The Problem

In Oshkosh, our transit system effectively abandons its riders at 6:45 PM. While we pay a $2 fare similar to our neighbors, they provide a level of service that recognizes the reality of a modern workforce. In Oshkosh, a transit system that stops before the sun goes down isn't a public utility—it’s a hurdle.

A Regional Gap in Service

Our neighboring cities have already adapted to the needs of their residents, leaving Oshkosh behind. While GO Transit shuts down before 7:00 PM, Milwaukee (MCTS) keeps essential routes running 24/7. In Appleton, Valley Transit provides service until midnight through their connector program, and Green Bay Metro ensures residents can travel as late as 11:30 PM via microtransit. By comparison, Oshkosh’s 6:45 PM cutoff is not just early—it is a failure to meet the basic needs of a growing city.

The Economic Burden on Residents

Currently, Oshkosh residents are forced to rely on the Access to Jobs program or private transportation. While Access to Jobs is well-intentioned, it is a "band-aid" fix. It only serves those who meet specific income requirements, charges double the standard fare ($4), and is strictly for work.
If you don't qualify or need to go anywhere else, like the grocery store or a doctor’s appointment, the financial burden is staggering. A standard cab ride from downtown to the Highway 41 corridor typically costs about $15. For a worker making an average hourly wage, spending an hour's worth of gross pay just to get home is an impossible economic barrier.
Furthermore, our fixed-route structure is fundamentally flawed. Riders are sometimes left at satellite locations like Walmart without a clear return path downtown, creating a "halfway" service that is inefficient and unreliable.

Why It Matters

Oshkosh is a growing city, but our infrastructure is stuck in the past. Second shift workers deserve the same dignity and mobility as those working 9 to 5. Weekend workers and families should not be excluded from our transit map simply because it is Sunday. Economic growth requires a workforce that can reach their jobs and support local businesses without sacrificing their entire paycheck for a ride home.

Our Demands

We are calling on the City of Oshkosh and GO Transit to implement the following essential updates:
 1. Extended Hours: Extend service until 11:30 PM, Monday through Saturday, to accommodate second-shift workers and the evening economy.
 2. Sunday Service: Introduce Sunday routes to ensure weekend workers, shoppers, and churchgoers are not excluded from parts of the city.
 3. Logical Routing: Redesign routes to ensure consistent, bidirectional access between residential hubs, major shopping centers, and the downtown core. Adding stops near Parkview Health Center/Winnebago County Park, Jacktar/Soda Creek and the Winnebago County Jail, Waukau Ave/Hwy 45, 24th and S Main St, and Planeview Travel Plaza. Additionally, core routes like Walmart should run every 15 minutes.

Every citizen deserves the ability to get to work, get to the store, and get back home.

Sign this petition to tell the Oshkosh Common Council: It's time for a transit system that grows with Oshkosh!