decorahnews.com feature: New bus transit program promises to keep operating through 2015

EARL buses parked in Decorah at mid-day

Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation will keep operating its new commuter bus service at least through the end of 2015.

"EARL" began service to Decorah, Calmar and Cresco in January, thanks to grants from the Howard County Community Foundation and the Winneshiek County Community Foundation.  Money from those grants has run out--but the agency says it will continue to operate the commuter bus service through at least the end of the year.

NEICAC Transit Manager Jenna Sutton says the bus routes are averaging around 25 riders per week.  While the agency is working to increase that figure, Sutton says they have been happy with the response from NICC Calmar students, who now make up "the majority" of bus riders.

Sutton points out that the commuter bus service is open to all of the public and that reservations are not needed to ride the bus.

In an effort to tweak the bus operation, NEICAC starting Monday will drop the Cresco Featherlite location and add two other locations: the parking lot located west of Cresco City Hall and the Engen Express convenience store on Highway 9 in Ridgeway.

A copy of the new bus route schedules is posted here.

An individual ride on the commuter bus costs $3.00 one way and $6.00 round trip.  Books of 10 tickets are being sold for $30.  There is also an unlimited monthly pass for sale for $90 and a semester pass for students for sale at $350.

For more information, please contact Jenna Sutton at jsutton@neicac.org