BART celebrates Disability Pride Month; AC Transit riders deliver vote of confidence; LA Metro Board Recommends Changes to Strengthen Governance; MST Board elections; SC METRO Launches Bus Wrap Contest.
By Transit California Staff
BART celebrates Disability Pride Month: How BART builds access into every ride
July is Disability Pride Month, marking the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a landmark civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities. ADA law gives people with disabilities the ability to live, work, and move through the world with dignity and independence. For a transit agency, that mission is not abstract. Accessibility isn't an add-on at BART; it's foundational to how the system is built, operated, and improved.
This July marks 36 years since the ADA became law, and BART continues to invest in the features, training, and community partnerships that make the system usable for everyone.
The ADA was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H.W. Bush. BART's commitment to accessibility predates the federal law.
BART became the first major U.S. transit system to build elevator access into every station before the system opened in 1972. Elevators at every station were not in the original planning documents, but were incorporated thanks to the work of pioneering disability rights advocate Harold Willson. His activism and direct collaboration with system directors led to mandatory accessibility upgrades across the system, including the requirement that every station have an elevator. Read more about Willson’s contributions to BART here.
Another name central to BART's accessibility history is disability rights legend Hale Zukas, a key figure in the passage of the ADA itself. Zukas consulted directly with BART since the 1970s. He even helped design the button placement inside BART elevators, so they'd be easy for wheelchair users to reach. Read more about Zukas in this article.
Zukas cofounded the BART Accessibility Task Force (BATF) in 1975 and served as a member for 47 years. He passed away on November 30, 2022.
The BATF meets monthly to advise the BART Board of Directors and staff on disability-related issues, and advocates on behalf of people with disabilities and seniors to make the BART system accessible regardless of one’s disability or age.
One of the recent contributions of the BATF, along with other disability organizations, was endorsing a floor plan for BART's new train cars designed to meet the diverse needs of people with disabilities. Their consultations led to the modification of the cars’ floor plan so that passengers with more than one wheelchair user in their group could sit together, with both wheelchair areas relocated to the center door of each car and floor-to-ceiling poles removed to maximize accessible paths. Other resulting features include the third door per car, wider aisles, and intercoms positioned at wheelchair-accessible height.
We thank the BATF for their contributions to making BART a system that is accessible for all.
The BATF is actively recruiting new members. If you are interested or have questions, email accessibility@bart.gov.
In March 2026, BART rolled out new fare gate tones that are more pleasing and audible over station background noise, making stations more welcoming and simpler to navigate, especially for blind and low-vision riders.
BART has hosted sensory orientations to help riders who are blind or have low vision navigate the system, most recently in March 2026.
Every new and current BART Station Agent goes through Disability Awareness and Sensitivity Training.
Disability Pride Month is a reminder of how far accessible transit has come and a recommitment to the work still ahead.
AC Transit riders deliver a resounding vote of confidence
An independent survey finds 3 out of 4 riders are satisfied, exceeding national benchmarks
The Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) announced in July that an independent rider survey found three out of every four riders are satisfied with their experience, with 75 percent rating the service provided by California’s largest bus-only transit agency as either “Very Satisfied” or “Satisfied.”
AC Transit commissioned the rider survey, which was conducted by ETC Institute over several weeks during the spring of 2026 using a combination of onboard and bus stop intercept interviews.
“AC Transit is the backbone of public transportation for our East Bay communities,” said General Manager Salvador Llamas. “We are thrilled that so many riders recognize we are moving in the right direction and delivering the reliable, customer-focused service they depend on every day. This strong vote of confidence reflects the dedication of our employees and reinforces our commitment to continuous improvement as we keep the East Bay moving and connecting to the Bay Area transit network.”
The survey highlights strong rider satisfaction across several key service measures:
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Overall Rider Satisfaction: 75% (National: 56%)
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Operator Professionalism: 79% (National: 61%)
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Comfort While Riding: 75% (National: 51%)
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Value For The Fare Paid: 70% (National: 60%)
Just as importantly, the survey provides valuable insights into where AC Transit can continue improving and delivering an even better rider experience. Although AC Transit continues to exceed national averages in arrivals, onboard safety, and service communications, survey findings point to opportunities to collaborate with city partners to “Deliver on our Commitments” and “Connect with our Communities” – core priorities of the newly launched ‘One East Bay. One AC Transit’:
The survey results send a powerful message: AC Transit is not just earning high marks from its riders; it's outperforming transit agencies nationwide.
With a Net Promoter Score of 25, AC Transit riders demonstrated a strong willingness to recommend the agency to their friends and family. In fact, AC Transit far surpassed the national benchmark of negative 16, where zero is neutral. Net Promoter is a widely recognized measure of customer loyalty and willingness to recommend a service.
The AC Transit survey featured a stronger and more reliable methodology, reflecting the opinions of riders actively using the bus network, rather than relying on email or online questionnaires.
Based on survey data from more than 80 transit agencies across all 50 states, AC Transit riders are substantially more likely to recommend the bus network to family, friends, and colleagues.
The survey underscores the value, reliability, and essential role AC Transit plays in the lives of East Bay communities every day.
Los Angeles Metro Board Recommends Changes to Strengthen Governance, Add Rider Representation
Following months of public engagement, stakeholder outreach, and analysis of governance models at peer transit agencies, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) Board of Directors has approved steps to strengthen Metro’s governing structure. Because Metro’s governing structure is established in state law, any changes must be enacted by the Legislature.
During the Thursday Board meeting, the Board considered several governance alternatives for transmittal to the Legislature to provide balanced regional representation, strong accountability and effective oversight as Los Angeles County’s governmental structure evolves.
