From the Bus Seat to the Planning Table

Donald C. Hyde Memorial Essay Scholarship recipient Ruben Garcia brings a personal perspective to the future of public transportation

For Ruben Garcia, public transportation has never been simply a way to get from one place to another. Growing up in South Central Los Angeles, CA, he experienced transit from the bus seat—waiting in the heat, navigating long trips, and measuring the city not only in miles, but in transfers, wait times, safety, and opportunity.

That experience helped shape his decision to pursue a career in transportation planning. Garcia, who is pursuing a Master of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), was awarded the Donald C. Hyde Memorial Essay Scholarship from the American Public Transportation Foundation (APTF).

The scholarship provides financial support for Garcia’s education and an affirmation of the perspective he hopes to bring to the public transportation industry. “Before I ever studied planning, I understood transit from the bus seat,” Garcia says. “I was measuring the city by how long it took to reach opportunity.”

A Personal Connection to Transit

Garcia’s connection to public transportation began early. He remembers riding the bus to the local public library with his father, who was studying for his GED. His father could not read or write fluently, while Garcia was working to succeed as a student himself. “The bus carried both of us: his second chance and my first one,” Garcia recalls.

That experience shaped how Garcia views transportation today. Buses, trains, routes, and schedules are more than elements of a transportation system; they are connections to education, employment, safety, time, and opportunity.

Garcia’s experiences showed him how transportation decisions can affect daily lives. A late bus can mean a missed shift at work. Poor lighting can affect whether someone feels safe. Long waits and unreliable service can take hours away from a day. These experiences helped define the kind of planner Garcia hopes to become.

Building a More Human Transportation System

At UCLA, Garcia is studying transportation planning, land use, infrastructure, equity, and urban design. His goal is to understand the technical side of transportation while never losing sight of the people who depend on the systems being planned.

He hopes to work for a public agency such as LA Metro, LADOT, or Caltrans, contributing to projects that improve bus service, transit access, safety, first- and last-mile connections, and investment in historically underserved communities.

Garcia envisions a transportation system that is cleaner, safer, faster, and more connected—but also more human. He believes technology can help create better transportation systems, but technology alone cannot solve problems if people are still waiting in the heat, riding in fear, or losing hours of their lives because of poor service.

His vision includes better bus frequency, safer stops, expanded rail and night service, shaded sidewalks, accessible stations, and thoughtful land-use decisions. “A viable transportation system should not only move people across Los Angeles,” Garcia says. “It should bring Los Angeles closer together.”

Looking Ahead

Garcia sees a future for himself within APTA and the broader public transportation industry. He hopes to become an active contributor, learn from transportation professionals, and participate in conversations about equity and service planning. Eventually, he wants to help guide younger planners from working-class communities into the field.

His goal extends beyond becoming a planner. He wants to help build a transportation system in which people who rely on public transit do not feel that they are accepting less.

For APTF, supporting students like Garcia is an investment in the future of public transportation—one that helps connect promising students with the education, opportunities, and professional experiences they need to make a difference in the industry. Garcia’s journey from riding the bus in South Central Los Angeles to studying urban and regional planning at UCLA demonstrates the powerful connection between lived experience and professional purpose.

“The future I want to help build is simple: a city where relying on transit does not mean accepting less.”

Investing in Tomorrow’s Transportation Leaders

Through the generosity of APTF donors and supporters, scholarships such as the Donald C. Hyde Memorial Essay Scholarship help the next generation of transportation professionals pursue their educational and career goals.

Ruben Garcia is one of those future professionals—and his story is a reminder of why that investment matters. The experiences that once shaped his understanding of transportation are now helping shape the kind of planner he hopes to become.

APTF is proud to support Ruben Garcia as he turns lived experience into professional expertise and prepares to help create a more equitable, accessible, and human transportation system.