November 2022 - 6

EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK
I
Transit's story in communities
Of the five questions to answer in a story - who, what, where,
when and why - effectively sharing " why " helps an audience
understand motivation behind an action.
f you attended the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) TRANSform
Conference this past October in Seattle or have read recent communication
from APTA, you are aware of the focus and encouragement from the association to
tell transit's story.
APTA noted the historic investment included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, coupled
with high expectations of the industry, will require sharing transit's positive impact on communities
and will be critical to the industry's future success.
The 2022 midterm election in early November is another reminder of why sharing transit's impact
within communities is important.
The 2022 election was another success for transit ballot initiatives across the United States. In a
round of up of results, the APTA reports voters approved 14 of the 19 transit measures put before them.
The measures passed are in addition to the 15 that have already been passed by voters in 2022,
bringing the total to 29 out of 36 wins for transit, which APTA says is an 80.56 percent win rate and
represents billions in transit investment.
Among the measures approved in November are a tax on high income earners in Massachusetts,
with a portion of the revenues supporting transit investments, a more than $52 million bond in Arlington
County, Va., where transit will benefit from the funds and various millage renewals in Michigan.
These measures could not have been successful without an effective storytelling strategy, and with
final results of key U.S. House of Representatives races still being tallied as of this writing, there is yet
another reminder of why it's important to share the industry's successes.
Congress currently has 69 freshman members in the House and nine in the Senate. The 118th
Congress, set to commence in January 2023, is expected to have
an equivalent number of new members. These elected officials will
shape policies impacting transit, as well as influence how much the
federal government will invest in this industry.
I'm reminded of an event when I worked in the rail industry
It's time to showcase
what and how
agencies deliver
services and why they
deliver these services.
where a freshman U.S. Representative toured a facility of a manufacturer
in Iowa. The U.S. Representative was touting the business
diversity within his district and noted he learned about a new business
nearly every day, pointing to the manufacturer's product and
exclaiming, " I didn't even know this was here! "
Now is the time to let them know you are here.
It's time to showcase what and how agencies deliver services, and
why they deliver these services. When it comes to communication
basics of who, what, where, when and why, I would argue answering
" why " is the most important to creating a meaningful connection to a
message. It gives a target a chance to understand what you're doing, as
well as the motivation and drive behind an action.
Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor in chief
 mwanek@masstransitmag.com  224-324-8532  linkedin.com/in/mischawaneklibman
6 | Mass Transit | MassTransitmag.com | NOVEMBER 2022

http://www.linkedin.com/in/mischawaneklibman http://www.MassTransitmag.com

November 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November 2022