Governor Newsom signs executive order to accelerate new technologies and services for California’s local transit and passenger rail networks throughout the state

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today signed an executive order directing California’s transportation agencies to accelerate statewide technologies and strategies to assist locally led transit and passenger rail networks, making it faster, easier, and cheaper for Californians to get to where they need to go through local bus, rail, and other transit services in communities across the state. With California welcoming a growing number of visitors for tourism and major events from around the globe, the state’s local and regional transit and passenger rail system is increasingly vital to keeping people moving affordably and reliably while continuing to power one of the world’s strongest economies.

At the same time, Trump’s proposed federal budget cuts funding for public transit and clean transportation programs nationwide. Trump’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget request would cut federal public transit funding by roughly 23% and passenger rail funding by about 82%, eliminating billions in planned investments for systems across the country. According to industry analysis, Trump’s budget would also zero out funding under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for key clean transportation programs, resulting in multi-billion dollar losses for modern transit, passenger rail, and decarbonization projects nationwide. 

Governor Newsom’s order is a direct response: directing state agencies to accelerate local and regional transit delivery, close service gaps, and give every Californian a reliable, affordable alternative to the car.

“California is continuing to build on Governor Newsom’s vision for a transportation system that is safer, cleaner and more connected for all Californians,” said California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin. “As global instability drives up fuel costs for working families, California is leading with investments in public transportation and infrastructure that reduces our reliance on fossil fuels.”

The order arrives at a time when the Trump administration’s devastating economic policies are squeezing American families. Since the Trump administration’s conflict with Iran began, American households have been saddled with an estimated $62.4 billion in extra fuel expenses, or roughly $476 per household. New York Fed research shows the pain is falling hardest on those who can least afford it: low-income households cut gas consumption by 7% in March, yet still faced a 12% spike in expenses due to rising prices. 

What the executive order does

Governor Newsom’s order directs CalSTA and state agencies to: 

• Prioritize transit projects statewide: Consolidates critical local and regional projects into a state priority list, establishes public grant dashboards, common standards for transit data and payment systems, all with clear deadlines.

• Streamline project delivery: Develops design and permitting standards for transit infrastructure on the state highway system, reducing bureaucratic delays for local agencies building bus stops, shelters, signage, and transit lanes.

• Close transit gaps statewide: Directs Caltrans to coordinate bus and rail services across the state, so Californians in rural counties or underserved neighborhoods can get where they need to go, even where service is limited.

• Modernize transit data and payments: Publishes data standards and expands the California Integrated Travel Project (Cal-ITP) — a statewide program that brings real-time arrival information and contactless payment to transit systems across California, making it easier to ride and reducing operating costs for agencies.

• Expand Bus Rapid Transit and bus-only lanes: Supports the development of Bus Rapid Transit across the state highway system to deliver faster, more reliable bus service in dedicated lanes.

• Make transit funding easier to access: Launches real-time public dashboards tracking all transit grant programs, application volumes, and timelines.

• Caltrans Statewide Active Transportation Deployment Team: Directs Caltrans to establish a dedicated active transportation project delivery team to build in-house expertise and increase accountability.

The order supports the Newsom administration’s ongoing efforts to modernize California’s local and regional transportation network, including more than $11.5 billion through SB 1 (Beall, 2017) and the Cap-and-Invest program to support public transit and services, High-Speed Rail, and Executive Order N-2-24 on transit-oriented development. 

California’s transportation leadership

Under Governor Newsom, California has built one of the most ambitious transportation agendas in the nation. The California State Transportation Agency oversees more than $12 billion in annual transportation funding across eight state agencies — delivering roads, bridges, rail, transit, and zero-emission infrastructure to every corner of the state. The California Transportation Commission allocates an additional $10 billion annually for transportation projects. Caltrans — which designs, builds, and maintains California’s transportation system — manages more than 50,000 miles of highway, and recently launched Traffic Mobility Insights, an AI-powered platform that unifies seven statewide traffic systems, refreshes highway bottleneck detection every 25 minutes, and can generate emergency evacuation routes in minutes during wildfires or earthquakes.

California’s High-Speed Rail project is advancing daily with 171 miles currently under design and construction from Merced to Bakersfield, more than 80 miles of guideway complete, and 463 miles of the 494-mile San Francisco to Los Angeles/Anaheim system fully environmentally cleared and construction-ready. In February 2026, Governor Newsom announced a major milestone: California is now entering the track-laying phase. The project has created nearly 19,200 good-paying construction jobs, most filled by Central Valley residents, generated nearly $25 billion in economic impact statewide, and keeps up to 1,700 workers on high-speed rail construction sites every day.

California is also leading the clean transportation revolution. The state has surpassed 2.5 million cumulative zero-emission vehicle sales, far exceeding its original goal of 1.5 million ZEVs by 2025. Last September, San Bernardino County made history by welcoming the first hydrogen-powered passenger train into revenue service in North America. In May, Governor Newsom launched a $1 billion rebate program for electric medium- and heavy-duty trucks, and in April 2025, announced $500 million for 1,000 clean school buses statewide. Demand for zero-emission bus and truck incentives has more than doubled year-over-year. 

Governor Newsom’s  Build More, Faster — For All infrastructure agenda has driven historic investments in transportation that will benefit all Californians for decades to come. More than 29,000 California infrastructure projects are tracked at build.ca.gov.