Due to scheduling conflicts and short notice, we will NOT be hosting a SMRT ride from La Crosse to the Interstate Fair on July 19 this year.
We will be doing the September 13 SMRT ride to the Vernon County Fair.
Stay tuned for more details.
Saturday, July 13, 2024
Wednesday, July 10, 2024
LATA Leaders meeting postponed
Due to several schedule conflicts, the LATA leaders meeting scheduled for Wednesday, July 10 is postponed to Monday, July 22 at 5:30 p.m. Please contact us if you would like a cess info.
Tuesday, July 9, 2024
July updates
LATA leaders will
meet on Zoom Wednesday, July 10 at 5:30 p.m. If you
would like to join us, please email or call (lacrossetransitadvocates-at-proton.me or 608-315-2693) for access info.
On Thursday, July 11 at 3:30 p.m. the La Crosse Area Planning Committee's Committee on Transit and Active Transportation (CTAT) will meet in person and online. Ruth Rosas of America Walks will be on part of the meeting to talk about Week Without Driving, an October event that brings attention to the challenges nondrivers face in our car-centric society. This meeting is open to the public. Find the agenda packet and online access information at https://www.lacrossecounty.org/metropolitan-planning-organization/committees/committee-on-transit-and-active-transportation
After our spring SMRT 2 Viroqua ride, we had more suggestions for educating about and marketing the SMRT bus. Working through the LAPC, we are hopeful some kind of public session or committee will be coming soon to brainstorm ways to improve the experience, service, and outreach. This system is such a gem and a miracle in a state where Regional Transit Authorities have been banned by the state legislature, we want to make sure it is well supported. This will be discussed at the CTAT meeting.
On Saturday, July 20, LATA will
table at the Disability Pride Fest between 11 and 4 p.m. at Central
High School. If you can help out for an hour at the table, please email, call or text.
We are seeking a couple of tablers for
the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse's 22nd Annual Sample the
City and Volunteer Fair event on Wednesday, September 4 from 10 a.m.
to 1 p.m. Please contact us if you can help.
We are still working on plans for Week Without Driving (Sept. 30 through Oct. 6). If you would like to help plan OR if your club, faith group, organization or office would like to co-sponsor (free), please reply to this email!
Recent events:
Onalaska bus rider and AARP volunteer Mike Murphy had an article, “Bus Buddies Are a Big Help in La Crosse Transit,” published at https://states.aarp.org/wisconsin/bus-buddies-are-a-big-help-in-la-crosse-transit Mike is helping LATA apply for a AARP “Small Dollar, Big Impact” grant to help strengthen and formalize our “Ride with a Guide” initiative.
On June 18, Liz and Cathy did a guided ride with some YWCA staff members so they could help clients learn how to use the bus. Many of them get bus passes but may not use them because of unfamiliarity with the system.
On June 20, Toni and Cathy tabled at the MTU Transit Talk event held at the Southside Neighborhood Center.
During the week of June 24, Cathy did three rides with staff and clients of Aptiv. Some Aptiv staff plan to use the MTU for trips and outings and they wanted to make sure clients are comfortable using the bus.
Coming LATA events:
Friday, July 19 – Ride SMRT to
the La Crosse Interstate FAIR! We will take the late morning
GREEN SMRT from La Crosse to West Salem (arrive around 12:30 p.m.)
and catch the return bus at about 4 p.m. to be back in La Crosse
between 4:30 and 5. This trip will be finalized at tomorrow's LATA
Leaders meeting. We may be able to get free SMRT day passes for a
limited number of passengers. Admission to the fair is free.
Wednesday, September 13 – Ride SMRT to the Vernon County FAIR! We will take the mid-morning YELLOW SMRT from La Crosse to Viroqua (arrive around 11). There are a couple of options for return trip times. This day is FREE ADMISSION at the fair.(County Fair Vectors by Vecteezy)
For both SMRT 2 FAIR rides, we will use the “deviated fixed route” feature to get as near to the fair entrances as possible. With DFR, you may request a stop anywhere along the route as long as the driver can safely stop there. We have never done these before, so you will be a beta tester! Please use this form to sign up for one or both rides: https://forms.gle/SQqSv3Es1iRvFFUCA
Monday, September 30 through Sunday, October 6: Week Without Driving. We are still working with several other groups and agencies on scheduling, but right now we know the following:
Monday, September 30 at 7 p.m. ONLINE book talk with Anna Zivarts, author of the new book, When Driving is Not and Option followed by panel of local nondrivers hosted by the La Crosse Public Library.
