By Heidi Stang

Published: Jan. 5, 2022 at 6:14 PM CST|Updated: 19 hours ago

Bayfield, WI-- Residents in Bayfield County will soon have a new on-demand transit option.

BayCo Door2Door will be a van service offered by Bay Area Rural Transit, BART, that can transport riders anywhere within Bayfield County, to Ashland or Hayward.

Transportation will be open to all residents. Organizers hope to begin the program by the end of the month but are currently in the process of hiring drivers.

According to Carrie Linder, Aging & Disability Services Manager for Bayfield County Department of Human Services, Bayfield County is the second-largest county in Wisconsin and one of the states least populated, making public transportation routes hard to establish.

“This idea of doing a door-to-door demand service to try to meet people’s needs that way seems to be much more appropriate,” Linder said.

Transit Manager Patrick Daoust agrees, saying their old route through the south shore area was canceled as it wasn’t utilized enough.

He hopes with this new program can meet people where they are and “get the people of Bayfield County where they need to be.”

The cost has not been determined yet but Daoust says they are doing everything they can, including applying for grants, to keep it affordable “because at the bottom line this is going to be public transportation.”

BART currently offers permanent weekly routes but hopes these routes to Ashland and Hayward can connect residents to other transportation options.

Linder hopes people are aware of the other transportation opportunities available, saying that transportation is “the foundation of everything.”

For more information on BART’s current routes and services, click here.

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https://www.kbjr6.com/2022/01/06/new-public-transit-option-coming-bayfield-county/