WeGo youth action team urges dedicated bus lanes, safer stops and expanded student fares

The WeGo Youth Action Team told the Nashville MTA board that youth riders consistently experience safety and reliability problems and urged concrete investments to make transit a practical choice for students and other riders.

The students — who said they conducted three surveys including a Hillsboro High School questionnaire with about 72 responses — highlighted safety concerns (harassment, uncomfortable interactions, and poorly lit stops), unpredictable schedules, overcrowding, and cleanliness. Elizabeth (Lizzie), a member of the team, said the group used outreach events and surveys to gather feedback and to develop recommendations for improvements.

"The absolute best way to fix this is to get buses out of traffic entirely by pursuing dedicated bus lanes, transit Q-jumps, and signal priority across Nashville," said Dylan Ringel, a youth team member. He told the board that traffic congestion makes buses slow and unpredictable, and that dedicated lanes and smart signal priority would improve speed and reliability.

The team listed several near-term recommendations: increased security at stations and on high‑use routes; cleaner buses and waiting areas; more accurate and accessible real-time tracking tools; expanded fixed-route service targeting coverage gaps; and growth of student fare programs so that all students (including private and non‑MNPS students) can ride affordably. The students also recommended a youth transit summit to broaden engagement with schools across Middle Tennessee.

Board members and staff thanked the students for both the data and practical ideas. Chair Gail Carl Williams and others praised the Oasis Center partnership that supports the youth team. The board did not take formal action on the presentation but asked staff to consider the recommendations as part of service-planning work and Choose How You Move corridor planning.