11/18/24: $100 stipend to help make Bay Area transit better and a 4th transit agency endorses the Seamless Transit Principles!
This newsletter is filled with opportunities for you to get involved in the fight for better public transit. Learn more about participating in a focus group to make the region’s transit signage better and more unified, calling your elected officials to fund transit, and volunteering to help identify newly elected officials and their stance on transit issues.
AC Transit passes the Seamless Transit Principles; 100+ organizations now in support
Last Wednesday, 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.
“Having a seamless system makes using public transit less expensive for users,” said Director Jovanka Beckles who introduced the resolution. “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.”
A very special thanks to Director Beckles for introducing and championing the resolution, Director Jean Walsh for her steadfast support, and Director Sarah Syed for helping the board reach unanimous consent with the addition of several preamble clauses.
Learn more about the Seamless Transit Principles and sign the petition here.
Before December 9th – Call your MTC Commissioner to save transit!
You may be looking at the national, and even the state election results with anxiety, sadness, and rage. The narrative from the incoming administration suggests we’ll see less funding for transportation coming from the federal government.
So it’s more important than ever for our state and region to support and improve transit. The Bay Area should lead the way on climate-friendly, rider-friendly, well-coordinated equitable transportation by passing a robust regional transit funding measure.
MTC's December 9th meeting will be crucial for defining a clear vision for funding Bay Area transit, and the commissioners need to hear from you.
Please call your MTC Commissioner and let them know that transit riders demand a service-focused, climate-positive regional transit funding measure. This form will guide you step-by-step, showing you how to contact your commissioner and what to say. It’s easy and quick to make the call.
Things are overwhelming right now, but this is a small, simple action that will have measurable results on our lives as transit riders.
Participate in an MTC Focus Group on the Regional Mapping and Wayfinding Project
As we’ve previously reported, MTC is developing consistent transit signage across the region in partnership with local cities, counties, and transit agencies. This is one of the core projects advancing seamless transit.
They are currently looking for people to participate in virtual focus groups and on-site test journeys that will gather public feedback on new transit signs and communications systems. Participants will receive a $100 stipend for their time. Virtual focus groups and on-site tests journeys are each one hour long. Seamless Bay Area will also receive $500 for helping recruit participants.
Volunteer Opportunity: Help identify new elected officials and their stance on transit issues
Part of Seamless Bay Area's mission is to educate elected officials, sharing our perspective on the issues and solutions to the region's most pressing transportation policy decisions. During and after each election, candidates frequently request deeper education on transportation topics in the form of briefings. With a new cohort of elected officials set to take office following the 2024 general election, we need your help identifying who won and understanding their stances on transit-related issues.
The Bay Area’s transportation plan, known as Transit 2050+, is being drafted right now and needs review by community members. This plan is important as projects identified in the plan are eligible for federal, state, and regional funding. For the first time in history, the planning uses a perspective of improving service connections to make traveling around the region easier and is not just focused on capital projects.
Just us at the Daly City Public Library, Serramonte Main Branch this upcoming Tuesday so that your needs are better reflected in the plan.
New from our blog
State Transit Transformation Task Force Defers Recommendations for Seamless Transit
The recent statewide Transit Transformation Task Force considered adopting recommendations to support coordination of fares and schedules across agencies within regions and for interregional trips at their recent October meeting. However, representatives of transit agencies pushed back.
Improving Accessibility across Bay Area Transit
For people with disabilities, there are special features detailing accessibility information on apps like Google Maps, Apple Maps and Transit App. Unfortunately, this accessibility data is unreliable. This blog post explains how these systems work, why there are problems with the accessibility features, and what we riders can do to improve the situation.
Select committee makes incremental progress toward regional funding agreement
Despite attempts by MTC leadership to advance a measure that wouldn’t fully cover transit’s projected funding shortfall, and therefore bake in service cuts, Select committee members expressed increased levels of support for options that would save and improve transit. Over the next 6 weeks it will be critical to keep the pressure on at MTC and keep raising awareness about the needs of transit riders and the importance to the region to save and improve transit.