We are presently seeking a full-time Director of Community Engagement to help press forward public transit in the Richmond region. The position will focus on grassroots organizing with current core bus riders as well as potential bus riders (where lines do not currently, but could, exist!) in order to amplify and advocate for riders' stories, concerns, and interests in decision-making about public transit throughout the region. Spread the word and check the position out here.
AROUND THE REGION
Chris Gentilviso, RTD Associate Opinions Editor, gave public transit, as well as RVA Rapid Transit, a strong shout out in an editorial last week: "New bus lines would keep us moving toward a more connected region."
On that note, the CVTA (Central Virginia Transportation Authority) had is first Finance Committee meeting last Friday and first Technical Advisory Committee meeting this past Monday. While the CVTA is mostly still just getting the nuts and bolts in order so that it can operate, big questions remain ahead around public transit governance and funding, so stay tuned. The next meeting date for the full CVTA is TBA.
Mayorathon continues apace, and you can tune in to hear about candidates' views on public transit as well as other key issues. The 3rd District Forum is coming up on Monday next week at 6:30 pm and the 5th District Forum will be on Wednesday. You can see all upcoming dates, as well as recordings of each forum, through the link above.
The General Registrar's Office for Richmond City is working with GRTC on a short-term solution to address limited public transit accessibility to its new office (2134 West Laburnum Ave). You can also see coverage on this front from the RTD and VPM. To bird's eye the weeds on this one, a longer term solution is needed, and a satellite office at City Hall may be the best long term option, though I'm sure there would be details to hash out on that front too. I'll just note that it is probably hard to get the closest bus line - the 91/Laburnum Connector - a bus stop significantly nearer to the office, given the layout of the surrounding roadways. And as the 91 is currently a 60-min line covered by Henrico County, it would also be a much larger conversation to get it running more frequently (though admittedly that would be a beautiful thing in its own right). Needless to say, accessibility by public transit is always crucial to successfully incorporate as a key element of any decision-making about public facilities and or services.
CONDOLENCE
In closing, we join GRTC in grieving the loss of GRTC bus Operator, John Thrower, to COVID-19. GRTC CEO, Julie Timm, writes:
“For months, GRTC has continuously implemented safety measures and precautions to keep our employees and our riders as protected as possible without cutting off the essential trips needed to keep our community connected to housing, jobs, food, and health care. But the virus can be anywhere, anytime, unseen, and we are all at risk each time we step out of our homes and every time someone enters our businesses. Still, GRTC exists to serve our community’s essential mobility needs. John was proud to be a GRTC Operator, and he did everything he could to safely serve the public during this crisis while volunteering many hours and days of overtime to support the essential mobility needs of our community.”
Please remember that GRTC is still operating under COVID precautions (wear your mask, only ride for essential trips, zero fares, and social distance).
Nelson Reveley
Director of Operations, RVA Rapid Transit