We’re really excited for the release of TransitCenter’s Narrative Change project, and proud that Ruth Rosas from Nondrivers Alliance was part of the cohort that helped develop this work. Most of all, it’s really affirming to see the dignity and fairness frame as the top performing message.
“For many people, transit isn’t optional — it’s the difference between getting to a job, a medical appointment, or the grocery store, and not getting there at all. When transit is cut or privatized, the people hit first, and hardest, are riders with disabilities, older adults, and low-income workers. They end up spending hours waiting, relying on favors, or missing what they need to survive. No one should have to work twice as hard to live their life just because they can’t drive. The ability to get around with dignity is a basic right.”
In my work at the intersection of transportation and disability, I’ve experienced this to be true, but at times it’s been an uphill battle to convince others that centering the needs and voices of people who rely on transit is a winning strategy. Now we have the research to back it up!
Not only am I excited about the effectiveness of this message, I also wanted to share how a key piece of this framing came out of our work listening to and partnering with disabled nondrivers.
Back in 2020, working at Disability Rights Washington, I launched a transportation storymap interviewing 300 nondrivers from all 49 legislative districts in our state. One of those interviews was with Maud Steyaert. Here’s what she shared:
“Not being able to get around the city because of lack of access is not an inconvenience – it significantly interferes with the ability to get health care, get to work, get food, do all the necessary activities of life maintenance, in addition to the activities of having a life outside of necessities: seeing friends, getting to council meetings, getting to community events. It’s the difference between being able to have a life in the community and not have a life in the community.”
As a low-vision nondriver myself, Maud’s description of access as the difference between freedom to participate and being stuck at home resonated with me, and I knew it would resonate for others. I started using this framing to talk about our work, and when I launched Nondrivers Alliance in 2025, we incorporated it into our mission statement.
I share this history because I want to emphasize how this narrative was built from the knowledge of disabled transit riders who were generous with their expertise. Winning broader public support for transit means learning to listen and value the knowledge of people who rely on transit day in and day out. It means pushing back against the stigma of being transit reliant — and countering what are too often condescending attitudes towards poor people, young people, disabled people, Black, Brown and immigrant communities who are all more likely to rely on transit. People who can’t drive or can’t afford to drive are part of every community and we all win when we acknowledge nondrivers exist and deserve the right to be connected to our communities.