Friday, October 4 – Transit Talk at the Cameron Park Farmers Market – an informal get together of LATA friends and members to talk about transit in our area, events, advocacy and more. Bring your own dinner or grab something at the market. Hosted by LATA.
Free fares on the MTU all week and WWD Bingo all week.
TAKE THE WWD CHALLENGE (sign up now at https://americawalks.org/campaigns/week-without-driving/
Sunday, June 2, 2024
June updates and events
LATA Leaders will meet on Wednesday,
June 12 at 5:30 p.m. to discuss upcoming events, ongoing
projects, new ideas, Ride with a Guide updates and Week Without
Driving. Please email or call (LaCrosseTransitAdvocates@proton.me or 608-315-2693) if you would like to join the
meeting online (and possibly in person).
On June 7 at 11 a.m., the Labor
Network for Sustainability will host an online talk
by Anna Zivarts, author of the new book, “When Driving is Not an
Option: Steering
Away from Car Dependency.” This book gives an insight to how to
redesign our transportation systems to meet the needs of nondrivers -
many of whom have a disability or are out of the qualifications of a
driver’s license.
Use this link to view on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/LNS-ZivartsTalk
LATA hosted a SMRT ride to Viroqua on
May 1 and we were joined on the ride by former La Crosse County Board
Chair Tara Johnson, currently a candidate for the 96th District State
Assembly district. We talked transit, including funding, the state's
prohibition on Regional Transit Authorities, how development siting
affects family and governmental finances and climate action, and
more. As a result of our conversations and experiences on this ride
and previous rides, we reached out to the LAPC about ideas for
improving SMRT service, communications, and marketing. We are hoping
to tell you about public input opportunities later this summer. Stay
tuned!
The Coulee Region Sierra Club hosted a
Transit 2 Trails event on Saturday, June 1, National Trails Day. The
original plan had to be modified because of rain, but participants
ended up having a great time, and it was an excellent way to
highlight acces to some public trails via 
public transportation. LATA
may host one or more Transit 2 Trails events in the future.
The Forward La Crosse Bike/Ped Master Plan update process is nearing completion. You can view and comment on the final draft here: https://forwardlacrosse.org. We encourage all transit riders and advocates to continue providing input; public transportation is pedestrian infrastructure, just like sidewalks and stop lights. Is there enough about transit in this plan? Feed back by TOMORROW!! Monday, June 3!
On Monday, June 10 at 7 p.m. the Wisconsin Transit Riders Alliance (WTRA) will hold its “at large” meeting – an informal gathering of members and transit riders from around the state. Ruth Rosas, America Walks, will join us at the start of the meeting to talk about Week Without Driving (September 30 through October 6) and what transit advocate groups can do to promote the event and use it to highlight transit issues. All members of LATA are automatically members of WTRA, though you do not need to be a member to attend the meeting. Please reply to this email for Zoom access information.
On Thursday, June 20, the MTU will host a “Talking Transit” event at the Southside Neighborhood Center from 4 to 7 p.m. This is a chance for us to talk with MTU staff about our experiences and ideas for improving service, bus stop amenities (seating!), mobility, ADA compliance issues, paratransit and more. LATA will join several other organizations tabling at this event. Please plan to attend!
Can you help us table at the June 20 Talking Transit event and at the July 20 Disability Pride Fest event hosted by the Disability Action Network at Central High School? If you would be interested in helping out for an hour or so, please reply to this email. No experience needed – just a love of transit and desire to spread the word about how great it is!
We are also working on getting our Ride with a Guide program back up and running stronger. LATA leader Liz Fryseth has set up a Ride Guide training at a local service agency and we'll use that experience to fine tune similar events in the future. By fall, we hope to offer training for individuals and organizations wishing to learn how to ride the bus and learn how to teach others to ride the bus. If you would like to be a Ride Guide or know of a group, business, agency, or organization that would like training, please connect! LaCrosseTransitAdvocates@proton.me or 608-315-2693.
Please consider formally joining LATA using this link: https://tinyurl.com/JoinLATA!
Thursday, May 9, 2024
Have your say, connect, celebrate, and ride!
There are several transit-related events coming up soon.
"Please join us from
2-4:30 in the afternoon at UWL for an appetizer reception with local
transportation project highlights and an evening screening from
5:30-7:30 of
The Street Project, a documentary by the award-winning filmmaker
Jennifer Boyd about the global citizen-led fight to make our streets
safer, followed by an open Q&A at the historic Rivoli Theater in
downtown La Crosse. This is a great opportunity to
connect with others in the community who are dedicated to expanding
transportation options in the La Crosse area.
