Muni’s executive director is reaching out to local transit riders to support a new federal transportation bill that will support long-term funding for transit operations.

Nathaniel Ford, chief of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, which runs Muni, has posted a four-paragraph composition on the agency’s website pleading for local transit supporters to support a petition urging Congress to increase its investment in public transportation.

In his online treatise, Ford writes that federal support for public transportation would reduce congestion, create jobs, cut greenhouse gas emissions and improve the quality of life in the Bay Area.

The petition-drive is in anticipation of an event in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 22 where members of Congress will hear support for public transportation projects. To sign the petition, residents should visit this site.