Our condolences and support go out to the Metro Driver who was shot downtown on the Route 27 bus yesterday morning.
Your bus driver has a dangerous job. Thank him or her today! Maybe Seattle needs a bus driver appreciation week.
Thanks to everyone who came out to the WTF, Olympia? Rally on July 27! Here is a link to videos of all the speakers — thank you to Peter Brannan for recording and editing the video:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-FRfFVPTNVXL43Hq2Pk4-WranjkzXwWQ
And here’s a write-up about the rally in the Seattle Transit Blog:
https://seattletransitblog.com/2013/07/29/tru-takes-hard-line-electeds-pin-blame-on-sen-tom/
We got last-minute confirmations today from Executive Dow Constantine and Seattle King County NAACP President James Bible. Our updated speaker line-up (order may shift a bit) is below.
Don’t forget to bring your grievances for Sen. Rodney Tom!
Print a poster Print some flyers And come to the rally!
The rally will start at noon at City Hall Park, the grassy park on the south side of the King County Courthouse at 3rd and Yesler, 450 3rd Avenue.
Here’s our new guest speaker line-up – several TRU organizers and members will be speaking too. Stay tuned for updates:
On Tuesday we learned nation-wide vigils for Trayvon Martin have been called for this Saturday at noon, exactly the same time as the WTF, Olympia? rally.
Out of respect for this national day of action and to avoid conflicting with the Seattle vigil, we have decided to reschedule WTF, Olympia? for the following Saturday, July 27.
Here’s our guest speaker line-up so far! In addition to speakers from TRU:
Check back for updates!
Can’t make it to the WTF, Olympia? Rally on July 20, but still want to participate? Here’s how. At the rally we’ll be collecting grievances for later delivery to Senator Rodney Tom, who was instrumental in blocking the passage of a local funding option for transit.
Tell Rodney Tom what you think:
From: __________________
WTF?
Without Route #__, I won’t be able to ________. Thousands of King County residents, including your constituents, depend on public transit every day. And do you realize what 17% service cuts will do to congestion? …
Is your route in danger of being cut? Do you have a grievance to air? Send us your message to Sen. Tom by posting it on our Facebook page, email it to contact@transitriders.org, or fill out this form and mail to TRU, P.O. Box 30104, Seattle 98113. We’ll make sure your voice is heard on July 20!
Do you ride a route that is slated for elimination or service reductions? Print this flyer (2-sided) and give it to your fellow bus riders! Or get in touch (contact@transitriders.org, 206-651-4282) and we will find a way to get some flyers to you.
In particular, we’d like to target the following routes, which run in or through Senator Rodney Tom’s district: 237, 245, 250, 265, 277
Routes at risk for deletion (65 routes): 7EX, 19, 21EX, 22, 25, 27, 30, 37, 48NEX, 57, 61, 76, 77EX, 82, 83, 84, 99, 110, 113, 114, 118EX, 119, 119EX, 123EX, 139, 152, 154, 157, 159, 161, 173, 179, 190, 192, 197, 200, 201, 203, 205EX, 210, 211EX, 213, 215, 216, 237, 243, 244EX, 250, 257, 260, 265, 268, 277, 280, 304, 308, 601EX, 907DART, 910DART, 913DART, 914DART, 919DART, 927DART, 930DART and 935DART.
Routes at risk for reductions and revisions (86 routes): 1, 2S, 2N, 3S, 3N, 4S, 4N, 5, 5EX, 7, 8, 9EX, 10, 11, 12, 14S, 16, 21, 24, 26, 26EX, 28, 28EX, 29, 31, 36, 41, 43, 47, 48N, 60, 65, 66EX, 67, 68, 70, 71, 72, 73, 106, 107, 116EX, 118, 121, 122, 125, 148, 156, 177, 181, 182, 186, 187, 193EX, 202, 204, 209, 214, 221, 224, 226, 232, 234, 235, 236, 238, 241, 245, 246, 248, 249, 255, 269, 271, 309EX, 311, 312EX, 331, 355EX, 372EX, 373EX, 901DART, 903DART, 908DART, 909DART and 931DART.
* Help spread the word! PRINTABLE POSTER — PRINTABLE FLYER — FB EVENT *
The Washington State Legislature failed to pass any local transit funding option this session. As a result, Metro is now preparing to cut 17% of bus service.
It’s time to get organized. As a first step, TRU and allies are organizing a rally and demonstration for Saturday, July 20 to ask the resounding question, “WTF, Olympia?” (This, as we all know, stands for Where’s The Funding, Olympia?) But we know transit riders aren’t the only ones who got the short end of the stick. We are asking all individuals and organizations who are fed up with these misleaders in Olympia to step forward.
Do you have a grievance against the State Legislature? Bring it along! We’ll be collecting a busload of grievances to send to certain state legislators. Together our combined voices will echo in the halls of power.
What? A rally and demonstration to express our dissatisfaction with our State Legislature
When? Saturday, July 20, 12:00 pm
Where? City Hall Park, 450 3rd Avenue (south side of King County Courthouse)
Who? Everyone with a grievance
Why? It’s time to get organized!
Here it is, folks:
Come to the Transit Riders Union meeting this Monday, July 1, 6:30 – 8:30 at the Labor Temple Hall #6, 2800 1st Avenue. It’s time to get organized.
