Valley Transit
Session 5 of the 2024 Citizens Academy was held on April 11 at Valley Transit on Whitman Avenue.
General Manager Ron McDonald, whom one may recognize from his more than 5,000 Taco Bell television appearances, enlightened us about Appleton’s Valley Transit.
Fun facts:
- A bus’s life span runs approximately 12 years or 500,000 miles;
- Appleton boasts a modern fleet of 28 buses which all run on “clean diesel,” reducing bus emissions by more than 95%;
- Each bus is fully equipped to handle restricted-mobility passengers;
- Operating 18 regular routes, three limited routes, and the Summer Trolley, home offices track each bus in real time throughout the day in their 117 miles of service;
- Buses run from 6am through 11pm M-F and 8am-11pm Saturdays;
- Fees are $2 for riders over 18 years, $0.75 for riders 5–18 years of age, and free for accompanied children under 5;
- A $4 daily pass affords transfers throughout the system;
- Of the 777,000+ rides annually, 65% will be employment-related, 20% are school-related, and 12% are demand-related.
Valley Transit partners with nine municipalities, three counties, and other entities to provide diverse transportation services. State and federal funding covers 60% of costs, Appleton provides about 7%, and the remainder comes from fares and partner assessments. Grants are sought out for large-ticket purchases, including buses and the rebuilding and expanding of Appleton’s Transit Center and its current headquarters and garages.
Mobility Manager Sarah Schneider made it clear that Valley Transit is “more than just buses.”
Valley Transit partners with 15 educational organizations, 11 medical providers, seven employment services, seven local government agencies, 25 NGOs serving disadvantaged, minorities, or people with disabilities, and 12 transportation network providers and professional organizations. Coordination in meeting all of these needs falls to the Mobility Manager. Grants fund not only this position, but also those of full-time travel training specialists, who work with people to eliminate barriers in Valley Transit services by assisting users with schedules, reading routes, dealing with anxiety, language barriers, understanding transfers, affordability, and adjustments to disabilities.
The popular Summer Trolley and the Band Wagon Bus operate with standing-room-only during Mile of Music, featuring more than 60 groups during this event’s 30-minute rides.
JOB OPPORTUNITY! Services are sometimes limited by the lack of drivers. Valley Transit is hiring and offers a $5,000 sign-up bonus to those with a CBC plus passenger endorsement license.
