Save the SMRT UPDATED

THIS IS IT. IT'S NOT DEAD YET. THIS IS OUR TINKER BELL PETER PAN MOMENT. CLAP!

If you can, come and speak on Monday at the budget meeting. Sign in starting at 4:30, meeting starts at 5. County Administrative Center, 7th & State.

If you can't, write to CountyBoardSupervisors@LaCrosseCounty.org and say, "I can't come to Monday's budget hearing, but here is what I would say if I could come."

At the September 8 La Crosse County Board planning meeting, the County Administrator recommended ending the four-county Scenic Mississippi Regional Transit service at the end of 2025 citing low ridership and a budget deficit.

Since December 2012, this rural public transit system has been available to serve not only tens of thousands of non-drivers, including seniors, youth, people with disabilities, those who can't afford to own a car, and members of the Amish communitiy, but also many others who prefer the SMRT because it is safer, more social, and less expensive than driving - students, workers, patients, people going to visit friends and family, shoppers, and those connecting with Amtrak.

We believe the proposal to end the SMRT has been made without enough concern for these riders and the far-reaching benefits of the service and without enough research into how the system could be improved to address the issues outlined. We strongly urge the County Board to fund the SMRT in 2026. 

A motion was made by Supervisor Mader at the Nov. 5 Executive Board meeting (not all supervisors are members of the Exec Board) to fund the SMRT for a transition year in 2026. It failed, but some county board members believe there is still a chance.

We encourage everyone who understands that public transportation is an essential right to contact our County Board, and, if possible, attend a public hearing on November 10 to speak for the need for the rural public transportation - SMRT or not.

See below for details. Speaking time will be limited to two minutes, so consider writing out the top two or three points that illustrate why the SMRT is important to you.

IF YOU CAN, PLEASE COME TO AND SPEAK at the 

MONDAY NOVEMBER 10 Budget Hearing at 5 p.m. (arrive by 4:30 to sign in)

(full board will be there) 

County Administrative Center, 7th & State

 

 If you plan to speak, please arrive BEFORE the meeting start time to sign in!

Please visit, call, or email your county board representative! Your personal SMRT story will have an impact. If you live outside La Crosse County, please copy CountyBoardSupervisors@LaCrosseCounty.org on your emails.

Information about SMRT

• December 2012 SMRT begins - Wisconsin Public Radio story, interview with Peter Fletcher
• 2021 Article: Success Story - RideSMRT: Increasing Transportation Options in Rural Areas
• Connecting Rural Communities - SMRT Bus celebrates 10 years (2022)
• Peter Fletcher describes SMRT at Sustainability Chat (2023)
• La Crosse County's SMRT page

A general rider survey of 41 people was done in April 2025 but it doesn't look like there were any questions about whether riders had alternative means of transportation or mentioned that ending the SMRT was being considered.

You can listen to the audio of the September 8 County Board planning meeting where the plan to stop the SMRT at the end of 2025 was presented (starts at 31:09). The minutes of the meeting are here; they include a summary of some of the numbers mentioned in the audio. The presentation slides are here. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vEkG_8xSI7dHoNZ_bD66BhyGuDjqRX26/view?usp=sharing

If you haven't yet, please sign the petition at https://tinyurl.com/savethesmrt

Download one to print and circulate at https://tinyurl.com/SaveTheSMRT-PrintThePetition

In addition to signing the petition, 

• contact* your COUNTY BOARD REPRESENTATIVES (copy the La Crosse County Board if you live in a different county)
• if you are a SMRT commuter, contact your workplace
• ask any groups you belong to to write a letter of SMRT support to the La Crosse County Board (if you live in a different county, copy YOUR county board)
• Consider writing a letter to the editor of your local paper. La Crosse Tribune letters must be no more than 250 words. Submit one online at https://lacrossetribune.com/forms/contact/letter_to_the_editor or email it to letters@lacrossetribune.com. If you email your letter, include your name and address (not for publication). This site has clear advice about writing a letter to the editor: https://reclaimdemocracy.org/effective_letters_editor/

Here is an advocacy toolkit page with some scripts and templates you can use.

 

PUBLIC INPUT ALLOWED AT This MEETINGS

Input must be in person

County Admin. Building, 7th & State,

Watch (only) the meetings online with

Microsoft Teams

• November 10 at 5 p.m. County Board Annual Public Hearing and Meeting

The public notice of the November 6 meeting was in the October 7 pay-per-view La Crosse Tribune. Here is a screenshot. There is no information about what to do if you require an accommodation to participate. Contact us if you do. Speakers must be in person. Rides may be available from LATA. Contact us for more info.

A few more tips.

• Be polite and not confrontational
• Write out or outline your comment in advance
• Practice your comment for time & content check
• Tell your personal story - how will ending SMRT affect you (and/or your family, community, clients, etc.). Use facts to support your claims if needed.
• End with your ask - fund the SMRT and let's  work together to find ways to make it more viable.

*See A Guide to Successfully Contacting Your Elected Officials [2025], especially the part about Crafting Your Message: The Art of Persuasion

1. Always identify as a constituent

2. Be specific with a clear "ask"

3. Tell your story; make policy personal

4. Be informed, factual, and brief

5. Be polite and respectful 

6. Respect the staff

7. Follow up