By Andrea Linsmeier
The research in this publication was completed as a part of the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Rebecca M. Blank Center for Campus History. The Center seeks to expand and enrich UW–Madison’s historical narrative by centering the voices, experiences, and struggles of marginalized groups. The Center grew out of the Public History Project which culminated in the Sifting & Reckoning physical and digital exhibition in the fall of 2022, curricular tools, an event and lecture series, and a final report. By sharing research, we hope to continue conversations about the history of UW–Madison and discuss how we can all work towards building a more equitable campus community. The nature of historical research is that it will always be incomplete. It is impossible for us to know everything that happened in the past. Therefore, the research in this post is imperfect, as all history is. Our researchers have completed the research below with all of the historical documents available to them at the time of publication.
“Some of us have cars, so let’s share those resources with other women who don’t and give each other rides.” [1] That was the basic idea behind the Women’s Transit Authority (WTA) — a service that became a symbol of safety and empowerment for women in Madison. Created in 1973, the WTA’s purpose was to help prevent sexual assaults and harassment while promoting women’s nighttime mobility and independence. The organization stood as a safe and free transportation alternative for women. What started as a volunteer-driven nonprofit organization run entirely by women evolved from a desire among women to create their own safety and empowerment by supporting each other. Throughout its existence, the Women’s Transit Authority reached thousands of individuals, whether through volunteering, using the service, or simply supporting its mission. As time went on, the WTA’s impact extended far beyond its initial scope, by meeting the community’s diverse transportation and safety needs. Despite various challenges, including funding cuts and complaints, the WTA persevered for 33 years with unwavering support from UW-Madison students and the larger Madison community. Although not in existence anymore, the Women’s Transit Authority’s legacy lives on as a powerful example of women’s solidarity in supporting and empowering one another.
Beginnings and Growth of the WTA
The plan to create the Women’s Transit Authority came out of an increase in sexual assaults in 1972. The November 15, 1972, issue of The Daily Cardinal reported that in the first nine months of that year, 46 rapes were reported in Madison, compared to 34 rapes reported in all of 1971. Not to mention, the article said, how many rapes are typically not reported, meaning the reality of these numbers could have been much higher. [2] These alarming statistics and the growing concern over women’s safety prompted women to begin seeking change.
Soon, over 30 women’s groups in Madison came together to create the Women’s Coalition on Rape Prevention in early 1973. Representatives from the women’s groups that made up the coalition had several meetings with the Madison Police Department, the District Attorney’s Office and the Sheriff’s Department to investigate possible measures to combat the increase in assaults. Women proposed ideas related to safe transportation such as developing a better bus service and increasing street lighting. After what many members of the coalition deemed ineffective meetings with Madison city officials, the coalition divided itself into a set of subgroups to become their own agents of change. One of those groups was focused on providing safe transportation for women, and in spring 1973, the Women’s Transit Authority. [3]
At first, the WTA operated exclusively at night, providing services within a limited area surrounding the State Capitol, including the UW-Madison campus. It was made up of seven women volunteers who drove their own cars, only charging riders enough to cover gas. [4] This grassroots approach allowed the WTA to begin operations quickly and efficiently. At the time, only women were allowed to volunteer, and this decision was rooted in safety concerns. The organizers believed that there was no reliable way to screen male volunteers for potential threats, reflecting the heightened awareness of sexual assault risks that had prompted the WTA’s creation. [5] Despite only having one car operating the service each night, they averaged about 15 to 25 passengers per night. [6] This demonstrates the high demand for safe transportation options for women in Madison. A single driver handled pickups and drop offs, while other volunteers were at the “main base,” taking phone calls from women looking for transportation. With limited resources, drivers had to frequently stop to use payphones to contact the main base to see where the next ride pickup was. [7] Working within their limited means, the Women’s Transit Authority was beginning to quickly establish itself as a vital service in Madison, addressing safety concerns while empowering women to create a safer environment for themselves and their peers.
