Note: GJEL Accident Attorneys regularly sponsors coverage on Streetsblog San Francisco and Streetsblog California. Unless noted in the story, GJEL Accident Attorneys is not consulted for the content or editorial direction of the sponsored content.
The San Francisco Transit Riders (SFTR) has announced Vinita Goyal as its new Executive Director. Goyal became interim director in September after Mark Cordes departed from the 11-year-old organization. "San Francisco Transit Riders has a crucial role to play in reimagining what an improved infrastructure in the city might look like and there are several priorities: centering the needs of transit riders, particularly the ones that have been historically neglected, and identifying new revenue sources for funding efficient and equitable transit options. Serving as an Interim Executive Director during these past few months, I have been excited about collaborating on SFTR’s pathway towards these priorities," said Goyal in a prepared statement.
Vinita Goyal. Pic: SFTR
Goyal's name may sound familiar to Streetsblog's readers. She was previously an architect and urban planner and even freelanced for Streetsblog, writing about the last-mile problem. According to the SFTR's announcement, Vinita worked in many fields including transportation, affordable housing, small businesses, arts, placemaking, sustainable agriculture and climate resilience.
In her brief time at interim director of SFTR, Vinita "secured an up-to-three-year grant from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, co-led staff to a successful End of Year Celebration with Rider Appreciation Awards at a North Beach venue, and worked towards developing a strategic vision for SFTR."
“We are so excited to have Vinita Goyal joining us as our Executive Director,” said Dominique Monie, Co-Chair of the San Francisco Transit Riders, in the statement. “She has already helped us make huge strides in her short time as interim Executive Director, and she is well deserving of the full-time position. We know that with her at the helm, our grassroots organization will become an even stronger advocate for equitable and efficient transit in San Francisco. We could not be more pleased.”
Look out for an upcoming, detailed Streetsblog Q&A with Goyal.
Caltrans, we need complete streets everywhere, including at freeway interchanges (or maybe especially there); Public agencies and academics join forces to develop AV standards; Republicans really want to suspend the gas tax; More
BART was the first accessible transit system in the country. Advocates want Bay Area transit agencies to do better at keeping buses and trains accessible for all