By Michelle Allison, Metro General Manager, and Ken Price, ATU 587 President
In partnership, Metro and Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 587 proudly support Transit Equity Day and its mission to make public transit safe, reliable, environmentally sustainable and affordable for all.
Transit Equity Day was started in February 2018 as a national movement on the day of Rosa Parks’ birthday, Feb. 4. It is a collaborative effort among unions and transit organizations to elevate transit as a workers’ right, a civil right and a climate-justice issue.
This year Transit Equity Day is celebrated nationally on Monday, Feb. 5.
When Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Ala., to a white passenger on Dec. 1, 1955, her peaceful act of defiance sparked the 382-day Montgomery Bus Boycott and was the first large-scale U.S. demonstration against segregation.
It is fitting we honor Rosa Park’s legacy on Transit Equity Day. While progress has been made, we recognize that unequal access to public transit based on race, income and disability persists today. And that unequal access has greater ramifications for people with low-income (or no income), those living in rural areas, seniors, youth and people with disabilities, who rely on public transit as a lifeline to get to school, work, the grocery store, medical appointments, family gatherings, community events and cultural experiences.
In 2021, the Transit Equity Network published this insightful report: Community Hearing on Transit Equity. It’s worth reading the findings and recommendations.
Our commitment to employees, riders and the environment
By providing clean, safe and reliable public transportation services, we improve both regional mobility and quality of life in King County—which creates healthier neighborhoods, a sustainable environment and advances racial equity and social opportunity.
Metro and ATU are committed to:
- Creating a culture of belonging, prioritizing wellbeing and that fosters respect, safety and accountability—where employees want to work and thrive.
- Prioritizing safety and security throughout our system that centers communities with the greatest needs and mitigates inequities.
- Transitioning to a 100% zero-emissions fleet no later than 2035 and reducing fossil fuel (i.e., natural gas) use in our facilities by 80% by 2050.
- Building fast, frequent and reliable all-day services. With King County’s population increasing, we are working closely with the public to continue to design and enhance a transit system that works for each of us and future generations.
In support of Transit Equity Day, we reinforce our shared mission to serve all of King County’s communities and to provide equitable, safe, healthy and secure working conditions for our transit workers.