Wisconsin Public Transportation Association News

GO Transit to expand 'micro-transit' service between Oshkosh and Neenah

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 16:34:39 GMT

A new microtransit expansion from GO Transit could bring affordable, on-demand rides between Oshkosh and Neenah—helping more riders connect to work, services, and regional transit.

Read the Full Article Here: https://fox11online.com/news/videos/go-transit-to-expand-microtransit-service-between-oshkosh-and-neenah

Amtrak Might Open a Station in Madison but not until 2032 or Later

WIPTA Admin — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 15:57:50 GMT

A new push to bring an Amtrak station to Madison has returned despite passenger rail’s fraught history in the state.

Even if the new plans come to fruition, it would be years before anyone could board a passenger train in the state’s capital.

The timeline for constructing a Madison station that connects to a Milwaukee route stretches into 2032, according to a study released by the City of Madison last November. The study says the timing is dependent on approvals from multiple agencies as well as continued “funding availability.”

“All of these big transportation projects take six, seven, eight years from the beginning of the plan to completion,” said Tyler Byrnes, a senior researcher for the Wisconsin Policy Forum. “Or even in some cases from the beginning of the plan to starting to dig.”

A federal grant from 2023 awarded $500,000 to the state to study a route that expands existing Amtrak service to connect Madison, viewed by Amtrak as underserved, to Milwaukee and Minneapolis. The grant, announced more than two years ago, originated from the $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, signed by President Joseph Biden in 2021.

The Madison study identified a site along the Monona Lakefront near the Monona Terrace as its No. 1 choice for a rail station. Other ideas include a station near the Madison Public Market, downtown or farther west on UW-Madison’s campus. The route is not expected to operate as high-speed rail initially. Estimates suggest a trip from Madison to Milwaukee would take about one and a half hours.

A corridor along John Nolen Drive is the City of Madison’s No. 1 pick for its Amtrak station. Image from the city’s study identifying potential places for Amtrak stations.

The state has already completed the first step of a three-step corridor identification program, which was a program created as part of Biden’s infrastructure legislation. The first phase, meant to establish the project’s scope, was completely funded with federal cash. Subsequent phases, if allowed to move forward, would require local matches in addition to federal funding.

This is not the first time the state has tried to expand Amtrak service. In 2010, the federal government awarded Wisconsin about $800 million in stimulus to establish passenger rail in Madison. Former Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican elected on the back of the Tea Party movement and widespread conservative discontentment with government, rejected every last penny. A lot of the money went to California, funding a yet incomplete high-speed rail project.

“High-speed rail is an interesting thing because before Walker, it wasn’t really that political of an issue,” said Byrnes.

Tyler Byrnes, senior staff researcher at the Wisconsin Policy Forum. Photo from online bio.

Passenger rail, because it requires investment from Washington, has always depended on the political mood of the moment, Byrnes said. But he said he was surprised to see Amtrak become so divisive.

Using passenger rail, “You could get from Milwaukee to a Badger game and back or from Madison to a Brewer game and back without having to put your beer down,” Byrnes said.

Passenger rail served Madison until 1971. But the state does have three Amtrak routes.

The Hiwatha route connects Chicago and Milwaukee, and, according to the Madison study, is the sixth-busiest route outside the East and West coasts. The Borealis service connects St. Paul and Chicago, and the Empire Builder connects Chicago and the Pacific Northwest. Both the Borealis and Empire Builder routes stop in Columbus, Wisconsin, a city of about 5,500 people that’s about 30 miles northeast of Madison.

Byrnes compared Amtrak to highway projects and pointed to the effort to reconstruct 23 miles of Interstate 41 near Green Bay as an example. This project was formally written into state law in 2019. It’s set to be completed in 2030 and is estimated to cost more than $1 billion.

Rail projects also require years of planning. So the delay isn’t just red tape, he said. You have to identify the optimal routes, design them, make environmental assessments and estimate the impact on the surrounding communities.

But passenger rail does face unique obstacles.

“Portions of that rail line are owned by a private railroad company,” Byrnes said.

When Congress created Amtrak in 1970, it didn’t give Amtrak the rights to operate on existing rail lines, according to an article from the Berkeley Economic Review. In 1973, after it became apparent that freight companies were causing significant delays to passenger trains, a new federal law provided Amtrak with legal preference to use rail lines. Even so, only the U.S. Department of Justice is allowed to enforce these preference rights, which it has done very rarely. In reality, Amtrak still takes a backseat to freight trains.

If Amtrak came to Madison, it would operate on tracks that already run freight and would rent from railroad companies.

But highways, not nearly as divisive, also require federal cash, according to James Peoples, an economics professor at UW-Milwaukee. In fact, the federal government has a trust fund for highway development, he said.

James Peoples, economics professor at UW-Milwaukee. Photo from university bio.

There’s a “pretty steady flow of money coming from the highway trust fund,” Peoples said. “There’s no such fund for rail.”

Powerful lobbyists have helped policy favor freight companies to the detriment of train schedules. If you want rail, you have to get ready for a fight because the automobile lobby is strong, he said.

It’s not like this in Europe and Asia, he explained. In Europe, high-density cities are close to one another compared to the U.S. In the states, cars became the dominant form of transportation in the 1950s after President Dwight Eisenhower imported Germany’s freeway system to the U.S. American individualism itself became tied to the automobile, and the country became suburban.

“Geographically, we’re just too big for it to be cost-effective. And that was the difference,” Peoples said. “Our history here has been a history where freight dominated rail.”

In addition to the lack of demand, the costs to rent the tracks and maintain the service means “Amtrak doesn’t make money at all,” Peoples said.

