Transportation Alternatives Praises Assembly Member Meng For “Transit Rider’s Bill of Rights”

Transit Advocacy Group Cites the Millions of New Yorkers Who Stand To Benefit From Better Public Transit

April 4, 2011
Michael Murphy 646-873-6008

Transportation Alternatives praised Assembly Member Grace Meng (D-Flushing) today for taking a leadership stance in protecting the millions of New Yorkers who use public transit with the introduction of a Transit Rider's Bill of Rights.

The Queens Assembly Member introduced the bill in the State Assembly last week. The Transit Rider's Bill of Rights would articulate the state's responsibilities to transit riders and create a robust legal framework to protect and empower transit riders. Transportation Alternatives has been a strong advocate for a Transit Rider's Bill of Rights, promoting the concept as part of its Rider Rebellion campaign.

"The Transit Rider's Bill of Rights would help guarantee New Yorkers' rights to clean, affordable, reliable and efficient public transit. Public transit is a defining element of New York City life--over 54 percent of New York City households do not own a car and over 70 percent take public transit to commute to work," said Paul Steely White, Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives. "Assembly Member Meng has shown true leadership by acting in the best interests of the millions of New Yorkers who rely on our public transit system every day."

The law would clarify the state's responsibility to guarantee timeliness and accessibility as well as safety and cleanliness. It also requires the MTA to improve the way it informs transit riders of changes or delays in service and mandates representatives for transit riders and workers on the MTA's Board of Directors.

The Transit Rider's Bill of Rights represents the first time an elected official has stepped up to represent the supermajority of her constituents whose lives depend on public transit by establishing legislative guidelines for reliable, safe and timely service.

Rider Rebellion is a project of Transportation Alternatives and is supported by the J.M. Kaplan Fund and the Scherman Foundation. The Rider Rebellion Campaign unites transit riders in support of affordable fares, better service and the end of service cuts.

Transportation Alternatives has been New York City's leading advocate for bicycling, walking and public transit since its founding in 1973.

Read the full text of the bill here:
http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?default_fld=&bn=A06663&Summary=Y&Text=Y

# # #