Make the Bus Fair and Welcoming

Abstract

Bus service shapes the geography of accessibility, and this means how we plan bus service is deeply intertwined with social equity, whether we admit it or not. Transit agencies are required by federal law to analyze whether fare and service changes disproportionately harm low-­income riders and riders of color, but this is often performed as a check-­the-­box exercise. Planning in ways that intentionally advance social equity requires a deeper commitment from transit leaders.