Dear BRU Members and Supporters.
Today’s is the day. Metro this morning will speak about their motion for Fareless transportation. As we’ve mentioned in multiple newsletters and primely in Channing’s Article; https://bit.ly/Channing-counterpunch, There are tons of poison pills in all of the different motions presented. These include an indefinite delay in implementation, the inclusion of a self attestation requirement for 70% of bus and train riders, just to name a few.
We’re further discouraged that each month there are so many conflicting motions on the table to update, chage, and even contradict any idea of implementing a true Free Public Transportation System.
As such, a group of our own leaders and members got together to draft exactly what we want. We’ve drafted a motion calling on the Metro Board to implement Free Public transportation for all, including expanding the current free public transportation to trains as well. A number of us have jumped on the phone this morning to read the motion into public comment, and we’ve sent the full text of the motion along with personal letters to each board member and their staff members.
We plan to go out on the buses and trains to reach more than 5000 bus riders with this motion but we need your help.
Please consider forwarding this email with the full text of the motion to as many people you know. If you’re a member of a neighborhood council, please consider putting this motion on the agenda for the next meeting and consider making a motion for a letter of support for the BRU free public transportation motion. If you’re in any groups, we encourage you to bring this into your group and consider sending a letter of support for this motion to Metro and ccing us.
Here is the full text of the motion:
The Bus Riders Union Motion for Free Public Transportation
The Bus Riders Union calls on Metro to implement complete free public transportation on buses and trains until January 2022. Thereafter we urge Metro to continue Free Public Transportation permanently. We urge board members who are not ready to continue the program to at the very most implement a $26 cap on any monthly passes indefinitely on the way to implementing a universal Free Public Transportation system. The universal $26 dollar pass shall not be tied to any low income programs and absolutely no income tests or self-attestation processes. We further call on Metro to implement a universal honor system and no enforcement of fares. Any additional dollars received by the Metro from state and federal sources shall be directed to support a Universal Free Public Transportation System.
