Bus reading

Today while you are riding the bus (SMRT is free today too!), please read this great essay, The Power of Public Transit in Social Justice. As we heard last night from Susan Gaeddert, many people do not necessarily connect public transit and reducing carbon emissions. But that's not the only connection to transit that many miss or misunderstand.

This essay talks about public transit and social justice. 

Although the majority of Americans commute to work by car, 21 per cent of urban residents use public transit on a regular basis. However, commuters vary substantially by race and income. In US cities, 34 per cent of Black people and 27 per cent of Hispanic people rely on public transit as their main method of transportation, compared to only 15 per cent of white urban residents.

And, in this piece, 6 Ways to Advance Equity in Public Transportation, Amanda Merck looks at how, sometimes, the wrong things are prioritized which can end up making  matters worse. 

State and federal tax dollars often pay for projects that widen gaps in access to transportation options for low-income people and people of color.

Transit projects too often focus on economic development and property values.

Moreover, when it comes to equity policy, transit agencies are often only tasked with limiting further harm to people of color─rather than advancing equity.

And, if you have your earbuds along, check out this recorded Transit Chat from Transportation Choices, Transit Funding is Transit Equity.

In this Transit Chat series, we will explore how transit funding is the foundation for transit equity. How are transportation projects currently funded on federal, state, and local levels? How do we secure transit funding to ensure we are moving towards an equitable future (a future that gives everyone the freedom and ability to get where they need to go in an affordable and reliable manner)? And how do we get to a future where fares are free, transit is abundant and ubiquitous, and communities are connected to opportunities to work, play, and thrive?