Embattled transit riders in our region and across the country could get sorely needed relief thanks to the tri-state area’s senators. Today, Sens. Chuck Schumer, Kirsten Gillibrand, Frank Lautenberg, Robert Menendez, and Chris Dodd introduced the Public Transportation Preservation Act of 2010, a $2 billion bill to help transit agencies restore service cuts and prevent fare increases and layoffs.

The $2 billion could be used only for transit operations, not capital construction projects, and would be distributed based on existing funding formulas (specifically, the 5307 Urbanized Area and 5311 Rural and Small Urban Area formulas). In a press release, Sen. Schumer’s office estimated the bill would provide $345 million for the NYC-NJ-CT urbanized area — New York City, northern New Jersey, Long Island, the lower Hudson Valley, and southwestern Connecticut. According to Sen. Lautenberg’s office, NJ Transit would receive about $125 million.

The New York State Transportation Equity Alliance (a coalition of which Tri-State is a member) praised the bill’s co-sponsors in a release and called for immediate passage of the legislation in order to help prevent the MTA service cuts that will go into effect in just a few weeks; those cuts would save the MTA $93 million annually. Passage of the bill could also provide relief in New Jersey, where Gov. Christie closed an NJ Transit deficit earlier this year by ordering a huge fare increase and significant service cuts.

In order for this bill to have a chance of success, the region’s senators will have to rally their colleagues to support this critical measure. Co-sponsors of the legislation from outside the region include Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Jack Reed (D-RI). The need is clear, given the depth of the national transit crisis that is imperiling Americans’ ability to access jobs and essential services.