California Ride Safe Campaign

Community demands for public transit

Communities from across California are coming together to demand action by local transit systems to prioritize worker and rider safety. As infections and deaths from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic mount, people of color and low-income workers are being disproportionately impacted by the failure of transit agencies to put the safety of its workers and community members ahead of profit. Transit workers and riders deserve safe public transportation. Please take immediate action and sign the online petition below to make these demands by entering your name, address, and postal code. All you have to do is hit SEND.

To: Community demands for public transit
From: [Your Name]

As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads in California and across the United States, ATU members have been working to deliver critical transit for workers on the frontlines. Yet transit workers and riders are being unnecessarily exposed to coronavirus because transportation authorities are putting money before transit workers and rider safety.

Our communities are coming together to demand that transit employers provide the resources, support, and safe working conditions needed to keep transit workers and riders safe.

We are coming together as Californians to demand that transit employers commit to:

1. Provide all recommended personal protective equipment to every worker, including gloves, masks, sanitizers, and all PPE needed.

2. Provide passengers with masks and hand sanitizer to board a transit vehicle.

3. Pandemic leave for anyone showing symptoms of COVID-19, exposed to them, or with family or childcare obligations resulting from shutdowns.

4. Compensate workers classified as essential workers during a public health crisis at least 1.5 times their normal wage.

5. Rear door entry and fare elimination to support social distancing.

6. Retain transit employees and maintain their current wages and benefits.

7. Strategic continuation of service to avoid overcrowding.

8. Limit bus passenger loads to no more than 10 and paratransit to no more than 1.

9. Install plexiglass protective barriers between operators and riders to protect both operators and passengers from any transfer of droplets.

10. Provide fully-paid, on-site testing for transit workers COVID-19 symptoms.