Board members unanimously voted to recommend that the Board structure be expanded to include a voting rider representative. The Board’s recommendation also calls for giving the Board of Supervisors the flexibility to designate the elected County Chief Executive Officer (CEO) as one of its five Board members following the 2028 election. Further, once the elected Los Angeles County CEO position is filled as a result of Measure G, the Mayor of Los Angeles will appoint a transit advocate/rider. Once the Board of Supervisors expands to nine members in 2032, the County of Los Angeles will continue to hold five seats on the board, with the County CEO and the Board of Supervisors constituting the pool of officials eligible for appointment. All other appointment authorities would remain unchanged.
The board also asked the Ad Hoc Board Composition Committee to study whether a representative of labor and a small city should be added to the Board. This will include a review of existing city selection procedures to better address regional equity. The Ad Hoc Board Composition Committee is to report its findings in 90-120 days.
“We know that public transit is one of the most powerful tools we have to change and improve people’s lives,” said Metro Chair and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. “It is the duty of the LA Metro Board to continue to build out a public transit system that allows Angelenos in every community and people throughout our region to get around without a car. I’m proud that my proposal to reserve one of the City of Los Angeles’ public member seats for a transit advocate/rider was approved by the LA Metro Board today, along with Supervisor Hahn’s amended motion to add an additional voting rider seat. I want to thank all the members of the Ad Hoc Board Composition Committee for their hard work and leadership; we worked together to ensure we will have at least two voting members who are true representatives of the transit rider.”
Measure G, approved by Los Angeles County voters in 2024, expands the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors from five members to nine beginning in 2032 and creates an elected County Chief Executive Officer beginning in 2028. While Measure G does not directly change Metro’s Board, state law requires Metro to submit recommendations to the California Legislature on its Board composition after the Board of Supervisors expands.
To help develop those recommendations, an Ad Hoc Board Composition Committee was established in January. The committee, comprised of Metro Board members and community leaders, reviewed Metro’s governance history, examined governance models at transit agencies across the country, and conducted extensive public outreach comprising more than 1,300 engagement touchpoints, including stakeholder meetings, listening sessions, surveys, and transit stop outreach to gather feedback from riders and residents throughout Los Angeles County.
“Metro is delivering the largest transit infrastructure program in the nation, and strong governance is fundamental to that mission,” said Metro Chief Executive Officer Stephanie Wiggins. “I appreciate the Board’s careful consideration of this important issue and the extensive public engagement that helped form the committee’s work. Their input has helped shape a recommendation that prepares Metro for the future while maintaining the regional collaboration that has made the agency successful.”
Salinas Councilmember Barrera elected Chair and Monterey County Supervisor Alejo elected Vice-Chair of Monterey-Salinas Transit Board of Directors
City of Salinas Councilmember Tony Barrera was elected Chair of the Monterey-Salinas Transit Board of Directors. Councilmember Barrera steps into the role most recently held by outgoing Chair, City of Sand City Mayor, Mary Ann Carbone, who has held the position since 2024.
County of Monterey Supervisor Luis Alejo was elected Vice-Chair, a position most recently held by City of Gonzales Councilmember Lorraine Worthy.
Chair Barrera stated, “I am honored to serve as Board Chair and work alongside my fellow board members, agency leadership, employees, and community partners to continue the good work that connects people to opportunity, strengthens our communities, and supports a more sustainable future. I look forward to building on our agency’s successes and helping ensure we continue to meet the needs of the riders and communities we serve.”
Chair Barrera and Vice-Chair Alejo will serve in their positions until July 2028.
MST is a special-purpose district governed by a thirteen-member Board of Directors made up of elected representatives from each of the twelve cities in Monterey County plus an additional representative from the Monterey County Board of Supervisors. The MST Board of Directors appoints MST’s general manager, the role currently filled by Carl Sedoryk.
Santa Cruz METRO Launches Art in Transit Bus Wrap Photo Contest
Community members invited to submit original photography inspired by nature, sustainability, and wildlife in the Monterey Bay
Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District (METRO) is inviting the public to participate in the new Bus Wrap Photo Contest, a creative competition that celebrates the beauty, wildlife, and landscapes of the Monterey Bay through original photography.
As part of METRO’s One Ride at a Time initiative, the contest will give participants the opportunity to submit original photography that reflects the region’s natural beauty, environmental stewardship, and the role public transit plays in connecting the community. Selected winning submission(s) will be featured on a full METRO bus wrap and highlighted in official METRO marketing materials. This competition and resulting bus wraps are funded entirely through METRO’s Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) grant. These restricted capital funds cannot be used to operate bus service or pay other operating expenses.
The contest builds on METRO’s existing One Ride at a Time bus wrap series, which features imagery from local photographers showcasing iconic scenes from across the Monterey Bay, from redwood forests to coastal wildlife.
“We are excited to invite the community to help shape this campaign in a new and meaningful way,” said Danielle Frost, Chief Communications & Marketing Officer. “This contest is an opportunity to celebrate local creativity while highlighting the places, ecosystems, and everyday experiences that make the Monterey Bay and Santa Cruz County so special.”
The contest is expected to include multiple categories, including a community photography category and an employee photography category. Proposed submission themes include nature, sustainability, transit, and environmental stewardship.
Photography submissions are expected to include high-resolution horizontal images taken within Monterey Bay and Santa Cruz County, along with a title, location, and brief artist statement. Final submission requirements, contest rules, and waiver details are available on METRO’s website scmetro.org/artintransit. Contest closes August 21, 2026.
Winning artists will receive public recognition by having their photo featured as a bus wrap that will be seen throughout the county, social media channels, and press outreach, with their work featured as part of the One Ride at a Time marketing campaign.
Contest details, submission instructions, and deadlines will be announced at scmetro.org/artintransit. To learn more about the One Ride at a Time initiative, visit scmetro.org/onerideatatime.