Authored by Michael Dorgan, Policy Manager

Federal policy may seem removed from day-to-day operations, but the rules being written today can influence everything from how grants are managed to how buses are tested and how transit service is evaluated for years to come. This summer, several significant federal proposals are open for public comment, giving transportation stakeholders an opportunity to help shape those outcomes. CTE encourages all stakeholders across the transportation industry to carefully review the federal register notices for these proposed rule changes, and to weigh in with comments where appropriate.

Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance

The Office of Management and Budget has proposed revisions to the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200), which governs federal financial assistance across more than 40 federal agencies. Among the proposed changes is expanded discretion for executive agencies to cancel or revoke grant awards. If adopted, these revisions could have significant implications for federal grant recipients and subrecipients, affecting funding certainty, project planning, and compliance with state requirements.

Comments are due July 13, 2026. Submit your comments.

Bus Testing Guidance

FTA is proposing amendments to its bus testing regulation. FTA states that “the proposed changes will improve the efficiency of the testing program for stakeholders, enhance the value of bus testing reports for consumers, and assist in removing outdated test reports.” Stakeholders involved in bus procurement, manufacturing, and testing are encouraged to review the proposal and provide feedback.

Comments are due by August 25, 2026. Submit your comments.

Family Friendly Transit RFI

FTA is seeking input from the transit industry and the public about how to assess public transportation service quality across five areas: safety and security, cleanliness, universal accessibility, real time service data availability, and system reliability. FTA plans to use this feedback to develop tools that help the public, transit agencies, and all levels of government assess the quality of public transportation service in their communities and identify actions necessary to improve family-friendly service.

Comments are due August 3, 2026. Submit your comments.

Public comment periods are one of the few opportunities for industry stakeholders to directly influence federal policy before decisions are finalized. Whether your organization operates transit service, manufactures vehicles, develops technology, or supports transportation planning, now is the time to make your voice heard.

If you're a CTE Member and would like to see CTE’s draft responses to the opportunities above, discuss drafting a potential response on behalf of your group, or better understand how these proposals may affect your organization, please reach out to Michael Dorgan, Policy Manager (dorgan@cte.tv).