Mole Lake - A new Northwoods transit system is getting people where they need to go and giving a boost to the local economy.

The SCC Transit System is part of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation's Supplemental Transportation Rural Assistance Program, or STRAP.

The system, which began in October, takes people from Mole Lake to stops in Crandon and Rhinelander, then back again for three dollars a ride. Chris Quade is the Director of Transportation for the Sokaogon-Chippewa community.

He says this is a good program for the Oneida and Forest County economies, saying, "We're shifiting people from one town to the other and we're trying to keep their dollars within the local economy. They're not going outside of the area."

Quade says this also helps local people save gas money and is good for the environment.

He says at first they had specific stops on the route, but now they take appointments Monday through Friday for wherever people need to go along the route.

Quade says some main stops are Nicolet College and Wal-Mart in Rhinelander.

According to Quade the community received a grant from WisDOT for 96-thousand dollars for the program and will continue to receive state funding as long as the need for public transportation continues.

The program consists of a main bus, one backup bus, 3 vans, two main drivers and 3 backup drivers.

Quade adds they transport about eight to ten people a day.

For information on how to set up an appointment on the transit route you can call 715-478-7517 or click on the link to the Sokaogon Chippewa Community's website listed below.

Sokaogon Chippewa Site