(3/19/13)
– IE Transit Talking Points Short
Combined with groups of concerned citizens and transit bloggers, Riverside County has two major transit advocacy groups serving the region.
Those advocacy groups are Riverside County’s Transportation NOW and The Transit Coalition. Both organizations serve a similar purpose. For instance, Transportation NOW “has
been a proud advocate and enthusiastic supporter of public
transportation in Riverside County. (T-NOW's) efforts have produced results
that will last a lifetime, and ensure that bus and rail usage remains
an integral part of this region for years to come.” The Transit
Coalition can certainly echo that statement. Both groups are also vital in
allowing members of the public to take active roles in promoting
multi-modal transportation in Riverside County.
However, there is a key difference
between T-NOW and The Transit Coalition. Although both organizations are
grassroots-oriented, T-NOW operates under the Riverside Transit
Agency and its Executive Committee is comprised mostly of elected government
officials and paid RTA staff; therefore T-NOW is
government-led. In contrast, The Transit Coalition is an independent
non-profit organization led by concerned citizens.
What does this mean to you? Generally
speaking, at T-NOW, your personal views regarding transportation will
be directly heard and considered by officials, but the government
will call the shots on official positions and decide the actions of
T-NOW’s chapters. More often than not, those decisions are not always best for the good of the people. However, to be fair, citizen's voices are certainly heard at T-NOW. Having this outlet for transit riders is important for Inland Empire mobility. In contrast, The Transit Coalition takes in
commentary, ideas, and opinions from various sources and compares
such remarks to the facts to independently draw positions and
conclusions without inducing spun ideology. Those positions are then
presented to government officials through various methods.
The United States of America gives
organizations like The Transit Coalition constitutional privileges to
question decisions and proposals made by those in power. For
instance, it’s irresponsible to disregard Travertine Point’s
sprawling development impact on I-10 freeway traffic through Thousand
Palms and the San Gorgonio Pass. Likewise, how will future rapid
express buses access the extended 91 Express Lanes from the Corona
Transit Center if the closest proposed HOT access point is 10 miles away at
the Orange County Line? Those in power within the county are not addressing
these issues which is why both T-NOW and The Transit Coalition are needed for the
future of Inland Empire mobility.
T-NOWs Executive Committee is comprised of each of the chapter chairs, who may or may not be elected officials...FYI
ReplyDeleteClarified: T-NOW operates under the Riverside Transit Agency and its Executive Committee is comprised mostly of elected government officials and paid RTA staff.
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