The BUFFER Act directs the Secretary of Transportation to create regulations allowing regional transportation planning organizations to increase their spare bus ratios from current levels to 30 percent. Spare buses are backup vehicles kept in reserve to replace buses needing repairs or maintenance. The bill targets regions that experience extreme weather events—such as intense heat or cold—that damage buses and disrupt service, particularly affecting high-frequency transit systems in areas like tourism hubs. To qualify, regional transit agencies must submit documentation showing they regularly face extreme weather disruptions and explain how additional spare buses would improve reliability during such events. The Secretary of Transportation has one year from the bill's enactment to issue the necessary regulations and guidance implementing this change.
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