These events follow Ride With the Mayor in the morning, an annual bike tour of new improvements and future challenges in La Crosse; Ride With the Mayor is organized by local advocates and supported by the City of La Crosse Bicycle-Pedestrian Advisory Committee.
These events are free and open to the public, but we ask that you RSVP here (please note that no RSVP is required for Ride With the Mayor): https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd8KGIDdviW90EsoAWmgGib8oejY7qqOJawcjYUYj7D4giQEg/viewform
On Saturday, June 1, the Coulee Region Group and Wisconsin Chapter Sierra Club will host a TRANSIT TO TRAILS event. Participants will meet at the Grand River Station Transit Center a little before 8:30 a.m., ride the bus together to the La Crosse River Conservancy Trail near Stoney Creek Inn, hike, and return on the bus to the Transit Center at about 11:40 a.m. An optional on-your-own lunch at Pickermans will follow the trip. Register here: https://tinyurl.com/LaXT2TRegister or call 608-315-2693.
Friday, May 3, 2024
Golden Spike tour
From WisARP:
There's a special event at St. Paul Union Station on May 3 (3 to 8 p.m.) and one in Franklin Park, Illinois on May 8, but no events for train access or rides are scheduled for Wisconsin.
The CPKC tour will follow Amtrak's Empire Builder route. It is scheduled to pass through La Crosse on May 5. This tracker is supposed to show where the train is in real time.
Thursday, May 2, 2024
May 1 SMRT ride
We had perfect weather for our May Day Ride SMRT 2 Viroqua. We were joined by former La Crosse County Board chair, Tara Johnson, who was part of the birth of SMRT. The bus was right on time and we spent the whole ride talking transit.
Once in Viroqua, everyone split up to do their own things with return options throughout the afternoon, though we did learn from the driver of our next-to-last bus back that, just this week, the last bus back had been dropped (but it was still on the schedule!)
My daughter and I rented bikes at Bluedog Cycles, right across the street from where we got off the bus, and met up with a friend. We got a delicious take-out lunch from The Noble Rind Cheese Company, then ode to Ekhart Park to eat and chat. We rode to the other end of town to visit more friends and then spent some time at Driftless Books and Music. We returned the bikes and walked to Vernon Memorial Hospital to catch the 3:24 bus back to La Crosse.
The SMRT is such a gem. In a state with no Regional Transit Authority (a governmental entity that allows several counties to work together and levy taxes to provide regional transit) this system, a public-private partnership that DOES provide regional transit for workers, students, patients, youth, elders, the Amish community and more, is really a miracle.
It's a shame that there is almost zero marketing or information about this great service. The website is minimal (no information about requesting a stop at the Amtrak, for example), many of the stops are unmarked or marked incorrectly, there's no way to know in real time if the bus is late or cancelled, and, aside from the LATA SMRT rides, there are no education and outreach events to highlight all the places you can go on the SMRT. We have heard that even employers whose workers use the service do very little promotion.
After last spring's ride, LATA offered suggestions and volunteered time to help with some of these issues, but we did not hear anything back. We will try again this year and we plan another ride this fall during Week Without Driving.
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
May 1 - Ride SMRT 2 Viroqua
Ride the SMRT with LATA on Wednesday, May 1! We'll catch the Yellow route as it circles through La Crosse mid-morning, then arrive at Vernon Memorial Hospital in Viroqua a little after 11 a.m.
They you're on your own - visit the county historical museum just next door, go to a park, check out some cool little shops, have lunch at a local restaurant ... There's even a shared ride taxi to help you get around.
Coming back, there are four options.
The cost is $4 per ride (each way) bus fare paid in cash to the driver.
Register or visit our SMRT 2 Viroqua page for more details!
Thursday, April 11, 2024
Ride the Bus!
Wow.
If only there were a service that moved people, safely and affordably, from one part of the city to another without the need for a driver's license or an expensive, dangerous private car. Hmmm.
We DO have such a system and it's called public transportation. Let's promote it and use it. Let's include it for school activities, community events, and daily life.
There are three MTU buses routes that stop by Central and two from the north side that connect at the Transit Center. If rehearsals were move to the Polytechnic it woud be even easier. The student passes are a great deal. Time on the bus can be used socializing or studying.
