UP - STAND

08/07/2026

Yesterday the MTA announced the expansion and formal policy of open strollers onboard MTA Buses! No longer a pilot, now a formal and permanent policy. By the end of this year, the vast majority (95%, excluding buses to be retired in the next Capital Plan) will be retrofitted with Open Stroller space and all new local and select buses ordered will be built in with stroller space. Every borough, every bus line.

This policy came about through the hard work of so many people who recognized how life-changing this accommodation could be for caregivers and young children. So many of us worked so hard for many years to change the general mindset about this issue and work through the logistics for this to come to fruition – thank you to the elected officials who saw this as necessary from the beginning and supported this vision at our rallies and through funding, the moms who testified and shared their personal experiences at the Board meetings and parents/guardians who showed up at advocacy events, the SWA team at the MTA and those at Buses for supporting the policy change from within, and all of the stroller working group members and disability advocates who came together to create a way forward for strollers on buses that would be safest for drivers and stroller users, without compromising access for other riders, particularly those with disabilities. This policy came about through the hard work of many stakeholders, a collaborative effort that led to its successes!

07/13/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/14gPb1pAmV9/?mibextid=wwXIfr

YES: Mamdani just launched NYC's first-ever ‘Parents' Night Out’ program — free childcare, run by the NYC Parks Department, at parks in every borough.

Parents can drop their kids off at recreation centers in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island at 4pm. Kids ages 6 to 13 get to spend four hours with Urban Park Rangers doing sports, arts and crafts, and nature activities, plus dinner.

Parents get the evening to themselves — dinner, errands, a date, or just silence — and pick their kids up at 8pm. It's free.

“Every parent knows that a few hours to yourself can feel like a luxury,” Mamdani said. “It shouldn’t be.”

“That’s why we’re launching New York City’s first-ever Parents Night Out, so that parents can get a little time on their own to catch a movie, run errands, or go on a date without worrying about who will take care of the kids — or how much it will cost. Making New York City more affordable isn’t just about lowering costs, it’s about giving people back their time.”

“This administration is committed to making it easier to raise a family in the greatest city in the world.”

Conservatives spent months mocking Mamdani for promising to replace "the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism" at his inauguration. Pundits called it un-American.

Here's what it actually looks like: the city footing the bill so a parent can have one evening without paying a babysitter they can't afford.

Private childcare in New York City runs at least $20-30 an hour. For a lot of families, a night out isn't a luxury problem, it's a math problem.

Registration opens now for the pilot, with 500 spots citywide. If it works, don't be surprised if it's back.

Turns out "the warmth of collectivism" just means the government doing something nice for you for once.

04/30/2026

Today is the most critical day yet for Assembly leadership to hear from you about the importance of passing the Stop Super Speeders bill.

Call Assembly Leadership: 518-455-3791
Email Assembly Staff: [email protected]

Under a proposal from Governor Kathy Hochul, New York City could implement Intelligent Speed Assistance (I.S.A.) devices in the vehicles of drivers who have accumulated more than 16 speeding violations in a year. Our reporter Stefanos Chen explains how these devices work to monitor and cap driving s...

04/22/2026

Congratulations to for winning an UP-STAND 2025 Family-Friendly Award! You can absolutely see why they got the votes for their wide variety of accommodations.

04/22/2026

Congratulations to New Victory Theater for winning a 2025 Family-Friendly Award! You can absolutely see why they got the votes for all of their accommodations.

04/15/2026

Congratulations to The Beaufort Bonnet Company for winning one of our 2025 Family-Friendly Awards! They have created such an accessible, child-friendly, stress-free environment that is very unique (especially for a high end retail store!). Thank you for changing the industry!

03/27/2026

New York State has an opportunity this week to become a national leader in traffic safety technology — and save lives in the process.

The Stop Super Speeders Act (S. 4045/A. 2299) would require Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) devices for repeat speeding offenders: drivers who have demonstrated, repeatedly, that financial penalties will not change their behavior.

This 0.5% of drivers — “super speeders” — are responsible for an outsized share of danger on our roads. In 2025, just 10 super speeders endangered more than 2.5 million New Yorkers, blasting through school zones hundreds of times. The average super speeder has paid nearly $5,000 in fines — more than three times the annual cost of an ISA device. And they keep speeding.

Fines alone are not working. But Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) — technology that limits a vehicle’s speed in real time — produced a 64% reduction in speeding over 2.9 million miles in NYC’s pilot program.

have already enacted ISA laws.

We urge Assembly Members to follow Virginia, Washington, and D.C., and co-sponsor A. 2299. Tell your State Senators to communicate to leadership that ISA is a priority in the FY 2027 final budget.

03/26/2026

UP-STAND is proud to support the Stop Super Speeders Act because safe streets are essential to our mission to improve accessibility for NYC families.

Speed is one of the leading factors in crash severity. A pedestrian struck at 42 mph has a 50% chance of dying. At 23 mph, that risk drops to 10%. Small speed reductions save lives — and ISA technology makes those reductions automatic for the worst offenders.

Virginia, Washington, and Washington D.C. have already passed ISA laws. More than 150 organizations — including the Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, NYC DOT, National Transportation Safety Board, AAA, AARP New York, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) — are calling on New York to lead.

Join us. Tell your Assembly Member that ISA must be in the final budget!

03/25/2026

This week, the New York State budget is being finalized — and they have a chance to make our streets dramatically safer.

Just 0.5% of drivers — “super speeders” — are responsible for an outsized share of danger on our roads. In 2025, just 10 super speeders endangered more than 2.5 million New Yorkers, blasting through school zones hundreds of times. One driver received 259 tickets and paid over $60,000 in fines.

Fines alone are not working. But Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) — technology that limits a vehicle’s speed in real time — produced a 64% reduction in speeding in NYC’s pilot program.

We’re urging Albany to include the Stop Super Speeders Act in the final FY 2027 budget. Contact your legislator today and tell them: include ISA. ⬇️

03/09/2026

Transportation Alternatives is thrilled to invite you to the Fifth Annual Women's Ride on April 11th. The Women's Ride is an annual celebration dedicated to women and non-binary cyclists. This year, the event is honoring caregivers, and UP-STAND is helping to help make this ride from the Bronx to Randall's Island a family-friendly event! Read the details below and sign up to join.

If you'd like to be highlighted as a caretaker leading up to the event, or participate as a ride marshal, please message us!

📅 Save the Date: Transportation Alternatives Women’s Ride 2026 🚲 We’re riding on April 11th, 2026. Put it on your calendar! Join us for a ride that’s more than just a ride. It’s a movement. The 5th Annual Women’s Ride is back, bringing together women, non-binary riders, and allies to...