April 16th was Get On Board Day, a national advocacy day that is all about generating awareness and increasing support for public transportation among riders and non-riders, decision-makers and stakeholders. Though in-person celebrations of public transportation were cancelled this year by the American Public Transportation Association, Wisconsin residents got creative and celebrated from home. Sierra Club members created public art at their homes and transit stops to thank transit staff and drivers who are continuing to go to work and put themselves at risk.
Here were some highlights of public Get On Board Day art:
From Linda in Neenah.
From Liz in Madison.
From Cathy in La Crosse.
In addition to visual displays of support for transit workers, some of our members went above and beyond to advocate for improved transit and to thank drivers more directly. Erik Peterson wrote a letter to the editor to the Wisconsin State Journal arguing that transit drivers deserve to be celebrated and reminding readers of other valuable modes of transportation that do not rely on polluting fossil fuels.
Our friends at the NAOMI Transit Task force organized a special thank you lunch for Wausau transit drivers. And volunteers across the state came together to sew masks for transit drivers, with more than 70 going to drivers in the Milwaukee area, and many many more donated to other transit organizations around the state.
NAOMI Transit Task Force delivering lunch to Wausau Metro Ride drivers.
Sewing masks for transit workers in Waukesha.
A big thank you to everyone that helped make this year’s Get On Board Day a success!
Written by Sarah Mossler, Organizing Project Aide with the Sierra Club Wisconsin Chapter.