LATA Celebrates TRANSIT EQUITY DAY

On National Transit Equity Day, the La Crosse Area Transit Advocates join hundreds of others organizations and individuals around the country in celebrating the importance of accessible, affordable, useful public transportation in our communities and region.

In honor of this day, the La Crosse MTU is reminding riders about the historic struggle, led by Rosa Parks, to desegregate the Montgomery, Alabama public transportation system. 

Recognizing the importance of public transportation for access, equity and our environment, the Coulee Region Sierra Club has passed a resolution committing to support, at the federal, state and local levels, legislation that will increase public transportation funding, eliminate or reduce fares for certain populations, increase access for those with disabilities, increase public transportation and related infrastructure union jobs that prioritize hiring of the economically disadvantaged, people of color, those from communities underserved by public transportation, and people from other marginalized communities.

Our current transit-advocate mayor will be leaving this spring, so La Crosse Area Transit Advocates reached out to candidates wishing to replace him with a seven-question survey about local and regional public transportation. So far only four five candidates--Katherine Blanchard, Martin Gaul, Jessica Olson, Mitch Reynolds and Samuel Schneider--have responded. We'll update the response page if we receive more candidates' comments. Read the responses here and contact and follow up with candidates who did and did not respond. Let them know how important public transportation is to you and why you want them to be strong transit advocates and prioritize improving local and regional public transportation. If you need more reasons, read the Transit Equity Day Principles and watch the Community Hearing livestream.

Join us this year to grow and strengthen LATA so we can ensure that public transportation is included in budget and planning priorities as the new year unfolds. Help us plan programs, talk to elected leaders, organize events, and work with our state partners in the Wisconsin Transit Riders Alliance.