About Friends of Transit
Friends of Transit was incorporated in 2001 as an Arizona nonprofit corporation. The mission of Friends of Transit is to educate the public on the benefits and importance to the Greater Phoenix community of a well-designed and accessible mass transit system, which represents a major component of a balanced regional transportation plan.
The idea of forming Friends of Transit came about after the Phoenix electorate approved a sales tax increase in 2000 to fund a comprehensive transit system, consisting of improved bus service and the addition of a light rail transit component. As a result of the successful transit elections in the cities of Phoenix and Tempe, several community leaders identified the continuing need to educate the public about the benefits of the voter-approved plans, especially given that some elements of the system would not be implemented for several years following the vote.
Skip Rimsza, then Mayor of the City of Phoenix, led the charge on this initiative and invited more than 40 corporate and community leaders to meet and discuss the need for such an educational organization – thus, Friends of Transit was created and for 20+ years, has continued to educate the general public on the benefits of a balanced transportation system.
Board Members
Andrew Haines, Chair
Maria Tyne, Immediate Past Chair
Jessica Mefford-Miller, Executive Committee
Jesus Sapien, Executive Committee
Ted Chamberlain, Executive Commitee
Eric Reese, Executive Committee
Bill Ferris
Rob Killebrew
Brian Vladyka
Jodi Sorrell
Kyle Strickland
Karim Dada, Vice Chair
Scott Miller
Yvette LeDesma
Shelly Seyler
Tyler Besch
JC Porter
Daniel Terryn
Marc Perla
Christina Bird, Treasurer
Mike Orueta
Gregory Heinz
Matthew Dudley
Chris Jacobson
Tania Torres
Albert Santana
Norman Jester
Matt Carpenter
David Schwartz, Executive Director
Transit News
March 17, 2021 – Friends of Transit
Friends of Transit
- Goodyear, Avondale seek public input on transit
Maricopa County has been the fastest-growing county in the United States for the past several years, and the West Valley is leading the charge. Residents are being asked to help plan for that growth b...
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March 12, 2021 – Friends of Transit
Friends of Transit
- Metro Phoenix Transit Workers To Get Coronavirus Vaccines
The Valley's essential transit workers are now prioritized to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. "I have advocated for quite some time for these essential workers to move up on the priority list, an...
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