In Europe, automobiles are physically smaller and gas prices are high. Those nations broadly disincentivise traveling by car, whereas the U.S. has some of the lowest fuel prices in the world.

For light-rail, like what operates within a city, you could recover the costs if you can convince Americans that it would reduce congestion.

For long-distance travel, Americans usually opt to drive or fly. Whereas in some European countries, governments have pulled subsidies for “short-haul flights” between countries, according to the Berkeley Economic Review.

But cost includes more than just gas prices, Peoples said. Consumers also need to consider externalities like the cost of waiting in traffic, air pollution and lost time.

“If you include that in the equation, then it makes sense to have light rail in high-density areas,” Peoples said. “That is a tough sale in the U.S.”

Investing in rail would also create jobs, Peoples said. The rates of car crashes also fall.

But who’s in the statehouse, the White House and Congress is important. While Biden supported Amtrak and high-speed rail, President Donald Trump’s administration has sought cuts to high-speed rail. But midterms could bring a blue tide that could strengthen the effort.

“Two years later, it may change again,” Peoples said.

https://thebadgerproject.org/2026/01/27/amtrak-might-open-a-station-in-madison-but-not-until-2032-or-later-why-so-long/

WI: City of Eau Claire to look at future of microtransit with funding set to expire

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 19:18:16 GMT

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

Southeastern Wisconsin rail plan comes back as MARK

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 15:17:51 GMT

A new effort to connect Milwaukee to Racine and Kenosha by train would take the “commuter” out of commuter rail and keep going all the way to Chicago.

The seemingly defunct KRM plan has been resurrected with a new name, a new approach and a new governing structure, borrowing from the playbook that western Wisconsin rail advocates are using to push for passenger trains linking Eau Claire to the Twin Cities.

Before it was dismantled by the Republican-led Legislature, the former Southeastern Regional Transit Authority was planning the KRM (for Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee) route as a commuter rail line from Kenosha to Racine and downtown Milwaukee, with stops in five other communities and on Milwaukee’s south side. Passengers would have been able to transfer to the Chicago area’s Metra commuter trains at Kenosha, now the northernmost Metra station.

By contrast, the new MARK Rail Commission is focusing on an intercity passenger rail line with downtown stations in Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha and Chicago. Other stops in Wisconsin or Illinois might be considered as well, said Milwaukee Ald. Bob Bauman, the commission’s secretary-treasurer.

While commuter rail systems like Metra can serve numerous communities and neighborhoods within a metropolitan area, intercity rail lines like Amtrak’s Chicago-to-Milwaukee Hiawatha stop at fewer stations and travel longer distances at higher speeds. Between downtown Milwaukee and downtown Chicago, the Hiawatha stops at Milwaukee’s Mitchell International Airport, Sturtevant and Glenview, Illinois, bypassing Racine and Kenosha.

Read the Full Story Here

New Milwaukee County bus programs tackle fare evasion, safety concerns

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 19:19:13 GMT

The Brief

- MCTS is increasing its in-house Public Safety Officer (PSO) program to boost uniformed presence at bus stops and on vehicles to deter fare evasion.
- A new pilot program will deploy plain-clothes Sheriff’s deputies on targeted routes to respond to criminal activity and major safety incidents.
- Both initiatives are funded by the 2026 budget and will launch on Jan. 19, continuing through the end of the year or until funds are exhausted.

MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) announced on Friday, Jan. 16 details about two new pilot programs to lessen fare evasion and improve safety for bus riders and operators.

New programs launched

What we know:

A news release says the 2026 Bus Fare Compliance Program will expand MCTS’s existing in-house Public Safety Officer (PSO) Program to discourage fare evasion. The programs are funded by safety initiatives that were introduced during the county’s 2026 budget process.

Second, the 2026 Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office Transit Security Pilot Program will place law enforcement on select routes to respond to significant safety and security incidents involving criminal activity.

Sheriff’s Transit Security Pilot Program

What we know:

As part of the 2026 Adopted Budget, Milwaukee County, in partnership with the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office, launched a pilot program designed to address any criminal activity on MCTS bus routes. The initiative will place plain clothes Sheriff’s deputies on targeted bus routes to enhance and supplement safety and security for operators and riders.

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The program will last through 2026, or until funding dedicated to the program is exhausted.

Passengers react

What they're saying:

"There have been situations that I’ve been in where there has been a person who is a little (off), and the driver’s really good about it. If they know they’re going to be harmful they will stop and call security to have them removed," said Kirsten Reddy, a frequent bus passenger.

On Friday morning, Jan. 16, prosecutors charged a 27-year-old passenger with punching a driver after she refused to get off the bus for more than two hours.

But it is not just passengers. This week, a bus driver was also accused of driving drunk when he hit and killed a pedestrian in Greenfield back in November.

Bus fare compliance

Dig deeper:

The 2026 Bus Fare Compliance Pilot Program will ramp up MCTS's existing PSO program to deploy uniformed security personnel at high-evasion bus stops and on buses to create a visible presence to deter fare evasion while enhancing safety.

The pilot program launches Jan. 19. It will leverage new funding to boost PSO staff hours dedicated to addressing fare evasion. MCTS will continue to expand its PSO program throughout the year and is currently recruiting more PSOs.

https://www.fox6now.com/news/new-milwaukee-county-bus-programs-tackle-fare-evasion-safety-concerns

MCTS integrates WisGo fare collection system into Transit Plus paratransit program

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 20:37:03 GMT

Riders using Milwaukee County Transit Systems’(MCTS) Transit Plus paratransit program can now pay for their rides using the WisGo regional fare collection system, either through reloadable fare cards or the Umo app.

