A grassroots group has formed to look at options. Building on the work of a 2023 group - Coulee Region Rides and Transit - the new After-SMRT group is looking at how to organize for some kind of transit that will serve all who need it going forward. There are other models out there. How can we find one that works here.
While some people--those with disabilities and seniors--have access to (limited) transportation options, even those are being cut back and may be expensive or difficult to use. We know that transportation is the spine of our society. If people can't get to work or school, if patients can't get to care, if seniors can't get to visits with friends and family, our whole community suffers. That transportation isn't prioritized among our elected leaders and decision-makers is, at least in part, a result of nearly 100 years of automobile and fossil fuel industry marketing.
But economics, health and safety, and climate action demand change.
Monday at noon, Sarah Kline will talk about a new report "Improving Mobility in Rural and Tribal Communities." that will highlight that there are more ways to run rural transit than we might think, more ways to fund it and more potential partners. Sara is Principal at SK Solutions LLC, former Counsel to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and former Director of Policy and Government Relations at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Here is the Zoom link.
The next After-SMRT group meeting is tentatively scheduled for Friday, May 1 at 5:30 p.m. We will continue planning how to connect with those who can help find a way forward. If you are interested in participating, especially if you are a PdC or Tomah SMRT route user or connected with the Amish community, please contact us for join info. The meeting will be on Zoom.
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