Transit Equity Day is celebrated on February 4 which is also civil rights icon Rosa Parks’ birthday.
It was Rosa Parks’ refusal to surrender her seat on a bus to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955 that led to the 381-day Montgomery Bus Boycott by Black riders, helped power the emerging Civil Rights movement across the country, and led to the 1956 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that bus segregation is unconstitutional.
Transit Equity Day was created to remind everyone that good public transit is a fundamental right that connects people to jobs, education, healthcare, culture, family, and the world around them.
Public Transit is essential urban infrastructure just like roads, bridges, tunnels, and utilities. It literally helps to drive the economy.
SEPTA has played a vital role in connecting people to opportunity, community, and regional prosperity for over 60 years. And SEPTA continues to fight for a dedicated and sustainable transportation funding solution that meets the needs of our region for generations to come.
You can take action by taking public transit instead of driving, thanking transit workers (a little thanks goes a long way especially on a cold day), advocate for safer, more accessible, and fully funded transit systems for all community members, and use social media to share your public transit story/journey. Feel free to tag us and use #TransitEquityDay and/or #RideDontDrive.
Thanks for riding!