Read the full article here:

https://www.masstransitmag.com/technology/fare-collection/news/55341235/milwaukee-county-transit-system-mcts-mcts-integrates-wisgo-fare-collection-system-into-transit-plus-paratransit-program

Eau Claire Transit to Offer Free Rides for Children in 2026

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 15:37:57 GMT

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) - The City of Eau Claire is announcing a new Transit opportunity for 2026.

According to the Eau Claire City Manager’s weekly report, as part of next year’s budget, they have funded free rides for children 18 and under (plus young adults enrolled in High School.)

This new policy will go into effect Jan. 1, 2026.

The report provides the following information regarding the new policy:

Who can ride for free? Any young person (or young adult who is still enrolled in high school) can ride for free.
Do children need to show some kind of pass? Younger children can board without showing a pass or ID, while high school students will be asked to show a student ID.
What routes serve Eau Claire Area Schools? All ECASD high schools and middle schools (as well as Altoona) can be reached by a Transit route. Both DeLong and North have “express” routes that primarily serve students at those two schools.
Does this policy cover the Northern Lite service as well? During its pilot period, through the summer of 2026, Northern Lite will also be free for young people. Children ages 13 and up can ride on their own. More information is here: Northern Lite | On-demand shared rides around Eau Claire
Can youth ride anywhere, or just to school? They can ride anywhere! The new policy is effectively a revision of our current age-based fare policy. (Currently, children over pre-school age need to pay… As of January 1st, children of all ages will ride for free.)
What’s the cost for adults riding with children or youth? Adults will pay their fares, while children will be free.

https://www.weau.com/2025/12/15/eau-claire-transit-offer-free-rides-children-2026/

MCTS to roll out two-phase service plan in 2026

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 17:40:41 GMT

MCTS to roll out two-phase service plan in 2026

The 2026 MCTS Service Plan leverages support from County Executive David Crowley and County Board of Supervisors to maximize transit and paratransit services in 2026.

The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) will roll out a two-phase service plan beginning on Jan. 11. The 2026 MCTS Service Plan leverages support from County Executive David Crowley and County Board of Supervisors to maximize transit and paratransit services in 2026.

“My administration worked with MCTS and the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors to deliver this investment in public transportation that reinforces our shared commitment to protecting essential services while balancing fiscal responsibility,” Crowley said. “Thanks to our collaborative efforts, workers and families who rely on our bus system will still have access to this essential service. As we look forward, I will continue working to pursue new funding opportunities, collaborate with partners in the community and seek out additional support from state and federal leaders to ensure people who rely on public transit in Milwaukee County can continue utilizing this important service in the years ahead.”

The plan addresses MCTS’ budget deficit through targeted reductions in service frequency on select routes during non-peak hours and will also help maintain the Transit Plus Same Day Pilot at a reduced or limited version of the current structure. MCTS says the adjustments allow the agency to continue serving every neighborhood currently receiving service while responsibly managing ongoing financial challenges that are anticipated in 2027.

The 2026 MCTS Service Plan utilizes resources allocated during the 2026 budget process to help sustain vital transit and paratransit service for riders. To address a projected $14 million shortfall, Crowley’s 2026 adopted budget dedicated $9 million in remaining federal American Rescue Plan Act funds dedicated to transit. Crowley’s budget also allocated an additional $4.7 million in funding that was approved by the county board to maximize service levels while minimizing disruptions to the community.

“I want to thank County Executive David Crowley, Chairwoman [Marcelia] Nicholson-Bovell and the county board for working together to keep our transit system strong and connected for the people who depend on it most,” said MCTS President and CEO Steve Fuentes. “Protecting routes is about protecting access—to jobs, to education, to health care and to opportunity. This decision gives us the time we need to continue engaging business and community leaders as we prepare for the 2027 budget, when we will again face significant financial pressures. We look forward to working collaboratively to ensure MCTS becomes the best version of itself.”

Phase I will maintain all existing routes. Phase II is scheduled for March 8, 2026, as MCTS continues to streamline service and ensure long-term sustainability. MCTS notes fixed route base fares will increase in the new year. The current fare is the same as it was in 2007.

Starting Jan. 1, 2026, the price of a single ride will change from $2 to $2.75. Riders who are eligible for reduced fares will see an increase from $1 to $1.25. Fare caps, which allow riders who use the WisGo card or Umo app to save the more they ride, will also change.

More information on the changes within each phase of the 2026 MCTS Service Plan and the changes to fares can be found on MCTS’ website.

https://www.masstransitmag.com/bus/news/55340170/milwaukee-county-transit-system-mcts-mcts-to-roll-out-two-phase-service-plan-in-2026?o_eid=0267J0594589D4E&rdx.ident[pull]=omeda|0267J0594589D4E&utm_campaign=CPS251217015&utm_medium=email&utm_source=MASS+Daily

MCTS Offers Free Rides and Extended Service on Some Routes on New Years Eve!

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 19:10:49 GMT

Molson Coors is once again offering free bus rides for Milwaukee County residents on New Year's Eve.

All Milwaukee County Transit System bus rides will be free beginning at 8 p.m. Dec. 31, according to a Dec. 10 Milwaukee County Transit System news release. The free fares will continue until the end of regular service on all routes.

More: What stores in Wisconsin are open and closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas 2025?

