John, our country is at a critical inflection point.

More than 2.8 million essential workers depend on public transit. For countless others, public transit is a lifeline to get to work, pick up groceries, and care for loved ones during this pandemic. 

Yet transit workers and riders have come last again and again. Over 60% reported that employers are not providing adequate pandemic leave, and 50% of transit unions report that bus operators are not being provided masks. We demand better.  

Our failure to protect the safety of riders and transit workers right now is putting all of us at risk. Low-income communities and people of color that rely heavily on public transit are being hit hardest.

As cities and states continue to reopen during COVID-19, lawmakers & transit agencies have an opportunity to build a safe transit future that’s better than before. 

Imagine a transit system that ensures safety for riders and workers, addresses systemic inequities, and builds a cleaner transportation future for all.

We need your help to build a movement of transit workers, riders, and supporters of public transit, dedicated to ensuring communities have access to economic opportunities and are safe from COVID-19 and air pollution. Join us and take the #SafeTransit pledge.

Growing up in San Francisco, I came to understand my home city and its people by taking the bus. On the 29 Sunset, I boarded with school kids. On the T-Line, I rode with early rising nurses and construction workers. Eventually on the 1 California, I sat between business people headed to the Financial District and members of the Chinatown community. 

I rode public transportation because living in a dense urban setting, I didn't need a car. But I know that for many people, the bus is their only option for accessing essential destinations. 

The COVID-19 pandemic swept across the country, leaving too many poor communities and people of color devastated in its wake. It’s clear that ALL of us need safe, high quality, affordable, equitable public transit.

Our collective public health depends on it.

Our ability to access essential services depends on it.

And if you ride the bus like me you see everyday, our entire economy depends on it.

If transit workers or riders get sick, everyone’s risk of contracting coronavirus goes up. And if transit-dependent populations can’t reach their destinations, our economy's health will also suffer.

Last week, we released our Securing Safe Transit: Before & After COVID-19 issue brief. 

For weeks, I’ve been working on this report to encourage federal and state lawmakers and transit agencies to adopt policies that are responsive to the needs of low-income families, neighborhoods overburdened by tailpipe pollution, and transit-underserved communities. 

I interviewed transit advocates, labor representatives, and transit agencies across the country to more clearly understand the needs of transit riders and workers. 

Here’s what I found: transit is essential. And the frontline communities who have historically borne the brunt of toxic air pollution from transportation now face even greater risk of contracting COVID-19.

Preserving public transit for those who need it most goes hand-in-hand with protecting the health and safety of our communities. At the same time, we also need solutions like investment in electric transit infrastructure, which will help us address the long-term environmental health impacts of our transit system. 

We have the opportunity now to build a public transportation system that will keep communities safe from both COVID-19 and air pollution. 

John, together we can build a movement that tackles systems that have failed to adequately serve communities of color. We can reinvest financial resources into solutions that increase opportunity, like clean and equitable public transportation. Take the #SafeTransit pledge today.

In Solidarity,
Nicole Wong
Campaign Manager
Dream Corps Green For All

P.S. Check out our latest issue brief, Securing Safe Transit: Before & After COVID-19.