The temporary ban applies to bus and rail projects seeking funding from a number of FTA programs.
This month, the U.S. Senate adopted "a one-year ban on any new procurements of mass transit rail cars or buses from companies owned or subsidized by the government of the People’s Republic of China, if the procurement uses any Federal Transit Administration formula or bus funding," reports Jeff Daniels in Eno Transportation Weekly.
The temporary ban was pushed by American manufacturers of freight rail cars in an effort to preempt losing market share to the Chinese state rail company, which has seen success in other countries. Daniels reports further on the criteria and other key details of the policy:
The Senate prohibition only applies to funding from the urbanized area formula (§5307), rural area formula (§5311), state of good repair formula (§5337) and bus and bus facility grant (§5339) programs (formula and discretionary), not other FTA programs. Notably, this leaves open the possibility that Capital Investment Grant program (§5309) money for future new starts, small starts, or core capacity projects could be used for Chinese rolling stock or buses.
FULL STORY: Senate Agrees to One-Year Ban on Transit Rail Car and Bus Procurements from Chinese-Owned Companies
To Fight Climate Change, Support Public Transit
Electric cars may garner a lot of attention these days, but significantly reducing carbon emissions and urban congestion means investing in high-quality mass transit.
BRT Hits the Las Vegas Strip
Last Thursday, Las Vegas broke ground on the ACE Green Line, a new BRT corridor that will connect downtown Las Vegas and Henderson.
Hawai’i Transportation Projects Receive Federal Grants
State officials say they need around $15 billion to mitigate the impacts of rising seas.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research