Transit Agencies Should Leverage Their Supporters
Something obvious that frustratingly *still* needs to be said.
One of the first things a transit YouTuber notices about a transit system is their photography and filming policy.
Fortunately, this is a case where Toronto is really good. The TTC and GO Transit basically have a clear policy that as long as you’re not doing a commercial shoot and you’re not using a tripod or doing anything else that’s disruptive to passengers or operations you’re good to go — unfortunately, many systems don’t make it so simple! It’s been the case more than once that I or others I know (often people who like to take pictures of buses and trains) have been screamed at by a transit system employee to stop filming or taking pictures.
Perhaps the best model for this is to simply only say what one can’t do, and say all other activities are permitted. One of the big problems with the language of regulations like these that tend to not get updated often is that if they speak specifically about what they permit they will exclude new or novel things which may be completely harmless. Everyone has a camera in their pocket these days, and saying what you mean (i.e. don’t disrupt operations or distract employees) is much better for all involved than broad and vague rules.
Now, without getting too much into the weeds on the specifics, onerous “filming and photography policies” and aggressive employees are just one of the many mostly completely silly ways in which transit systems distance themselves from their biggest supporters. If someone is taking a picture or video of a transit system vehicle or station, it’s probably for one of two reasons:
Something looks very wrong, and the transit agency should fix it!
This person thinks that something they are seeing is cool, interesting, or beautiful and wants to share it with others or keep it for themselves.
It’s pretty obvious that the first of these is good: If a bus is on fire or a subway station is forming stalactites, then something should probably be done, and all the better if you get the information for free! However, I also think the second is a huge under appreciated win for a transit system.
Yes, sometimes these people are fans who want to take pictures of buses, but this runs the gamut. Some of those taking photos might be tourists, and speaking more broadly, having people want to take pictures of something is an indicator that something looks nice, and transit looking nice is good because all else being equal, a nice looking vehicle or station is more enticing, and may even feel cleaner or safer. Photos taken of transit are also quite possibly the starting point for conversations around transit that normalize its use and existence, and perhaps even make it celebrated — and that’s something the world needs more of!
Unfortunately though as I’ve said, transit agencies are often not supportive, and this really is not limited to just photos. I can’t say that this isn’t a little bit of a selfish thing, but after years of making what I would say are unusually and disproportionately positive videos about transit systems that have gathered a ton of attention, I still feel pretty disengaged, even in the city I live in. I’ve never had any formal contact with the municipal transit agency here or even acknowledgement — much less me going and making a video to share the behind the scenes! This is a big part of why I’m leaving town.
Of course, this pattern of not wanting to engage with “passionate” citizens is just that, a pattern. The same transit system that doesn’t see the value in engaging with local YouTubers or other content creators is quite possibly also the one that doesn’t want to hear from passionate riders about how it could be better.
Transit agencies should be very open to the public asking questions, and helping to make the systems better (especially since transit agencies are happy to pay for all kinds of advice - and this is free), transit is paid for and built for the public and organizations that don’t act like big tents seem to be forgetting that. This is especially important when those who aren’t all that passionate about transit are responsible for elements of its operation. Having those who are intimately familiar with the system and its operations critique communications about delays and disruptions, for example, would be a great way of leveraging a passionate public to make a system better for their fellow citizens.
This is even more frustrating because it feels especially common in North America. The transit systems that need the most public support, goodwill, and help are the ones that are the worst at engaging with their biggest supporters (though you might suggest this is a cyclical thing, perhaps systems that listened more would improve more and would not be short on support!).
To some extent, this is probably driven a bit by arrogance; it seems far too common that modern transit systems are incredibly secretive — even when there is no good reason for it. It often feels like the reason for this is to hide things from criticism, and these things go both ways. Transit will always be criticized by some, especially those who’d rather we “just build roads”. But not giving those who do support public transport the tools and information to advocate and make it better is just a huge own goal.
What’s amazing here is that as I said, transit systems around the world need the goodwill of the public. Their operating models have been completely thrown out of order by the massive spike in work from home, and transitioning to something more sustainable and getting the funding to do so will need public support. This is a lot harder when supporters don’t specifically know what challenges the agency is facing, and what specifically is blocking it. It’s even harder when your biggest supporters — those who influence others to call their local politician or write letters have been alienated!
Well stated Reece! If transit management is afraid of being embarrassed about something, they should be doing something about it. Or at least be honest and state why they aren't or can't resolve the situation (lack of funding by govt's, lack of staff). Accountability and transparency are not things that agencies should be managing - honesty is the best policy.
We all admire and respect someone who can own their defects, and especially if they have a plan to deal with it.
Unfortunately these days, politicians tend to tightly control everything they can. But that's not an excuse - transit management often acts the same way, and doesn't want to have its hand forced. The keys here are State of Good Repair, safety for passengers & staff, frequent & reliable service, the passenger is the reason for the system.