To shift the narrative so that many more people see transit as an essential service deserving of more funding
We must shift the narrative so that many more Americans see transit as an essential service deserving of more funding and priority than it currently receives. The prevailing narrative that car-centered lifestyles symbolize freedom and that transit is an unsafe, inferior product that wastes public funds has long impeded the work of advocates. We must sow a different narrative —leading with shared values—that highlights the flaws in our current transportation priorities, fostering a growing awareness of the need for improvement and galvanizing support for change.
TransitCenter’s 2026 national research (a belief arc survey of 2,000 adults plus focus groups and narrative frame testing) found that the conditions for the transit movement are strong: 73% of Americans support significantly increasing transit funding. But it surfaced a real challenge: only a minority of people are willing to take action in support of transit.
The Transit Narrative Project microsite turns these research findings into a resource you can use. It will help you know who is already with you, who is persuadable, and who is oppositional. The microsite provides the narrative frames that move people from agreement to action, and the values that resonate most. Visit the site for recommendations you can put to work in your own posts, campaigns, and conversations.