AC Transit passes the Seamless Transit Principles; 100+ organizations now in support
On November 13th, the AC Transit Board of Directors voted to endorse the Seamless Transit Principles, a set of 7 principles designed to help local and regional leaders pursue a well-coordinated, rider-friendly, and world-class transit network.
AC Transit became the 4th public transit agency to support the Principles in addition to BART, VTA, and SF Bay Ferry. The Principles passed unanimously on the November consent calendar after being introduced by AC Transit Director Jovanka Beckles at a January meeting. The resolution can be found here.
“Integrating fares benefits people of color, and to me, a woman of color, a black woman, this really resonates the most with me,” Director Jovanka Beckles said while introducing the resolution at a January board meeting.
AC Transit Director Jovanka Beckles talks about the Seamless Transit Principles, a set of guidelines designed to help location and regional officials build a more integrated and rider-friendly transit network.
“Having a seamless system makes using public transit less expensive for users,” Director Beckles continued. “It makes [it work] as one seamless system, makes it easy for riders to get around by coordinating the routes and it really makes for one easy to use system. [This resolution is] simply a way of showing support and empowering us to create better outcomes for our riders.”
The Board reached anonymous consent on the resolution thanks to leadership from Director Sarah Syed, who added several additional “whereby” clauses. These acknowledge the existing disparities in equal access to opportunity, AC Transit’s commitment to investing in marginalized communities, the need for additional funding to achieve these goals, amongst other things.
By voting for a resolution endorsing the Seamless Transit Principles, Director Jean Walsh explained, “[Transit] should be accessible, it should be affordable, it should be equitable, we should put riders first. That’s where we want to be so these principles make a lot of sense to me. I’m really excited to support them.”
AC Transit joins a growing body of 100+ organizations that support the Seamless Transit Principles. In the East Bay, supporters include the County of Alameda; cities of Oakland, Fremont, Berkeley, Richmond, El Cerrito, and Albany; and organizations like East Bay Center for the Blind, Transport Oakland, East Bay for Everyone, Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club, United Seniors of Oakland and Alameda County, East Bay Transit Riders Union, Richmond Progressive Alliance, El Cerrito Democratic Club, East Bay Housing Organizations, Bike East Bay, Contra Costa Young Democrats, Bike Walk Alameda, and more.
The Seamless Transit Principles, developed by a coalition of local non-profit groups, are designed to encourage transit agencies and municipalities to work together to create a better integrated, better functioning regional transportation network in the Bay Area.
Learn more about the Principles and sign the petition here.