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Invest in Transit is a statewide campaign targeted at California’s leaders to make public transportation fast, frequent and affordable. It was launched in response to crippling shortfalls for public transportation, continued state funding cuts, and a recognition that our economy, environment, and quality of life truly ride on whether or not we invest in transit now.
Invest in Transit is a campaign of TransForm, an award-winning nonprofit dedicated to creating world-class public transportation and walkable communities throughout California. Invest in Transit seeks to show our leaders that individuals, businesses, and organizations across the state want to get public transportation back on track.
CALIFORNIA’S PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION HAS LOST BILLIONS
Billions of dollars for California’s public transportation has been redirected for other uses over the past decade. Public transportation received less than 1 of 5 state dollars it should have between 2004 and 2008! You can see the negative impacts in every community: reduced service, higher fares, and broken down buses and trains.
BUT OUR STATE LEADERS CAN TURN THINGS AROUND
If our state leaders take action in two ways, they can get California back on track with building and maintaining robust, efficient public transportation throughout the state:
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Protect state funding for public transportation from being taken for other uses, plus set funding at levels that ensures transit runs safely and meets the needs of a rapidly growing population.
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Give local and regional entities more authority to establish and manage their own funding sources for public transportation.
INVESTING IN TRANSIT OFFERS GREAT RETURNS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND GOVERNMENTS
California households with good public transportation save thousands of dollars each year in transportation costs compared with California households with little or no access. Gas prices are only the beginning of a long list of expenses that come with driving: insurance, parking, tolls, maintenance, and even the occasional parking ticket quickly add up to a lot. AAA listed the cost of owning and driving a medium-sized sedan 10,000 miles in 2010 at $7,285.
Good public transportation also triggers the kind of efficient, transit-oriented development that saves governments on a range of infrastructure costs: roads, water supply, and utilities. Given our struggling state and local budgets, investing in transit is a way to create needed savings.
LEARN MORE ABOUT STATE LEGISLATION AND SPECIFIC POLICIES
For more detailed information on TransForm’s work to win world-class public transportation across California, visit TransForm’s website. You can read about current legislation we’ve taken a position on and the latest on the policy front including analysis and proposed policies.