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My name is Saundra, and I have been riding with Delta Area Transit Authority (DATA) for more than 16 years.
When I moved to the Gladstone area from Chicago, I was raising two young children and knew very little about the community. DATA became one of the first services that helped me get established. At the time, I was healthy, could walk without assistance, and still had my vision.
As I learned more about DATA, I became involved with Friends of DATA and later volunteered with Regional Interagency Coordinating Council (RICC). My two children and I even helped raise money by selling chocolate bars because I believed in supporting a service that was helping so many people.
Life has changed since then.
Over the years, I began losing my vision. I later moved away, and after having a leg amputated, my mobility changed significantly. Following the tragic school shooting in 2022, I decided it was time to come home to Delta County with my children, where we settled in Escanaba.
Today, DATA is no longer just something I support -- it is something my family depends on every day.
Because of my disability, DATA has become my lifeline. My son, who is now 21, rides the bus to work at Meijer. My 19-year-old daughter is confident riding the bus on her own. Having reliable public transportation gives all three of us the independence to work, shop, attend appointments, and remain active members of our community.
The proposed expansion of Friday evening and Saturday service would make an enormous difference for families like mine. Many Fridays our mail arrives too late to make it to the bank or pharmacy before they close. Saturday service would allow us to pick up important prescriptions, take care of errands and meet our family's needs instead of waiting until Monday.
People often think public transportation is only for a small number of people. I know differently because I have lived both sides of the story. Sixteen years ago, I was an active volunteer supporting DATA. Today, I rely on it every day. None of us knows what life will bring. Illness, disability, age, or unexpected events change everything.
Data is an important part of our community, and I hope voters will consider what it means to families like mine.
As I have often said, "If millage does not pass and transit stops, our lives end." I don't mean life itself ends. I mean the independence, freedom and ability to live the life we know today could disappear. For my family -- and many others in Delta County -- that is a frightening reality.
Thank you for listening to my story.
Saundra Walker, Escanaba