The Rail Standards Policy and Planning Committee membership consists of the general managers (or designee) of each operating or planned rail transit system that has paid the special APTA assessment, commercial organizations that provide financial support equal to that of an operational rail transit system, and a representative of the Federal Transit Administration.

The committee performs the following functions:

• sets the broad policy to be followed by the Rail Transit Standards Technical Advisory Group;
• approves the advisory group’s annual budget
• approves major changes to the budget (if required)
• approves the advisory group’s priorities
• appoints the advisory group’s chair and vice chair
• appoints a steering committee representative to the advisory group
• and authorizes implementation of documents approved by the advisory group.