Release: Labor, Environmental Groups and Social Justice Advocates Unite Around Transit Equity Day

February 5, 2019

For Immediate Release:

Monday, February 4, 2019

For More information:

Elizabeth Bunn, ebunn@labor4sustainability.org,  313-506-2203

Lindsey Mendelson, lindsey.mendelson@mdsierra.org,  240-706-7901

 

 

Labor, Environmental Groups and Social Justice Advocates Unite Around Transit Equity

Groups Gather to Recognize Rosa Parks’ Birthday and Demand Equitable Transit for All

 

Rockville, MD, -- Local labor unions, environmental groups and social justice advocates gathered at a transit equity public forum in the Montgomery County Executive Office. They were joined by County Executive Marc Elrich, who declared February 4th, the 106th birthday of civil rights leader Rosa Parks, Transit Equity Day in Montgomery County.  

Leaders from UFCW Local 1994, the bargaining representative of County passenger bus drivers and maintenance employees, and advocates from across the environmental and social justice movements laid out a broad vision of accessible public transportation for Montgomery County including:

  • Transition to all-electric zero emissions school buses for Montgomery County Public Schools by seeking funding from the Volkswagen settlement

  • Purchase all-electric zero emissions passenger Ride-On buses to replace all buses as they “retire” with goal of an all-electric zero-emissions fleet by 2035

  • Accelerate the schedule of Bus Rapid Transit and include dedicated lanes on all BRT routes

  • Continue implementation of Vision Zero to prevent all deaths and injuries on board and as riders walk to and from transit

  • Engage in a study of Ride-On routes to ensure frequent and efficient service that prioritizes the needs of low-income communities, communities of color, and immigrant communities

“UFCW Local 1994 members work hard every day for the County's residents and understand all too well the need for a clean, healthy, accessible, and reliable transportation system,” said Gino Renne, President of UFCW Local 1994. “Our members, including Ride-On drivers and maintenance employees, support the community and are proud they support us. We are honored to be part of Transit Equity Day and to preserve Rosa Parks' important legacy.”

“Low income communities and communities of color suffer disproportionately from air pollution that increases the risk of asthma, heart disease, infant mortality, and cancer in these communities,” said Ramon Palencia-Calvo, Program Director of Chispa Maryland. The opportunity of addressing these inequalities while providing public transportation solutions -including school buses that are sustainable, affordable and accessible to all communities, support well-paying jobs, and improve the quality of life in these communities is one that we cannot miss.”

“Everyone deserves access to affordable, reliable transit - especially low-income workers who rely on our transit system the most,” said Tina Slater, Sierra Club Montgomery County Transportation Chair.  “Emissions from transportation is the largest source of carbon pollution in our state. The urgency of the climate crisis demands that we act as quickly as possible to convert our buses to run on electricity from clean sources, and justice demands that everyone in our community, regardless of income, has access to transportation options that are affordable, convenient, and non-polluting.”

Transit Equity Day is a national event in its second year, a unique collaboration between labor, environment and social justice advocates. Transit Equity Day is led by the Labor Network for Sustainability and sponsored in Montgomery County by the following organizations:

  • 350 MoCo

  • CASA

  • Institute for Policy Studies

  • Interfaith Power and Light

  • Jobs With Justice

  • Labor Network for Sustainability (LNS)

  • Montgomery County Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions (MC-FACS)

  • Maryland Environmental Health Network

  • Maryland Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival

  • Maryland League of Conservation Voters Education Fund - Chispa

  • Montgomery County Regional Student Government Organization (MCR-SGA)

  • Sierra Club

  • The Climate Mobilization Montgomery County

  • UFCW Local 1994 (McGeo)

  • Union of Concerned Scientists

  • Youth Climate Summit

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Founded in 1892, the Sierra Club is America’s oldest and largest grassroots environmental organization. The Maryland Chapter has over 70,000 members and supporters, and the Sierra Club nationwide has approximately 800,000 members.

 Launched in 2010, the Labor Network for Sustainability is playing a critical role in building the strong, broad movement that is needed to advance strategies for a transition from a world with an economy, society, and climate in crisis to one that has a sustainable future.