Transportation Justice Working Group Update July 2005

City of Berkeley Adopts Transit Equity Resolution

On Tuesday, July 12th The Berkeley City Council adopted a Transit Equity Resolution to support equity for AC Transit riders. The entire resolution is posted at The City of Berkeley Website at http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/citycouncil/2005citycouncil/packet/071205/2005-07-12%20Item%2028.pdf. This is an excerpt:

Supporting increased financial support of ac transit for the equitable benefit of its passengers by the metropolitan transportation commission

Whereas, transportation is fundamental for the ability of Berkeley residents to gain access to necessities of every kind, from jobs to school, and from health care facilities to shops that sell healthy foods; and

Whereas, Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) bus service enables Berkeley residents to meet their transportation needs without the use of automobiles, which contribute to worsening air quality, global warming and congested roads and freeways, and which prolong our nation’s extraordinary dependence on fossil fuels; and

Whereas, nearly eighty percent of the passengers of AC Transit are people of color, and more than seventy percent of AC Transit’s riders live in households with very-low incomes; and?

Now Therefore, be it Resolved that the City Council of the City of Berkeley requests of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission that it allocate public funds for transit equitably, so that minority and low-income AC Transit passengers receive the same subsidy per transit trip from MTC that MTC provides to other transit operators having wealthier and whiter passengers, and so that AC Transit is able to move forward with the improvements contemplated in its’ Strategic Vision.?

Be it Further Resolved that the City Council of the City of Berkeley encourages the AC Transit Board of Directors to continue to strive to seek equitable funding from MTC that will lead to improvements of service for the benefit of AC Transit’s minority and low-income passengers.

Great Work, Berkeley! Way to Go!!!

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