Month: October 2012

A great article about Transit Riders Unions in the Atlantic Cities:

https://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2012/10/does-your-city-need-transit-riders-union/3722/

And another about what really happens when a city makes it transit system free:

https://www.theatlanticcities.com/jobs-and-economy/2012/10/what-really-happens-when-city-makes-its-transit-system-free/3708/

Last week the Transit Riders Union sent out a short survey on transit funding issues to all candidates for State Legislature positions for King County districts. Below is a link to our letter and survey questions, and links to the responses that have come in so far. Below that is a list of all candidates who received the survey. At our 10/1 Membership Meeting the TRU voted to endorse Kshama Sawant in her run against Frank Chopp for District 43 State Representative.

Transit Riders Union letter and survey for candidates

Responses so far:

• David Spring (District 5, State Rep. Pos. 2, D)
• Andy Massagli (District 47, State Rep. Pos. 2, R)
• Ross Hunter (District 48, State Rep. Pos. 1, D)
• Mark Mullet (District 5, State Senator, D)
• Brian L. Gunn (State Rep. Pos. 1, D)
• Joe Fitzgibbon (State Rep. Pos. 2, D)
• Jessyn Farrell (State Rep. Pos. 2, D)

Read more

TRU’s Position on a Low Income Reduced Fare

Since our foundation, the Transit Riders Union has been advocating for a Low Income Reduced Fare. This Monday, October 8, the King County Council will consider the following motion:

Proposed Motion No. 2012-0380: A MOTION regarding access to public transportation mobility for low income populations; and the establishment of an advisory committee for mobility as an element of the health and human services safety net to assist in the development of new regional public transportation fare programs.

The TRU applauds this move, and we will work to make sure that such a program is adequate to the need and that the process of qualifying for a low income reduced fare is simple and dignified. At our Membership Meeting last Monday, we approved a paper summarizing what we believe a Low Income Reduced Fare should look like. Here it is (a PDF is here):

Read more

Reagan Dunn, one of the two County Councilmembers who opposed the car tab fee last summer, is now advocating for a reconsideration of the elimination of the Ride Free Area:

Here is Mike Lindblom’s post on the Seattle Times website: https://blogs.seattletimes.com/politicsnorthwest/2012/10/05/reagan-dunn-lets-consider-making-downtown-seattle-buses-free-again/

And here is Dunn’s letter to the Mayor and County Executive: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/453826-rfaltr-2.html