February 14, 2020
Whose perspectives on transit are more valuable than transit users in Philadelphia? On February 22nd, the Philadelphia Transit Equity Day Coalition will highlight the experiences of transit riders and residents with a community town hall during our second annual Transit Equity Day celebration in North Philadelphia.
Transit Equity Day is an opportunity to bridge the social, economic, and environmental concerns that plague our communities and envision solutions that address the many issues that impact the people of our city and uplift ways we can improve quality of life by ensuring equitable access to public transit.
Last year, the Philadelphia Transit Equity Day Coalition gathered 100 people to celebrate the birth anniversary of the local civil and transit rights activist, Octavius Catto’s birthday and the birthday of Rosa Parks earlier in the month. At this event we invited attendees to play party games and enjoy birthday cake whilst a panel of speakers and tabling organizations shared aspects of their work that support transit equity in Philadelphia. During the event and in the weeks following, the Coalition collected 206 surveys helping us create a list of 14 recommendations for SEPTA to improve the quality of transit service.
We found that over half of responses chose to prioritize cleaner stations and vehicles first, followed by more regular bus, train, and trolley service; better physical accessibility; and free transfers. Other suggestions included better customer service at stops and stations, and clearer and more direct bus routes.
The new Route 49 bus, which launched in February 2019 and runs from Grays Ferry to Strawberry Mansion through University City is a shining example of why transit planning must be linked with the specific needs of the communities served. The new bus route is a result of the advocacy of community residents in Southwest Philadelphia who recognized the gaps in transit that would connect neighbors to employment opportunities in University City. It had an immediate impact: by April 2019, the route already attracted 1,900 daily riders.
From our surveying efforts, it’s clear that Philadelphians want clean, welcoming, and accessible transit service with higher frequency and more reliable routes. What else will we learn if we simply ask Philadelphians what they need?
Written by Zakia Elliott (PCW), and Nora Elmarzouky (in.site collaborative) in honor of Transit Equity Day 2020.