What: Community Meeting to demand better public transportation services in Newport News

When: Saturday, September 14 at 1 p.m. 

Where: Huntington Park, across from the Tom and Ann Hunnicutt YMCA, 7827 Warwick Blvd, Newport News, VA 23607

Newport News, Va. —  Virginia Organizing will hold a public meeting next Saturday, September 14 at 1 p.m. at Huntington Park in Newport News to hear stories from people directly affected by public transportation issues and to call on city officials to invest more resources in creating an equitable and efficient transit system that works for all residents. 

Jackie McIntyre, a Virginia Organizing leader in Newport News, knows first hand that the bus schedules in the city don’t work for working people. 

“If you work on Sunday at 7 a.m.,” McIntyre explained, “the first bus doesn’t start running until 9 a.m. Even during the week often times the buses don’t start running at 6:30 when they say they’re supposed to. Instead the first buses don’t start coming until 8 a.m. People are losing jobs because the buses aren’t reliable. We have to push the city of Newport News and HRT to do better.” 

Jackie and other bus riders will be speaking out at the community meeting to share their experiences with public transportation on Saturday. City council officials along with the City Manager must take action to create a transit system that runs buses more often, for longer hours, and into neighborhoods.

To interview Jackie McIntyre or another spokesperson for this event, contact Ciera Killen at (540) 560-5884 or ciera@virginia-organizing.org.