Dizzyingly complicated flyovers, extra lanes, complex bypasses. And yet, every year the traffic gets worse and our roads get deadlier and deadlier. We spend more and more hours in our cars but we don't seem to get anywhere fast. Gas prices continue to skyrocket, making even idling in traffic an expensive proposition.
Our leaders seem to think the problem is, "How do we move more cars through our city?" But the real question should be, "How do we have fewer cars on the roads?" Ultimately, there is only one answer: mass transit.
That San Antonio is the largest city in the United States without ANY rail-based mass transit should be an embarrassment. That San Antonio, the seventh largest city in America has no metro, light rail, streetcars, tramways, trolleybuses, or even people movers should be scandalous. This is especially true when we realize that cities less than half our size, like Memphis, Oklahoma City, Portland and Seattle, have systems.
San Antonians for Rail Transit (SART) is a group dedicated to promoting safe, effective rail options at every level for San Antonio. We are not opposed to bus systems, but realize that in a city of over a million, even the best-managed bus system is simply not sufficient. Modern transit requires a multi-modal approach, maximizing the benefits of each form of transit.
Board of Directors
Jesse Harasta, Co-Chair
A co-founder of SART, Jesse established this organization with the hope that we can bring a strong voice to transit issues in our city. He has been a community organizer for close to twenty years, primarily in his native Syracuse, New York region. Since moving to Texas, he has worked as a professor at UTSA in University College; he has been a full time educator in the social sciences since 2013. He holds a PhD and Masters in Anthropology from Syracuse University and a Bachelor’s in the same from SUNY Geneseo.
Samuel Haas, Co-Chair
Originally from Lubbock, Texas and an alumni of Texas Tech University, Samuel found his way to San Antonio after receiving his Master’s Degree in Regional Planning from the University at Albany SUNY. Samuel uses his diverse professional background to help find sustainable solutions to our city’s issues. He is a member of the American Planning Association - Texas Chapter, and also a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).
Larnzell Harper, Secretary
Larnzell Harper is a Sr. Consultant and former Manager, Training and Development for VIA Metropolitan Transit with 20 years’ of knowledge in public transit and training. Larnzell began his career in transportation as a bus operator at Chicago Transit Authority, where he also held positions as a Training Coordinator and Transportation Manager (bus/rail).
He enjoys being a board member of San Antonians for Rail Transit (SART) and considers himself a transit geek/nerd. Larnzell believes it is important for SART to focus on the recruitment and retention of members.
He is eager to promote SART by spreading the word at community events and through educational efforts to get more people on board with rail transit. He is also interested in bringing awareness to legacy problems with rail approval and working closely with city/county/state/federal officials. It is important we remember to promote safe, effective rail options at every level for San Antonio.
Bruce Ashton, Treasurer
Bruce is a current board member of Texas Rail Advocates and was previously the national director of the Rail Passengers Association.
Anthony Cruz, At-Large
Born and raised in San Antonio, Anthony Cruz is a proud graduate of the University of the Incarnate Word, with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, and currently completing his Master’s program in Public Administration coursework at the University of Texas - San Antonio. With a political tenure of almost a decade in Bexar county, he has cultivated a profound respect for bipartisan cooperation. As the Chair of the Lobbying Committee, Anthony is not only committed to fostering equitable transit but also to propelling San Antonio into its rightful place as a Texas powerhouse. Driven by a passion for community upliftment and a strategic vision that seeks to unlock the city’s full potential for prosperity, Anthony is a visionary and staunch advocate for San Antonio's growth.
Paola Aguirre, At-Large
Paola Aguirre Serrano is a native from the Mexico-U.S. region, urban designer and partner at Borderless since 2016. BORDERLESS is a design and research practice based in San Antonio and Chicago focused on approaches and collaboration frameworks addressing spatial justice and equitable design while cultivating collaborative design agency. With emphasis on interdisciplinary exchange, Borderless explores creative civic design and engagement interventions that address the complexity of urban systems and spatial equity by looking at intersections between architecture, urban design, infrastructure, landscape, planning and community processes. Borderless’ work has been recently recognized by The Architecture League of New York with the Emerging Voices Award (2022), and the John and Catherine MacArthur Foundation’s Creative Placemaking Award (2022).
Paola is an active civic design steward. She has served as Commissioner of Chicago Landmarks and the Cultural Advisory Council of the City of Chicago, and currently serves in the Scholarly Advisory Committee for the National Museum of the American Latino. Paola received a B. of Architecture from the Institute Superior de Arquitectura y Diseño de Chihuahua, and M. of Architecture in Urban Design from the Harvard School of Design.
Robert Moreno, At-Large
Robert Moreno is a South Texas native, originally from Corpus Christi. He is a transit safety analyst and training developer who works closely with federal and state oversight agencies and transit agencies across the country to ensure public transit remains one of the safest and cleanest modes of transportation.
Robert previously spent over a decade as a classroom teacher in Texas and Spain. He has a B.A in Anthropology & Latin American Studies from UT Austin, an M.Ed. from the Universidad de Alcalá, and is currently a master's student in Urban & Regional Planning at UTSA.
