Transit equity goes far beyond quantitatively assessing how service is distributed, but that is the extent of most transit agencies’ equity work. This one-dimensional understanding has hampered the transit field from achieving equity — long before the tumult of 2020. 

In June, LA Metro’s Board voted to approve a package of reforms to address how the agency conducts policing, emphasizing the need for a community-based approach to security and law enforcement. 

In a new report, the Bus Turnaround Coalition calls on Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio to advance an equitable recovery from the COVID-19 crisis in New York City by making bus improvements a top priority.

Along with urgently-needed protective equipment like N95 masks and hand sanitizer, expanded sick leave and quarantine policies are indispensable to protect the transit workforce.

Bus operators enable essential mobility for hundreds of thousands of workers providing medical care, food, and other critical needs in New York during the COVID-19 emergency. Keeping bus operators safe keeps the whole city safe.

We estimate that, depending on the extent of social distancing measures that are required over the next year, transit agencies could see an annual shortfall of $26-$38 billion. In this summary, we provide snapshots of current impacts on local agencies and provide two scenarios outlining the potential cumulative impact on transit agencies nationwide.

Our latest video shows how simple, affordable, and straightforward changes could make transit a safe and viable option for parents.

Why not go fareless while also working to improve service? The reason is that the household costs imposed by the absence of good transit service stand out as the much more pressing problem to address. Transit in most U.S. cities is so infrequent and unreliable that major service improvements must be priority number one.