What does the future of public transportation look like to the next generation of riders? MTS is asking local youth and young adults to help answer that question through the new MTS Youth Advisory Council (YAC).
The Youth Advisory Council brings together 15 young people ages 16–24 from across the MTS service area to learn more about public transportation and share their perspectives directly with MTS staff. The council was created to give young people a meaningful opportunity to help shape the future of transit while developing leadership skills along the way.
Young people are an important part of the MTS community. From students riding to school and work to young adults using transit to attend events, visit friends or explore San Diego, youth experience the transit system in unique ways. Their feedback can help MTS better understand what young riders want to see from their public transportation system.
The YAC Gets Started
The YAC held its first meeting on Sept. 23, bringing the group together for the first time at MTS Headquarters in downtown San Diego. The meeting was lively, with members asking questions, sharing their experiences and getting to know one another.
As part of the meeting, YAC members also participated in MTS' OnTrack exercises. Members discussed what matters most to them when thinking about the future of public transportation and what they would prioritize if MTS receives additional funding in 2028. Their ideas covered the things they want to see from a transit system that works for their communities.
Interested in participating in OnTrack? Learn more here.
The first meeting was just the beginning. We're looking forward to seeing how this group grows, what members learn and the ideas they bring to the table throughout their year with MTS.
What's Next for the YAC?
Over the course of a one-year term, YAC members will meet every other month at MTS Headquarters. Meetings will include opportunities to learn from MTS staff, ask questions and provide feedback on public transportation. Members will also have opportunities to go behind the scenes with tours of MTS facilities, as well as participate in other learning and collaboration opportunities.
At the end of their term, members will help prepare a presentation for MTS staff highlighting what they learned and the ideas they developed.
We're excited to have these 15 young voices at the table and can't wait to see what they accomplish together.
Meet the YAC
But who are the members of the YAC? Get to know the young people who will be sharing their perspectives and helping shape the future of public transportation.
Ella
What made you want to join the Youth Advisory Council?
"I joined the YAC to advocate for transit and the opportunities it provides for my community."
What is one thing you hope to learn or gain from the YAC?
"I hope to learn more about how public transit works and the barriers that it faces."
What is your favorite bus route or Trolley station?
"Fashion Valley because it has a café."
Aushee
El Cajon
What made you want to join the Youth Advisory Council?
"I ride the Trolley pretty frequently, and I want to make sure that other people have the opportunity to use public transportation and know about the options available to them."
What is one thing you hope to learn or gain from the YAC?
"I hope to have an impact on the processes and learn more about what's going on."
What is your favorite bus route or Trolley station?
"El Cajon. Hometown represent."
Ingrid
What made you want to join the Youth Advisory Council?
"I joined because I love public transit. I really wish I could make it, even in a small way, better here in San Diego."
What is one thing you hope to learn or gain from the YAC?
"I hope to have a platform to talk about my community, particularly in Chula Vista. There are so many transit issues there, but there's also a lot of ridership. I hope to talk more about the problems we face."
What is your favorite bus route or Trolley station?
"Route 225 Rapid."
Benji
Chula Vista
What made you want to join the Youth Advisory Council?
"I'm from an underserved part of Chula Vista, and I wanted to get more involved in advocacy and see if I could make a difference in my community. We don't have as much bus service as I think we should."
What is one thing you hope to learn or gain from the YAC?
"I wanted to have a voice in my community so I can advocate for better bus service in the parts of Chula Vista where I live, as well as other underserved parts of San Diego County."
What is your favorite bus route or Trolley station?
"Rapid 225. I like that it has dedicated bus lanes and the bus-only bridge over the 125. You get beautiful views over the Otay River Valley. I think it's really cool."
Andrew
What made you want to join the Youth Advisory Council?
"I joined the YAC to advocate for small changes I would like to see based on my daily experiences."
What is one thing you hope to learn or gain from the YAC?
"I hope to make advocacy a bigger part of my life and have another third space. The social media marketing work also stood out to me."
What is your favorite bus route or Trolley station?
"My favorite bus route is the one that goes over the Coronado Bridge. My favorite Trolley station is SDSU because it's the only underground station in San Diego, so it's pretty cool."
Kayla
What made you want to join the Youth Advisory Council?
"I joined the YAC to advocate for improved safety on public transportation, especially for youth and women."
What is one thing you hope to learn or gain from the YAC?
"I hope to gain knowledge about the inner workings of MTS and provide a youth perspective for policy formation."
What is your favorite bus route or Trolley station?
"Route 20."
Julian
What made you want to join the Youth Advisory Council?
"I ride the bus and Trolley every day, and I wanted to have a positive impact on public transportation."
What is one thing you hope to learn or gain from the YAC?
"I wanted to develop my communication skills and get to know more people."
What is your favorite bus route or Trolley station?
"24th Street, just because it takes me to my house."
Mason
What made you want to join the Youth Advisory Council?
"I've been riding the bus and train since I was 12, and I wanted to take the experience and insights I've gained as a regular rider and use my observations and opinions in a way that could actually be useful to somebody else."
What is one thing you hope to learn or gain from the YAC?
"I hope this is a good investment for the agency and that we can openly talk about what we want to see differently."
What is your favorite bus route or Trolley station?
"Route 120 or 44, and Hazard Center Station. I like Hazard Center because it has the movie theater right there. It's a low-key theater that nobody knows about."
Kale
What made you want to join the Youth Advisory Council?
"When I saw the Instagram post about the YAC, I thought I would be a good candidate for it. So I filled out the application and, bam, I got in."
What is one thing you hope to learn or gain from the YAC?
"I hope to meet new people and grow my collaboration skills."
What is your favorite bus route or Trolley station?
"My favorite would probably be UTC."
Angelina
What made you want to join the Youth Advisory Council?
"I joined the YAC because I take the bus every day, so I figured it'd be good."
What is one thing you hope to learn or gain from the YAC?
"Stuff for my résumé."
What is your favorite bus route or Trolley station?
"I like the Orange Line. My favorite station is Euclid because there's a Wingstop there."
Samuel
What made you want to join the Youth Advisory Council?
"I ride the bus and Trolley every day, and I see a lot of places where long-term improvements need to be made to transit. I also think about short-term improvements, like customer information, and I wanted a chance to talk about those things."
What is one thing you hope to learn or gain from the YAC?
"Better customer information is a priority for me—making sure I'm able to know when the bus is going to show up. I also want to have an impact on the MTS OnTrack process, especially in a service reduction scenario. If we do have to cut service, I want to make sure we're minimizing the impact on the most transit-reliant riders in our system."
What is your favorite bus route or Trolley station?
"My second favorite bus route is probably the 929. It's a fun arterial route with good frequency and coverage. It's a fun little ride, and I'm always surprised by how fast it is."
