Ambassadors help county target transit system glitches

Years ago, Miami-Dade County’s transit department had an “ambassador” program in which county employees helped riders understand the system and offered information on routes, stalled buses and other issues.

A new ambassador program, led by the Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust (CITT), turns that notion 180 degrees. Now ambassadors are actual transit users who help the county understand the system and opine on routes, stalled buses and other issues.

The program, brainchild of the trust, began six months ago. This month the trust announced it had reached 100 volunteer ambassadors, none of whom appear reticent to say how they feel. It would appear they are making a difference.

Ambassador Nadeige Laleau, for example, who emigrated from Haiti in 1984 and uses Miami-Dade County transit daily, keeps a journal of her public transit travails. And while she isn’t taking credit for improvements to the system, she does have anecdotal evidence of changes she may have sparked.

“I remember putting in one of my comments,” she told Miami Today this week, “that there was a bus stop … that was always dirty … and within a couple of days, I saw everything was clean.

“I don’t know if it was because of my comment, but I really appreciate the fact that that bus stop was being maintained.”

“It’s only been six months since we officially launched the CITT Ambassador Program,” said CITT Executive Director Javier A. Betancourt, “and we have already reached 100 CITT ambassadors… This clearly shows us that our residents want to be active participants in providing feedback that can improve transit in areas where it may be lacking.”

As part of the program, CITT ambassadors fill out surveys that can be accessed via a mobile app. The information captured is then compiled and shared with Miami-Dade County’s Department of Transportation and Public Works.

The program also helps the trust ensure that assets funded by the county’s half-cent transportation surtax remain in good condition.

“The CITT Ambassador Program amplifies our efforts of monitoring the state of our transit assets,” said CITT Chairman Oscar J. Braynon. “As the independent body that oversees how half-penny surtax funds are invested in transit projects, it is also important for us to know how well transit services are running in our community.”

The trust named Cathy Bernstein its first ambassador of the month. Ms. Bernstein has been an ambassador since a beta version was launched last August.

A New York City transplant who moved to Miami-Dade in 2009, Ms. Bernstein was selected as CITT Ambassador of the Month based on the number of points she earned from completing surveys and sharing posts on social media.

At the July 2023 CITT full trust meeting, Ms. Bernstein spoke and shared her observations with the trust members, and she also requested to see changes and improvements to municipal trolley apps, Metrobus Route 120, Metromover service, and more.

CITT ambassadors earn mobility rewards by completing surveys, participating in focus groups, and sharing transportation information on social media channels. They earn points that can be redeemed for Miami-Dade transit passes, discounts on Uber and Lyft rides, bike rental and car-sharing credits.

Ms. Bernstein, who takes county transit daily, told Miami Today she works at the Miami Medical Center and takes the Metromover to the Metrorail line and the rail to work. She does have occasional issues with buses that don’t show up. “My phone app says the bus is coming, it’s coming and then, BOOM, it’s gone and you have to wait 30 minutes for the next one. A lot of times it’s a breakdown, but if you’re on the beach and it’s a weekend and there’s no other way to get home…”

For details about the ambassador program and to apply, transit riders can visit the CITT Ambassador Program page:

www.miamidade.gov/global/transportation-trust/ambassador-program.page. They can also contact CITT Customer Advocate Program Coordinator Cheryl Mizell at Cheryl.Mizell@miamidade.gov.