Here are the transit riders' stories we have collected since early 2021. If you would like to add your story, please use the form at https://tinyurl.com/LaXTEDStory.
I’ve been riding the bus since I was a child. I don’t own a car. For the most part, the bus is convenient, but I do wish it ran more frequently on weekends.
Buses are the most accessible form of active transportation, but the fares lessen that accessibility. Some days, I don’t have quarters, so I have to pay more to ride.
I get a lot of anxiety driving, so buses make my life easier by being there when I need to travel to a store, a friend’s house, or the doctor’s office.
I love the bus, but snow banks, bad shoveling, and big puddles at stops make them less accessible. A bus that comes only one or two times per hour lessens accessibility.
When I moved here, the availability of public transit was a big factor. I don’t like driving and care about the Earth. I’m surprised and disappointed that more people don’t ride the bus. It’s the best value in town. For less than the cost of a tank of gas, you can ride all month.
The drivers are courteous and helpful. They are respectful of everyone. The MTU offers a more cost-effective, greener, reliable transportation option.
Riding the bus is an essential part of my life. The MTU allows me to be more independent, not just getting from point A to B. I engage in more conversations with people of all walks of life, which allows me to gain new perspectives on life, issues, and opinions.
I own a business in downtown La Crosse and buy my employees a bus pass each month to make it easier for them to get to work and not have to hassle with parking. I wish the service were more frequent in the evening I personally love that I can keep my car parked at home, hop on a bus, and not worry about the weather or traffic. I LOVE the bus!
Our family of four can have just one vehicle because of the bus. We often bike, but the bus gives us more options. When I had a bike stolen, I took the bus until I could replace it.
The nice thing about riding the bus is that you don’t have to worry about parking, waiting for a vehicle to warm up, or other complications that would arise if you drive a car.
I ride the bus almost every day. Our system is easy to use. The routes cover the city well. The fares are reasonable. You get to see and interact with your neighbors.
When I was young, my car broke, so I started taking the bus. I wouldn’t have been able to keep up my life without it. I would have lost income and housing. I was working three jobs to pay rent because of my school schedule and could only walk to one. The bus was truly my lifeline. I’ve always had great experiences on the bus with friendly drivers and meeting many new people I wouldn’t have otherwise.
My favorite bus, the Circulator, stops a block from our house and goes straight to the Food Co-op, library, Jackson Plaza, and the Village Shopping Center. Very handy!
I don’t have a driver’s license because of health issues, so I ride the bus. I live downtown so I can easily take the bus. As a client of DVR, I get a bus pass which is essential. I have two hourly jobs at the mall. I need all the hours I can get, but I can only work when the bus runs, so sometimes I have to decline more hours.
Sometimes my employers accidentally schedule me when the bus isn’t running, or push me to work later, or my shift runs late. Then, I have to take an Uber, which may cost half of my day’s pay. I love and appreciate the MTU--its courteous, safe drivers, clean vehicles, and on-time service.
I enjoy riding the bus, but I have to say that the MTU’s limited routes and hours on evenings, weekends, and holidays, sometime fail me as a person of limited income trying to better myself and be more economically productive.
When I worked downtown, it was easy and efficient to take the bus. Now, I work at UWL and to get there by bus, I’d have to take a bus downtown and transfer to another bus. In that time, I could probably walk to work. I’d go back to riding the bus if it were more direct. A loop that goes from 16th St. to South Ave. would work for me.
I’d like to see more frequent routes at night and on weekends. New buses would be good - the suspension is shot on some of them. I don’t like the full bus ad wraps - it’s hard to see out.
Some stop locations are not good and too spread out. Some have visibility issues and are hard to get to - overgrown trees or tree roots in summer and snow banks in winter.
The drivers are courteous and helpful. They are respectful of everyone. The MTU offers a more cost-effective, greener, reliable transportation option.
I love riding the bus! It helps me save money and support the community. I can get where I need to go, the buses run on time, and the drivers are very nice and helpful. The app is wonderful, but some people may not be able to use it because of age or economic status.
Here are some suggestions:
- We need more buses on the road.
- Stops need to be clear of puddles and snow and ice in winter.
- We need a bus from downtown to the airport.
- We need a direct bus to the DMV/Woodmans area.
- Neighborhood stops need to be lighted so drivers can see you.
- We need better notice when bus routes change.
- Put a sign at stops showing which buses stop there.
- The circulator needs to run on weekends.
I am handicapped. I have my own transportation now but might need public transportation in the future, so I support a strong, accessible public transportation system even though I personally don’t need it at the moment.
A student friend wanted to take the bus more to reduce expenses and be greener. He lived near a bus line, but that bus didn’t go straight to UWL. He also worked after class at the Ona Y, not served by the bus. Even if he could have connected via the shared ride taxi, his work ended after MTU went hourly. It was just too hard and time-consuming.
I would love, love, love to ride the bus as I have in other cities I’ve lived in, but the nearest stop is seven blocks away. This should not be. The distance keeps my husband and I from riding the bus. I also wrecks havoc on our family in other ways. Our child with disabilities doesn’t drive and is a frequent bus rider, but because of the distance of bus stops from our home, she is often unable to come to our house for the various support services and family companionship she needs, especially after work hours when daylight is limited. This has made her life as a person with disabilities considerably harder
The nice thing about riding the bus is that you don’t have to worry about parking, waiting for a vehicle to warm up, or other complications that would arise if you drive a car.
I have always had good experiences on the bus, and one day, there was a lady in a wheelchair being helped by the driver. It was the #6 that I was waiting to board, and once the driver finished helping the lady out, it caused me to be late to my transfer point on Caledonia to get my bus home to French Island. That driver waited for me and went two blocks out of the way to make sure I was able to get home. Two drivers who are outstanding. J.C. age 48
I've been using the MTU for my transportation since 2009. I choose not to drive. I can depend on the MTU to get me wherever I need to go. Always dependable. I grew up in La Crosse and have been riding the bus my whole life. God bless MTU! For $35/month I get to work and anywhere else I need. Drivers are AWESOME. They CARE about the riders. Mary, age 60
No comments:
Post a Comment