And there are other places you can get to by bus. You can take the #4 to the Earth Fair, for example. What better way to greenify your travel than to hop on a bus (if you can't bike or walk there). I think the bus route will even detour on April 28 to get riders closer to the fair entrance.
If you haven't ridden before or if it's been a while, contact us for a Ride Guide. One of our guides will meet you, ride with you, go over the maps and apps, and answer your questions so you'll be an expert rider in no time.
Let's get on the bus and encourage others to ride, too!
Friday, April 5, 2024
Upcoming events and another detour
See below for detour info on the #6!
This Saturday, April 6, Wisconsin Association of Rail Passengers is holding its annual spring meeting in the Wisconsin Dells and online. There will be a variety of updates on national and state rail projects including the TCMC second daily Amtrak that is expected to start soon, progress on siting an Amtrak station in Madison, information about new rail lines from Milwaukee to the Twin Cities via Madison and Eau Claire and the Milwaukee to Green Bay rail project. For more information visit https://wisarp.wordpress.com/2024/02/06/wisarp-spring-membership-meeting-date-announced/
LATA Leaders will meet online on Tuesday, April 16 at 5:30 p.m. This is different than our usual time. If you would be interested in joining us at this meeting, please reply to this email. We will continue planning events for the year and looking for ways to bring good transit into the community conversations.
We are looking for a few more people to be at our LATA table at the Sunday, April 28 Earth Fair, any time between 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you could spare an hour to help spread the good word about transit, please reply to this email.
We will host a Ride SMRT to Viroqua on Wednesday, May 1. We catch the SMRT Yellow that picks up at various locations in La Crosse between about 9:30 and 10:15 and gets to Viroqua at a little after 11 a.m. Then you're on your own with several return trip options. The cost is $4 cash paid to the driver each way. Get more details and the registration link at http://lacrosseata.blogspot.com/p/smrt-2-viroqua.html Please register by April 28!
We are hoping to apply for an AARP grant to help restart a more robust Ride with a Guide program in partnership with the MTU. This program will train volunteers to help new riders navigate the public transit system. If you would be interested in being a Ride Guide, please reply to this email.
We are also working on planning Week Without Driving, Sept. 30 through October 6. This is not a transit-specific event but it's a national week that challenges electeds and decision-makers to pledge a week without driving and experience the life of a non-driver public policies, budgets, and decisions have created. Learn more about WWD here: https://weekwithoutdriving.org/ and please let me know if you and/or your organization would like to help plan and/or co-sponsor, please reply to this email. The main event is the WWD challenge. We will do some local things to highlight the message of the week, including the WWD Bingo card, a LATA ride, possibly a panel discussion, etc.
The official roll out of the official 3D tactile map, a project that Liz Fryseth and her children started and worked on last year, is still in progress but with no firm date for public release. We would like to encourage the MTU to give this priority. If you interact with MTU drivers or admins, please ask about it. We are looking at doing some LATA sponsored events to highlight the map later this spring and summer.
DETOUR - ROUTE 4: Starting April 8 and through summer, the #4 will have a detour. Just north of Hintgen school, rather than continuing north on 28th, it will turn left onto Robinsdale, coming out by Starbucks on Mormon Coulee Road. The bus will turn onto MC Road and then north onto Losey and continue north along its regular route. The stops at 28th and James, 28th and Hass, and 26th and Hass will be closed until road work in the area is completed some time in August.
A new AVL (auto vehicle locator) system should be in place by fall. The current DoubleMap app is no longer being supported which is why it may blink in and out or not show your bus in certain situations. The hope is that the new system will be more reliable and offer more options for fares, and accessibility enhancements.
The MTU and ATU have come to an agreement on a contract through arbitration. This will be finalized at the City Council meeting this month. On March 18, Public Transportation Employees' Day, LATA presented a Thank You card poster to MTU employees (see the card at https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3AlZfJBcGpcpKlMcVFC4isoGU5L3IAyYFWWwUhQecUvcpx9JUwStT7b703bYhdqwOymNoRZSLG4vYFVs9YfR2WpemSZMONzM_jxpduyn6Gr9pLMULtydSAqn8Kz-WIskRjETDc_92LMb75yWF-B1k6iMyiHh_MOSRGUhm2B5irFsZR12Mtflnl48K1Yo/s2000/Image.jpeg )
The March 9 Wisconsin Transit Riders Alliance Spring Meeting went well. Our speaker, Dave Steele, gave an interesting overview of his non-profit, MobiliSE and their Milwaukee area workforce on-demand transit system FlexRide. You can watch the presentation here: https://youtu.be/8pP76TfsmBo LATA will be represented on the 2024 WTRA board by Cathy Van Maren. Members of LATA are also members of WTRA.
