Riders reflect on Bus Rapid Transit system after 6 months

MADISON, Wis. — Madison’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system has been operating for a little more than half a year now.

What You Need To Know

• The East-West BRT route kicked off in September with a new fare system, center platform ticket stations, dedicated bus lanes and new buses
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• Metro Transit Chief Development Officer Mick Rusch acknowledged there’s been some growing pains, and said a big part of his work is making adjustments to the system based on rider feedback over the past six months
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• Overall, Rusch said bus ridership has increased by about 10% every month this year
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• City officials are now focused on implementing and securing funding to build the infrastructure for the North-South BRT route

Augie McGinnity-Wake, who takes the bus, said he thinks the East-West route is an upgrade for those who rely on public transportation. It kicked off in September with a new fare system, center platform ticket stations, dedicated bus lanes and new buses.

“It moves so frequently just up and down the isthmus,” McGinnity-Wake said. “It’s so easy to move around.”

Susan De Vos, the president of Madison Area Bus Advocates, is a wheelchair user and said she applauds how the new buses are more accessible for everyone to ride. 

But De Vos said bus stops are now fewer and further between. She said she’s also not happy that shorter, local routes many riders relied on for years were cut to make way for BRT.

“They had to eliminate a lot of the local routes, which is not the idea of improving a bus system,” De Vos said. “There should not be a tradeoff. It should be both. I avoid places that don’t have a bus going very often, and I take major buses. Even when I do, I’m prepared to go a long way from the bus stop to where I’m going.”

Metro Transit Chief Development Officer Mick Rusch acknowledged there’s been some growing pains, and said a big part of his work is making adjustments to the system based on rider feedback over the past six months.

“If there are things that you have concerns with, please let us know,” Rusch said.

Overall, Rusch said bus ridership has increased by about 10% every month this year.

“We’ve been rolling it up, rolling it out, getting equipment up and running,” Rusch said. “Now we want to tell people about how easy it is to ride. We want to start really promoting it.”

While riders De Vos and McGinnity-Wake may have different opinions about the specifics of BRT, they agreed that continued investment in public transportation is crucial.

“That says [the city] values public transit,” McGinnity-Wake said. “We value people using the system. We’re going to really show that to you by claiming this space for public transit.”

City officials are now focused on implementing and securing funding to build the infrastructure for the North-South BRT route.

https://spectrumnews1.com/wi/milwaukee/news/2025/04/17/riders-reflect-on-bus-rapid-transit-system-after-six-months