Press Release
“Save our Ride” Rally to Call for Federal Public Transit Funding and Against Further Service Cuts and Fare Increases

Sacramento – National labor and civil rights leaders and elected officials will join local transit workers and environmental and community leaders at a “Save our Ride” rally in downtown Sacramento this coming Thursday, July 1 at noon at the Robert Matsui federal courthouse at 501 I St. in downtown Sacramento.

Transit advocates are calling for a shift in federal funding from purchasing equipment to pay for operating costs for financially troubled transit systems such Sacramento Regional Transit, which recently announced the deepest service cuts in the agency's history, reducing or eliminating service on 39 of 91 routes.

What: Rally for federal public transit funding
Who: Amalgamated Transit Union International President Ronald J. Heintzman
Transport Workers Union International Executive Vice President Harry Lombardo, ATU
Local 256 President Vic Guerra; transit managers, environmental civil rights and
community leaders.
When: Thursday, July 1, 12 noon
Where: Robert Matsui Federal Courthouse, 501 I St, downtown Sacramento

Background: Following public events in Atlanta, Birmingham (AL), Detroit, Cleveland Portland and San Francisco, the Save Our Ride campaign is coming to Sacramento, where service cuts have sharply reduced transit routes.

Seven out of ten transit agencies in the nation are facing deep deficits. As a result, cutbacks in transit service, fare hikes, and layoffs of transit workers are happening across the country.

According to a recent survey by the American Public Transit Association, 84 percent of public transit agencies across the country have increased fares, reduced services, or are considering one or both actions.

The Save Our Ride campaign is advocating federal legislation to address the nationwide transit crisis:

· The Public Transportation Preservation Act of 2010, (S.3412 and HR 5418) would provide $2 billion in emergency aid for transit systems throughout the U.S., to help reverse fare increases and service cuts. Senate Banking Chair Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Rep. Michael McMahon (D-NY) are sponsors of this legislation.

· HR 2746 and S 3189, allowing local control of federal transit funds. Current federal aid for municipal public transit comes with significant strings attached; local officials in large cities can only use these funds for capital projects and are prevented from using resources to meet local needs and priorities.

HR 2746 and S3189, sponsored by Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-MO) and Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), do not allocate any additional federal funds. The legislation will allow local control of federal transit funds. This will give Sacramento Regional Transit and other municipal transit systems the ability to keep buses and trains rolling when and where they are most needed.

The Save Our Ride campaign was convened by the Amalgamated Transit Union, the Transport Workers Union of America, and the Rainbow/Push Coalition. With support from elected officials, transit advocates, transit managers, environmental and communithy groups, Save Our Ride has sponsored transit rallies in cities across the country, purchased paid media, and initiated a national text message campaign in support of quality, affordable mass transit.

Contact: Jamie Horwitz, 202.549.4921, jhdcpr@starpower.net