The WTA operated smoothly until June 1973, when local taxi companies became aware of their services. Taxi companies soon issued a complaint that described the vehicles as “unlicensed gypsy cabs” and invoked a city ordinance that prohibits charging for rides by unauthorized vehicles due to insurance concerns. As a result, the Women’s Transit Authority halted operations. It was not until the UW’s Police and Security Department, who was in support of the WTA’s mission, stepped in. They soon provided the group with two fleet cars, two-way radios, office space, a telephone, and furniture. Additionally, UW-Madison offered the WTA some work-study positions, which allowed them to have paid coordinators for the first time. With this, the Women’s Transit Authority was back in service by the fall. [8]
As time went on, the WTA grew and expanded their services. By the organization’s 10th anniversary in 1983, the WTA operated four vehicles, had over 150 volunteers and four full-time paid coordinators. Their operational area also expanded to cover some of Madison’s more distant low-income neighborhoods. Additionally, their operating budget increased, and they even received some funding from the City of Madison.
By 1993, to sustain their services after budget cuts implemented by UW-Madison, the Women’s Transit Authority offered expanded services. Daytime transportation services began being offered for trips to local health and human service agencies, as well as for educational purposes. In 1999, they started offering food assistance rides, and in 2000 they offered free rides to the polls for the fall election. [9] What started as a nighttime service, expanded its impact on their community. This, however, could not have been done without the growing number of dedicated volunteers.
Volunteers and Users
While the Women’s Transit Authority eventually allocated a few paid staff positions, much of the work of this nonprofit was done by volunteers. Throughout the WTA’s 30-plus years of operation, thousands of individuals volunteered in different roles and capacities. The WTA started with about 20 volunteers in 1973, grew to over 150 by 1981, and expanded more with over 60 new volunteers by 1991, as the number of volunteers greatly increased over time. [10] With the majority of the Women’s Transit Authority volunteers being UW students, there was a large turnover. Despite this, the WTA was able to recruit and sustain the number of volunteers needed to continue running the organization.
When the Women’s Transit Authority first started operating in 1973, only women were allowed to volunteer. These women drove the cars, answered phones, and assisted with office operations. Although it is unclear why, by 1983 men started to be allowed to volunteer in limited capacities. While they had no direct contact with the users of the nighttime service, due to access to confidential information about riders, they worked behind the scenes to ensure the nonprofit was running efficiently and smoothly. Several advertisements issued by the Women’s Transit Authority in the early to mid-1980s “encouraged men to volunteer their skills on the Women’s Transit Authority’s committees and at special events.” [11] In a 1983 letter to the editor for the Isthmus newspaper, Women’s Transit Authority volunteer Jesse Kaysen described a few ways men participated, detailing how the WTA’s “statistical record keeping system” and “computerized boundary directory exist as the result of hard work by male Women’s Transit Authority volunteers.” [12] Over the years, the role of male volunteers expanded. When the Women’s Transit Authority began offering daytime rides for individuals to medical appointments in the late 1990s, men were allowed to drive and have direct contact with the riders. [13] Although there was a gradual expansion of the role of men who volunteered with the Women’s Transit Authority, there were still restrictions. Throughout the organization’s existence, these restrictions became the source of several controversies that put WTA’s funding in jeopardy. Despite this, the male volunteers of WTA continued to be a vital part of the organization.
Over the years, many WTA volunteers provided testimonials about their experiences participating with the organization. While often providing insight into what being a volunteer looked like, these testimonials give a sense of the purpose and impact of WTA. Sue Goldwomon, one of the earliest volunteers, remembers how in the early 1970s “everybody was using their own cars.” Goldwomon volunteered with WTA for three years and noted that she met a lot of really wonderful women through the organization. [14] Another volunteer from the early days of WTA, Jenny Hobbins, returned to volunteering after spending years away from Madison. She noted that it was “one way I can become involved in the women’s community.” In a similar manner, Cathy Springer, a WTA dispatch volunteer in 1983, who was just 17 years old at the time, decided to volunteer to “take a more active position in women’s rights.” Many other volunteers conveyed their reason for volunteering as looking to do something to support other women. Another WTA volunteer from the 1980s, Donna Rounds, discussed that “sometimes I would wonder why I got myself into it, then I thought of those who were assaulted and I felt if my efforts spared even one woman that, it was well worth it.” [15] Many volunteers expressed similar testimonials, describing how even though there were no tangible rewards to volunteering, coming together to alleviate the fear of sexual assault was rewarding in itself.
