On Wednesday, February 7th, Bike Durham, Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People, People’s Alliance, Durham Congregations in Action, and Coalition for Affordable Housing and Transit and dozens of bus riders and transit supporters were joined by State Senators Natalie Murdock and Mike Woodard and County Commissioner Wendy Jacobs at a Transit Equity Week Forum. You can watch a video of the entire forum (1 hour and 25 minutes) at Bike Durham’s Facebook page. (Note: We fixed the orientation of the image at the 20:45 mark.)
February 4th is Rosa Parks’ birthday and for the past six years, advocates for improving public transit across the country have honored her legacy by celebrating Transit Equity Day. She was an iconic figure among many of the civil rights era who chose the tactic of refusing to give up her seat on the bus. Bike Durham executive director John Tallmadge told those assembled that “they joined others from at least 28 communities across the country in making the connection to this act of resistance to highlight the rights of all people to high-quality affordable public transportation powered by clean/ renewable energy.”
Bike Durham staff member Gregory Williams speaking into a microphone
Since March 2020, GoDurham and GoTriangle bus services have been free to passengers. The lost revenues have been compensated through federal COVID-relief funding. Bike Durham advocacy campaign organizer Gregory Williams shared several stories that he had collected for riders about the impact that fare-free transit has had on their lives. “One gentleman I spoke with emphasized the profound impact of fare-free bus rides on his ability to support his sister. He highlighted that the freedom from financial constraints allows him to be there for her whenever she needs him.”
Last year, local governments adopted the Durham County Transit Plan to prioritize spending of local sales tax revenues dedicated to transit.
In describing who will benefit from the City’s proposals for new services and the extension of fare-free transit, City of Durham transit planner Jennifer Green shared statistics showing that 72% of current GoDurham riders identify as Black, and 77% report living without access to a car. (The entire slide deck is available here.)
In addition to the proposed service improvements, the transit tax revenues are also programmed for better bus stops and sidewalk connections to the bus stops. GoTriangle staff member Matthew Clark in describing their efforts to build better bus stops said, “One thing that you notice about some bus stops in Durham is that they are literally in the ditch.” He went on to describe progress that they are making to improve the bus stop conditions.
Though there are significant investments of local tax dollars in transit improvements, there remain many unfunded priorities that are needed to make transit equitable for all. This will require investments from the federal and North Carolina governments.
In a pre-recorded video message, Congresswoman Valerie Foushee shared that she was proud to be an original co-sponsor of H.R. 7039 Stronger Communities through Better Transit Act recently introduced by Rep. Hank Johnson. If passed, this bill would generate an estimated additional $29 million for transit operations in the Durham-Chapel Hill urbanized area (find the fact sheet here).
State Senator Natalie Murdock addressing the audience with State Senator Mike Woodard looking on
Senator Natalie Murdock shared, “When I think of the legacy of Rosa Parks, she was fighting for access to ride transit, and now the new frontier is making sure that everyone has access to get to the transit service. The state should provide more funding for transit services and access to transit like sidewalks.”
The Transit Equity Campaign partners Bike Durham, Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People, People’s Alliance, Durham Congregations in Action, and Coalition for Affordable Housing and Transit call for the continuation of fare-free transit for Durham’s low-income residents and implementation of the proposed transit improvements for the coming year. You can learn more about and comment on the proposal through February 21st at this website.