Transit is about more than just getting from Point A to Point B. Fully funded transit systems ensure that everyone is able to make dignified choices about their medical needs, job opportunities, and social lives.
The annual year-end drive is the most important fundraiser of the year. Every donation made during the drive will be matched by a local foundation up to $20,000!
Everyone deserves access to public transportation. Will you help make that dream a reality? Donate today to double your impact!
What it means to join this movement
PPT members are at the heart of its campaigns, and their stories fuel the movement. Read about Sherry & Noah:
My name is Sherry Mergner, and I’m a mother and licensed clinical social worker who lives in Westmoreland County with my son, Noah. Noah is an autistic adult, and deeply relies on public transportation for his independence and access to community. Will you join me in building a transit justice movement that uplifts us all?
Noah relies on paratransit for every part of his life–from getting to his evening job, to socializing and volunteering. I work full time, so public transit is the key to achieving the self-directed life he deserves.
While paratransit makes a huge difference in our lives, there are untenable gaps. Transit services in rural counties are often understaffed, and as a result, paratransit trips can take up to two hours—when they would only take 20 minutes by car. Additionally, service doesn’t go late enough into the evenings and doesn’t run on Sundays, so Noah has to rely on me to pick him up, six days a week. As an aging caregiver, these challenges weigh heavy on me. I worry about what will happen when I’m no longer able to drive him.
Paratransit is not a luxury—it’s a lifeline. That’s why rural and urban riders are fighting together to win proper transit funding that leaves no one behind.
Expanded evening and weekend service would mean getting to and from work independently, participating in more activities, and gaining the self-determination that every person deserves. More drivers and more efficient scheduling would also mean shorter rides and fewer delays.
For me, it would mean a greater peace of mind and less responsibility for filling transportation gaps. I’m so glad that I’m able to support my son, and it’s challenging to have to sacrifice my own independence and community life in order to do so. No one should have to sacrifice their autonomy and self-determination because of the lack of reliable public transportation.
We’re PPT members because we want to see a transit system that’s accessible, reliable, affordable, and responsive to the needs of Pennsylvanians regardless of where they live. I’ve learned first-hand how individual experiences become powerful when people come together to share them. You don’t have to be a policy expert or a social worker to make a change!
I organize with PPT because this movement prioritizes the voices of people who are directly affected. That’s why I wanted to ask: will you support this work by donating today?
Sincerely,
Sherry Mergner
Your organizing is making an impact
More transit access means more dignity and choice. Riders all across the state are standing up to demand more for transit.
Just this year members like Sherry, Noah, and you have:
- Successfully pushed state officials to put disabled & elderly riders at the forefront with the creation of the Shared Ride Advisory Committee and the Transportation Funding Assessment Study Task Force.
- Demanded that transit agencies and politicians dream bigger. From PRT’s Bus Line Refresh in Pittsburgh to SEPTA’s Accelerate plan in Philly, members have made big waves crafting and uplifting transit plans that do more than maintain the status quo.
- Built power by growing riders’ organizing skills across the state—fellows put these skills to work and recruited almost 4,000 supporters to fight fare hikes and service cuts in Lehigh Valley, Lancaster, Scranton, and Wilkes-Barre!
Donate today to double your gift and help ramp up to 2027’s coming fight for proper transit funding at the state level!