Hi supporters!,
February is shaping up to be a crucial moment for seamless transit. From the rollout of SB 917, the Seamless Transit Transformation Act, to our upcoming webinars on Feb. 8 and Feb. 17, to a letter campaign asking state leaders to use surplus budget funds for transit, we're racing ahead full speed this month. Read on for more information about what we're up to, and how you can take action!
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In case you missed it: last week, we had a major victory in our ongoing work towards a seamless transit system. On Thursday, Senator Josh Becker introduced SB 917, the Seamless Transit Transformation Act, a new bill to create a more coordinated and integrated Bay Area transit system while improving the rider experience.
Sponsored by Seamless Bay Area, the Bay Area Council, and TransForm, SB 917 would require transit agencies in the region to work together to develop an integrated transit fare structure by 2024, create a Connected Network Plan to support schedule coordination and service standards, and develop a single regional transit map and standardized wayfinding system. These advances could benefit riders for generations to come.
Curious what you can do now to support this bill? Fill out this short form, and we'll reach out to you or your organization about opportunities to get involved with advocacy around SB 917.
And don't forget to RSVP to our event TOMORROW with Sen. Josh Becker and BART Director Lateefah Simon to hear about SB 917, integrated fares, and much more!
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Tomorrow (Tuesday) at 12:00 p.m. PT, Seamless Bay Area is hosting a virtual celebration of integrated fares - and a look ahead to how we can continue advance a seamless transit system in 2022 - with special guest speaker Lateefah Simon of the BART Board of Directors! We're also proud to be joined by State Senator Josh Becker, who just introduced SB 917, the Seamless Transit Transformation Act!
During our celebration, we'll talk about recent milestones and victories for seamless transit, and what advocates and riders can do to keep the momentum going in 2022 to advance integrated service, increase funding for transit, and reform governance to create a unified system. PLUS: we'll be giving out special advocacy awards for dedicated volunteers who've been integral to these victories!
Want to attend but can't make the live event? RSVP anyway - we'll be sharing a recording of the webinar afterwards with all registered attendees.
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What does it take to build a great transit customer information experience? What does it mean to build such a system in a seamless way, so that riders get the best information regardless of which service or operator they use?
Join us on Thursday, Feb. 17 for an informative webinar to discuss these questions and more. Hosted by Seamless Bay Area, we'll be joined by:
- Jason Lee at the SFMTA, who has been leading the Next Generation Customer Information System project for Muni.
- Will Fisher, Chief Innovation Officer at the Long Island Railroad, who has overseen a transformation of the LIRR customer information experience, including such innovations as sharing train crowding information.
- Dave Maltzan of Swiftly, who led the MBTA's Rapid Transit Real-time project, a rebuild of the Boston T's real-time arrivals system. He now works at Swiftly, a pioneer in data-driven transit operations.
This will be a fascinating exploration of design and engineering in pursuit of better customer information on transit. Co-sponsored by San Francisco Transit Riders and Streets for People, this event is free and open to all.
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Great news: the State of California is considering using some of its $30 billion budget surplus on transit. Unfortunately, state leaders are considering requiring that the money be used only for capital projects like new buses, trains, and rail extensions. With the continuing uncertainty of the pandemic, we do not want to risk the outcome where transit services can keep buying new buses and trains but have no money to run them, leaving people who depend on transit in the cold.
Budget committees are starting to meet in March to discuss spending. So the powerful State legislature budget committee chairs need to hear from you this month about how important it is to use budget surplus funds for flexible funding that can be used for transit service where needed.
Use our easily customizable letter template to tell Governor Newsom, Senate Budget Committee Chair Nancy Skinner, and Assembly Budget Committee Chair Phil Ting why the option to use surplus funds for transit service where needed will benefit communities across California.
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Thank you for everything you're doing to help us start 2022 strong. As always, if you support our work - and free webinars and celebrations like those we're hosting this month - we hope you'll consider making a donation to Seamless Bay Area.
In the meantime, we look forward to seeing you on Zoom!
Stephanie Beechem
Board Member, Seamless Bay Area
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