TRANSIT STORIES
Transit Stories is a series of real-life experiences with public transit in the U.S. We feature the first-hand experience of public transit riders. From large cities to small towns, we will document the experiences of the millions of users of buses, trains, ferries, and other forms of public transit in the US.
Public transit is essential to our communities, to cooling the planet, and to advancing equity.
Transit is essential to our very lives. This year there is a unique opportunity for the country to make a historic investment in public transit funding to help the country build back better.
Transit Tuesday: Angelick Gittens
Irmo, SC – My son and I live in Irmo, South Carolina just outside of Columbia. He is my first and only and about to turn 18! I’m legally blind and had my first eye surgery when I was 8 years old to remove cataracts. My latest surgery is a more serious operation to repair and rebuild the nerves in the back of my eyes. Since I don’t drive I’ve been active with Able South Carolina advocating for better services, especially better transit and paratransit.
Transit Tuesday: Phillip Harrison
Overland Park, KS – My name is Phillip Harrison. I live in a much different Kansas City than my mother did when she moved here from South Dakota in the late 1950s. She didn’t need a car. Kansas City had street cars and corner grocery stores. She said people even called it the Little Apple back then. Since then, the Kansas City area has sprawled out and having a car is almost the only way to get where you need to go.
Transit Tuesday: Susan Reynolds
Hartford, CT – I’ve lived in Hartford for over 40 years, and public transit is how I get everywhere I need to go —whether it’s the grocery store, doctor’s appointments, or running errands. I never got a driver’s license because of epilepsy when I was younger, and even though I’m no longer epileptic, I never pursued one. Instead, I’ve always relied on buses.
Transit Tuesday: Atticus Yarbrough
Louisville, KY – I moved to Louisville, Kentucky in 2018 from Orlando, Florida. I’m a student at the University of Louisville, studying anthropology and geography, which sparked my interest in urban planning and transit systems. I also work as a researcher for a nonprofit focused on identifying and addressing service gaps in the community, including transportation.
Transit Tuesday: Alisa Grishman
My name is Alisa Grishman, and I am a disability activist, wheelchair user, public transit rider, and proud member of Pittsburghers for Public Transit. Public transit is my freedom.
Transit Tuesday: Zaira Rodriguez
Minneapolis, MN – My name is Zaira Rodríguez, and I am a retail janitor at the Mall of America in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. I help keep our mall clean by vacuuming, cleaning the bathrooms, and washing the floors, which is especially important during the rainy and snowy seasons here. I am also a proud member of my union, SEIU Local 26.