In addition to the free fare, service will be extended on the following major routes until 4 a.m. Jan. 1:

CONNECT 1 BRT: Entire route
Route 14: Entire route
Route 18: Broadway and Knapp to 121st and Greenfield
Route 21: Mayfair Mall to North Avenue and Water Tower
Route 24: Entire route
Route 30: Entire route
PURPLELINE: Entire route
BLUELINE: Entire route
GREENLINE: Entire route

"Locals and visitors alike can count on MCTS for a safe and reliable free ride to start the year off right," MCTS President and CEO Steve Fuentes said in the news release. "Whether you’re celebrating in the heart of Cream City or taking in the nightlife at any one of the county’s 19 municipalities, MCTS will get you there safely to bring in the new year."

Milwaukee is one of seven participating cities in the brewing company's Free Rides program. The program also offers free rides for some sporting events and St. Patrick's Day.

How to plan your MCTS route

You can view route maps by visiting RideMCTS.com/schedules or you can download the Umo app to plan your trip. Another way to plan ahead is by using the MCTS website trip planner feature.

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2025/12/11/mcts-will-be-free-extend-service-on-some-routes-on-nye-2025/87715233007/

Plans to save some MCTS bus routes from cuts win cautious praise

WIPTA Admin — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 17:43:56 GMT

Milwaukee County's transportation committee appeared both hopeful and cautious about the county transit agency's plans to minimize the impact of bus system cuts in 2026.

At a Committee on Transportation and Transit meeting Dec. 3, supervisors discussed the agency's latest report on how it might leverage $5 million set aside in the 2026 budget for public transit. The report recommended maintaining bus services during peak hours on six routes set for elimination, and keeping a reduced version of same-day paratransit service.

"We've been waiting for this moment," Supervisor and Committee Chair Steven Shea said as the report was introduced.

When news of the agency's significant shortfall this year reached the supervisors, it appeared as though the board faced a "horrible crisis," Shea said later in the meeting. This forward progress isn't the end of the story, but MCTS has done "a darn good job" with these recommendations, he said.

The reason for caution lies in the future projected deficits at the agency.

Milwaukee County Transit System's 2025 deficit now sits at $9 million, but the 2026 deficit is projected at $14 million.

In 2027, the agency projects the deficit will fall between $17 million and $20 million based on current service levels, MCTS President and CEO Steve Fuentes told the committee.

"I want to make sure it is fully understood that the way we start January, I would almost say with certainty, is not how we're going to end the year," Fuentes said.

Supervisor Jack Eckblad asked how it was decided which routes to restore during peak hours.

Jesus Ochoa, director of service development at MCTS, said the agency took a holistic approach that weighed ridership levels alongside demographic data such as income levels, minority populations and zero-car households.

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Supervisor Justin Bielinski asked whether it was prudent to spend $1.4 on delaying route changes until March 7, 2026, instead of Jan. 11, 2026.

"That seems like a really steep price to pay, just to delay changes for two months. I know [the agency] wanted to try to get [the route changes] out of winter months, but you could restore an entire route for a year with that much."

Ochoa said the agency's reasoning was to ensure people have enough time to adjust to the route changes. He also noted the agency would take extensive steps to notify riders about the incoming changes during that time, through the website, social media platforms, alerts on agency apps, communicating with partner organizations, as well as on-board signage and audio messages.

Supervisor Jack Eckblad asked transit officials whether they'd made headway on community partnerships that could assist the agency. Fuentes noted that the transit agency is engaged in ongoing conversations with Milwaukee Public Schools about ensuring students have adequate access to transportation.

Kevin Meyers, who is visually impaired and serves on the county's Same-Day Paratransit Pilot Task Force and the Transportation Advocacy Committee, said he appreciated the agency's efforts to maintain the same-day paratransit service.

"This is going to help individuals with disabilities to continue to work, attend high school or college, take care of routine medical and work issues and participate in community life," Meyers said.

He also asked the board and the agency to continue including feedback from users, including those with disabilities, throughout future decision-making.

Jedidiah Moss, who is legally blind and regularly uses Route 28 to get to his job at Beyond Vision, raised concerns that operating key fixed routes during peak hours may leave out workers who must arrive at jobs before or after peak hours, especially restaurant employees with whom he often rides the bus.

Fuentes said decisions about when peak-hour services will occur haven't been finalized but are being determined with ridership level data.

Members of the local transit union ATU 998, including Legislative Director Tom Stawicki and Vice President Michael Brown, raised concerns about issues with fare collection boxes on buses, which are not always accurate or in good condition. This is a problem for the agency's ability to collect revenue, they said.

Fuentes said the transit agency is working toward implementing new fare boxes within its budget constraints.

No action was taken on the report Dec. 3. The full Board of Supervisors will take up a decision on the recommendations at a future meeting.

MCTS recommended keeping buses that would have been cut during peak hours, delaying route segment cuts and keeping a reduced same-day paratransit service

The report's recommendations for spending the $5 million throughout 2026 are as follows:

Maintaining service along the six bus routes that had previously been on the chopping block, only during peak hours, which would cost $2.5 million. Those routes are 20 (South 20th Street), 28 (108th Street), 33 (Vliet Street), 34 (Hopkins Street), 55 (Layton Avenue), and 58 (Villard Avenue).
Monitoring bus use patterns and make service level adjustments throughout the year with $385,785 in contingency funds.
Keeping the same-day paratransit program afloat in a reduced form, which would cost $750,000. Last year, the program cost more than $1.4 million, meaning the county will need to limit rides solely for work or medical-related trips, reduce the number of overall trips per month or reduce its available hours, according to the report.
Delaying elimination of certain route segments until March 7, 2026, instead of Jan. 11 to give passengers more time to adjust to the reductions, which would cost an estimated $1.4 million. The route segments that would be eliminated in March are 11 (Hampton Avenue), 22 (Center Street), 24 (Forest Home Avenue), 80 (6th Street), and 88 (Brown Deer Road).

