On Wednesday, July 22nd, as part of the coordinated National Day of Action, transit riders and advocates across the US urged President Obama and their Congressperson to dedicate more transit operation funding in the next federal surface transportation act.  The coordinated effort that took place in Los Angeles, Oakland, Portland, Chicago and New York City, highlighted how growing service cuts and fare increases are threatening transit riders all over the country.  The goal of the coordinated events were to influence the debate over the authorization of the $500 billion Federal Surface Transportation Authorization Act (FSTAA) slated to dedicate roughly 80% of the funding to highways, freeways and roads, while providing only 20% to mass transit.  Advocates and transit riders held press conferences, rallies, phone-banking drives, and street theater performances encouraging thousands to call  on their congressional representatives to sign the Carnahan Bill, HR2746, which will allow 30-50 percent of all transit funds in the bill to be used for transit operations.

Multiple Cities Demand Change.

In Chicago Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO) gathered in front of Congressperson Daniel Lipinski's office, demanding that Lipinski add strong language for transit operations funding into the FSTAA, while also highlighting how service cuts, unreliable and infrequent service and fare increases are going to affect the youth, elder, disabled, transit dependent and transit users.  LVEJO community organizer Mike Pitula called attention to the historic privilege given to highway construction and car culture, and the historic opportunity the government has to secure economic and environmental justice, and civil rights benefits by shifting funding to transit operations.

In Oakland Public Advocates staged a mock "funeral" mourning the death of transit lines, resulting from inadequate funding for transit operations.  They also drew attention to the current opportunity to win federal support for AC Transit, BART, VTA, MUNI, SAMTRANS and the rest of the Bay Area's transit operators currently facing major service cuts and fare increases.

In Los Angeles the Bus Riders Union empowered with the help of transit superhero Superpasajera, gathered hundreds of signatures urging President Obama and Congress to sign HR 2746.  Other BRU members equipped with cell phones boarded buses to encourage bus riders to make phone calls to their congressperson to co-sponsor HR 2746, resulting in over a hundred calls that flooded the phones of LA congressional representatives. 

Various actions were also held in Portland and New York City as part of the National Day of Action.

Transportation Blogs Cover the Day of Action

LAStreetsBlog:BRU Joins National Effort to Raise Federal Funds for Transit Operations

SFStreetsBlog:Local Advocates Mourn "Death of Transit" as Part of National Campaign

NYStreetsBlog:Advocating for a Transpo Bill That Keeps Transit Riders Moving

Photos from Chicago, Los Angeles, Oakland