Imagine looking at your city, 10 years from now, and witnessing a flawless transit system in action. This vision is more than a dream; it’s a possibility that hinges on redefining public transportation and centering the people who take it.

In this vision, transit transcends buses, trains and schedules. It becomes a communal experience, enabling people to share rides, access diverse destinations, and reduce their carbon footprint. This reimagined transit system addresses various issues while putting access — not just mobility — at the forefront.

These are concepts packaged together in a new video, released by the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies, where the research and expertise of director Brian D. Taylor takes center stage.

Taylor, professor of urban planning and public policy at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, has been teaching graduate students for over 30 years about the state of public transportation. His lectures, based on over 100 years of transportation research, provide a shared groundwork for many interested in careers in the transportation sector.

Today, this short, 7.5-minute video can become a resource to all people who work at or serve on the boards of transportation agencies to gain a common understanding of the role of public transportation and its importance in myriad aspects of society.  The primer also includes recommendations for developers, urban planners, city officials, voters, and drivers.

Some of the topics introduced include:

• Traits of a desirable transit system (e.g., frequent, reliable, affordable, safe).
• Challenges posed by cars and traffic, and the solution of congestion pricing.
• Operational and planning improvements to transit such as real-time information, dedicated transit lanes and easy fare payment.

The video comes at a critical time in the state of public transportation nationally, as agencies across the country struggle to regain pre-pandemic ridership levels, confront unknown fiscal futures, and make their case to voters for future support.

After a strong campaign from agencies and advocates, California secured $5.1 billion in funding to public transportation, averting a “fiscal cliff” that could have severely curtailed services. In New York, which was given the greenlight to enact congestion pricing in downtown Manhattan, Gov. Hochul lauded public transportation as an “incredible alternative.”

It’s true that a good transit system will attract more riders (and ditch their cars). And more riders will, in turn, encourage more reliable services. This is the virtuous cycle of public transit.

Collaboration is key in this transformation. The video provides a call to action for multiple stakeholders: Urban planners should promote transit and walking in land use plans; city officials should rethink car-centric regulations like parking minimums; and voters are encouraged to back initiatives promoting cleaner and more inclusive transportation options. The call extends to drivers, encouraging them to cooperate with transit vehicles.

This picture-perfect transit system is not just a “pipe dream.”

“Safer, cleaner, more reliable, accessible, and equitable transit is possible — and it starts with you.”