Attention Route 6 Downtown Passengers.
Beginning Monday Apr 8th the intersection of Onalaska Avenue and North Salem Rd will be closed. Route 6 Downtown will use Harvey St to Stoddard St, Stoddard St to Prospect St and Prospect St to North Salem Rd. Please catch the bus at Hamilton St and North Salem Rd or North Salem Rd and Loomis St.
If you have any questions, please ask your driver, or call 608.789.7350.
Ceeb Toom Txoj Kev 6 Hauv Nroog Cov neeg caij tsheb. Pib hnub Monday Lub Plaub Hlis 08th kev sib tshuam ntawm Onalaska Avenue thiab North Salem Rd yuav raug kaw. Txoj Kev 6 Hauv Nroog yuav siv Harvey St mus rau Stoddard St, Stoddard St mus rau Prospect St thiab Prospect St mus rau North Salem Rd. Thov caij tsheb npav ntawm Hamilton St thiab North Salem Rd lossis North Salem Rd thiab Loomis St.
Yog tias koj muaj lus nug, thov nug koj tus neeg tsav tsheb, lossis hu rau 608.789.7350.
Atención Pasajeros de Ruta 6 Centro.
A partir del lunes 8 de abril, la intersección de Onalaska Avenue y North Salem Rd estará cerrada. La Ruta 6 del Centro utilizará Harvey St hasta Stoddard St, Stoddard St hasta Prospect St y Prospect St hasta North Salem Rd. Tome el autobús en Hamilton St y North Salem Rd o North Salem Rd y Loomis St.
Si tiene alguna pregunta, pregúntele a su conductor o llame al 608.789.7350.
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Election Day - Free (with detour)
RIDE THE MTU FREE ON
APRIL 2 - ELECTION DAY!
And, on Tuesday, April 2, the # 4 bus stops from East Ave and La Crosse St to Pine St and Campbell Rd will be closed. Both Route 4 buses will use La Crosse St to 23rd St and 23rd St to Campbell Rd. Temporary bus stops will be placed at the corners of East Ave and La Crosse St and La Crosse St and Hillview Ave.
If you have any questions, please ask your driver or contact MTU at 608-789-7350.
[This will get voters who use the Nature Place polling location a little closer and still serve those, with the East Ave & La Crosse Street stop, who vote at the UWL Student Union.]
Monday, March 18, 2024
March 18 - Transit Employees Appreciation Day!
Thanks to MTU, SMRT, OHWS Taxi, Amtrak, Greyhound, Jefferson Lines, and every other transit employee!
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
#4 Detour alert!
Here's the official announcement from MTU:
Beginning Monday, April 08, 2024 Hass St will be closed for road work. Route 4 Downtown will use Robinsdale Ave to Mormon Coulee Road, Mormon Coulee Road to Losey Blvd and then back on route. If you have any questions, please ask you driver, or call 608-789-7350.
Ceeb Toom Route 4 Downtown Passengers
Pib hnub Monday, Plaub Hlis 08, 2024 Hass St yuav raug kaw rau kev ua haujlwm. Txoj Kev 4 Hauv Nroog yuav siv Robinsdale Ave mus rau Mormon Coulee Road, Mormon Coulee Road mus rau Losey Blvd thiab rov qab mus rau txoj kev. Yog tias koj muaj lus nug, thov nug koj tus tsav tsheb, lossis hu rau 608-789-7350.
Atención Pasajeros Ruta 4 Centro
A partir del lunes 8 de abril de 2024, Hass St estará cerrada por obras viales. La Ruta 4 del Centro utilizará Robinsdale Ave hasta Mormon Coulee Road, Mormon Coulee Road hasta Losey Blvd y luego regresará a la ruta. Si tiene alguna pregunta, pregúntele a su conductor o llame al 608-789-7350.
Monday, March 4, 2024
Upcoming transit events and opportunities
FIRST, On Saturday, March 9 at 10 a.m., join us for a talk by Dave Steele of MobiliSE about the Milwaukee-area FlexRide, a service that provides on-demand worker transit in the area. The meeting is free and open to the public. Register for the link: https://tinyurl.com/wtra0324.
March 18 is Transit Employees Appreciation Day. PLEASE SIGN OUR VIRTUAL THANK YOU CARD at www.kudoboard.com/boards/GqNjtDaZ We'd planned to present this during Transit Equity Days but would like to have even more signers. Please sign now. It's easy, free, and quick!!
