About the author: W. Robert Schultz III is a Campaign Organizer at Active Transportation Alliance.
This guest blog is part of Elevated Chicago’s ongoing effort to share perspectives from partners advancing equitable transit-oriented development across the region. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and reflect their experiences and expertise. Read more Elevated Chicago guest blogs.
From my perspective, averting the transit fiscal cliff was about far more than balancing a budget — it was about protecting a fundamental human right: the right to mobility. In the Chicago metropolitan region, roughly a quarter of residents either cannot drive, choose not to drive, or live in communities where owning a car is unnecessary or even burdensome. For those individuals, public transportation is not optional. It is essential to accessing jobs, education, healthcare, culture, and community life. When transit faces a fiscal crisis, it is those residents who stand to lose the most.
My background in civil and human rights work shapes how I see this issue. Mobility in an urban environment like Chicago is directly tied to opportunity and equity. The transit system did not develop in a vacuum; it reflects decades of policy decisions shaped by race, land use, economic priorities, and the rise of the automobile. When we talk about funding transit, we are also talking about correcting historic imbalances and ensuring that people can move freely throughout the region.
The organizing effort to avert the crisis built on years of groundwork. Advocates had long been studying and documenting the value of public transportation, including research showing that every dollar invested in transit yields a significant economic return. When the fiscal threat became imminent, we were able to mobilize a broad coalition — labor, environmentalists, social justice advocates, community groups, and urbanists — united by the understanding that transit underpins all of our shared goals.
We used multiple tactics, from public rallies to direct engagement at transit stations. One particularly effective strategy was distributing thousands of palm cards with QR codes that allowed riders to quickly contact their elected officials. That simple tool empowered everyday commuters to take action and made the stakes visible across the system.
Now that the bill has passed, the work continues. We need better coordination across agencies so that transfers are seamless, fares are integrated, and wayfinding is clear. And through Equitable Transit-Oriented Development, we must align housing and transit policy to ensure that affordable, accessible homes are located near reliable service. By strengthening both governance and equity, we can build a transit system that truly serves everyone and helps Chicago thrive.
