Transit Equity Day Recognized In Arlington With Pilot Programs

Arlington VA

04 February, 2022

1:41 PM

Description

ARLINGTON, VA — As part of its celebration of Transit Equity Day, Arlington County on Friday highlighted its plans to launch two pilot programs that will provide no-cost bus access for thousands of students and residents with lower incomes who are struggling financially and logistically due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Transit Equity Day is observed annually on Feb. 4 to commemorate the life and legacy of civil rights leader Rosa Parks on her birthday. Parks' actions in 1955 sparked the Montgomery bus boycott and the U.S. Supreme Court decision declaring segregation on buses unconstitutional. The two programs — the Low-Income Fare Assistance Pilot and the APS Student Fare-Less Pilot — are part of Arlington's goal of "advancing racial equity to reduce and prevent disparities in the county's service to the community," Samia Byrd, deputy county manager and chief race and equity officer, said in a statement Friday. The county's review of transit through an "equity lens" is to consider access based on need and work to remove those barriers, Bryd said. "Through this, we aim to honor the legacy of Rosa Parks — equal treatment and equitable access to public transportation for everyone," she added. Using funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, Arlington is providing up to 2,400 middle and high school students with pre-paid iRide SmarTrip cards, good for use on Arlington Transit, or ART, over the next 18 months. ART is the county's local bus transit system. IRide cards were designed specifically for Arlington students, offering ART trips at half price while also working on Metrorail and Metrobus lines. For some residents, the ART bus system is key to getting to and from worksites. The second pilot, Low-Income Fare Assistance, will provide free transit to work to about 7,200 residents already enrolled in human services programs for families in the community. Participants in this pilot will receive SmarTrip cards pre-loaded with $150 for use over the next 18 months. In addition to riding ART, the cards can be used for travel beyond Arlington on Metrobus and Metrorail. Arlington Public Schools will help coordinate distribution of the student no-fare transit cards, while the County's Department of Human Services will coordinate outreach for the adult transit cards. ART suspended all fares in March 2020 and restored them in January 2021. ART returned to operating all bus routes with no seating capacity restrictions in September 2021, reinstating four rush-hour-only routes suspended in March 2020. Face masks are still required on ART and all regional public transit.