Policy Teams
Our mission is to accelerate the transition of the San Diego region transportation system to one that is equitable, safe, fully connected, multimodal, and zero emission.
WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON
- Actively lobby SANDAG, the transportation planning organization for SD County, to approve a 2025 Regional Plan that includes transit projects and limits new highway expansions so that the plan exceeds 19% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
- Lobby other governmental organizations (eg MTS, NCTD, County, and regional Mayor/City Councils) on key issues relevant to climate change.
- Promote and research microtransit, which are on-demand rideshare vehicles that solve the “last mile problem”
- Developing educational materials to inform voters on the importance of mass transit and limiting car travel and communicating to voters.
- San Diego Transportation Equity Working Group (SDTEWG) is advocating for:
- Youth Opportunity Passes, better amenities at stations, more frequent stops, and COVID-19 protection for drivers and riders.
- Total electrification of the MTS bus fleet.
WHAT OUR VOLUNTEERS DO
- Monitor agendas of key governmental meetings, and provide public comments on important agenda items
- Participate in microtransit sub-team meetings, and a microtransit workshop in 2025; help develop the ArcGIS platform, work with elected officials on design, funding sources, and gaining approval from governmental bodies for deployment of new microtransit systems.
- Develop educational materials, and presenting these materials.
- Promote safe streets through working with other Vision Zero Network advocacy groups.
- Advocate to SANDAG, NCTD, and city governments on the best option for moving the LOSSAN railway off the Del Mar Bluffs.
- Assist the Legislative Team in reviewing and either endorsing or opposing new state bills that involve Transportation systems.
- Represent SD350 at Transportation coalition meetings.
- Write Op-Eds and Letters to key local press.
Team Accomplishments
- We provided strong leadership for the Measure G campaign, through tabling, canvassing, and phone-banking: alongside several other SD350 volunteers, we made >1200 calls and spoke to >300 yes voters by phone!
- We successfully lobbied SANDAG for the 2021 Regional Plan to include numerous projects to lower greenhouse gas emissions, and in 2024 we attended nearly all Board of Director meetings.
- Helped pass AB 805 (which restructured SANDAG to better represent vulnerable communities).
- Successfully advocated with MTS for a bus electrification pilot project.
- In 2024, our Microtransit subteam recruited 3 UCSD data science interns, and developed an internal ArcGIS platform, into which we can upload extensive demographic data. Using this platform, we designed a microtransit system for La Mesa, which we showed to Councilmembers Dillard (La Mesa) and Elo-Rivera (SD) in a meeting last September.
Fun Fact!
Our Executive Director once got thrown out of a SANDAG meeting when they refused to develop a regional transportation plan that met state climate targets.
How TO GET INVOLVED
The Transportation Committee meets the third Thursday of every month from 6:30 – 8:00pm virtually.