Saturday, February 6
6:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Hillman City Collaboratory, 5623 Rainier Ave S. (Route 7 bus)
Optional RSVP on Facebook

You’re invited to a community viewing of The Long Walk Home! This 1990 film depicts two women, black and white, in 1955 Montgomery Alabama, who must decide what to do in response to the famous bus boycott. Doors open at 6:00, the movie starts at 6:30. There will be food! Bring something to share if you’d like. The event is family-friendly and free, though we welcome donations to help cover costs. You can RSVP on Facebook here, and please invite your friends!

*Update* The Seattle Transit Map is printed! Read more and find out how to get one here.

Check out this draft of a fantastic new Seattle Transit Map created by Oran Viriyinci! TRU is collecting feedback on the design so that the map can be improved and printed after the March 2016 service changes. Please submit your comments and suggestions here. If you would like a paper copy to study and comment on, email us at contact@transitriders.org and we may be able to get one to you. (Click on the image to get to the full map.)

The Transit Riders Union is thrilled to announce a big victory in our ongoing Affordable Transit Campaign. The budget approved by the Seattle City Council on November 23 included $1 million to fund transit passes for low-income high school and middle school students. Thank you so much to everyone who worked on this campaign, to the more than 1,000 people who signed our petition, and especially to the courageous students at Rainier Beach High School students who organized a march to City Hall in July and an amazing Town Hall forum last month.

But we’re not done yet. We believe that all youth in Seattle and King County should have year-round access to public transit. Enabling youth to travel freely to school, activities, and jobs will help to close the opportunity gap, break the school-to-prison pipeline, and combat climate change by increasing public transit use. We can win this, but it will require a strong and united community effort to secure cooperation between the city, the county and the school district to get it done. We are seeking students, parents, teachers and community supporters to help us move this project forward. If you are interested, please email us at contact@transitriders.org.

Thank you, everyone who joined us at the Rally to Make Seattle Affordable for All! Here are a few photos (thanks Garet Munger!) and videos of some of the speeches (thanks Elliot Stoller!):

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Monday, October 19
5:30 – 7:00 PM
City Hall Plaza, 600 4th Ave.

Join us at a rally to bring some urgency and purpose to City Hall! Seattle faces an unprecedented crisis of affordability. Rents are rising out of control, tents are pitched on every patch of grass, and working and low-income residents of our city are treading water if not drowning.

Right now, the Seattle City Council is making budget decisions that will affect us all. Voters are preparing to elect a new city council. What happens this fall could shape our city for years to come.

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Metro Fare is a weekly comic based on local bus stories. Got a funny Metro experience you’d like to share? Visit metrofarecomic.com to send it in for a ‘toon up.’

This fall, TRU is campaigning to elect the most progressive city council Seattle has ever seen! We’ve endorsed candidates who we believe will represent us and deliver on issues such as better public transit, affordable housing, police accountability and ending homelessness – rather than acting in the interests of big money. We’re also encouraging a YES vote on the Move Seattle levy. You’re invited to our kick-off party! Come meet & hear from the candidates, talk about the upcoming elections, and sign up to volunteer with TRU if you like. And, there will be cookies! RSVP not necessary, but appreciated – scroll down and fill out the form to let us know you’re coming.

TRU Fall Election Campaign Party
Monday, September 28
7:00 – 10:00 PM
Owl & Thistle Pub
808 Post Ave., Seattle 98104
(Between Marion St. & Columbia St., one block west of 1st Ave, near Pioneer Square)

The latest issue of the Transit Reader, TRU’s official newsletter, is out! Can you distribute copies on your buses or leave some at your neighborhood coffee shops or library branch? Email us at contact@transitriders.org or leave a message at 206-651-4282 and we’ll figure out how to get you some copies.

On July 31, public school students from Rainier Beach High School and other schools in Seattle marched from SPS Headquarters to City Hall to draw attention to the transportation challenges they face and to call for free ORCA passes for all public school students.

Currently, only high school students who live more than 2.5 miles from their school are eligible for a free ORCA pass subsidized by the school district. The distance cut-off for middle schoolers is 2.0 miles. Not only is five or more miles (the distance is measured “as the crow flies”) a long way to walk to and from school, often there is no safe route to walk, due to dangerous traffic or neighborhoods.

Since 2011, Metro fares for youth have risen from $0.75 to $1.25 and now to $1.50, or $54 for a monthly pass. This is not affordable for low-income families. It’s time for our city to provide free transportation for all students to get to school!

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