Some other women decided to volunteer with WTA after using the service themselves. Annette Breedlove, a volunteer in the early 1980s, began volunteering after using WTA services for over five years. Similarly, after using WTA almost daily for years, Geree Ware decided to volunteer some of her time to “do something in return.” [16] Each volunteer may have had a slightly different reason for their participation in WTA, but collectively, their efforts and work allowed WTA to help and support women for over three decades.
Beyond the staff and volunteers, consistent user demand sustained the Women’s Transit Authority. Many WTA users expressed their gratitude for having the nighttime ride service. In the early 1980s, Alicia Lyons said that “it’s nice to know you can get a safe ride home at night, it’s scary taking buses at night.” Similarly, in the early 1980s, Nancy Meuer described using WTA as she got done working late at night and felt nervous walking home. [17] Other users described feeling a sense of relief knowing that even when feeling vulnerable at night and not having much money, they could always call WTA.
The Women’s Transit Authority often conducted ridership surveys to better understand the use of the service and community they were serving. In the 1989 ridership survey results they recorded a total of just over 20,000 rides, about 60-90 rides per night. This amounted to a total of 73,000 miles, and over 45,000 phone calls. Looking at the user statistics more closely, 53% of survey respondents were students, of which 39% were UW-Madison students. Additionally, nearly 74% of survey respondents used WTA to reach a place safely, and 38% of women would not have made their intended trip without the ride service. These statistics provide insight into the use of WTA and the community they served. [18]
Up until 1989, when this ridership survey was conducted, WTA increased their amount of completed rides. In 1986 they had 26,600 rides, while in 1987 they had 28,600 rides. In 1989, these numbers declined. After the ridership survey was conducted, WTA continued to see a slow decline in the number of rides they were completing each year. In 2001, WTA recorded just over 10,000 rides. [19] Although it is unclear what caused this decline, several factors including changing societal attitudes could have contributed.
Complaints and Funding Challenges
Throughout the existence of the Women’s Transit Authority, multiple funding scares and gender-based discrimination complaints put the organization in jeopardy. Despite this, the WTA gathered the necessary support from the community to continue their operations.
In April 1988, a formal complaint was filed with the UW-Madison Wisconsin Student Association (WSA) against the Women’s Transit Authority by UW Madison student Peter Deignan. Deignan claimed that WTA practiced gender discrimination against men, and since WTA received funding from the WSA, who’s constitution forbids discrimination on the basis of gender, that WTA should no longer receive funding from the WSA. [20] The WSA court soon determined that the gender based volunteer and user policies of WTA were justifiable, which dismissed the complaint. [21] Although this case was dismissed, this was the first time that the primarily women-run service was the source of a gender discrimination based complaint.
