Transit Tuesday: Safiya Ilyas
Seattle, WA – My name is Safiya Ilyas. I’m a first generation Somali American, and the eldest of four. I love the outdoors, and go hiking with friends anytime I find free time. I also love spending time with my family. I just graduated from high school, where I was a Seattle Public Schools Student […]
Transit Tuesday: Eshawney Gaston
My name is Eshawney Gaston, and I’m a food service worker in Durham, North Carolina. In the past, I’ve been a cook, but I’ve worked the register and have done warehouse work as well. I’m also a proud member of my union, United Southern Service Workers (USSW). I’ve been using the public transit system since […]
Transit Tuesday: Vanessa Alvarez
I work at a convenience store and take the bus to and from work every day. I have to be at work at 7 a.m. most days, so I get up at 5:30 a.m. to take the 6:30 a.m. bus. The ride is only 10-12 minutes if the bus comes on time. When the bus doesn’t come, which happens often, I have to wait 45 minutes to an hour for the next bus, and then I am late to work.
Transit Tuesday: Brinda Gurumoorthy
I am a high school math teacher in Dallas, Texas, public schools. I am also a proud union member with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). When I moved to Dallas a couple of years ago, I was under the impression that it was like other big cities like New York, where everyone could use public transit to get around where they need to go. However, I realized quickly that this isn’t the case and that we don’t have world-class public transit across the country.
Transit Tuesday: William Sheets
Chicago, IL – My name is William Sheets. I am an Amazon delivery driver, and I bring packages to Chicago’s doorsteps. I’m a member of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Transit has been essential for me since coming to Chicago. I ended up losing my car in May. It impacted me significantly, and I needed to start riding public transit.
Transit Tuesday: Grace Chung
I do have a driver’s license, but I’m a tentative driver and feel safer taking the bus. I used to take the bus everywhere in Chicago and Korea. Here in Honolulu, I have waited 20 or 30 minutes for a bus and sometimes have just given up and walked.
Transit Tuesday: Gio Roman Torres
Chattanooga, TN – My name is Gio Roman Torres. Growing up in Los Angeles, my single mom didn’t drive, so we took buses to get around. From school drop-offs to trips to work, the DASH and Metro systems were lifelines for us. Even now, living in Chattanooga, I continue to use public transit, though the experience is a bit different here.
Transit Tuesday: Sandra Ellington
Cleveland, OH – My name is Sandra Ellington. As a member of SEIU Local 1 in Cleveland, I clean large public facilities. You may have seen me at the Cleveland Hopkins Airport, where I worked for 17 years. Now, I am working at the Cleveland Water Department. These facilities and the role that cleaners play are critical to making Cleveland a smooth-running, vibrant city. The same can be said about public transit and the people who clean, fix, and operate it.
Transit Tuesday: Jordan Kelly
My name is Jordan, and I’ve lived in Ann Arbor for years. Public transit has been essential to my daily life. I work as a laboratory technician at the University of Michigan, and I rely on the bus to get to work. Owning a car has never been a realistic option for me. Between the costs of buying a car, maintaining it, and paying for parking, it’s just not feasible—especially in a city as expensive as Ann Arbor.
Transit Tuesday: Will Hazen
Indianapolis, IN – My name is Will Hazen. As both a transit rider and a bus operator here in Indianapolis, I get to experience our transit system from a range of perspectives. While my boyfriend and I own a car, I take the bus to work every day because it’s faster than having to find a place to park downtown and then walk the remaining distance to work. It’s also so much less expensive than paying for gas and the insurance costs that come with driving a lot.
