Earlier this year, the Obama administration made a critical change in the way it would fund public transportation. In a break with the Bush Administration, it scrutinized new projects based on whether they increased the “livability” of local communities. In the San Francisco Bay Area, this resulted in the quick, and shocking loss of funding for a proposed train line to the Oakland Airport.

Now, the transit agency that lost its federal money, and was cited for not understanding its community’s needs, is trying to come into compliance with the law by reaching out to riders. Guillermo Mayer is a Senior Staff Attorney with Public Advocates, a nonprofit law firm and advocacy organization. He explains the next steps in his effort to assert transportation as a civil right.