Bus Riders Union of Austin, Texas | El Sindicato de Pasajeros

The BRU-ATX drafted the following at our September 13, 2008 monthly meeting and presented it to the Capital Metro Board of Directors at the September 29 board meeting.

September 29, 2008

To the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors:

"Capital Metro, however, makes a strong case that it needs a fare increase to maintain and expand the current level of service."

- Austin American-Statesman, May 15, 2008

The Bus Riders Union-ATX, as the true owners of Capital Metro, recommends the following priorities for service expansion:

1) More wheelchair space inside bus
Equipment is available to achieve this and should be a priority of future procurement. Denver's RTD, and presumably other transit authorities, also utilize this space for strollers.

2) Bicycles
Bicycles are integral to a truly multi-modal transit system.

The excuse for not expanding rack capacity feigns safety issues: http://capmetroblog.blogspot.com/2008/06/biking-on-bus.html

This excuse is invalid. Many respectable transit agencies, including Texas State University, use better, bigger racks. Also, a policy allowing bicycles inside the bus is in place in other cities.

3) Moratorium on raiding of service from Eastside and other working class neighborhoods
The theft of Dillo service is the most recent example of this. If wealthy downtown condo dwellers refuse to use the service, which we predict, the service to East 7th and South Congress should be restored.

4) Proportional spending between bus and rail
As the projected ridership for MetroRail will be 1-1.5% of total ridership it should receive no more than 1.5% of funding.

5) A genuine seat at the decision making table for the Bus Riders Union-ATX
New CMTA funds generated by passenger contributed fares, in concert with the chaos created by the removal of the Capitol bus stop begs scrapping of a system that remains essentially unchanged since Jim Crow days. The Bus Riders Union-ATX has embarked on a project to redesign the system.

Our goals include:

a) Desegregation of the system
The current system is highly segregated by race, class and disability. Many alignments remain virtually unchanged since Jim Crow days. We envision a totally integrated system. A grid system is preferable to the current spoke and hub system for achieving integration.

b) More east and west routing
Corridors like 51st and 38th Street are just two examples of underserved areas. Again, the current system fails and a grid system implies directional balance and is preferable.

c) 365/24/7 service
A 24 hour city is a working class reality.

d) Better overall frequency
During the Dillo theft, the transit authority rightly stated that higher frequency correlates to a more attractive service.

e) Maximum transfer synchronization
Currently transfer synchronization is accidental and lends to unreasonably long trip times.

f) A sensible, coherent, publicly stated policy regarding such things as:
-wheelchair boarding
-bicycle boarding
-bus stop placement
-publicized access for all riders on implied exclusive service like UT, ACC and AISD routes
-minimizing lateness and developing strategies for quick correction of lateness
-maximizing and maintaining helpful expensive equipment like enunciators, GPS, and rolling stock
-utilization and enhancement of fixed route service during special events like ACL and SXSW