With the funding of public transit in jeopardy and the urgent need for a national recovery bill that includes transit, it is especially important to hear directly from transit stakeholders about what they need from a transportation system. To that end, the organizing committee of Transit Equity Days 2021 will host a virtual convening of transit users, workers, and all who rely on transit, to testify about their needs and hopes for safe, reliable, affordable transit. 

The Community Hearing on Transit will be open for public participation, and a panel of community members and activists will act as hearing officers. Testimony will be recorded for subsequent use in discussions with governmental decision-makers. There will also be an opportunity for written statements.

The goal is to influence the hearts and minds of decision makers and our fellow constituents, all who play an important role in the survival of robust public transportation systems so riders from all walks of life–economically, culturally and professionally–have safe and reliable means of transportation to get to where they need to be, when they need to be, without struggle, financial stress and experiencing prejudice. Through these hearings, we also strive for the safe working conditions and continued employment of all transit and transport workers.

These testimonies will be compiled and disseminated to decision-makers at all levels of government so that they better understand the importance of safe, affordable, reliable public transit in the lives of everyday Americans.

Wednesday, February 3
3 p.m. - 7 p.m. Eastern

Thursday, February 4
11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Eastern

All testimonies will occur virtually on an online video conferencing platform. 

They are looking for testifiers that engage with public transportation in various capacities. These include:

• Transit workers

• Students of all ages who rely on transit to get them to school safely

• Working adults who use (or would like to use) transit to transport them safely and reliably to and from work

• The unemployed seeking work and needing transit to get to interviews and other locations necessary for their job search

• Those with physical and mental challenges who have special needs for a transit system

• Anyone without a car who uses transit for all their daily physical and emotional needs

• Employers who need a reliable transit system to transport their workers to the workplace

Testimonies will be categorized into the following thematic areas, but these areas are intended only to provide guidance. Testimonies will likely engage with many of the following areas, and cover topics outside of this list:

• Transportation access and racial and economic justice

• Transit jobs and workers’ rights

• Transit and climate/environmental justice

• Transportation and disability justice

Terrific! 

Register to testify >>

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