Transportation expert Jarrett Walker believes that transit can be simple, if we focus on the underlying geometry that all transit systems share. Jarrett’s gift is being able to break down the basic principles of public transit so that you may have the tools necessary to clarify and advocate for your own values. Join Walker as he talks about his new book, Human Transit, and offers guidance to achieve successful public transit that will enrich any community.
Find out more and register for this free webinar here: tinyurl.com/HumanTransit0321
April
2 – Election Day. Please check with your county board candidates to
learn their positions on public transportation in our region. Do they
support improving and strengthening the SMRT system? Can they help
the MTU expand to provide better service for Onalaska, West Salem,
Holmen and others? Do they support rail and interstate bus
improvements? Now is the time to vote transit advocates into office.
Check your ballot, registration, polling place, and more at
https://myvote.wi.gov
April 28 – Earth Fair at Myrick Park. If you can help table for LATA, please contact us!
July 20 – The area Disability Action Network will host Disability Pride Fest from 11 to 4 at Central High School. If you would like to help table for LATA at this event, please email.
September 30 through October 6 is National Week Without Driving, a time for everyone to experience life as a non-driver by signing up for the Week Without Driving challenge. If you would like to help plan this important event, please email.
Saturday, March 2, 2024
Wisconsin Transit Riders Alliance Annual Meeting
Monday, February 12, 2024
Be a spring transit advocate!
PLEASE SIGN OUR VIRTUAL THANK YOU CARD to our area public transportation entities is still live; we'd like more signers! www.kudoboard.com/boards/GqNjtDaZ
The February 5 national TED live stream was great and included lots of great information and news. You can watch it at the Labor Network for Sustainability YouTube channel: https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transit-equity-2024/livestream/
The LNS also offers regular programs on different transit-related topics. Just recently a local transit advocated participated in their Disability in Transit webinar. The link for that is not yet available.
America Walks has put together a very important letter to elected leaders in Washington, DC, asking them to redirect transportation funding from highway expansions to maintaining existing roads and highways, improving public transit, and invest in communities that have been harmed by highway construction and expansion. It is signed by 195 organizations (8 from Wisconsin). PLEASE SIGN THE ACTION ALERT and encourage others to act. For more details, view the action toolkit.
Three bills you can help promote:
- Rep. Hank Johnson's Stronger Communities through Better Transit Act
would provide for dedicated ongoing funding for transit operations.
Please contact your federal elected officials and ask them to co-sponsor
and support this bill.
Sen. Markey's Green Streets bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish the Transit to Trails Grant Program to award grants to certain entities (e.g., states, local governments, and metropolitan planning organizations) for projects that increase transportation access and mobility to public lands, waters, parkland, monuments, or recreational opportunities for critically underserved communities.
Senator Booker's Transit to Trails Act directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish the Transit to Trails Grant Program to award grants to certain entities (e.g., states, local governments, and metropolitan planning organizations) for projects that increase transportation access and mobility to public lands, waters, parkland, monuments, or recreational opportunities for critically underserved communities.
1000 Friends of Wisconsin hosted a webinar last week about TheFuture of Passenger Rail in Wisconsin. Passenger rail is an important link to connect the local to the world. Plans for new rail and accompanying feeder bus service can make a huge difference in how we get around. (Still no public transit from Eau Claire to La Crosse, though!)
Our one-hour LATA leaders meeting is this coming Wednesday, February 14, at 5:30 p.m. online. We will talk about TED and take notes for next year's event plus start planning for our spring SMRT 2 Viroqua ride and talk about our Ride with a Guide program. If you are interested in attending, please email for the link. If you'd like to officially join LATA, please fill out this form (free this year).
The Wisconsin Sierra Club's monthly Transportation Equity and Access Team will meet next Wednesday, February 14 at 10 a.m. If you are a Sierra Club member (or want to join), it's a great way to work with others from around the state on fair and equitable transportation budgets, processes, and systems. Learn more here: https://act.sierraclub.org/actions/Wisconsin?actionId=AR0319098
The MTU Board will meet on February 20 from 4 to 5 p.m. online and in person at City Hall. The meeting is open to members of the public. Meeting details are not yet available but can be found at https://cityoflacrosse.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx
On February 21 at 7:30 p.m., join a free one-hour “Transit Activism Training: How to make your transit fantasies reality” with Carter Lavin, a climate and transit advocate from California and Hayden Clarkin (@the_transit_guy). Learn more and register here.
