Youth Bus Pass Campaign

Recently, Genesis and three allied organizations, won a landmark victory by filing a formal complaint with the FTA charging the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and BART with failure to meet the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Our efforts provided $70 million more for much needed transit services.

Our next campaign is to provide every student – third through twelfth grades – with a free bus pass. This will enable them to get to school, to the library, the park or any other place they need to get to.

We must convince public officials that investing in our youth will benefit our community. Here are five good reasons:

  1. Benefit to the Oakland Unified School District
    An average of 4,000 students are absent from school each day. Many miss school because they lack transportation. The Oakland Unified School District will receive $30 million more each year if students are in school.
  2. It is healthier
    Students are safer in school than at home alone. Furthermore, if they can get to school, they can participate in the breakfast and lunch programs. That is a good thing!
  3. Academic opportunities
    When students are in class or have access to libraries, museums and other institutions of learning, opportunities are available that can lead to their success.
  4. Economic assistance for families
    Bus passes will lessen the economic stress on families in our communities.
  5. It is good for the environment
    Many students are driven to school. Bus passes will dramatically reduce the use of cars thereby benefitting our environment.

What is the cost of this program? We estimate it could cost up to $10 million each year. That is fairly inexpensive given all the benefits. We spend much more than that on new prisons. Let’s start investing in our children’s potential and our hopes for them.

So, how do we get our public officials to support this idea and be willing to approve the necessary funding? We must build the political will by building the community will.

Here is what we propose:

  1. Build 30 teams of leaders in congregations, schools and organizations willing to work together to build support for this campaign.
  2. Train 300 people so that they understand where the funds come from, who makes the decisions, and why they make the decisions they make.
  3. Meet with religious, business, elected and community leaders to seek their support.
  4. Meet with transportation authorities to learn how this program can be funded.
  5. Organize a meeting of 1,000 people on October 17, 2010 to officially begin the campaign. Religious, business, elected and community leaders will be present.

What is the first step? The first step is for you to join us and help to organize a meeting at your congregation, school or organization to discuss whether or not they would like to build a team.

Our calendar is as follows:

Sunday, April 18, 2010 from 1:30-4:30 p.m.
Training event to prepare 40 speakers and trainers
  1. Speak at meetings in congregations, schools and organizations about our campaign.
  2. Build a Free Bus Pass Team in congregations, schools and organizations to support the campaign.
April 18 to July 31, 2010
Presentations will be made and team-building workshops will be held in 30 congregations, schools and organizations to build Free Bus Pass Teams (10-15 people in each team).
Sundays, May16, June 20, & July 25 from 2-5 p.m.
Your team will attend one of these meetings. The event will provide a power analysis on transportation in the region and what it will take to win. 100 team members in each meeting. Each meeting will develop a plan of action that they will take to advance this campaign.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Team leaders will meet with public policy makers to gain support for our campaign and we will set goals for a public meeting in the fall.
August 3 until public meeting
Research, actions, press conferences and trainings will occur to build up toward our kick-off event.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Public meeting – 1,000 people call upon our public officials to support free bus passes for youth. Campaign begins.

Contact: Annie Dobbs-Kramer, 707-480-2315