For more than two decades, Kimble Forrister has looked for ways to steer any amount of state funding toward public transportation.

It's been a futile attempt, and Alabama has long remained in dubious company as one of only five states that does not provide any state money for public transportation.

But thanks to a tip Forrister said he got from "an insider" with the Alabama Department of Transportation, a new strategy emerged. And on Tuesday, Forrister and a group of Alabama Arise advocates stood next to two lawmakers during a statehouse news conference to push for the creation of the Alabama Public Transportation Trust Fund.

"We know that both rural and urban areas need public transportation funding," said Forrister, state coordinator with Alabama Arise, the non-profit which advocates for low-income families. "Unfortunately, this is an area where we have not gone forward, we've gone backward. Public transportation is the future."

The trust fund, if created through legislative action, would be established to accept federal transportation grants and other appropriations to expand public transit options statewide.

The fund, according to the proposed legislation, would be administered by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA). A 13-member advisory committee would then be set up to oversee where future funds will go.

The Alabama Senate already unanimously supported the measure, voting unanimously on Jan. 25. The measure now goes before the Alabama House, where Forrister and others are hopeful it will be voted on soon.

Tony Harris, spokesman with the ALDOT, said the agency doesn't oppose the legislation. The agency has opposed past efforts to divert gasoline tax resources for mass transit needs.

"The issue is getting it on the House calendar, and I anticipate we'll do that," said state Rep. Jack Williams, R-Vestavia Hills, the House sponsor.

Said state Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham: "When I dig myself in, I'm in it for the long haul. For this one, I'm in it for the bitter end."

But even if the trust fund legislation is approved, and signed by Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, there is no guarantee any state money will be available for its initial funding.

Smitherman said he is hopeful that some funding could be available this year. If not, he said he plans on making it a priority in future legislative sessions.

State money funneled into the fund would be locked in for public transportation, and could not be diverted into the state's Highway Fund for road or bridge projects.

"Hopefully this session, if we have opportunity to get (money) in there, I'll be pushing to get it in there," said Smitherman. "Part of my (future) compromises will be that we need money over there in the transit trust. Just like we deal with Medicaid and the schools and the extra money we need for that, we need to be able to get that transportation money."

Advocates for the new trust fund say that any amount of state money can provide critical matching funds of federal dollars or other resources.

As Smitherman said, "for every $5 million, you are looking at getting an additional $15 million to make it $20 million. It doesn't take much for us to get a lot."

Forrister said that once the fund is established, the new advisory committee would decide where funding will go. The money would be available to improve existing bus or other transit services in Montgomery, Birmingham, Mobile or other urban areas, or it could be used to establish new services in rural areas where busing is unavailable.

Gillie Presley, a Tuscaloosa woman, is a lifelong public transit user. Legally blind her whole life, Presley said she has relied on paratransit services or taxi's to move around from Tuscaloosa to nearby cities like Northport.

"I rode with many people who lived in Northport which is about 30 to 35 miles away from their jobs, but they couldn't keep their job because they couldn't afford to pay for a taxi to go there," she said. "This is better than nothing. Anything is better than nothing."