This summer, the Regional Transit Authority – aka RTA – is developing a plan for improving our region’s transit – a short term and long term plan that could shape our region’s transit, growth, and economy for decades to come! Whether a person lives, works, goes to school, worships or plays in the region, 
the RTA needs to hear comments, ideas and questions from everyone.
Additionally, the RTA will ask voters next year whether they’d be willing to pay for improved transit. A quality transit system would provide enormous benefits, yet most people in southeast Michigan never even think about transit! Before that vote, we need to help more people throughout our region understand why transit matters.
Join us in telling the RTA
and our region Why Transit Matters!
First, share your thoughts, ideas, and comments!
- Submit a RTA comment card to the RTA
- Submit a TRU Why Transit Matters card to TRU (which we’ll share with the RTA)
- Submit a comment on the RTA’s online My Sidewalk discussion board
- Take a photo or video and post on Facebook or TwitterTag it with #HeyRTA and #TransitMatters
- Make sure the privacy settings are set to Public
Second, encourage your friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers to have their say!!
- Reach out to your friends on social media
- Invite your friends, family and co-workers a gathering you
host - Identify a event in your community that you will engage people
Third, volunteer with TRU to engage more people in the region on Why Transit Matters!
- Sign up for one of the fairs or fireworks that TRU will be at this summer
- Identify an big event and invite TRU or the RTA to partner with you
The Why Transit Matters Contest!
To make it even more fun, we’ve launched a friendly contest to encourage, equip and empower you to engage your friends, family, co-workers, neighbors and others. Report how many people you engage with and we’ll provide fun prizes, June 15 through September 15!
- 1 point for each person you engage with about why transit matters.
- Can be one-on-one discussions with friends, co-workers, bus buddies or others
- Can be presentations to groups, clubs, or others (count the total number)
- Must be a substantive conversation or presentation, generally two minutes or more in length
- Must be more than just “Do you like transit?” “Yup.”
3 points for each person who completes a written comment on your request/urging
- Can be TRU’s “Transit Matters to me because” card
- Can be an RTA comment card
- Can also be a comment/concern emailed to the RTA or posted on MySidewalk
- Contact info at www.RTAmichigan.org
- Contact info is encouraged but not required
- Written comments must be submitted to TRU or the RTA
- 5 points for each photo/video/artistic expression of someone sharing Why Transit Matters on social media or emailed to info@DetroitTransit
Recommended social media includes Facebook and Twitter
- If posted, must be tagged #HeyRTA and #TransitMatters
- Photo permissions must be set to “public”
- Can use TRU’s “Transit Matters to me because” card or other written statement of transit support and/or desire
Note – all reporting is on the honor system. This contest is for fun and motivation. Please be honest in your reporting.
You can report all your great engagement quickly and easily at www.DetroitTransit.org/contest. We recommend reporting right after each community engagement event or activity (or at least once a week).
What TRU will provide:
- Information
- Orientation/training
- Prizes
What we ask you to do:
- ENGAGE – Your friends, family and co-workers in whenever, however and wherever you want
- VOLUNTEER – Sign up today or on the TRU website www.DetroitTransit.org.
- REPORT – Log your engagement activities and become eligible for prizes
- RETURN completed RTA comment cards and WTM cards to TRU by mail or hand delivery
- (Always call the TRU office at 313-963-8872 before you come by to hand deliver, office hours vary)