This Act may be cited as the Better Transit for Riders Act.

(a) In general Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration shall convene a task force to provide recommendations regarding benchmarks for urbanized areas (as such term is defined in section 5302 of title 49, United States Code) for— (1) best practices on the allocation and use of transit funds, including ranges or consideration for investment across categories such as capital modernization, state of good repair, infrastructure expansion, operations, workforce and labor costs, safety improvements, and resiliency; (2) best practices regarding the composition of transit agency funding sources, including roles of Federal, state, local and farebox revenues, public-private partnerships, value capture, and other dedicated funding mechanisms; (3) indicators of effective transit coordination within the same metropolitan service area that recipients of Federal funds should consider when developing planning activities, which shall include considerations for any matters determined relevant by the task force or Administrator, including— (A) integrated payments and fare integration within the same metropolitan service area; (B) cooperative planning; (C) transactional data standards for mobility scheduling software to assist in coordinating services across multiple providers; (D) network redesign; and (E) sharing of infrastructure; (4) best practices for access to transit; and (5) best practices for coordinating regional transit and land use planning, funding, and implementation. (b) Composition (1) In general The Task Force shall consist of up to 15 members selected by the Administrator and having expertise in an operational or academic discipline that is relevant to the operations, maintenance, or governance of transit services in regions that are served by multiple transit agencies. (2) Fair representation The number of members shall be determined by the Administrator to ensure sufficient and fair representation of relevant disciplines. (c) Disciplines For purposes of subsection (b), disciplines shall include transit agencies, municipal governments that have land use authority, representatives of State departments of transportation, representatives from transit unions, relevant standards development organizations, metropolitan planning organizations, academia, first and last mile service providers, community groups or individuals who use public transportation, and associations that represent public transportation. (d) Duration (1) In general Members of the task force shall be appointed for the duration of the task force. (2) Length of existence (A) In general The task force shall have an initial length of existence of 2 years. (B) Option The Administrator may exercise an option to lengthen the duration of the existence of the task force for a period of 2 years. (e) Duties Not later than the date on which the Task Force is terminated, the task force shall submit to Congress and make publicly available a report that provides the recommendations described in subsection (a)(1). (f) Considerations In developing the recommendations described in subsection (a)(1), the task force shall— (1) consider the interconnection between land use, transit-oriented development, and transit services to provide better options for transit riders; (2) prioritize improving the experience of transit riders and improved service delivery, especially riders who utilize multiple forms of transit in a single ride, like the ease and quality of the ride, safety, reducing delays, connection to other modes of transit, and location of transfer points; (3) prioritize safety and security of riders across transit systems; (4) develop and recommend a framework or model to assist transit agencies in making strategic investment decisions, including how to prioritize limited funding to maximize rider benefits, service reliability, safety, and long-term system sustainability; (5) examine potential methods for self-sustaining long-term funding or public financing for transit to achieve cost-effectiveness, such as value capture; (6) consider the use of first and last mile service and associated infrastructure by riders; (7) include considerations to reduce vehicle miles traveled by riders; (8) consider greenhouse gas emissions impacts, compliance with the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.U.S. Code — Title 42, Section 7401 and followingView official source on GovInfo), applicable State and local regulations, and applicable judiciary rulings; (9) consider the interconnection between land use, transit-oriented development, and transit services to provide better options for transit riders; and (10) examine data and technology needs across transit providers, including how interoperable data and technology may improve transit reliability and operations. (g) Initial report If the Administrator exercises the option to lengthen the duration of the task force under subsection (d)(2)(B), not later than 2 years after the date of the establishment of the task force, the task force shall submit to Congress and make publicly available an initial report containing an update on the information described in subsection (a)(1).