It has been both a tough and exciting first year for our civil rights and environmental justice campaign to influence the second largest federal bill: the $500 billion federal surface transportation act. Over the past two weeks, I had the opportunity to step back and reflect on my eventful year as lead coordinator of Transit Riders for Public Transportation.

It was only last February when ten groups gathered in Los Angeles to discuss and debate what would become the Transit Riders for Public Transportation Campaign [1].  Today we stand as a recognized force amongst allies, legislators and most importantly our own base.

 

 

February: The first gathering of Transit Riders for Public Transportation [2] June: Capitol Hill policy briefing with Congresswoman Grace Napolitano [3]

Discussing Our Demands with Congress

The past year brought us close to 50 meetings with the offices of House and Senate representatives including Senators Richard Durbin, Rob Menendez, Barbara Boxer, and House Representatives Diane Feinstein, Maxine Waters, Eddie B. Johnson, Jarold Nadler, and Daniel among many others.

Tammy Bang Luu presented our platform in front of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

TRPT co-hosted a Capitol Hill policy briefing with Congresswoman Grace Napolitano [4] on the importance of dedicating funding to operate transit systems across the country attended by staff representatives of over 30 members of Congress and trained dozens of BRU members to meet with congressional district staff. 

Restoring the right to legal action to enforce Civil Rights, Title VI

One of our top priorities is the TRPT demand to restore the right to legal action to enforce the 1964 Civil Rights, Title IV regulations within the Department of Transportation.  The struggle against racism took a huge hit when Title VI was eviscerated under the Bush. [LINK to EM OpEd re Title VI hit in LAT]. Our demand is to restore the right for communities of color to take legal action to enforce the Department of Transportation's Title VI civil rights protections against disparate impacts resulting from discriminatory policies by transit agencies.

We feel the responsibility to make civil rights history and build on the 40 year legacy of Dr. King, Jr. 

July: The People's Bus: A Message to President Obama [5] - organizing to stop the Transit Crisis   July: CTA Action with LVEJO

Raising the voice of transit riders for sustainable and just policy alternatives

With potentially one more year of discussion before the bill's reauthorization is adopted, we have the time and energy to raise the voice of organized transit riders in congressional districts from South Los Angeles, to East Oakland to Sunset Park in Brooklyn to Little Village in Chicago.

We are developing policy proposals that will

• secure and dedicate funding for transit operations to stop and reverse fare hikes and draconian service cuts we saw roll through urban centers last year
•  secure the capital for bus purchases and aging rail restoration
•  ensure environmental protections that will begin to reduce the auto emissions choking our cities and the driving global warming

Our greatest challenge is to stop highway expansion and expand mass transit

In the midst of this economic crisis, "shovel ready" is the flavor of the day and has resulted in a barrage of environmentally disastrous highway expansion.  Our task is to continue fighting for  less money going to highways and more funds for all aspects of mass transit.  This is the only truly sustainable solution that does not hurt the environment and the working-class, mostly Black, Latino and Asian/Pacific Islander people who are the majority of transit riders.