Access to reliable transportation is one of the most overlooked factors shaping a student’s ability to succeed. Across campuses in Ohio and beyond, students are navigating the realities of getting to class, work, and daily responsibilities, often without consistent options. In this piece, student advocate Reese Bush explores how transit access impacts real lives and why student voices are essential in shaping what comes next.

The Ohio Rail Summit brought together nearly 200 advocates, leaders, and community members for a day focused on one question: what comes next for passenger rail in Ohio? From big-picture vision to on-the-ground progress, the conversations throughout the day made one thing clear: momentum is building, and the path forward is taking shape.

Long before 3C+D entered the lexicon, the New York Central Railroad operated trains that tied these cities together. The most significant was the Ohio State Limited, introduced on April 27, 1924. It ran between New York City and Cincinnati, but within Ohio it effectively served as a corridor train. Cleveland, Columbus, Springfield, Dayton, and Cincinnati were linked on a daily basis. The routing differed somewhat from today’s proposal, but the core cities were the same.

As we honor Black History Month, Wells’ story reminds us that transportation is not just about infrastructure. It’s about access, equity, and the right for every person to travel safely, freely, and with dignity. At All Aboard Ohio, that belief remains at the heart of our mission today.

As a Cincinnatian, my encounters with passenger rail are limited, often to catching the streetcar that runs through downtown or the rare sight of a very delayed Cardinal crossing the Ohio River. Because of that, I’m always looking for new rail-related experiences whenever the opportunity arises. Fortunately, I got one early last summer.