Contact Claudia Levens at clevens@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @levensc13.

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2025/12/03/plans-to-save-some-mcts-bus-routes-from-cuts-win-cautious-praise/87570459007/

Valley Transit offers up to $5,000 hiring bonus to combat bus driver shortage

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 21:18:47 GMT

APPLETON (WLUK) -- Valley Transit is offering a hiring bonus for new bus drivers amid a driver shortage.

Drivers with a commercial driver’s license with a “P” endorsement and a clean driving record are eligible for a sign-on bonus of up to $5,000.

"Our drivers play a critical role in keeping our community connected to things like employment, education and health care,” said Ron McDonald, Valley Transit general manager. “We are in need of new drivers who already have the qualifications to quickly get on the road and get our passengers to where they need to go.”

Click here to apply

Full-time positions come with a $5,000 sign-on bonus, while part-time roles offer $2,500 as a sign-on incentive. Bonuses will be awarded upon successful completion of a six-month probationary period. Employees are required to remain with Valley Transit for at least two years afterward to retain the full bonus amount.

https://fox11online.com/news/local/valley-transit-offers-up-to-5000-hiring-bonus-to-combat-bus-driver-shortage-sign-on-cdl-license-p-endorsement-driving-fox-valley-appleton-jobs-career

Pilot program proposed to combat MCTS fare evasion

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 16:44:09 GMT

MILWAUKEE, Wis. – A plan authored by a Milwaukee County supervisor would place uniformed security personnel onboard Milwaukee County Transit System buses and at select bus stops following months of scrutiny over a budget deficit and widespread fare evasion.

Supervisor Shawn Rolland’s pilot proposal would allocate $620,965 to fund the security team. It comes as the system continues to deal with passengers not paying to ride the bus following data indicating the practice reduced MCTS revenues by approximately $4 million in 2024, with a system-wide evasion rate estimated at 33% of all rides.

“It’s something that we can’t allow to exist. We all know it’s wrong. We all see it’s happening, and it has to stop” Rolland tells WTMJ.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: MCTS shares progress on budget deficit, addresses fare evasion plans

The pilot funding would come from dollars previously earmarked for security camera replacements at various County locations including the Criminal Justice Facility, which houses the Milwaukee County Jail, from the 2026 capital budget. Rolland says the cameras have artificial intelligence capabilities, and that the county board “has asked for a more robust AI policy to be put in place before approving widespread use of the technology”.

But the Sheriff’s Office took issue with that claim, calling it misleading. “While replacement cameras are capable of object identification, such as distinguishing a person from a chair, they are not facial recognition cameras” the office noted in a statement, adding they were never given an opportunity to share concerns about the reallocation with the pilot program’s sponsors.

U.S. Congressman Bryan Steil, who’s district includes some of southern Milwaukee County, authored his own “No Free Rides Act” proposal that would prohibit local transit agencies from receiving federal funds if they implement universal fare free policies. Steil cited MCTS’s fare evasion issues in his legislation.

“Federal funds are intended to strengthen and sustain public transportation, not give free rides to people who cheat the system,” said Steil. “Whether it’s refusing to simply request fare from riders, or eliminating fares entirely, these policies not only push local transit agencies like MCTS toward insolvency, but are fundamentally unfair to the hardworking families who rely on public transportation, follow the rules, and pay their fares.”

Rolland tells WTMJ because the Steil bill specifically targets transit agencies with a free fare policy, it wouldn’t apply to MCTS. “We don’t have a policy like that. We continue to have a policy where people pay to ride the bus. I pay to ride the bus every day,” said Rolland.

The fare evasion pilot will be considered by the County Committee on Fianance along with several other 2026 budget proposals October 24.

https://wtmj.com/news/2025/10/23/pilot-program-proposed-to-combat-mcts-fare-evasion/

New Madison Metro GM talks driver treatment, red lane upkeep and future of city transit

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 16:40:14 GMT

MADISON, Wis. -- Madison Metro transit is under new leadership.

Jamie Acton stepped into the role as Metro's new general manager Oct. 13, one year after Bus Rapid Transit was introduced around the city, on the heels of a new contract agreement between the City of Madison and the union representing Metro employees and following a string of assaults against bus drivers.

"We have a really great opportunity to build relationships across the board," said Acton, "whether that's with the operators, whether they're with mechanics and technicians or admin staff."

Acton tells News 3 Now she's focused on rebuilding trust between drivers and Metro leadership. Her predecessor Justin Stuehrenberg resigned from the position in May amid union contract negotiations.

Teamsters Local 120 and the City of Madison came to a three-year contract agreement in September, cementing an annual wage increase, more vacation days and new language to protect drivers against assaults on the job--something Acton says is critical.

"One of the things I think is really important is obviously de-escalation training," she said. "But also, what are other mitigation efforts that we can take?"

Metro went through a system redesign with the rollout of BRT in fall of 2024. Its signature red lanes will require upkeep for years to come.

"[You] don't ever want to put a service out that you don't have plans to maintain," said Acton about the BRT infrastructure. "So yeah, that is definitely part of our budgeting process. A lot of that will depend on our operating budget that we receive from the city, our tax revenues that we receive and then also federal funds."

Construction plans for the North-South route, which will serve as Phase 2 of BRT, should also be included in the budget process.

"Just really kind of looking at the deliverables for it. And, and looking at, you know, will it be a one-and-done full sale?" said Acton. "...Or will it be a phased approach?"

Construction for the route is set for 2027. It'll require new pavement, two new traffic signals and a new shared path for better walking and biking access.

