Transit agencies honor Rosa Parks' birthday with 'equity day'

Today, several U.S. transit agencies are honoring Transit Equity Day by offering free rides to the public. Transit Equity Day is recognized annually on the birthday of Rosa Parks, who refused to give up her seat on segregated public bus in 1955, helping to launch the Civil Rights Movement.

Transit Equity Day highlights the efforts of transit providers, labor unions and advocates of equity in public transportation, said Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (L.A. Metro) officials in a press release.

Along with L.A. Metro, the Regional Transportation District–Denver (RTD), the North County Transit District (NCTD) in California, among others, announced that they are offering free rides on all modes of public transportation in honor of Parks’ birthday and Transit Equity Day. 

“Transit Equity Day is our opportunity to remind even those who are not regular riders that this system is here to serve them, and that we’re committed to providing a world-class service accessible to everyone,” said L.A. Metro Chair Janice Hahn.

The U.S. Department of Transportation first recognized Transit Equity Day in 2021. The day formally recognizes that equal access to public transportation is a “civil right and a means for individuals to connect to employment, educational, healthcare and social opportunities,” RTD officials said in a press release.