Bay Area transit is still under threat and underfunded, despite our successful campaign to increase funding for public transportation in the state budget.
The Transbay Coalition, a coalition of groups advocating for Bay Area public transportation, is calling on everybody to participate in “Bay Area Transit Month” this September, to win frequent, reliable, and accessible transit for all.
The goal is to educate and engage elected officials at all levels of government to win more political support for transit systems like BART, Caltrain, VTA, samTrans, AC Transit, Golden Gate Transit, Westcat, San Francisco Bay Ferry, SFMTA, SMART, Marin Transit and the County Connection.
During Transit Month, groups, agencies and individuals around the Bay will put on events to help show elected officials how important transit is to our communities and how much better transit could be if we invested in it. Events also highlight the importance of transit for the general public and help build transit joy (like Bike Party, but for transit).
Check out the events scheduled so far — and organize one of your own!
Sept 1-21: BART Scavenger Hunt and Transit Month Happy Hour
Sept 9: Tenderloin Traffic Safety Task Force Annual Event; Pacific Bus Museum Tour event
Sept 9 & 10: Tri Delta Transit takes you to the Pittsburg Seafood and Music Festival
Sept 10: A Cable Car is Born (Tour)
Sept 10: VivaCalleSJ by Transit
Sept 11: What can California learn from Sweden’s world class public transit?
Sept 14: Transit Stops Drunk Driving
Sept 16: Beat the Ridership Record: All Aboard Bay Area Transit Day
Sept 16: Birding at Cooley Landing
Other event ideas: focus on making transit more accessible for different language speakers, transit to fun locations (hikes, beach, park, bars, etc). Simply doing a ride-along where elected officials take a transit trip with transit advocates is also impactful.
Email the Transbay Coalition—info@transbaycoalition.org—to find out how to help with events being planned or to get help putting on your own event.
Meanwhile, starting now — Give regional planners your ideas about what the Bay Area should look like in 2050. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the Association of Bay Area Governments will be holding “pop-up workshops” in many Bay Area locations throughout August and early September for public input for their draft blueprint “Bay Area 2050+.”
Schedule and details here.