Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Bus Utilization for Fleet Flexibility and Emergency Resilience Act or the BUFFER Act.
Section 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.
(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.