Image Description: 10 PPT Members and transit advocates smile at the camera, sitting in the back of a PRT bus. Some are wearing red PPT shirts and yellow PPT pins, and one is making a peace sign.
On April 25-26, 2025, Pittsburghers for Public Transit hosted our 2nd annual National Transit Advocacy Spring Training with nearly 100 attendees from across the country.
It was powerful, y’all! PPT has made an annual commitment to hosting the National Transit Advocacy Spring Training because we know that it will take all of us to address the rising tide of fascism, to overcome hopelessness and fear and isolation, and to win more abundant transit and not merely manage decline. Grassroots community organizing is our power, and we’re committed to growing that power, together.
Image Description: 13 PPT Members and transit advocates smile at the camera, some raising their fists in victory, some making a peace sign. The group, including 2 power chair users and a service dog, stands outside the PPT office on a sunny day.
Developed as a “Labor Notes” style organizing training with 6 interactive workshops, a transit and a walking/rolling tour, Opening Plenary and storybooth, Spring Training was a full two day Convening! Transit riders and workers shared skills and built community across geographies, age, race and ability.
You can check out our album of Spring Training photos here!
Our goals for Spring Training were to:
- Develop and share organizing skills among the transit rider and worker rank-and-file
- Create leadership opportunities for transit riders and workers locally and across the country through workshop and panel facilitation and storytelling
- Build community: there is no substitute for being together in person to learn, to build relationships, and to party!
- To fulfill our obligations as a community union of transit riders to our member-ratified 2025 Strategic Plan
The workshops included sessions on “Developing Strong Transit Worker-Rider Alliances”, “MI, MD and PA Case Studies: Statewide Funding Fights for the Transit Service We Deserve”, and “How to Facilitate Excellent Community Meetings and Navigate Conflict in the Moment.” Facilitators in all the sessions shared valuable organizing tools and examples from the front of the room, then opened space for discussion, small group scenario workshopping, and individual campaign reflections.
Weren’t able to catch all the sessions? You can find slides from the sessions here.
We are thrilled about seeing so many of our transit organizing siblings from around the country! Shoutout to transit riders who travelled and offered their wisdom from:
- Disability Rights Washington
- Seattle Transit Riders Union
- Detroit Transportation Riders United
- Kansas City Sunrise Movement
- Richmond Rapid Transit
- No Boundaries Coalition (Baltimore)
- Bike Durham
- Labor Network for Sustainability
- Philly Transit Riders Union
- Transit Columbus
- Clevelanders for Public Transit
- TransitCenter
- Transit for All PA (Central PA)!
Lastly, we are an Access-Centered Community, and believe that accessibility is a learning process. We really want to hear from all the folks that joined us for this year’s National Transit Advocacy Spring Training, to know what resonated for you and how we can improve on the content and accessibility next year!