The Transit Coalition
The Transit Coalition is a dedicated, grassroots, all-volunteer organization that advocates a balance between many transportation modes. Their interest is in improving bus, subway, commuter rail, light rail, bike, airport access, goods movement, physically challenged access, and automobile transportation in Southern California. The Transit Coalition has an internship program with California State University, Northridge called The CSUN Transportation Tiger Team, or more colloquially, The Tiger Team. The Executive Director of the Transit Coalition and the Tiger Team is Bart Reed.
Operations
Short-Term
Volunteers work with representatives from local and regional transportation agencies, elected officials and community members to improve the quality of the existing rail and bus systems such as hours and frequencies of service, working facilities and improved signage. They mobilize interested groups and individuals to ask agencies and officials for added transit service and increased operating and capital funding.
Long-Term
Volunteers work with political officials and staffers to support major transit improvements and identify possible sources of funds. They examine myths, misinformation and misperceptions and rebut them using facts and evidence.
Projects
The Transit Coalition is in favor of the construction of a Metro railway through the Sepulveda Pass Transit Corridor. Currently, Northbound traffic on Interstate 405, in Southern California, through the Sepulveda Pass is the most congested stretch of highway in the country. With a potential cost of $10 billion, the Transit Coalition is considering supporting a public-private partnership, where Metro will partner with the private sector to construct the new line.
The Transit Coalition also supported the installment of express lanes on Interstate 10 and Interstate 110 in Southern California.
In 2007 the Transit Coalition, along with many other advocacy groups, opposed the Las Lomas housing development within the Newhall Pass. Known as Stop Las Lomas, the campaign informed officials on the impact development would have on existing freeways and the dangers of bringing transit facilities as token mitigation to offset much greater damage to the area. Executive Director, Bart Reed, stated that "That area is geographically not hospitable to transportation." On March 19, 2008, with pressure from The Transit Coalition, other grassroots advocacy groups, and larger organizations, such as the Sierra Club, the Los Angeles City Council voted 10-5 to stop work on the Las Lomas development project.