Sound Transit Equitable Fare Engagement
Sound Transit Equitable Fare Engagement
Empowering equitable transit solutions through community partnerships to establish fair fare policies
Empowering equitable transit solutions through community partnerships to establish fair fare policies
Location:
Seattle, WA
Client:
Sound Transit
Services:
Project description:
Sound Transit began a review of its fare collection system in 2021 and found that under existing fare enforcement policy, communities of color – particularly Black transit riders – were disproportionately more likely to be cited, fined or referred to the court system. Based on this review, the Sound Transit Board approved a new Fare Engagement Pilot Project with a goal of preventing inequitable effects that result from unpaid fines and contact with the court system. S&A was hired to lead in-person public engagement, collaborating with Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) to educate the public and understand how fare collection has affected the communities they serve.
Results:
S&A implemented a broad-scale survey distribution effort conducting on-the-ground outreach in South Seattle and South Puget Sound – home to the greatest percentages of populations of color. We organized and facilitated listening sessions with CBOs, developed a Community-Driven Engagement Report guided by CBO feedback, developed notification materials and survey questions, planned and implemented in-person outreach activities, and provided an engagement summary for the Sound Transit Board. To ensure equitability and fairness, survey participants were compensated for their feedback.