As Congress works to determine the next five years of transportation spending, proposed reductions in transit funding could have a significant impact on rural communities, which often have limited access to public transportation. Jeremy Maxand, executive director of the Living Independent Network Corp in southern Idaho, described the region’s transit system as a “bare-minimum lifeline service” and “piecemeal.” His nonprofit organization, which serves people with disabilities, receives $100,000 annually from the state through a federal appropriation, highlighting the crucial role of federal funding in supporting these services. The surface transportation programs authorized by the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, signed by President Joe Biden in 2021, are set to expire by the end of the year. Lawmakers are currently working on the bipartisan BUILD America 250 Act, which would reauthorize these programs. However, transportation advocates argue that the proposed BUILD Act represents a step backward from the Biden-era legislation, which they say did not sufficiently expand mobility options beyond car travel. According to the American Public Transportation Association, the BUILD Act would authorize $16.5 billion less for public transit than its predecessor, with $103.3 billion over five years compared to $119.9 billion in the original Jobs Act. Adjusted for inflation, the BUILD Act would require an additional $24 billion to match the previous level of funding. Every state would receive at least $10 million less in formula funding over the five years the law would be in effect. Yonah Freemark, a researcher with the Urban Institute, emphasized that the impacts of these cuts would extend beyond major cities. “Public transit is often portrayed as something that is subways in New York City,” he said. “The reality is that millions of people rely on public transit in a lot of smaller communities, including a lot of rural communities and tribal communities around the country. … Those rural transit systems are much more reliant on federal support to provide the service that they offer than are the urban transit agencies.” Many public transit agencies have been struggling financially since ridership plummeted during the pandemic, exacerbating years of underinvestment. Further cuts could have severe effects, particularly in rural areas, where transit advocates and experts warn that the consequences could be especially dire. In Idaho, for example, the Urban Institute estimates the state would see the nation’s largest percentage drop in federal formula transit funding—18 percent. Maxand noted that local governments have limited ability to raise money for public transportation. “When the federal funding goes away, everything goes away,” he said. That could leave those with disabilities socially isolated, only able to leave their homes for medical needs.