Honoring Rosa Parks’ legacy
Zero Fare for Transit Equity Day commemorates Rosa Parks’ birthday on Feb. 4. RTD’s Board of Directors approved offering no cost fares on Transit Equity Day to commemorate Parks’ courageous impact on transit. Transit Equity Day emphasizes the need for equity in public transportation – a movement that Parks’ actions helped spur more than 60 years ago.
About Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott
Rosa Parks, is widely celebrated as a key figure in the Civil Rights Movement. Parks, a Black woman, refused to give up her seat to a white man on a segregated bus, a violation of Montgomery’s segregation laws that mandated Black passengers sit in the back and yield their seats to white passengers. Her arrest for this powerful act of defiance on Dec. 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama,sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a pivotal event that helped shape the Civil Rights Movement.
The Montgomery Bus Boycott lasted 381 days andwas a peaceful protest led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other community leaders. It was one of the first mass movements to challenge racial segregation and brought national attention to the systemic inequalities faced by Black Americans, particularly in public spaces. The boycott eventually led to the Supreme Court’s ruling in Browder v. Gayle that declared segregation on buses unconstitutional.
Parks’ courageous stand against segregation made her a symbol of the fight for civil rights. She went on to receive numerous awards and honors for her contributions to the movement, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1996.
The National Transit Equity Day Movement
In honor of Parks' legacy and the ongoing struggle for equal rights,Transit Equity Day was first celebrated federally by the U.S. Department of Transportation in 2021. The initiative recognizes the essential role public transit plays in providing access to opportunities, social mobility and justice for all. Transit Equity Day honors the principle that public transportation is a civil right. Just as Parks’ refusal to move to the back of the bus highlighted the injustices embedded in segregation, Transit Equity Day calls attention to the importance of equitable access to transportation, which is crucial for many communities across the country. The day serves as a reminder that public transportation is more than a service—it's a vital tool for social inclusion and a means of connecting individuals to jobs, education, healthcare and more.
The day has gained national traction, with more than 15 public transit agencies participating across the United States in 2023. The goal is to foster greater awareness of the connection between public transit and civil rights, as well as to advocate for greater equity in transportation policies and services.
RTD’s inaugural Zero Fare for Transit Equity Day
On Feb. 4, RTD sponsor its inaugural Zero Fare for Transit Equity Day. All bus and rail services are offered at no cost this day, making public transit accessible to everyone.
Celebrate Transit Equity Day with RTD
Take action and be part of history! Join RTD at 11 a.m. Feb. 3 at City Park, in front of the “I Have a Dream” memorialstatue as RTD General Manager and CEO Debra A. Johnson and other local leaders kick off the holiday with a special news conference. Together, we will honor Rosa Parks’ legacy and continue the vital work of making public transit accessible, equitable, and inclusive for all.Don’t miss this opportunity to advance transit equity.
Transit Equity Day is a reminder of the work that remains to ensure that everyone—regardless of their race, color, national origin, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, disability, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status—has equal access to public transportation.