Who we are
We are a grassroots public transportation advocacy group championing bold near-term solutions to the Bay Area’s regional transportation crisis. First founded in 2019 around the campaign for dedicated bus-only lanes on the Bay Bridge and its approaches, we have evolved to be an umbrella organization that fosters campaigns around the region that strive towards an equitable and efficient public transit system, safer streets, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Mission and Vision
To build an equitable, seamless, and successful transportation network in the Bay Area by building a broad-based, ongoing, grassroots movement to advocate for equitable, sustainable public transportation, safer streets, and bike infrastructure that is comfortable for riders of all ages and abilities.
How does Transbay Coalition fit in with other organizations?
The Bay Area has countless transit agencies and advocacy groups. However, the region’s transit activism is often regional-siloed and project-centric, making it challenging to build enough community capacity to influence the needs for transit and sustainable transportation over time. Transbay Coalition works to break out of these silos and create an ongoing, flexible coalition that consistently pushes for better Transbay travel options.
Values
- Increasing the freedom and quality of life of Bay Area residents by making it easier for people to get around the Bay affordably and efficiently so they can play, live, and work as they want
- Enabling more people to drive less for purposes of equity, sustainability, and housing affordability
- Equitable and affordable. The public transportation system should be accessible to people of all income levels, ethnicities, gender, and physical abilities. We do not support a segregated system with modes that are separated by income
- Sustainable. We have a climate crisis. We need a transportation system that supports less driving, ASAP, with more people using transit and less driving
- Regionalist. Broad use and access to public transportation is hampered by a fragmented system. We support strategies to bring about a well-coordinated system that increases opportunity for jobs, education, health care and other life needs.
- Pro-housing, anti-displacement. We support public transportation as a means of helping more people at all income levels live affordably with fewer cars and less driving. We support infill development with affordable housing and strategies to prevent displacement.
- Access – supporting useful and cost-effective transit in places with a range of densities so people can live without cars
- Cost-effective, because the above goals can’t be reached if money is wasted