93% of California’s Community Colleges Have Public Transit Stops Within Walking Distance
Seldin/Haring-Smith Foundation Identifies Opportunities to Expand Access
JULY 26, 2022 – The Seldin/Haring-Smith Foundation (SHSF) released new data about the transit accessibility of California’s community and technical colleges. More than two million California residents attend community and technical college across 265 campuses, and 93% are transit accessible. An additional 14 campuses are less than five miles from an existing transit stop, but not yet connected.
Abigail Seldin, CEO of SHSF said, “Our foundation’s unique, interactive map shows which community colleges are accessible by public transit and highlights opportunities for expansion. If we make car ownership – or gas affordability – a prerequisite for attending community or technical college, too many Americans will be left out of critical workforce training. California can meaningfully improve college affordability for its residents by improving bus routes and schedules to community college bus stops.”
Su Jin Jez, Executive Director of California Competes, said, "Access to reliable transportation has such an influence on students' education and career outcomes, and in light of soaring gas prices, improvements in public transit systems become even more critical. The SHSF Public Transit Map offers vital information to guide changes where they are needed most."
"The Inland Empire region is one of the most geographically vast in the country. Access to reliable transportation is critical to participation and success in our postsecondary system. We are grateful to have the SHSF Public Transit Map to help us identify and understand local transit challenges and strategically invest in solutions,” added Ann Marie Sakrekoff, COO, Growing Inland Achievement.
Working students, parenting students, and students from low-income households are overrepresented at community and technical colleges. These students must manage “time poverty,” as they juggle family, work, and school commitments and virtually all, 99%, of community college students live off-campus.
Keith Curry, President/CEO of Compton College said, "When addressing students' basic needs, other challenges such as transportation negatively impact their ability to attend college. With the cost of purchasing a vehicle and gas prices increasing, community colleges need to focus their efforts on providing students access to public transportation. This includes free transit passes for current students, including high school dual enrolled students. It is also critical that community colleges provide financial assistance to students to help defray transportation costs. Colleges should also cover transportation expenses incurred by student employees traveling on behalf of the District."
Abigail Seldin said, “Community and technical colleges provide hands-on training for jobs like nursing and welding, teaching workforce skills that require students to be on-site. But for students with disabilities, or parents wrangling strollers, or the student rushing to class after work, distance between a stop and school is more than a matter of convenience. It may be the deciding variable between making it to school or not -- graduating or not."
SHSF’s interactive California map, additional data and methodology are available at www.shsf.pub/CA. The issue brief’s authors are Dr. Matthew Crespi, Dr. Ellie Bruecker, and Abigail Seldin.
About the Seldin/Haring-Smith Foundation (SHSF): SHSF’s mission is to expand access to public services and support accountability for abuse of authority within the United States. In 2021, the SHSF internal research team published new data on transit inaccessibility that inspired bipartisan federal legislation.
