An Independent Voice for Buses

Welcome to the home page of Madison Area Bus Advocates. We are a group of bus riders and friends who aim to inform people about the reality and the possibilities of a Madison Metro Transit, to encourage system development, and to encourage bus ridership. We believe that good public transit supports the dignity and freedom of all individuals, creates an open, hospitable and welcoming community, respects the environment, opens economic opportunity to all and moves people to where they need to go. Our vision is of a vastly improved and expanded transit system. Will you help us get there? Join Us!

Recent Blog: First Look at Non-Drivers in Dane County

Madison transit overlay map

A Local AND Streamlined Rapid System

We need local AND rapid (black lines on map) transit because the area has become too large to be served adequately by only one type of bus. Rapid buses can go on major corridors and stop infrequently while local buses can go consistently in one direction, stop more frequently, and with a grid system, use naturally-occurring transfer points. System design should enable heavily-used lines to be converted to light rail in the future. Read More
Transit 2020 bus system map

Opinion: Regional Transport Authority (RTA)

The priorities of a socially fair and fiscally-responsible RTA here should be to 1) establish seamless and accessible terminals for inter-city and intra-city transit, 2) enhance our existing transit system (the bus) within and outside Madison, 3) add express or rapid buses that compete with the automobile for time and convenience, and 4) add shared-ride taxis, circulators, and shuttles for small populations. Read more
Articulated bus

Positions

February 4 is Transit Equity Day

Let's Redesign the Bus System Redesign — March 2022

We Need a Regional Transport Authority That Prioritizes the Bus in the Madison Area

Instead of Having an Intercity Bus Depot, Madison Went Backward — Aug. 2009

Bus Stop Spacing in Madison — January 2015

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"We’ll be the first generation in the history of the planet that drove to the poorhouse in an automobile" — Will Rogers, 1931