Wisconsin grant helps restore bus service to rural areas

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A new bus service was revealed during Superior Days meetings with administrators Tuesday. According to Ashland Mayor Bill Whalen, a bus company will be offering inter-city service connecting Ironwood in Michigan, Ashland and other area cities with Duluth, Rice Lake, the Twin Cities, Madison and Milwaukee.

“It’s going to open the world up to us again,” he said.

Until four years ago, the area had Greyhound bus service.

“Ever since Greyhound pulled out, we’ve been trying to find another company to service our area,” said Tom Waby, manager of Bay Area Rural Transit, or BART. For a time, residents could travel to Duluth on Isle Vista Casino buses, but that partnership ended. The new intercity line, which is being started up with a state grant, will run seven days a week, Waby said. The BART would act as a regional feeder of local riders to the new bus line.

Waby and Whalen declined to name the company that will operate the intercity route, but did say that the service could start soon.

“It’s a done deal,” Whalen said.

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