BUFFER Act

Bill Number

H.R. 5216

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Transportation and Public Works

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-09-09: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

Last Updated

2025-10-07T08:05:23Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation This bill directs the U.S. Department of Transportation to create rules allowing certain regional transportation planning organizations to maintain a higher number of extra buses (called a "spare bus ratio") for use during extreme weather events, aiming to keep bus services reliable when weather disrupts operations.

Key Provisions

• The bill is titled the "Bus Utilization for Fleet Flexibility and Emergency Resilience Act" or "BUFFER Act."
• It requires the Secretary of Transportation, through the Federal Transit Administration, to issue regulations and guidance within one year of enactment.
• Eligible organizations may request an increase in their spare bus ratio up to 30 percent.
• To qualify, an organization must provide: (1) proof that its region regularly faces extreme weather, (2) details on how weather has previously disrupted bus routes, and (3) an explanation of how extra spare buses would maintain service reliability.

Significant Changes to Existing Law The legislation creates a new process for selected organizations to exceed standard spare bus ratio limits set by Federal Transit Administration policy. It adds specific eligibility requirements tied to extreme weather impacts, which were not previously part of these rules.

Potential Impacts

• On government agencies: The Federal Transit Administration must develop and implement new regulations and review requests, adding administrative workload.
• On citizens: Residents in affected areas, especially those dependent on fixed bus routes, may experience fewer service disruptions during extreme heat or cold.
• No direct effects on international relations are addressed.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Regional transportation planning organizations in weather-prone areas.
• Local transit agencies operating bus fleets.
• Daily bus riders in regions with tourism, entertainment, or high-frequency service.
• The Secretary of Transportation and Federal Transit Administration staff.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The bill involves standard administrative rulemaking authority under existing transportation statutes and raises no apparent constitutional concerns. It focuses on operational flexibility for public transit without altering funding levels or creating new enforcement mechanisms.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1]

Recent Actions

• 2025-09-09: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
• 2025-09-08: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
• 2025-09-08: Introduced in House
• 2025-09-08: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Bus Utilization for Fleet Flexibility and Emergency Resilience Act — issued 2025-09-08 — PDF (3 pages)