From the Stranger Blog today: Why Buses Should Be Free
And the underlying Economist article: Maybe Buses Should Be Free
It’s the eleventh hour in Olympia, for real this time – June 30 is the final day of this second special session, and if the state legislature doesn’t pass a local transit funding option this week, King County Metro will cut service by 17% next year.
Today we sent a petition to all King County state legislators, comprising 1,000 signatures gathered by TRU members and allies, and a letter urging our representatives to do everything in their power to pass a local funding option for Metro.
What can you do? Right now, call Speaker Frank Chopp (360-786-7920) and Senator Mark Schoesler* (360-786-7620) and tell them to save King County Metro. If you already signed our petition, tell them that – if not, tell them you’re adding your voice.
And — please join us at our next monthly TRU Meeting, on Monday, July 1, 6:30 – 8:30 pm at the Labor Temple Hall #6, 2800 1st Avenue. Regardless what happens this week in Olympia, we have a big campaign coming up to stop service cuts, and it’s going to take all of us.
* Schoesler doesn’t represent King County and he’s not on the transportation committee, but he is the Republican leader in the Senate and may determine whether a transportation revenue package gets voted on at all this week. It’s also worthwhile to call your legislators.
This is going on now (6/17):
Thousands Gather for Protests in Brazil’s Largest Cities (New York Times)
Transit Riders Union members hit the streets!
Thanks to Chuck Lare for the photo montage!
The State Legislature has not yet passed a transportation plan, or anything else. The special session ended today. Tomorrow they will begin an unprecedented second special session.
Just today the Senate transportation committee released an awful new proposal for a transportation plan. It removes the over $400 million that the House proposal slated for investment in public transit.
And most importantly for King County Metro: whereas the House plan gives us a progressive Motor Vehicle Excise Tax (MVET) transit funding option for King County, the Senate plan instead includes an option to raise the regressive sales tax by another 0.3% – and this authority would last for only five years.
You can email your legislators from the website of Transportation for Washington here.
As you probably know, Metro is facing the prospect of deep service cuts in 2014 if new funding isn’t secured. Our best hope is a Motor Vehicle Excise Tax local option for King County, which is under consideration in the state legislature – but things in Olympia seem to be at a standstill, and the clock is ticking. The Transit Riders Union is hitting the streets this month with a petition to save our buses!
Join the TRU Street Team! Times and places are listed on the event calendar here and also to the right. For more information on how to get involved you can email contact@transitriders.org, or call 206-651-4282.
Transportation for Washington has an on-line petition to save Metro; once you sign you can also send an email to your legislators. Please do so!
If you can’t attend Tuesday’s hearing, you can still submit public comment on-line:
As you probably know by now, Metro Transit may cut 600,000 annual service hours if no new funding can be secured. This would mean the complete elimination of 65 routes, and reduction in service to another 86 routes.
This crisis would lead to longer waits, farther walks, less access to vital services and resources, more overcrowding, and more traffic congestion!
As riders, we deserve better! We’ve already seen our fares nearly doubled in the past five years. We need to let the King County Council that we won’t take any more! Please attend the Council’s Transportation Committee public hearing on the proposed transit cuts.
Tuesday, May 14
3:30pm Open House
4:00pm Public Testimony
Sound Transit Boardroom
401 S Jackson St
Seattle, WA 98104
This is your opportunity to share how the transit cuts would affect you. Let your story be heard! Even if you don’t want to speak, your presence is very powerful, so please come if you can. And don’t forget to wear your gold TRU t-shirts!
For more information on the funding cuts, visit https://metro.kingcounty.gov/am/future/at-risk.html
In solidarity, in transit,
Transit Riders Union
Chris Hedges on the nation-wide assault on public transportation:
https://www.truthdig.com/report/item/sweatshops_on_wheels_20130415/
Photos by Sam Smith
We had a surprisingly good turnout to Saturday’s Midnight March for Metro, considering the lateness of the hour, the remoteness of the location, and how cold and wet the the weather was. Over 50 people were counted, including County Councilmember Larry Phillips, who graciously accepted his constituents’ invitation to share in their suffering (and equally graciously forgave being introduced as ‘Larry Gossett’ by the event MC!).
Besides residents of Magnolia, Transit Riders Union members came out, as did members of SHARE/WHEEL, members of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587, including president Paul Bachtel, and members of Socialist Alternative. In addition, members of the Anti-Fascist Marching Band showed up and treated marchers to spirited renditions of union songs and jazz standards.
Fellow Rider Jim McIntosh, long-time Magnolia resident and founder of the Magnolia Transit Riders Group, said, “Wow, what a night! I’d say it was one of those Life’s Moments for me.” Duff Badgely, the Magnolia resident who originally challenged Larry Phillips to walk the route, and played a leading role in organizing the event, said, “I’m amazed.”
This event is an excellent milestone for the Seattle Transit Riders Union. Our first demonstration, which brought together the founders of the original group, only had a handful of attendees — despite sunny weather, the threat of 17% service cuts, and two solid weeks flyering and postering downtown. A year-and-a-half of dedicated organizing later (all of it unpaid!), we can turn 5 times as many people out to protest a small neighborhood service cut. Just think of the forces we’ll be able to mobilize next year if the state legislature fails to give us a local funding option, and Metro is forced to go ahead with those cuts of 17%!
And when people get organized to save public transit, what is to stop them from getting organized to save other social services, or to fight for better working conditions and wages?
