E) an evaluation examining any equity 
and mobility gaps in each transit system oper-
ated by the eligible entity or in the geographic 
area under the jurisdiction of the eligible entity, 
and how the eligible bus network redesign will 
significantly close such gaps, including— 
‘‘(i) public transit ridership rates, 
disaggregated by— 
‘‘(I) mode of transit; and 
‘‘(II) demographic group, includ-
ing 
youth 
(including 
foster 
care 
youth), seniors, individuals with dis-
abilities, and low-income individuals; 
and 
‘‘(ii) average length of bus routes, av-
erage speed of bus routes, and average 
delay times of bus routes; 
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‘‘(F) an estimation of additional costs that 
the eligible entity will incur in order to imple-
ment the eligible bus network redesign, includ-
ing— 
‘‘(i) fuel costs; 
‘‘(ii) personnel costs; 
‘‘(iii) maintenance costs; and 
‘‘(iv) other operational costs; and 
‘‘(G) a description of eligible projects that 
the eligible entity intends to carry out to imple-
ment the eligible bus network redesign, includ-
ing— 
‘‘(i) expanding bus fleets; and 
‘‘(ii) constructing additional bus ga-
rages. 
‘‘(3) GRANT
USES.—A grant awarded under 
this section may only be used to— 
‘‘(A) carry out eligible projects; and 
‘‘(B) pay for the difference in operating 
costs between the existing level of fixed-route 
bus service and the level outlined in the eligible 
bus network redesign submitted pursuant to 
paragraph (2). 
‘‘(4) FEDERAL SHARE.— 
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‘‘(A) ELIGIBLE
PROJECTS.—The Federal 
share of the costs described in paragraph 
(3)(A) shall be 80 percent. 
‘‘(B) FIRST
3-YEAR
PERIOD.—In calcu-
lating the Federal share of the costs described 
in paragraph (3)(B)— 
‘‘(i) for the 3-year period beginning 
on the date on which an eligible entity re-
ceives a grant under this subsection, such 
Federal share shall be 100 percent; and 
‘‘(ii) for any period of a grant award 
that is during the 3-year period beginning 
on the date on which the period described 
in clause (i) ends, such Federal share shall 
be 33 percent. 
‘‘(5) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under this 
subsection, the Secretary shall prioritize awarding 
grants to eligible entities that propose an eligible bus 
network redesign that is capable of increasing tran-
sit ridership by the largest percentage. 
‘‘(6) CONDITIONS OF GRANT ASSISTANCE.—As 
a condition of receiving a grant under this sub-
section, an eligible entity shall— 
‘‘(A) in the case of an entity that is a re-
cipient of a grant under section 5307— 
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‘‘(i) report to the Federal Transit Ad-
ministration, for inclusion in the National 
Transit Database— 
‘‘(I) the service frequency, vehicle 
revenue hours, and unlinked pas-
senger trips originating and termi-
nating in areas of persistent poverty 
and underserved communities; 
‘‘(II) the number of jobs and es-
sential services accessible by transit, 
and improvement in such access, in-
cluding specific reporting on access by 
transit for areas of persistent poverty 
and underserved communities; and 
‘‘(III) any other data the Sec-
retary determines necessary and ap-
propriate; and 
‘‘(ii) during the 1-year period pre-
ceding the date on which the entity re-
ceives such grant, and at least every 2 
years thereafter, conduct a survey of tran-
sit riders and nonriding residents of areas 
of persistent poverty and underserved com-
munities on transit service improvements, 
using means designed to maximize partici-
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pation from riders and nonriders, and pub-
lish the survey results in an online format; 
‘‘(B) in the case of an entity that is Indian 
Tribe— 
‘‘(i) report to the Federal Transit Ad-
ministration, for inclusion in the National 
Transit Database— 
‘‘(I) revenue vehicle hours and 
unlinked passenger trips; and 
‘‘(II) any other data the Sec-
retary determines necessary and ap-
propriate; and 
‘‘(ii) during the 1-year period pre-
ceding the date on which the entity re-
ceives such grant, and at least every 2 
years thereafter, conduct a survey of tran-
sit riders and nonriding residents of the 
service area on transit service improve-
ments, using means designed to maximize 
participation from riders and nonriders, 
and publish the survey results in an online 
format; and 
‘‘(C) in the case of an entity that is a 
State receiving a grant under section 5311— 
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