Later that same year, WTA faced a $20,000 funding cut from the City of Madison. The city was concerned that WTA was not doing enough to produce their own funding. They described how they thought WTA was not fundraising enough, that they had too high of administrative costs, and that they should be charging each rider 75 cents to offset other costs. WTA fought back and cited the gradual increase in fundraising amounts, the decreased administrative costs by cutting back on staff, and the founding beliefs that women in dangerous situations should not be concerned about money. [22] After the friends and supporters of WTA made calls to local officials and wrote countless letters to the editors, the City of Madison decided to decrease their proposed cut to $10,000. Although this caused a large decrease in WTA’s funding, the community support they received ultimately helped sustain a portion of that funding. [23]
Just a few years later, in 1992, WTA faced a major funding cut from UW-Madison. In late 1991, WTA received notice from the UW-Madison Dean of Students Office that their funding, about 40% of WTA’s budget, in addition to other resources, such as vehicles and office space, were in jeopardy. The university asserted that WTA did not meet the essential requirements for use of university fleet vehicles and raised concerns about discrimination against men. Mary Rouse, the dean of students in 1992, described how over time WTA had evolved to become more of a community group based on their funding sources, making their use of university fleet vehicles a substantial insurance concern. Additionally, according to Rouse, university attorneys advised suspending funding for WTA because they feared prohibiting men from using the service or participating in providing it was a clear violation of Title IX. [24] For the next few months WTA and the university tried to reach an agreement to move forward, however, this was not successful as WTA stood firm in limiting the role of men in their operations. This prompted the creation of a UW-Madison Students for WTA group, letters to the editors in support of WTA, and even a few protests. Despite this, in May, Rouse stated that she was “unable to recommend that any University funds support WTA after June 30, 1992” as she believed that WTA’s structure and program would not meet the standards put forth by university rules and policies. [25] Rouse went on to explain that the university was working on plans for an alternative nighttime transportation system. By the end of June 1992, WTA no longer received funding and resources from UW-Madison.
The final gender-based discrimination complaints that were filed against WTA occurred in 1996 and 2001. Both cases were brought forth by men and targeted WTA’s funding sources and gender-based policies. One of the cases was eventually remanded, while the other was dismissed. Despite these complaints, WTA continued operating.
The WTA’s Lasting Impact
After 33 years of supporting women in the Madison and UW community, the Women’s Transit Authority shut down on January 20, 2006. [26] The decision was made because the WTA owed more than $100,000 in back taxes. Looking for assistance from their supporters and the community, WTA put out a call for donations in hopes of keeping them in business. But the organization was unable to gather enough donations to keep them afloat.
Recognizing the large void that the Women’s Transit Authority left with their closing, the YWCA of Madison decided to step in. [27] In April 2007, just over a year after WTA closed, YW Transit began operating. Offering both free rides at night and rides during the day to medical appointments, they closely mirrored the WTA. Although they had closed, the WTA’s decades-long impact and purpose left a continuing need in the community that was soon filled by the YWCA.
Throughout their 33-year existence, the Women’s Transit Authority impacted the lives of thousands of individuals. Initially beginning as a means for women to assert their strength through mutual support and safety, WTA evolved to address broader community needs and adapt to challenges as they arose. With this, the Women’s Transit Authority relied on the dedication of their volunteers and consistent user demand. The WTA faced various challenges in their time, such as complaints and funding scares, yet the support they received from UW students and the Madison community helped them push through for decades.
In doing so, the Women’s Transit Authority fostered a sense of community among women, encouraging them to take charge of their own security and mobility. This solidarity allowed women to support and empower each other to create meaningful and impactful change.
[1] Mary Decker Kilgore, “They Drive by Night,” Wisconsin Alumnus 82(4), May 4 1981, UW Digital Collections, pg 5.
[2] “Rape All-American Crime,” The Daily Cardinal, Nov. 15, 1972, UW Digital Collections.
[3] Charlotte Feldman, “Women’s Groups Demand Protection Against Rape,” The Daily Cardinal, Jan. 23, 1973, UW Digital Collections.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Susan Podebradsky, “WTA: A History of Strengthening Through Safety,” 1991, Women’s Transit Authority records 1974-2005, Accession 2006/003, Box 3, Newsletters Folder, University of Wisconsin-Madison Archives.
[6] Ann Lamboley, “On the Road With Women’s Transit,” December 31, 1982, Women’s Transit Authority records 1974-2005, Accession 2006/003, Box 3, Newsletters Folder, University of Wisconsin-Madison Archives.
[7] Susan Podebradsky, “WTA: A History of Strengthening Through Safety,” 1991, Women’s Transit Authority records 1974-2005, Accession 2006/003, Box 3, Newsletters Folder, University of Wisconsin-Madison Archives.
[8] Ibid.