Acton says Madison Metro has gone through a lot of growth in a short amount of time. She says she sees the start of her leadership as a time to pause and evaluate the work that's been done.

https://www.channel3000.com/news/new-madison-metro-gm-talks-driver-treatment-red-lane-upkeep-and-future-of-city-transit/article_f70dbdc6-d743-40de-9590-3dbac4900c1f.html

APTA Submits Priorities, recommendations for next Surface Transportation Authorization Act

WIPTA Admin — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 21:30:14 GMT

APTA is requesting $138 billion for public transit and $130 billion for passenger rail to help modernize systems and fuel innovation.

Aug. 21, 2025

3 min read

10422063 © Webdata | Dreamstime.com

APTA outlined four key priority areas in its response to the USDOT's RFI for the next Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill.

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) submitted its priorities and recommendations ahead of the next Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill. In its recommendations, APTA is requesting $138 billion for public transit and $130 billion for passenger rail over five years, which aim to help improve purchasing power, modernize systems and promote innovation.

APTA’s requests were in response to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) request for information (RFI) and provide a framework for job creation, boost America’s competitiveness and fuel innovation.

“When it comes to smart investments, the facts speak for themselves. Every $1 invested in public transportation generates $5 in long-term economic returns and 77% of federal public transportation investments flow to the private sector,” said APTA President and CEO Paul Skoutelas. “Public transportation drives the American economy, whether it’s saving families $13,000 a year by providing an alternative to driving, helping companies expand their U.S. manufacturing base or investing in new technologies that can be exported to the world.”

In its letter to USDOT responding to the RFI, APTA outlines four key priorities:

Build upon current investment levels for public transit and passenger rail to drive economic growth.
Advance safety, security and accessibility.
Accelerate project delivery through streamlined requirements.
Strengthen collaborative local decision-making.

APTA also asked the administration and Congress “to provide robust infrastructure investment that restores purchasing power lost to inflation over the past five years and modernizes our public transit and passenger rail networks.”

“This is not just an investment in mobility, it’s an investment in American jobs, families and competitiveness,” Skoutelas said. “The administration and Congress have a once-in-a-generation chance to put their stamp on America’s transportation future. APTA is ready to partner with [USDOT ] Secretary [Sean] Duffy, [Federal Transit Administration] Administrator [Marc] Molinaro, other key administration officials and congressional leaders in both parties to deliver a stronger, safer and more innovative system for the American people.”

APTA is also requesting additional financing tools that include upping the private activity bond cap and exempting transit and passenger rail from the federally imposed state volume caps. APTA also included recommendations for programmatic reforms to speed up project delivery and cut red tape.

“Public transportation serves as a lifeline for communities large and small across America, especially for seniors and people with disabilities,” Skoutelas said. “Rural residents with disabilities rely heavily on public transit, taking approximately 50% more public transit trips than those without disabilities. These critical investments also ensure that federal dollars improve service and accessibility to our most vulnerable users.”

https://www.masstransitmag.com/management/press-release/55311318/american-public-transportation-association-apta-submits-priorities-recommendations-for-next-surface-transportation-authorization-act

Racine to Vote on Forming Regional Passenger Rail Commission

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 15:52:32 GMT

The Racine Common Council is set to vote Tuesday on whether to formally join Milwaukee and Kenosha in establishing the Milwaukee-Area-Racine-Kenosha (MARK) Passenger Rail Commission, a collaborative effort aimed at advancing intercity passenger rail service along the southeastern Wisconsin corridor.

If approved, Racine would authorize Mayor Cory Mason and the City Clerk to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with the cities of Milwaukee and Kenosha to create the commission under Wisconsin Statute § 66.0301.

A path to federal passenger rail investment

The proposed MARK Commission would function as a legally recognized public entity capable of applying for and managing state, federal, and private funding for passenger rail initiatives. This includes eligibility for the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Corridor Identification and Development (CID) Program—an essential step in planning future service along the Union Pacific-Kenosha Subdivision line.

Transit & Mobility Director Trevor Jung’s memo describes the effort as a strategic and collaborative step toward a more connected Southeastern Wisconsin.

“The MARK Passenger Rail Commission will be an organized and strategic entity advocating for passenger rail investment in Southeastern Wisconsin, specifically on the Union Pacific-Kenosha Subdivision line,” Jung said.

Racine has already received $5 million in Congressionally Directed Spending, secured with support from U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, to study service design and funding models for the corridor.

Why it matters

Passenger rail expansion along the MARK corridor is framed as a strategy to:

Stimulate economic development near station areas
Expand access to jobs by connecting Racine to Chicago and Milwaukee
Encourage tourism and regional collaboration
Reduce traffic congestion and environmental impacts through sustainable transit

The effort also aligns with long-term transportation plans like Vision 2050 and the Wisconsin Rail Plan 2050, both of which identify commuter rail as a priority for regional connectivity.

Structure and oversight

Initially composed of appointed commissioners from each founding city, the MARK Commission would:

Oversee feasibility studies, station planning, and land use coordination
Serve as a forum for regional decision-making
Lead public engagement and advocacy efforts
Operate under open meetings and public records laws

Additional municipalities along the corridor could join the commission in the future by mutual agreement of the founding members.

What’s next

If Racine adopts the resolution on Tuesday, the city will join Milwaukee and Kenosha as founding members and begin negotiating the final intergovernmental agreement. The commission’s formal launch would follow once all three cities adopt similar resolutions.

Where will the Racine Common Council meeting be held?

The Racine City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 19, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at the Racine Public Library, 75 7th Street, in the Community Room.

