The EARL Public Transit Program

DRC Sponsor: Shannon Duncan

The EARL Public Transit Program is a service supporting the counties of Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette, Howard, and Winneshiek, managed by the Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation (NEICAC) under the auspices of the Iowa Department of Transportation. "EARL" is not only an acronym (Easy, Affordable, Reliable, Life-Changing), it honors longtime former NEICAC Transit Director Earl Henry. The transportation service is designed for everyone and is open to the public, not limited to the elderly and disabled as is often presumed. The EARL Transit Program currently provides about 200,000 rides a year covering 1.25 million miles and is able to accommodate trips outside of the five-county area for destinations such as Mayo Rochester and Gunderson Lacrosse. Sam Castro, the EARL Transit Region 1 Mobility Manager for NEICAC, will share detailed information and history of the program since its inception in 2014.