[9] “Free Rides to the Polls on Election Day,” 2000, Women’s Transit Authority records 1974-2005, Accession 2006/003, Box 3, Newsletters Folder, University of Wisconsin-Madison Archives.
[10] “WTA Achievements and Accomplishments,” 1991, Women’s Transit Authority records 1974-2005, Accession 2006/003, Box 3, Ride Program Folder, University of Wisconsin-Madison Archives.
[11] “Women’s Transit Authority Facts,” Women’s Transit Authority records 1974-2005, Accession 2006/003, Box 3, Newsletters Folder, University of Wisconsin-Madison Archives.
[12] Jesse Kaysen, “WTA Policy Explained,” January 7, 1983, Women’s Transit Authority records 1974-2005, Accession 2006/003, Box 3, Newsletters Folder, University of Wisconsin-Madison Archives.
[13] “Things you can do as a Women’s Transit Authority Volunteer,” Women’s Transit Authority records 1974-2005, Accession 2006/003, Box 3, General Information Folder, University of Wisconsin-Madison Archives.
[14] “Sue Goldwomon (1105),” transcript of an oral history conducted by Abbie Hill in 2010, University of Wisconsin-Madison Oral History Program, University of Wisconsin–Madison Archives, pg 15.
[15] Mary Decker Kilgore, “They Drive by Night,” Wisconsin Alumnus 82(4), May 4, 1981, UW Digital Collections, pg 5.
[16] “Women’s Transit Authority Celebrates 10th Anniversary,” 1983, Women’s Transit Authority records 1974-2005, Accession 2006/003, Box 3, Newsletters Folder, University of Wisconsin-Madison Archives.
[17] Ann Lamboley, “On the Road With Women’s Transit,” December 31, 1982, Women’s Transit Authority records 1974-2005, Accession 2006/003, Box 3, Newsletters Folder, University of Wisconsin-Madison Archives.
[18] “Ridership Survey,” March 1989, Women’s Transit Authority records 1974-2005, Accession 2006/003, Box 3, General Information Folder, University of Wisconsin-Madison Archives.
[19] “From the Director,” December 2001, Women’s Transit Authority records 1974-2005, Accession 2006/003, Box 3, Newsletters Folder, University of Wisconsin-Madison Archives.
[20] Peter Deignan, “Formal Complaint Against Women’s Transit Authority,” April 15, 1988, Dean of Students records 1968-2010, Accession 1999/024-41C3, Box 2, Women’s Transit Authority Folder, University of Wisconsin-Madison Archives.
[21] Susan Podebradsky, “WTA: A History of Strengthening Through Safety,” 1991, Women’s Transit Authority records 1974-2005, Accession 2006/003, Box 3, Newsletters Folder, University of Wisconsin-Madison Archives.
[22] “Help WTA Stop City Funding Cuts,” August 9, 1988, Dean of Students records 1968-2010, Accession 1999/024-41C3, Box 2, Women’s Transit Authority Folder, University of Wisconsin-Madison Archives.
[23] Jan Lathrop, “WTA Funding Restored,” December 1989, Dean of Students records 1968-2010, Accession 1999/024-41C3, Box 2, Women’s Transit Authority Folder, University of Wisconsin-Madison Archives.
[24] Mary Rouse, “Statement on safe nighttime transportation,” April 2, 1992, Dean of Students records 1968-2010, Accession 1999/024-41C3, Box 2, Women’s Transit Authority Folder, University of Wisconsin-Madison Archives.
[25] Mary Rouse, “My response to your April 1992 report,” May 6, 1992, Women’s Transit Authority records 1974-2005, Accession 2006/003, Box 3, Ride Program Folder, University of Wisconsin-Madison Archives.
[26] Pat Schneider, “End of the Road for Women’s Transit Authority,” Madison Capital Times, Jan 14, 2006, p. 1A, Proquest.
[27] Patricia Simms, “YWCA To Fill Women’s Transit Role” Wisconsin State Journal, Jan 30, 2007, p. B2, ProQuest.