Link: Racism and transit systems

Racism has shaped public transit, and it’s riddled with inequities by Christof Spieler.

A well-written, non-technical article, completely worth your time not just to learn about how the design of transit systems has been racist, but to reflect on how this applies to all our systems. Here's the concluding section. This is the kind of thinking we need!

But to build more equitable networks, we in the transit world have to be thoughtful about what we do. We need to ask what we’re doing that perpetuates structural racism. That means rejecting “we’ve always done it that way” as an answer because we know what we did in the past was part of racist systems. Why does every rail station get a shelter and not every bus stop? “That’s the standard” is not an answer.

To build more equitable transit, we have to recognize that transit fits into larger systems. We can’t talk about fare enforcement without thinking about policing in general. We can’t predicate service on “transit-friendly land use” without accounting for the fact that redlining, highway construction, pollution and systemic disinvestment have left many Black residents living in places that aren’t walkable or dense.

Making transit equitable requires us to question how we make decisions. It means being willing to call out decision-makers — when we see elected officials and other agencies asking for racist policy, we should not simply defer to their requests. It means being willing to call out partners — the city that does not want to provide street space for a decent bus stop is part of the problem.

Making transit equitable means listening to all riders and all communities, not just the people who have the time (and confidence in their influence) to show up at a board meeting. It means having boards and senior management teams that actually reflect the diversity of riders and cities. Token representation isn’t enough, and true inclusion requires cultural change, not expecting people of color to adapt to the way systems that historically have excluded them operate.

Above all, addressing racism requires all of us affirmatively trying to be part of the solution, not just doing what’s comfortable and congratulating ourselves for how equitable we are. We have to confront the embedded racism of our transit systems. We can’t leave it to people of color or the “equity person” to speak up.

We need to realize that, just because we are trying to make transportation better, we are not automatically the good guys. We are not always the “bringers of solution.” We all have to be willing to talk about race — whether it makes us uncomfortable or not — and then follow through on what we learn.