The Wisconsin Transit Riders Alliance annual meeting will be on March 9 from 10 a.m. to noon. It's open to all. The first hour is a public program with guest Dave Steele, Executive Director of MobiliSE, a Milwaukee area non-profit that operates FlexRide, a microtransit system that gets people from Milwaukee to area jobs. FlexRide is an outgrowth of a civil rights suit against WisDOT’s highway expansion program of about a decade ago and uses a pot of money that is separate from that of the regular bus system but the funding sources are ending soon. The talk is called MobiliSE: Addressing Immediate Needs, Focused on Long Term Solutions. From 11 to noon, the annual business meeting will take place. You can register here for the program and/or the meeting: tinyurl.com/WTRA0324
The Wisconsin Association of Rail Passengers' spring meeting will be on April 6 in Wisconsin Dells. Details aren't yet available but you can get updates at their website and we will update at ours when things are firmed up. For the past few years, they have offered an online option.
Finally, we are looking for people and organizations interested in planning for a Week Without Driving in late September/early October. Please email us if you are interested!
Sunday, February 4, 2024
Support the Stronger Communities Through Better Transit Act!
The Stronger Communities Through Better Transit Act, would authorize $20 billion annually for four years ($80B total) to transit systems for their operating budgets.
Please learn about the bill: https://usa.streetsblog.org/2024/02/01/could-this-bill-finally-give-transit-agencies-the-operations-funding-they-need
And contact your legislators to support and co-sponsor the bill.
View the bill, summary, co-sponsors, schedule here: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3744
And, please support the Transit to Trails Act to ensure that anyone can access public green spaces, parks, and recreation areas whether or not they have a car.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/3092
This recent post by Voices for Public Transportation looks at how transit continues to play a critical role in the continuing fight for racial justice and equity.
Friday, January 19, 2024
Transit Equity Days
In February 2018, the Amalgamated Transit Union partnered with the Labor Network for Sustainability to launch Transit Equity Day in honor of Rosa Parks, on her birthday, February 4. Mrs. Parks played a crucial role in the civil rights movement by increasing access and equity in public transportation. Today, that movement and her actions continue to resonate, lifting up transit as a workers’ rights, civil rights, and climate-justice issue.
For the past few years, the La Crosse area has recognized Transit Equity Days (TED), this year, January 29 through February 4 to educate our neighbors and community
leaders about the importance of a strong public transportation system and to share our stories about using our current public transportation system. We are fortunate to have one of the best public transit systems in the state, but challenges remain for those who rely on transit as their main way to get around.
We are looking forward to a full week of activities and events. Here's an overview. For details, please see tinyurl.com/TEDLaCrosse2024.
First, please SIGN OUR CARD to local transit operators, staff, and administrators by Jan. 27 so we can present the card at our Monday event.
FREE FARES on the MTU from Monday, Jan. 29 through Sunday, Feb. 4!
FREE FARES on the SMRT on Tuesday, January 30.
Monday, Jan. 29 at 11:15 a.m. at the Transit Center, a TED press event.
Monday
through Sunday, Jan. 29 through Feb. 4, the La Crosse
Public Library will host a display. (The library is accessible via the Circulators.)
Monday
through Friday, Jan. 29 through Feb. 2, Office Hours on the Bus. We invite local elected and community leaders to ride a circuit on the bus, talking with riders and drivers about their experiences.
Wednesday, January 31 at the Southside Neighborhood Center from 7 to 8:30 p.m. TRANSPORTATION LIBERATION to help people consider and plan to go car-lite or car-free. (Get there on the Circulators or #1.)
Thursday, February 1, the Wisconsin Sierra Club and Coulee Region Group Sierra Club will host an online program about the national Transit to Trails for All initiative that is working for better access via public transit to local, state, and national wild, green, and recreation areas. Learn more and register at tinyurl.com/WISC224-T2T4A
Sunday,
February 4, the AARP will host a free screening of the Peabody
Award-winning film, The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks at the Rivoli
Theater at 1:30 p.m. followed by a panel discussion about transit
equity in the La Crosse area. MUST PRE-REGISTER by clicking here (free). (Get there with #5.)
Monday, February 5, the Labor Network for Sustainability will host its annual Transit Equity Day livestream on its YouTube channel, including voices and events from around the country. Learn how to access the program at www.labor4sustainability.org/transit-equity-2024/livestream/
There's more! Please visit tinyurl.com/TEDLaCrosse2024 and plan to participate!
