No More Blank Checks for Broken Transit Systems 

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy recently announced that his agency will consider withholding federal funding from cities that fail to maintain safe and functional transit systems. It’s a long-overdue move that will put taxpayer dollars to work where they matter the most. 

Under former Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the Department of Transportation (DOT) dolled out billions in grants to transit systems that were underperforming—or even under federal investigation. From dirty, crime-ridden train cars to persistent safety failures and administrative mismanagement, cities with glaring transit problems continued to receive federal taxpayer support despite having little progress to show for it. 

With Secretary Duffy’s tougher approach on the horizon, it’s worth taking a look at the three major cities that have received billions in grants under Buttigieg’s DOT—despite being at the center of federal scrutiny:

Philadelphia, PA 

In March 2023, the DOT launched a “safety reinforcement” initiative for Philadelphia’s transit system after eight separate accidents occurred in just three weeks. But by July 2024, a federal assessment found the city’s safety performance did not improve—and in some cases worsened—since the agency intervened. Despite this, the DOT under Pete Buttigieg allocated over $2 billion to Philadelphia’s transit authority between 2021 and 2024—including $317 million during the height of the federal investigation period. 

Boston, MA 

In April 2022, the DOT initiated oversight of Boston’s transit system after a series of passenger deaths and injuries. The resulting report included 631 safety directives for the city to accomplish. Years later, many of these improvements remain unfulfilled—with some officials admitting they are “falling short” on their annual targets. Even with this knowledge, Buttigeg’s DOT allocated $3.5 billion to Boston’s transit system between 2021 and 2024. 

Washington, D.C.

The Washington, D.C. transit authority has faced federal scrutiny for nearly a decade. After a series of safety failures in February 2015, the DOT began investigating the District’s public transit system—issuing 91 corrective actions. In October 2021, a train derailment triggered another federal investigation—this time resulting in a 1,400 page report full of safety recommendations. Despite these continued issues, the DOT under Pete Buttigieg allocated over $4 billion to the Washington, D.C. transit authority between 2021 and 2024. 

By tying funding to real safety improvements, Secretary Duffy is making it clear that federal dollars should reward performance—not enable dysfunction. His decision is a critical step toward restoring safety and consumer confidence in our nation’s public transit systems.