Lessons in Transit Equity

Two of the nation’s largest transit agencies outline how they are integrating equity concerns into their work.

1 minute read

September 11, 2023, 7:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


People boarding Los Angeles Metro train on outdoor platform.

Vered Ateer / Adobe Stock

Officials from the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) advised their peers on how major transit agencies can support equity initiatives in a webinar this week, reports Dan Zukowski in Smart Cities Dive.

Emmanuella Myrthil, chief equity and inclusion officer at SEPTA, “advised agencies to clearly define equity goals and specific outcomes and to include a broad set of stakeholders, including community members, small businesses and the agency’s workforce in conversations around new projects and programs.”

Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins said the L.A. agency has developed equity assessment tools for programs, services, capital projects and budgets that help ensure equity is incorporated into “all facets of Metro’s work.” Wiggins also cautioned, “there’s no set of plans that we can give you to do it well. It really needs to be custom built for your community.”

Friday, September 8, 2023 in Smart Cities Dive

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