Transit Equity Day

On Wednesday, February 4, Metro Transit joins organizations around the country to celebrate Transit Equity Day. A National Day of Action that commemorates the birthday of the iconic civil rights leader, Rosa Parks, by declaring public transit a civil right.

Parks, a National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) activist who, in 1955, demanded an end to segregation in the Montgomery, Alabama, transit system by refusing to give up her seat on the bus. Her act of civil disobedience helped spark the Montgomery bus boycott and lawsuits that led to the 1956 federal court ruling that bus segregation was unconstitutional under the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. Later in life, Parks received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award of the United States, from President Barack Obama, along with the Congressional Gold Medal.
 

Today, Transit Equity Day not only celebrates her actions but also underscores the importance of public transportation and protecting civil rights, including ensuring that public transit is equally accessible to all in our communities, which helps connect people to employment, health care, schools, housing, and much more. 

“The state of Wisconsin affirms that public transit is an essential service and that all people—regardless of race, ability, age, income, or identity—have the right to transit mobility and transit accessibility.”

Metro Transit plans to participate in Transit Equity Day by honoring Rosa Parks by reserving a seat in her name on several buses on Wednesday, February 4.

More information on Transit Equity Day can be found at labor4sustainability.org/transportation/transit-equity-2026

For questions or inquiries, please contact Metro’s Customer Service by calling (608) 266-4466 or emailing mymetrobus@cityofmadison.com.