Transportation & Mobility Justice

Issue Area Focus Group

Group Vision

We envision a Boston where all residents and visitors have equitable access to a transportation network of public transit, as well as walkable, bikeable, and rollable infrastructure that is affordable, safe, equitable, reliable, and convenient. This transportation network is fossil-fuel free — reducing pollution in communities and in our climate system — and is accessible to individuals of all abilities. Such a transportation network incentivizes people to shift away from driving, provides affordable and accessible electric vehicle charging to encourage those driving private vehicles to use non-emitting ones, and provides ample transportation and mobility options for those who do not own a car. Finally, we envision a transportation network where the institutions managing it are accountable and responsible to the public. 

Issue Area Group Members

Policy Priorities

Our working group collected, discussed, and voted on the bills in the Massachusetts State House which are our top priorities to see become law. The working group endorses the below proposed legislation and advocates for their passage.

H.3288/S.2291 An Act relative to fare equity (Consalvo/Rush) 

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority shall designate all commuter rail stations in the city of Boston as Zone 1A ($2.40 fare) to promote fare equity for commuters in the city of Boston. Stations impacted would be: Readville (Fairmount Line), Hyde Park (Providence Line), Roslindale Village, Bellevue, Highland, and West Roxbury (Needham Line)

H.3392/S.2217 An Act relative to setting deadlines to electrify the MBTA commuter rail (Owens & Armini/Crighton) 

Calls for a fully electric MBTA commuter rail system by 2035, with the Fairmount Line being phase #1 and done by the end of 2024 and lines serving other environmental justice populations being the next to follow.

H.3373/S.2231 An Act Relative to Low Income Transit Fares (Madaro/Edwards) An Act establishing a program for low income fares (LIF) (Edwards) 

These identical bills will require the MBTA to provide discounted or free fares to low-income riders, on bus, subway, commuter rail, ferry, and The RIDE, in coordination with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Engaged coalitions: Public Transit Public Good

H.3315/S.2271 An Act improving rail service on the Fairmount Commuter Rail Line (Fluker Oakley/Miranda) 

Mandates full electrification of the Fairmount Commuter Line in addition to affordability, accessibility, and frequency improvements.

Engaged coalitions: Fairmount Indigo Transit Coalition (FITC)

H.3139/S.2218 An Act setting deadlines to electrify school buses and public fleets and establishing programs to encourage private fleet electrification (Barber & Meschino/Crighton) 

Directs the Department of Energy Resources (DOER), the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the Department of Public Utilities (DPU), and the Department of Transportation (DOT) to together develop a transition for school buses, public vehicles, and vehicles serving a public purpose, issuing regulations to reach 50% of fleet electric by 2025, 75% by 2030, 100% by 2035. It calls for the prioritization of fleets serving environmental justice populations and also directs DOER to create a program to incentivize the electrification of private fleets. 

Engaged coalitions: Zero Emissions Vehicles (ZEV) Coalition