This will require leveraging partnerships with other community services such as law enforcement,
nonprofit organizations, and social service providers.
We recommend every transit provider to take on at least one of these strategies.
1. Transit providers must treat all individuals with dignity and respect. Remember, that
transit is a good for the entire community including homeless individuals.
2. Incorporate outreach officers with law enforcement to connect individuals to services.
This is something that can be started on a small scale with the addition of one or two
outreach officers targeted at locations that are known locations where homeless
individuals congregate.
3. Align transit service with social service destinations. Depending on locations of those
services, consider operating a fare-free route.
4. Partner with local municipalities and the private sector to identify funding
opportunities. There may be opportunities for funding that are not typically considered
for transit service if they are sought out in partnership with social service organizations.
5. Develop creative solutions that do not require funding such as hiring a homeless
individual for an entry level position. These positions could even be stationed at facilities
to provide attended restrooms or elevators.
The other recommendation that we have for the industry is to continue talking about this issue
so we can learn from each other the same way that we do about other topics such as service
delivery and project development.
This call to action is more than a culmination of surveys, literature review, and agency interviews.
It is the also the result of real agency experiences, honest discussions, hopes, failures, but most
importantly the desire to be better. As public servants, we have the responsibility to serve the
riding public – all of the riding public. This report provides insights from a team of dedicated
transit professionals who worked tirelessly to determine what transit’s social responsibility is and
how best to provide that responsibility across agency departments.