rich 1.0 Action Network https://actionnetwork.org <link href='https://actionnetwork.org/css/style-embed-v3.css' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' /><script src='https://actionnetwork.org/widgets/v6/petition/petition-bring-back-the-31-crosstown?format=js&source=widget'></script><div id='can-petition-area-petition-bring-back-the-31-crosstown' style='width: 100%'><!-- this div is the target for our HTML insertion --></div> ATU - Amalgamated Transit Union https://actionnetwork.org/groups/atu-t1 https://can2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/share_options/facebook_images/000/015/783/original/Memphis_petition2.jpeg BRING BACK THE 31 CROSSTOWN The 31 Crosstown was a key route for the Memphis Area Transit Authority from the 1960s to the 2010s. This route was a lifeline for many residents in the historic neighborhoods of North and South Memphis, connecting both to Midtown, and thus connecting North & South Memphis residents to jobs, health care, grocery stores and high frequency bus service to both downtown and the suburbs. The 31 connected thousands of school children to public schools in historically Black neighborhoods that currently suffer from economic distress. The 31 Crosstown had the third highest ridership of all routes in the system, averaging over 2,500 riders a day in 2011. Nevertheless, MATA eliminated the route in 2013, claiming that it didn’t have enough riders to justify the cost of running it. The huge gap in service that the 31 provided is visible through the continued loss of resources in areas where it ran. Public transit is a civil right, and our city must increase bus service for low income and minority residents to properly address racial and economic injustice in Memphis. As the greater metro area sees its largest job growth in 20 years, residents of North and South Memphis deserve equal access to our city. Please sign the petition below urging the City Council, Mayor Strickland and MATA administration to allocate funding to restore the 31 Crosstown bus route without cuts to other bus routes, service hours or non administrative employees. https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/petition-bring-back-the-31-crosstown