Learn more

The MARK Commission proposal appears on the agenda as Item #0816-25.

https://racinecountyeye.com/2025/08/18/racine-passenger-rail-commission-vote/

Milwaukee Bus Riders Brace for Biggest Changes in Years

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 16:06:03 GMT

New stops, more frequent service on select routes, and reductions are coming August 24 as MCTS alters 40 routes to better serve passengers amid a budget shortfall

The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) is preparing for its largest service overhaul since the system redesign in 2021. Starting August 24, 40 of the system’s 46 routes will be impacted—bringing a mix of expanded service, new routes, and efficiency reductions

By: Meryl Hubbard

Posted 5:00 AM, Aug 06, 2025

MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) is preparing for its largest service overhaul since the system redesign in 2021. Starting August 24, 40 of the system’s 46 routes will be impacted—bringing a mix of expanded service, new routes, and efficiency reductions.

The fall service updates are part of the MCTS MOVE 2025 Plan and were shaped by feedback from both the community and MCTS drivers. Riders will see 95 new bus stop locations and four brand-new routes, including:

Route 59 on Drexel Avenue
Route 73 on Mill Road
Route 74 on South 43rd Street and Miller Park Way
Route 82 on South 13th and Howell Avenue

Walter Missouri, a frequent rider of Route 57, said the service is often a slow one.

“My experience on the 57 is — it's a wait — okay. If you missed the 57 you know it take a while to come,” Missouri said.

Route 57, Route 63 and the BlueLine are set to receive more frequent service during peak hours. Missouri said the increased frequency will be a welcome change.

“Blessing! Big time positive, especially 57 too. That gonna be a good, positive routine for that, that bus,” he said.

However, MCTS confirms that the same route will see reduced service on weekends and midday due to budget constraints.

Watch: Milwaukee bus riders brace for biggest route changes in years

MCTS is currently facing a $10.9 million deficit, the result of unexpected expenses and lower passenger revenue. Starting August 24, an about 20,000 hour reduction in service levels will be in effect through the end of the year, according to its website. Those reductions will primarily impact non-peak weekday high-frequency routes with the lowest midday ridership, as well as frequency levels on Saturdays.

Despite the service cuts, many riders say the bus system remains a reliable way to get around the city.

“As long as it's in Milwaukee, you can get anywhere you need to go. I like the bus transit system,” said Anthony Rogers, a Milwaukee bus passenger. “I think they do a pretty good job at coming on time.”

For others, the service changes are long overdue.

“About time, that's all I can say — about time,” said rider Ulinder Baskin. “Reason why I moved over here, is I have all those different bus routes to go.”

Riders can preview the full list of route updates starting August 11 at RideMCTS.com.

USDOT Assistant Secretary for Tribal Affairs Sworn Into Office

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 21:06:41 GMT

USDOT assistant secretary for tribal affairs sworn into office

James A. Crawford joined the U.S. Department of Transportation in May 2025 as the deputy assistant secretary for tribal affairs.

Related To:

U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)

July 16, 2025

2 min read

USDOT

Crawford served in multiple capacities within Forest County Potawatomi’s tribal government.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has a new assistant secretary for tribal affairs. James A. Crawford, a citizen of the Forest County Potawatomi Community of Wisconsin, was sworn into office July 11.

“I am going to deliver on President [Donald] Trump’s and Secretary [Sean] Duffy’s promises to work with the 574 federally recognized tribes across this great nation,” Crawford said. “I look forward to the opportunity to strengthen their sovereignty with the department’s Tribal Transportation Self-Governance Program, and I’m proud to represent my tribe of the Forest County Potawatomi Community in Northern Wisconsin.”

Crawford, who joined USDOT in May 2025 as deputy assistant secretary for tribal affairs, has extensive experience in tribal affairs. He served in multiple capacities within Forest County Potawatomi’s tribal government, including vice chairman, council member, secretary and most recently, resigning his tribal chairman position to take on the role of USDOT deputy assistant secretary.

During his time as tribal chairman for Forest County Potawatomi, the department says Crawford signed off on the compact and funding agreement with USDOT for Forest County Potawatomi to join the USDOT Tribal Self-Governance program on Aug. 19, 2024.

Crawford was awarded the Madison365 Wisconsin’s most Influential Native American Leaders 2023 and the BizTimes Media Wisconsin 275 Most Influential Business Leaders in 2024. He was the initial chairman of the board of directors for the Potawatomi Business Development Corporation, which is now Potawatomi Ventures.

Introducing Northern Lite: Eau Claire's New On-Demand Ride Service

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 16:21:07 GMT

Introducing Northern Lite: Eau Claire’s New On-Demand Ride Service!

Post Date:07/16/2025 4:32 PM

Introducing Northern Lite: Eau Claire’s New On-Demand Ride Service!

Getting around the north side of Eau Claire just got a whole lot easier. Beginning July 22, 2025, Eau Claire Transit is thrilled to launch Northern Lite, a brand-new on-demand, curb-to-curb transportation option designed to get you where you need to go.

This innovative program offers residents a flexible, convenient transportation option for the same price as a bus ticket; standard fare is just $1.75. Have an Eau Claire Transit bus pass? Use it with Northern Lite!

Northern Lite enables anyone to book and pay for an on-demand shared ride for travel within the designated service zone through the app or by calling to schedule a ride. The program is designed to complement existing Eau Claire Transit by providing an easy, affordable connection to and from the transfer center or to other locations within the service area.

"Microtransit has the potential to be a flexible, cost-effective way to connect more residents to work, school, and services—especially those who’ve been underserved by traditional transit,” Says Nate Otto, At-Large City Council representative. “If successful, Eau Claire will have a more accessible and inclusive transportation system for our community."

Book Your Ride!

