HB 6298 would amend title 49 of the U.S. Code to authorize operating grants for crime prevention and security in urban transit systems, funded through federal appropriations. The grants may be used for hiring additional officers at transit facilities or contracting with local police to increase officer presence, as well as for physical safety upgrades such as surveillance devices and operator shields.
The bill also expands eligibility beyond the current population threshold to include entities eligible to receive 5307 funds. In addition, it authorizes $50 million per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 to carry out these operating grants.
Finally, the act requires a Transportation Research Board study (in consultation with labor organizations representing frontline transit workers) to assess what transit agencies are doing to prevent crime, which tactics are effective or ineffective, and best practices for reducing crime in public transportation.
At a Glance
What It Does
The Secretary may provide operating grants to urbanized transit systems for crime-prevention activities and safety upgrades, expanding eligibility and outlining permitted uses.
Who It Affects
Entities eligible for Section 5307 funding in urbanized areas, transit agencies, and their partner police departments.
Why It Matters
Creates a dedicated federal funding stream to bolster transit safety, potentially changing how urban transit systems allocate resources for security and crime prevention.
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What This Bill Actually Does
The bill adds a new grant program under the existing transit security framework to fund operating costs tied to crime prevention and safety in urban public transit. Grants can be used for hiring additional transit police, contracting with local police to increase coverage, and upgrading safety infrastructure at stations and on vehicles.
It also broadens who can receive these grants by waiving the population-based eligibility constraint for entities that qualify for 5307 funding. The package authorizes $50 million annually from 2026 through 2030 to support these grants.
In addition, the bill requires the Transportation Research Board (within the National Academies) to conduct a study on crime prevention in transit, with input from labor organizations representing frontline workers, covering current practices, effective and ineffective tactics, and recommended best practices. This creates a formal, federally funded safety program paired with an evidence-building study to guide future investments.
The Five Things You Need to Know
The bill creates operating grants for crime prevention and security in urban transit.
Eligibility for grants expands to 5307-funded entities, removing the prior population hurdle.
Funds may be used for hiring or contracting police, and for safety infrastructure upgrades.
A TRB study, in consultation with frontline workers, will evaluate current practices and best practices for reducing transit crime.
An annual federal appropriation of $50 million is authorized for 2026–2030 to support these grants.
Section-by-Section Breakdown
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Grant authorization for operating activities
Section 5321 is amended to add a new operating-grants provision. The Secretary may make grants for operating activities of public transportation systems to any entity eligible to receive funds under section 5307, even if the population threshold under section 5307(a)(1)(D) would otherwise disqualify them. This creates a dedicated federal funding stream for crime-prevention and security costs in urban transit.
Eligible activities
Grants may be used for: (A) hiring additional officers to police public transportation facilities and their immediate surroundings; (B) contracting with local police to increase officer presence at transit stations and on systems; and (C) physical infrastructure upgrades that improve safety (including monitoring devices and operator shields). These activities are explicitly framed as operating costs tied to crime prevention and safety.
Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated $50,000,000 for each fiscal year 2026 through 2030 to carry out the subsection’s purposes. This sets a clear annual federal funding level dedicated to transit crime prevention and security operations.
Study requirement
The Secretary shall enter into an agreement with the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies to conduct a study on crime prevention by transit agencies. The study, conducted in consultation with labor organizations representing frontline transit workers, will cover what agencies are doing, what tactics work or don’t work, and best practices for reducing crime within public transportation.
Structural amendment to 5321
The new operating-grants framework sits under the amended section 5321, with a clearly defined (b) subsection for operating grants and a separate study requirement. This reconfiguration links funding to concrete safety activities and a formal evaluation process.
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Explore Transportation in Codify Search →Who Benefits and Who Bears the Cost
Every bill creates winners and losers. Here's who stands to gain and who bears the cost.
Who Benefits
- Urbanized transit authorities and other 5307-eligible entities gain a dedicated federal funding stream for crime prevention and security efforts.
- Frontline transit workers benefit from enhanced safety and security measures and from a formal process that recognizes their safety needs.
- Local police departments and sheriff’s offices can participate through increased presence and policing in transit environments, supported by federal grants.
- Transit riders benefit from heightened safety at stations and on vehicles, potentially improving ridership and perceived security.
- Municipalities and metropolitan planning organizations gain a structured mechanism to fund and coordinate safety investments across transit networks.
Who Bears the Cost
- The federal government would incur a new, recurring cost of $50 million per year through 2030.
- Transit agencies would bear administrative responsibilities for applying for grants, reporting, and managing funded activities.
- Local law enforcement agencies could incur incremental overtime or staffing costs to support increased transit policing funded under the program.
- State and local governments may face compliance and administrative costs to align with the grant requirements and reporting standards.
- Costs associated with ongoing maintenance or replacement of safety infrastructure funded by these grants would need to be covered by the grantee if not fully funded by the grant.
Key Issues
The Core Tension
The central tension is whether federal crime-prevention funding should primarily bolster police presence in transit environments or emphasize broader, non-police safety interventions and community crime-prevention strategies, and how to balance effectiveness with civil-liberties concerns and equity across urban areas.
The bill creates a significant safety program by tying operating funding to concrete, police- and infrastructure-based crime-prevention measures in urban transit. That approach raises several policy questions: will substituting or increasing police presence effectively reduce crime in transit networks, or would investments in community safety, lighting, cameras, or environmental design yield different outcomes?
How will funds be allocated across dense urban areas with varying crime profiles, and how will performance be measured and audited? The accompanying TRB study is poised to address these questions, but the bill does not specify performance metrics, oversight mechanisms, or equity considerations for smaller urbanized areas.
It also relies on partnerships with labor organizations for the study, which could affect the study’s scope and implementation depending on bargaining dynamics and participation rates.
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