Why become a member
10 reasons you should join Riders Alliance (Yes, you!)
💪 1. Strength in numbers!
As a transit rider you should have a voice in how the MTA runs. We’re a membership organization of subway and bus riders in NYC, winning better public transit by organizing riders into a powerful constituency. Individually we can file complaints and call our representatives, but together can organize and flex our collective might to #FixTheSubway, fight for #BetterBuses, and #TransformTransit.
😱 2. Because everyone has a transit horror story
If you live in NYC, you probably have a story about a time public transit left you in a lurch. And no, we’re not talking about being kicked in the face during “show time” in the L train tunnel, but the structural ways that a public transit system that uses 1930’s signals and only has elevators in less than a third of subway stops can (literally) leave many New Yorkers behind. You deserve better.
💌 3. Everyone has a transit love story, too
For every tale of commuting woe, we have all witnessed acts of kindness, connection and delight on public transit - from the fellow straphanger who helps a mother with her stroller, to the subway musician who always leaves you smiling. Riding the subway and buses is a quintessential part of being a New Yorker and we fight for public transit because we care about our fellow riders.
✊ 4. Because public transit is social justice
Did you know that 50% of bus riders are immigrants; 75% are New Yorkers of color and about 35% are essential workers, with an average annual income of less than $30,000? Meanwhile, of the 6,000 miles of road in New York City we have only a little over 100 miles of bus lanes. The racist roots of public transit investment — and disinvestment — are real, and fighting to give working families, immigrants and essential workers the priority they deserve as the lifeblood of the city is a major part of what we do.
📣 5. Learn activist and organizer skills
Riders Alliance members get trained in public speaking, organizing actions, the legislative process, and talking to elected officials and the press. Learn real, transferable skills and experience that you can take with you.
🤝 6. Network and meet new people
Our members are as vibrant and diverse as an NYC subway car — from people with years of community organizing experience to those just getting started, our ranks include students, artists, nurses, urban planners, engineers, transit nerds, environmentalists, and people who just need a better commute to work.
🎇 7. We like to party
Riders Alliance members know how to have fun! We hold social events throughout the year, including sign-making parties, picnics, transit-themed cocktail nights, and a yearly gala featuring transit trivia and real-life subway performers that sells out every time.
👵 8. Because we’re all gonna need the elevator someday
Accessibility is one of the most important issues we fight for. Whether you are disabled, injured, pregnant, pushing a stroller, dragging a suitcase, or just ran the NYC marathon and can’t walk down the stairs, we all need elevators and escalators in the subway at some point, but New York subways are woefully inaccessible with less than one-third equipped to help riders who can’t use stairs.
🚍 9. Because transit should be affordable for everyone
After three years of organizing and advocacy, Fair Fares were instituted in 2019 and today 250,000 New Yorkers — more than a third of those eligible for the benefit — now receive half-price Metrocards, making it the largest transit discount program in the United States. But we still need to expand enrollment and build the program so transit is affordable for all New Yorkers.
🌳 10. We need a greener city and clean air to breathe
New York City traffic is never cute, and not only because gridlock costs area families and businesses $20B each year, our buses are the slowest in the nation and emergency response times suffer significantly, but also because it is a serious polluter. Public transit reduces gridlock on our streets and confronts climate change head-on. We fought for and helped win congestion pricing in 2019, but it is not moving fast enough. Our city’s future can’t wait.
🏃 11. Riders lead our work
We know that as riders, our members understand the ins and outs of our public transit system better than anyone. That’s why our members help drive our strategy and implement campaigns. You help determine the highest priorities, campaign strategies, and give voice to the rider experience. So whether you are a seasoned activist, or just want to fix your commute, you can make a real impact.