Transit Justice

What is transit justice?

Support for all riders. We envision community-led transit safety that includes unarmed transit ambassadors who support riders and the decriminalization of fare non-payment.

Freedom of movement. We envision transit stops within ¼ mile of every home in the Metro, free fares for folks under 50% of the median income, and phasing out transit fares altogether through guaranteed transit funding.

A system for thriving lives. We envision a transition to zero-emission transportation that prioritizes communities affected most by pollution, transit stops that are safe for all people in all weather, and increased route frequency to improve access to jobs and education.

Who holds power?

The Metropolitan Council, which controls much of Metro Transit’s funding, falls short when it comes to including communities and transit riders in its decisions. The level of transparency and accountability from the Metropolitan Council and Metro Transit is lacking, specifically in the Council’s decision to reinvest in police rather than create the transit ambassador program we envision. We’re pushing the Council and Metro Transit to include riders in decisions that affect us, like routes, transit safety, and fare enforcement.

How will we win?

We’re building power by talking to everyday transit riders, meeting with legislators, and bringing our demands to the Metropolitan Council. Together, we can establish guaranteed transit funding, cultivate community-led safety, and make our communities more accessible for all.

Join our team!

Join organizers at our meetings to get an update on our work, and upcoming opportunities to get involved! Whether you’re already passionate about the role of public transit in fostering a healthy climate, or you’re brand new and looking for a place to engage, this call will help us connect and share opportunities each of us can take to fight for transit justice. Contact Daylon at daylon@mn350.org for meeting details, or find the next meeting date and sign up on our MN350 events page.

Governor Walz: Act on climate and fully fund transit!

The time is now to address inequality and the climate crisis and advance our transit justice goals. We have had a decade of inaction since Governor Dayton’s support of a ½ cent metrowide sales tax for transit. The need is even greater now and time is running out.

Please submit this letter to the Governor asking him to include a $.01 metro-wide sales tax for transit.

Customize this letter with your own stories and/or some of these talking points:

We know transportation is currently the #1 source of climate pollution in Minnesota. Addressing this issue is well overdue. With the trifecta at the State Capitol, the time to act is now.
To meet our climate and equity goals, we must provide fast, convenient, and affordable clean transportation options for everyone.
Transit is a valuable resource to boost access and reduce transportation emissions, but the state continues to prioritize highway expansion, leaving transit without the funding it needs to thrive.
As the Governor crafts his state budget, he needs to fully fund clean transportation options for all. Electric vehicles will help, but we need better transit too.
There are many ways to fund transit including:
- A 1 cent metro-wide sales tax
- Increasing the transit allocation from the motor vehicle sales tax to more than the minimum of 40%
- Spending some of the budget surplus money on expanding the transit system