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SoTRU Updates for October 2022
Welcome to SoTRU!
Sonoma Transit Riders United is a group representing bus and train riders, working together to make our transit system work better for everyone. We are made up of transit riders and supporters, mostly volunteers.
We're so glad you signed up to learn more about SoTRU! We believe in bringing together transit riders and advocates to build community, build power for riders, and build a transit system that works for everyone. We believe that everyone in the County should have access to Safe, Reliable, Affordable, Low-Pollution Transportation.
If you believe in these things too, please consider getting involved, whether you have just 5 minutes or 1 hour a week. See below for how to get involved.
SoTRU will use its rider email list to send out periodic updates about transit and our efforts to organize riders.
September Transit Month Recap
Congratulations to our team on a successful week of outreach during September Transit Month–a Bay Area-wide series of events to support transit riders and increase awareness about transit. Here in Sonoma County we conducted a survey to better understand people’s current relationship with transit and what types of changes could make transit work better for everyone. We hosted a week-long Rider Recharge Station for a full week at the downtown Santa Rosa Transit Mall, giving out about 500 granola bars, 50 apples, and hundreds of chocolates and drinks of water. We had many great conversations and enjoyed meeting and talking to so many of you who rely on transit to get to work, school, medical appointments, and errands.
Here’s who answered our survey:
57 non-riders submitted the survey online
37 riders submitted the survey online
Over 130 riders answered the survey in person.
Some preliminary survey results (not quite all tallied yet):
35% identified Spanish as primary language
54% use transit daily, 23% use transit weekly
74% have no personal vehicle available (other than bike or borrowed car)
Top priorities for improvements are: Extended weekend hours & increased frequencies
Top additional suggestions are: drivers should not be mean/rude & improve safety/security
91% think the county and city should invest more in transit
43% ranked their interest in joining with other riders to improve service as a 8 or higher (on a scale of 1 to 10)
Mark Your Calendars - Upcoming Actions
Speak up for Transit at October 25th Board of Supervisors meeting
SoTRU helped Sonoma County Transit write two proposals for grants from the Sonoma County Climate Resiliency Fund, which was created using PG&E wildfire settlement funds. The Board of Supervisors will vote on these proposals October 25th. We need many transit riders to comment at the October 25 meeting (on zoom or in person) to make sure transit proposals are funded. One proposal funds fare free youth county-wide for two years, and the other proposal adds extra express buses on the 20, 30, 44/48, and 60. The Board of Supervisors is not likely to approve both proposals unless there is a very strong show of support.
Put your name down on this form so that we can send you more details about how to show your support.
We need riders who can comment and also show up in person at the meeting to hold signs and banners! Stay tuned for more information on meeting time, location, zoom link, and talking points.
We have a new website: sonomatransit.org. Have a look, share with your friends, and please tell us if you would like to help maintain and improve it! (or also if you would like to help maintain our social media.)
TRU recently joined TRUST (which stands for Transit Riders of the US Together), a national network of transit rider unions.
TRUST has monthly meetings that focus each month on a different transit theme, such as safety, fare-free transit, or how to fight service cuts. They have presentations from organizers in other parts of the country, as well as group discussions and brainstorming. They’re usually fun meetings. Want to attend a TRUST meeting? Reach out to us and we’ll get you the information.
Want to Get More Involved?
Strength in numbers! Together we can change the transit system and have fun while doing it!
Here are some ways to get involved:
Attend our every-other-week planning meeting. Don’t worry, we’re not intimidating!
Help us gather and record stories from riders
Help us recruit riders and follow up with riders on our list.
Create a local team for your route or community.
Manage our social media.
What is your passion? Let’s put it to use!
Reply to this email to get more information about any of these or set up a time to talk.
Transit Operator Updates
Here are some updates relating to local transit service:
SCT, CityBus, and Petaluma Transit plan to offer a fare-free day on October 5th for California Clean Air Day. Ride free this Wednesday October 5th!
Youth continue to ride free on CityBus (through grade 12.) This program will be considered for extended funding later this fall, so stay tuned for a chance to support it.
SRJC students are now eligible for a free pass that works on all transit systems in the whole Bay Area. Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) is partnering with Bay Area public transit agencies and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) on a two-year pilot project to study the benefits of a transit pass that provides access to all transit services in the 9-county Bay Area. During the Fall of 2022, enrolled SRJC students have the ability to request the Clipper BayPass. The pass will remain vailid for 2 years, contingent on ongoing enrollment. Get information here or visit the student service desk at campus.
Petaluma Transit continues to have service changes due to “sudden, unanticipated driver shortage and a rise in Covid cases,” so we recommend checking the alerts at the bottom of their website or calling 707-778-4460 for day to day updates.
Santa Rosa is also facing driver shortages; their rider alerts can be found here.
Starting October 3, SMART train will update its schedule to add one new southbound train and one new northbound train during the midday hours. See detail here.
We hope your next ride is safe, comfortable, and on time. Join us to build a transit system that works for everyone.
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