Barbara Ehrenreich's op-ed, Is it now a crime to be poor?, published on August 9th in the New York Times is an important contribution, written for the readers of the New York Times, about the criminalization of poverty in the U.S. 

As local transit agencies cut much needed service and raise fares, despite the obligation the U.S. has to reduce green house gas emissions to curb global warming, forces in the world are calling for the restriction of auto use and working to implement policies to invest in a sustainable mass transit. Critical factors that shape the BRU’s programmatic demands – auto restriction, bus-centered system with bus only lanes and fare reductions as a means to free fares – are highlighted in the following articles of the last two weeks.

BRU member Cesar Chavez testifies at the July 23rd MTA Board Meeting, demanding that the Clean Air and Economic Justice plan be included in the MTA's Long Range Transportation Plan. Click here to read the blog and see him speak!

Leaders from South LA and Boyle Heights get in front of the MTA board member to demand major changes in the MTA's Long Range Transportation Plan. Watch the video testimony and read their reflections.

BRU members equipped with cell phones jumped on the buses to encourage bus riders to make phone calls to their congressmembers to co-sponsor H.R. 2746, a bill in the House introduced by Congressmember Carnahan (MO), that will allow 30-50% of federal transit dollars to be invested into transit operations.

Manuel Criollo, Lead Organizer of the Bus Riders Union, interviewed by Race, Poverty and the Environment, Spring 2009 Edition.

As Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa prepared to enter his second term as Mayor of Los Angeles, the Bus Riders Union, Los Angeles Community Action Network and South Asian Network made a deliberate choice to take public our struggles with him about policing. 

As usual, General Services police and LAPD combined forces to attempt to curtail our free speech rights and our right to public space.

BRU's rally at Mayor Villaraigosa's Inauguration yesterday received extensive media coverage. Along with our allies from the South Asian Network, and the Los Angeles Community Action Network, we were calling on the mayor to reduce his prioritization of police funding over social services.

Last Tuesday, MTA gave us just two days' notice of a special "workshop" on the 2009 Long-Range Transit Plan.  This "workshop" was actually where they wanted to adopt the 2009 LRTP. The public has not seen a version of the LRTP since 2008! We knew we had to stop this undemocratic, unethical vote.

Dear Mayor Villaraigosa: We are writing to ask you to delay the proposed MTA Board vote to adopt the 2009 Long Range Transportation Plan scheduled for Thursday, June 11. We ask that you move to adopt a new process (outlined in detail below) that allows the public our right to fully participate and give input. We also must register a strong concern about the substance of the Long Range Transportation Plan. If the assumptions of the 2008 draft remain in place-ongoing fare increases, reduction in bus service, billions spent on highway and rail serving more affluent communities-the disparate economic, social, environmental, and mobility impacts on low income communities of color will create another transportation civil rights crisis in Los Angeles County.

On Tuesday, June 9th, ten different organizations from across the country, including our allies from Transportation Equity Network (TEN) joined Transit Riders for Public Transportation (TRPT) for their first national Advocacy Day on the Hill.  The first half of the day organizers from across the country met with at least 30 meetings with the staff of congressional leaders. The Advocacy Day culminated with a Congressional Briefing hosted by TRPT and Transportation and Infrastructure Committee member, Congresswoman Grace Napolitano on the importance of greatly expanding permanent transit operating assistance funding in the next federal surface transportation act...

The MTA's transition to the Tap Cards undermines the efforts the Bus Riders Union has committed to ensuring public transit affordability and accessibility. The Tap Card purchase imposes a $2 tax/fare increase to public transit that creates further financial burden to low-income bus riders and deters discretionary riders from investing in public transit use. Student discounted bus passes that were readily accessible on school campuses through the Student Bus Pass Campaign victory are threatened by the Tap Card transition as the new Metro Student Tap Card re-instates the application process and limits the venues from which the discounted bus passes can be acquired.

Members of Westchester High School's Taking Action rally for 1000 more buses, 1000 less tickets! See the Poem Who am I? performed by student/author Cathia Barrow "Am I really the future as everyone says or just another court case Below the federal poverty line is where the majority is based So how can one afford a $250 truancy ticket for being 30 minutes late Especially since unemployment among minorities is highest in the state Not to mention that LAUSD has a 50% high school drop out rate"

It is with much sadness that I share these words with you. On Sunday March 8, 2009, in the early hours of the morning on International Womyns Day, our movement for the liberation of all oppressed people's lost a fierce womyn warrior. Esther was in El Salvador, she had gone home to support the Frente Farabundo Marti in this weekend's upcoming election.