If you'd like to help or co-sponsor, please email LaCrosseTransitAdvocates-at-proton.me.
Thank you, co-sponsors:
Thursday, January 18, 2024
Rail Pass Discount
The USA Rail Pass gives you 10 rides (segments) over 30 days to your choice of over 500 destinations. When you book through January 25, 2024, you can explore for just $449. That’s a $50 saving and less than $45 per segment.
The USA Rail Pass allows you to take a multi-segment journey on Amtrak for one low, fixed price. After you purchase your pass, you will be able to start booking each segment of your trip directly from your purchase confirmation.
A travel segment occurs any time you board and disembark one of our trains (or other scheduled services). If your trip involves making one connection, you will use two segments of your USA Rail Pass.
The pass validity period is 120 days following the date of your purchase. Once you begin travel on your first segment, you will have 30 days to complete all remaining travel segments.
There are three important restrictions to keep in mind as you consider purchasing a USA Rail Pass:
Route Restrictions: USA Rail Pass is available on all Amtrak services with the exception of:
- Acela
- Auto Train
- Maple Leaf (Canadian stations only)
- Thruway Bus Series 7000-7999
Fare Types: USA Rail Pass is available for Sale and Value Fares only. Segments offering only Flex Fares are not available for rail pass bookings. When booking your segment on Amtrak.com or the Amtrak app, we will provide guidance on which departures are available with your pass.
City Pairs: Travel is restricted to two roundtrips (four one-way trips) between the same two stations — as well as all intermediate destinations on the route. To book multiple trips between the same two stations, consider a multi-ride pass.
Also, keep in mind that there are a limited number of seats available on each train for passengers booking trips on a USA Rail Pass.
Thursday, January 4, 2024
New Year, New Opportunities!
Happy New Year! Let's work to help more people make the transition to cleaner, cheaper, healthier, safer, and more environmentally friendly public transportation AND make public transportation stronger and better!
Transportation Camp is Saturday, January 6. This online national
unconference brings transit pros and advocates together to share ideas and plan for local and national improvements. The break-out board looks great and the speakers will be inspirational. Register at https://t4america.org/transportation-camp/
Our LATA Leaders group will meet online on Wednesday, January 10 at 5:30 p.m. to finalize plans for Transit Equity Days and continue planning for 2024 advocacy and events. Please join us! Email or call 608-315-2693 for access information.
We are still finalizing some parts of the event, but please pencil in these dates and times and join us if you can.
FREE FARES on the MTU from Monday, Jan. 29 through Friday, Feb. 2!
FREE FARES on the SMRT on one day during the week (TBD)
Monday morning at 10:15 a.m. on Jan. 29 at the Transit Center, a TED press event. Can you come and show your support?
Monday through Friday, Jan. 29 through Feb. 2, Office Hours on the Bus. Our local elected and community leaders have been very willing to ride and talk about transit in past years. It helps for them to hear from the many people with many reasons who ride the bus. We will post a schedule later this month at our event page.
Monday through Sunday, Jan. 29 through Feb. 4 we are grateful to the La Crosse Public Library who will again host a display about the many aspects of Transit Equity. Please visit (you can take the Circulator!) and thank the Library for their support!
Wednesday, January 31 at the Southside Neighborhood Center from 7 to 8:30 p.m. TRANSPORTATION LIBERATION to help people consider and plan to go car-lite or car-free.
Thursday, February 1, the Wisconsin Sierra Club and Coulee Region Group Sierra Club will host an online program about the national Transit to Trails for All initiative that is working for better access via public transit to local, state, and national wild, green, and recreation areas. Without transit, many people are unable to access these health-giving, healing public spaces. Learn more and register at tinyurl.com/WISC224-T2T4A
Sunday, February 4, the AARP will host a free screening of the Peabody Award-winning film, The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks at the Rivoli Theater at 1:30 p.m. followed by a panel discussion about transit equity in the La Crosse area.
Monday, February 5, the Labor Network for Sustainability will host its annual Transit Equity Day livestream on its YouTube channel, including voices and events from around the country. Learn how to access the program at www.labor4sustainability.org/transit-equity-2024/livestream/
We are still working on a couple of other events! Please visit the event page at tinyurl.com/TEDLaCrosse2024 and plan to participate!
Finally, PLEASE JOIN US! Our group has many friends but we have not really sought official members. But now we are. This year, no dues! Just fill out this form (no info will be sold or shared) tinyurl.com/JoinLATA and you will be an official La Crosse Area Transit Advocate!
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