BCAN

Boston Climate Action Network (BCAN) has initiated a new campaign focused on transportation justice, which is interconnected with social, racial, and climate justice.

Our campaign aims to make bus route 22 fare-free and add more bus shelters on specific routes, focusing on climate-resilient shelters in climate-vulnerable areas.

We believe access to affordable public transportation and supporting infrastructure like bus shelters is essential to climate resilience, social justice, and dignity for riders.

Our goals are:

• To help lower transportation emissions
• Promote economic mobility for community members by increasing ridership and affordability for route 22
• Help change the societal perception that bus riders are “less than” by ensuring riders have access to comfortable, climate-protective bus shelters
  

Climate Justice and our Campaign

• Effects of climate change disproportionately impact vulnerable communities who have contributed the least
  • Flooding, storms, extreme heat, and air quality
  • Bus shelters can provide shade, cooling, and protection

• Emissions from transportation comprise 31% of Boston’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory
  • Fare free buses increase ridership & reduce car dependence, cutting emissions.
  • More bus shelters mean climate resilience—protection from extreme heat & storms

Transportation Justice and our Campaign

Transportation justice | Advocating for affordable, reliable, and accessible transit for all, especially underserved communities, to promote equity, reduce car dependency, and lower emissions.

A just transit system is a just climate solution.

Effective and reliable transit:

• Opens economic opportunities
• Promotes compact development/people friendly infrastructure as opposed to car friendly
• Preserves rider dignity

A look at our work so far

Survey results that asked residents “If fares were free on this line, would you be more likely to take the line?”

(For all lines surveyed, not just Bus 22.)

Boston Climate Action Network and the Black Led Avenues for Climate Knowledge gather to learn about local and state advocacy in preparation for their allied transit efforts

BCAN Member Joe doing outreach in East Boston for Participatory Budgeting Campaign, which led to the successful win of $150,000 of the City’s Budget going towards the installation of bus Benches in areas of highest ridership