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The Oakland Airport Connector: A Civil Rights and Transportation Justice Campaign Guillermo Mayer, Senior Staff Attorney Public Advocates Inc. 2009 Bay Area Transit Context. Service Cuts! Fare Hikes! Layoffs!. 2009 National Context.
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The Oakland Airport Connector: A Civil Rights and Transportation Justice Campaign Guillermo Mayer, Senior Staff Attorney Public Advocates Inc.
2009 Bay Area Transit Context Service Cuts! Fare Hikes! Layoffs!
2009 National Context Source: Stranded at the Station. Transportation for America/Transportation Equity Network, August 2009
2009 National Context Source: Stranded at the Station. Transportation for America/Transportation Equity Network, August 2009
Oakland Airport Connector • Approved by Alameda County voters in 2000. • Had been dead since 2003. Lack of private financing. • Revived by MTC’s allocation of $70M in ARRA funds.
! ! The Oakland Airport ConnectorThen vs. Now Then (2000) Now (2009) . Cost: $130 million Cost: $492 million ($42M per mile) ($159M per mile) 13,540 riders (2020) 4,350 riders (2020) 6 minute trip 16-19 minute trip 2 intermediate stops No stops $4 roundtrip fare $12 roundtrip fare
Millions for Airport Travelers Service Cuts for Bus Riders Oakland Airport Connector$492 million AC Transit $57 million deficit (8% service already cut; 7% more cuts planned)
We Pushed for a Better Alternative $492 million vs. $60 million
FTA Title VI Requirement: Transit agencies must “evaluate significant system-wide service and fare changes and proposed improvements at the planning and programming stages to determine whether those changes have a discriminatory impact” on minority and low income populations.
Title VI Administrative Complaint • September 2009: • Genesis, Public Advocates, Urban Habitat, and TransForm filed complaint with the FTA • December 2009: • FTA Office of Civil Rights conducts on-site investigation of BART • February 2010: • FTA issues decision
What Have We Won So Far? • $70M for Transit • Opportunity to revamp BART’s approach to civil rights • Fed review of MTC’s Title VI oversight • Title VI victory echoed across the country
What’s Next? • The fight is not over . . . . • Plenty of lessons to be learned