When discussing alternatives to driving, such as adding greenways, bike lanes, bus routes, and walkability, the most common response is something like this: “I own a car, and I like driving. Why should I care about that other stuff?”. Well, there are many reasons.

The most common reason given by transit enthusiasts is something along the lines of “you may own a car, but some people don’t and they need a way to get around the city”. This is true, there are thousands of people in Huntsville who don’t own a car and may not even have a valid drivers license, but how does that relate to you? Its not that you don’t want to help people in need, but is it really worth supporting something that you’ll never use, costs millions of dollars, and that only helps a small handful of people?

Who can’t drive?

Your first instinct may be that only homeless people don’t own and drive a car, so they would be the only people who benefit from bus service, but there are more groups who don’t drive.
Young teenagers, children, the elderly, and people with certain disabilities are all people unable to drive. While you may be able to drive, you possibly you have kids under the age of 16 or have a family member who is unable to drive due to a medical condition. Access to public transit gives these family members more mobility while requiring less of your time and energy.This gives you more free time and fewer responsibilities.
So even if you may personally not take the bus, people you know may benefit from improved bus service, allowing you to relieve your duty as a taxi for those people.

I drive alone and I’m responsible for only myself

You live alone and not responsible for any family members. You also own a car. You have the ultimate freedom and flexibility. You get in your car, turn the key… and it won’t turn on.
With a broken down car and no access to greenways, bike paths, or bus service, you are stuck at home.

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Cars are extremely complex machines. Its very likely you have been stranded at home or on the side of the road at some point in your life due to a mechanical failure. So even if you never plan to take the bus, having that option can benefit you when your car has an unexpected breakdown.

What improved bus service gives you and people around you are more options. Your ability to drive is not impacted, but your flexibility is greatly expanded.

Creating a transit system you WANT to use

Too many cities in America create a transit system that caters only to those who need public transit. While its good to provide service to those in need, it creates a bad perception that public transit is only for those in need. This is a choice cities make, a choice we can make differently.

Great public transit is transit that people WANT to take, not just those without other options. Great public transit prioritizes boarding times, with wait times of only 3 to 15 minutes. It prioritizes the most densely populated areas first, ensuring the most amount of people have access to the service and taking people to where most of the amenities are. It has priority signaling and dedicated lanes, ensuring quick service even during peak traffic. Its affordable, costing just $1 or $2 for a ticket (Uber/lyft is typically around $10 to $20 per ride).

These aren’t just my wild ideas, these are what the city of Huntsville is looking to begin implementing next year. This past summer, they launched the University Drive Transit Oriented Development Study, which is set to conclude this upcoming summer in 2026. This proposed route will serve the 3 most densely populated areas in the city; Downtown, Midcity, and Providence.

This is just a study for now, but will eventually translate to implementation with enough support. If we want to see these changes made, and implemented to its fullest potential, its important that city leaders know the project has support from its citizens.

How to show your support

There are many ways your can show your support for increasing funding for public transit. One way is by subscribing to the Strong Towns Huntsville newsletter and attending our meetings. The more members we have, then more power we have to advocate for change.

On January 6th, there is the 2026 Madison County Legislative Public Forum. This will be an excellent opportunity to sign up to speak your support for more public transit. Simply going up to the podium to say “I support expanding bus service” can have a big effect. Its much more common than you may realize for local leaders to cancel projects or legislation after just a small handful of citizens voice opposition. Just one voice helps balance or overpower voices against projects like these.

City council members are very easy to communicate with, with some of them having occasional or regular public meetings where you can discuss any topic that concerns you. At minimum, you can send them an email saying you hope to see the bus system improve.

There have been public input meetings in the past, and there will be more in the future that you can attend and voice your support or concerns. By signing up to the newsletter, you’ll stay up to date on when the next meetings are.

But most important of all, the best way to support the growth of public transit in Huntsville is to take the bus.
The most common response I get from city leaders is that for the bus system to receive more funding, it must see an increase in riders. I believe this is backwards, since to get more riders, I believe you must first improve service. But, these are the rules they go by. So for Huntsville Transit to see more funding, more people need to ride the bus. This is why I am encouraging everyone who reads this to have this one simple goal for 2026: Take at least one ride on a Huntsville bus.

If you have never taken the bus, use this as a new experience to shape your mind on what Huntsville transit is like in its current form, and what it can look like in the future with improved service. The city has a webpage that helps inform you on the cost and how to pay for the fare https://www.huntsvilleal.gov/development/streets/public-transportation/orbit/ and a page detailing the routes and frequency https://www.huntsvilleal.gov/residents/streets/public-transportation/huntsvilletransit/

Lets start 2026 with a new perspective on what Huntsville Transit is and how its future expansion could be transformative for our daily lives.