By LNS Transit Planner Bakari Height
At a transit rider organizing training one dreary Saturday morning in Pittsburgh, I listened to transit riders speak on how advocates can be an ally for the disabled community. Those notes ring in my mind on how this community is usually excluded from the labor and climate movements: I have rarely come in contact with planners that make ADA accessibility the bottom line for planning decisions. This absence came up as well in the Disability in Transit Panel on Transit Equity Day 2024,which pointed out how many labor unions don’t receive adequate training on how to execute bus lifts, nor address bus overcrowding for people in wheelchairs.
These oversights in transportation planning are addressed in Anna Zivart’s new book: “When Driving Is Not an Option: Steering Away from Car Dependency”, which is out now! Anna will be discussing her experiences and how we can change these narratives on the Transit Equity Network on Friday, June 7th at Noon EST. Subscribe to the Transit Equity Network Facebook and YouTube pages to learn more about the great work from all of our labor and climate transportation advocates!