BUFFER Act

119 HR 5216 IH: Bus Utilization for Fleet Flexibility and Emergency Resilience Act U.S. House of Representatives 2025-09-08 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5216 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 8, 2025 Ms. Titus introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure A BILL To require the Secretary of Transportation, to issue regulations and guidance to allow certain regional transportation planning organizations to increase spare bus ratios to 30 percent, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Bus Utilization for Fleet Flexibility and Emergency Resilience Act or the BUFFER Act . 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Extreme weather events such as extreme heat and extreme cold threaten the lives and livelihoods of communities across the United States. (2) Instances of extreme weather can increase vehicle repair and maintenance needs for transit buses. (3) Operational disruptions to fixed bus routes during extreme weather events are dangerous to people who rely on bus services to get around. (4) Transit agencies with high-frequency and high-intensity service, including regions that are tourism and live entertainment hubs, face additional operational challenges. 3. Increase of spare bus ratio (a) In general Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation, acting through the Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration, shall issue such regulations and guidance as are necessary to allow, upon request, a regional transportation planning organization to increase the spare bus ratio of such organization to 30 percent. (b) Eligibility for spare bus ratio increase To be eligible for an increase described under subsection (a), a regional transportation planning organization shall submit to the Administrator— (1) a certification that the region regularly experiences extreme weather events; (2) a description of how extreme weather events have disrupted bus operations in the region; and (3) a description of how increasing the spare ratio will help ensure reliable services for users of fixed bus routes during incidents of extreme weather.