The year 2020 provided a bumpy budgetary ride for all modes of transportation, and some industry insiders don’t expect airport and transit ridership to return to pre-pandemic levels for years. Agencies are taking lessons learned, coupled with hopes for the new Biden administration, to carry on as best they can.
James H. Burnley IV, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation and a partner with Venable LLP, says the need to reform the Highway Trust Fund is clearer than ever, and he expresses hope that the incoming administration might embrace alternatives including vehicle miles traveled (VMT) to fund transportation. Pete Buttigieg, the nominee for U.S. Transportation Secretary, will probably be a “quick study” for the job, Burnley adds.