These forces combined have resulted in the transit fiscal cliff: the operating budget deficit expected at transit agencies across the country once their federal relief runs out.

Ridership still hasn’t returned to pre-pandemic levels, and workforce shortages have only applied additional stress. However, this funding alone was not enough. And the federal government stepped in, rolling out three separate emergency relief packages, and incorporating increased support for transit agencies in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Without fare revenues, transit agencies no longer had the funding to cover their operating costs. When the Covid-19 pandemic caused national lockdowns, ridership plummeted, causing revenues from fare collection to drop to almost zero. Even with relatively stable ridership, transit agencies were already struggling to make ends meet. A reward of up to $10,000 is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of the suspect. Callers may remain anonymous.Note: Some sections of this post initially appeared on Transportation for America’s blog, and are reprinted here with permission.Īccording to the American Public Transportation Association, in the five years leading up to the pandemic, ridership was slowly declining across a range of transit agencies. The suspect followed Cunningham off the bus and stabbed Cunningham. Detectives are asking for any passengers on the bus before the stabbing to contact the Major Crimes Division at 24. Anyone with information regarding this suspect or this crime, is asked to contact Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). Homicide detectives responded to the scene and through the course of the investigation, learned that Cunningham, who was a passenger on a WMATA Metro bus, got into an argument with an unknown male suspect. The bus driver stopped the bus in front of the parking garage on Amherst Ave.

Cunningham was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead. On Wednesday, April 5, 2023, at approximately 12:23 p.m., 4th District officers responded to a stabbing that just occurred in front of Montgomery County Public Parking Garage #45, in the 11300 block of Amherst Ave. Upon Arrival, officers located 28-year-old Amontae Robert Cunningham of Rockville, with what appeared to be a stab wound. Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Major Crimes Division, are investigating a fatal stabbing on Amherst Ave.

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