Want to talk things over with Racine Mayor Dickert? Does City Hall seem a little overwhelming? Join the mayor Oct. 9, where he will hold office hours on the BUS. Starting at 2 p.m., the mayor will set up shop on various routes around the Belle Urban System. Citizens can talk over the state of the city, the budget, transit concerns, ask questions, maybe even get some answers from our city leader.
Office Hours on the BUS coincides with Transit Week as proclaimed by Governor Scott Walker. Transit Week is a time each year to promote and celebrate the transit systems across Wisconsin that contribute to the state’s economy and quality of life.
Wisconsin has 81 public transit systems including urban and rural bus systems and shared-ride taxis. These transit systems provide an affordable, and for many, necessary alternative to driving. In Wisconsin, 48 percent of riders use public transit to get to work and another 23 percent for education.
“It’s great to take this opportunity to celebrate a really valuable service. I look forward to spending time on the BUS and talking with people who don’t come to city hall for various reasons. I would love to see us able to expand the system back to where it once was. The service works best when it’s convenient for riders to get where they need to go.”
In addition to enabling people to get where they need to go, transit saves riders money and helps protect the environment. According to AAA, the total cost to drive a car is about 58 cents per mile. Households that use public transportation and live with one less car can save almost $9,000 every year.
“Transit week is a good time to remind ourselves that more than half of Wisconsin’s residents, whether they live in big cities or small villages, have access to public transportation, and that they rely on those buses and local taxis to get to work, to school, to shopping and to medical care,” said Jerry Deschane, League of Wisconsin Municipalities executive director. The League is partnering with the Wisconsin Transportation Development Association and the Wisconsin Counties Association as well as other statewide organizations.
