By Matthew Baughman

Source The Leader-Telegram, Eau Claire, Wis. (TNS)

Jan. 26, 2026

3 min read

The City of Eau Claire is looking at its options for the future of microtransit and transportation on the north side.

The on-demand ride service named “Northern Lite” was first introduced to city residents in July 2025 and is operated and managed by Via Transportation in partnership with Eau Claire Transit. With American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars supporting the pilot program for a year, funding is set to expire this coming summer.

Katrina Running, transit manager for the City of Eau Claire, said, “Our Northern Lite Micro Transit program is a one-year pilot program that is funded by ARPA money, and really it came to be because our transit development plan suggested we try out a different style of transit in the areas of our city that are lower density.

“We chose to pilot the program on the north side of Eau Claire, which is currently served by a two-hour-long route throughout the day. They don’t have as frequent of service as other parts of town, and it is a lower density area and the routes, since it is so spread out, end up being longer than other areas that are more dense in the city.”

Running said currently they are starting public outreach on what will happen after the pilot.

“We want to remain cost-neutral or save money, so what we are looking at is how we can adjust the fixed route bus system to accommodate microtransit, if that’s what the residents of Eau Claire would like to see,” she said. “Right now it is going to be a big push of public participation to hear what current transit users or prospective transit users would like to see in the service that we provide them.”

Speaking more to that process, Running said they are in the stage of wanting to hear what the community values when it comes to transit and what people would like to see.

One of the options available to the city is to switch from fixed route service in the evening to micro transit citywide. Another option is to adjust the fixed routes of buses on the north side of town in order to maintain access to public transportation.

Many of the concerns Eau Claire Transit has heard so far in regards to the timeline of the pilot program is if it will impact accessibility.

“We also want to make sure that the people we’re currently serving are going to be able to remain served by microtransit,” Running said.

“We’ll be working on fixed route changes in the spring and summer, regardless of what microtransit looks like moving forward. We adopted our new transit development plan and we want to make sure that we’re implementing recommendations that would fit our community.”

In the next couple of months, Eau Claire Transit anticipates holding stakeholder meetings, issuing public surveys and looking at public engagement to identify service needs. From there, they will have more decisions made with the city council and the transit commission regarding transportation options moving forward.

Running said public feedback regarding Northern Lite and city microtransit is helpful, especially while the service is still currently operating in Eau Claire.

“Now is the opportunity to try it out and give your opinion on it,” she said. “I received many emails about things people love about microtransit or things people would want to be changed with it. We really do appreciate all the feedback.”

https://www.masstransitmag.com/alt-mobility/shared-mobility/news/55352817/wi-city-of-eau-claire-to-look-at-future-of-microtransit-with-funding-set-to-expire?o_eid=0267J0594589D4E&rdx.ident[pull]=omeda|0267J0594589D4E&utm_campaign=CPS260121032&utm_medium=email&utm_source=MASS+Daily