Black Lives Matter

At its best, public transit allows equal and equitable access for all to jobs, education, opportunity, and each other. It can be a place to celebrate all the people and cultures of a city, to learn how to navigate a society that’s beautifully diverse and all on the same bus together.

At its worst, public transit can codify and support racist policies in our society. It contributes to poverty traps with punitive fare evasion penalties, which we know are disproportionately levied on Black people on many systems. We don't know Muni's numbers, but we are familiar with many riders' stories. Public transit systems have also often been designed by racist politics, putting Black communities last on the list for funding, service, and safety.

We are deeply disturbed to learn of the use of Muni vehicles to transport police during the protests in San Francisco (apparently it happened under an existing City agency agreement). Muni exists to transport riders where they need to go; it is there to serve the people of San Francisco. It is not there to transport police to suppress peaceful protests.

City leaders, including at SFMTA, must understand that many riders don't trust the police to serve and protect; and that too many police officers continue to be guilty of racist violence. Using Muni to transport police feels wrong under normal circumstances. During a time when Muni is providing bare bones service, directing capacity to police is that much worse. Providing better transit for riders is always the critical need.

We all have to do better. Many don't know where to start, but importantly we're seeing people, organizations, and businesses making statements, reaching out, and trying anyway. The protests are working. 

We at SF Transit Riders are having active and wide-ranging discussions. While we talk about equity and equitable service every day, we are asking ourselves more deeply and specifically: what is our organizational commitment to undoing racism?

We hold in our hearts the Black lives damaged by and lost to racist violence, especially that perpetrated by the state: George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice, Freddie Gray, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Philando Castile, Sandra Bland, Oscar Grant. The list is far too long.

We stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter. We dedicate ourselves to continuing the work, to actively undo racism.