Josephine Hazelton: Why did Turlock shut down its bus system on MLK Day?

I find it shameful that Turlock Transit is choosing not to operate on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Martin Luther King Jr spent his life working to advance the rights of communities of color. He was instrumental in the Montgomery bus boycott and other aspects of the civil rights movement that helped raise awareness and change discriminatory public transit policies. No bus service in Turlock for a day means limited mobility for people without a car.

People of color are much less likely than white people to own or have access to a car. If the city of Turlock wants a vibrant transit system, the buses need to operate when the communities who rely on transit the most need the buses. The purpose of a transit system is to meet the needs of the community in which they serve, not to make decisions that are most convenient for the provider.

So, is Turlock Transit’s decision to not operate buses on this holiday really the best way to celebrate a person who is a champion of civil rights and transportation equity?

This story was originally published January 17, 2017 at 5:52 PM with the headline "Josephine Hazelton: Why did Turlock shut down its bus system on MLK Day?."