Download the app – the Northern Lite by EC Transit app is free and available for both iOS and Android.
No smartphone? No problem. Book a ride by calling 715-202-6757.
Get to your destination through the app or head to the transfer center to connect to a fixed-route bus to get you there!

How does it work?

Once you book your ride, the app’s technology will match you with other riders headed in the same direction, creating quick and efficient shared trips that help keep costs low.
Riders are directed to “virtual bus stops” (typically a short walk away from their pick-up and drop-off location), which minimizes detours and keeps trips running smoothly for everyone.
The program will operate Monday to Friday, 6:45 a.m. to 6:45 p.m.
Riders with mobility issues can request door-to-door services and wheelchair-accessible vehicles.
Want to know more? Visit the FAQ at https://city.ridewithvia.com/eau-claire

Northern Lite by EC Transit is the perfect solution for busy parents, students, older adults, workers on the go—anyone who wants to get around without the stress of driving or the cost of a car.

This program was funded for a one-year pilot program by the City Council using ARPA funding. The intent of the program is to trial this transit service model for areas of relatively low density in our community to better connect folks to the fixed route Eau Claire Transit bus system.

This pilot program is being operated and managed by Via Transportation in partnership with Eau Claire Transit.

Media Inquiries may be directed to Katrina Running, Eau Claire Transit Manager, by calling 715-839-5120.

RYDE Racine Launches #WhyWeRYDE

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 17:00:07 GMT

RACINE, WI — A new campaign from RYDE Racine puts bus riders front and center to show how public transportation shapes daily life in Racine for the passengers who use it.

The #WhyWeRYDE campaign, launched this summer, features real residents sharing their stories of how they rely on public transit to get to work, school, medical appointments, and more. With photos and video testimonials, RYDE Racine is offering a more personal look at the people behind the ridership numbers.

Trevor Jung, Transit & Mobility Director for the City of Racine, said the campaign is designed to connect with people who may not use the bus system but should understand its value.

“By telling real people’s stories, you can really connect with people who might themselves not take public transportation, but who then can see the value in it as a service,” Jung said.

Campaign features real RYDE Racine users

To find the people featured in the campaign, RYDE Racine used a mix of outreach tools, including a survey shared on social media, posters at the transit center, and signs on buses asking riders to nominate themselves or someone they know. From those responses, a diverse group of participants was selected to reflect the range of rider experiences in eastern Racine County.

So far, the campaign has featured:

Bill Anderson, who uses the bus to get to work at Twin Disc:
“It’s so convenient… just $2 a ride compared to nearly $20 with a rideshare service. The bus drops me right at my job’s doorstep.”
Michelle Gonzalez, a student-turned-full-time employee who came to Racine from abroad:
“At first it was intimidating… but the drivers were so nice. They helped me figure out which bus to take and where to get off. Now it’s easy.”

Michelle now rides the bus to work, run errands, and explore her new city, she said in a post on the RYDE Racine Facebook page.

“I don’t understand why more people don’t use it,” the post continues.

Why transit matters locally

Despite perceptions to the contrary, RYDE Racine provides over one million rides each year. Jung said one of the most frequent comments from non-riders is the belief that “nobody rides the bus”—a myth this campaign challenges directly.

The need for public transit is especially strong in city centers, where vehicle ownership is lower than in surrounding suburbs.

In Milwaukee, for example, 18% of households don’t have access to a car. In neighborhoods like Harambee and Amani, that figure rises above 30%, according to data from the City of Milwaukee and neighborhood surveys. By contrast, suburban areas in the region typically see car ownership rates well above 85%.

Local data show that Racine’s urban households are significantly more likely to be without a car compared to suburban neighbors in Mount Pleasant or Caledonia.

While exact figures vary by neighborhood, Jung said residents in city centers like Racine, Milwaukee, and Kenosha are twice as likely to lack access to a personal vehicle, making public transit an essential service.

Building a more connected future

Jung said the most common sentiment from riders is one of gratitude. For many, the bus system provides independence, stability, and a path forward.

“This gives them freedom and mobility… to support themselves and their families, to get to doctor’s appointments… a sense of gratitude for this service existing.”

He also sees the campaign as part of Racine’s broader effort to retain young talent. More young professionals, he said, are looking for communities where they don’t need to rely on a car.

“You can still have a productive and liberating life that doesn’t need to be strapped to an individual’s personal vehicle,” Jung said.

Follow the #WhyWeRYDE campaign on RYDE Racine’s Facebook and other social m

https://racinecountyeye.com/2025/07/16/ryde-racine-whyweryde-campaign/

WI: Racine bus route expands to service new Social Security office

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 17 Jun 2025 15:33:30 GMT

RYDE Racine, the City of Racine's public transit system, is offering service to the recently relocated Social Security Administration office, effective June 11.

Route 27 now stops at the Racine SSA office, located at the Mount Pleasant Commerce Center at 13200 Globe Drive, Suite 208.

The office's former location at 4020 Durand Ave. closed May 9.

RYDE Racine Transit and Mobility Director Trevor Jung said the route expansion is a response to the many calls the city's transit department received from residents who were concerned about access to the new SSA office.

"This route expansion support those living in RYDE Racine's service area by removing transportation barriers to vital federal services," Jung said in a statement from the city.

Jung said Route 27 will make 10 daily stops at the SSA office on weekdays.

RYDE Racine route schedules and updated maps reflecting the new stop are available at www.ryderacine.com or by calling 262-637-9000.

https://www.masstransitmag.com/bus/news/55297538/wi-racine-bus-route-expands-to-service-new-social-security-office

City of Madison Announces New Transportation Director

WIPTA Admin — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 13:52:18 GMT

MADISON (WKOW) -- Christof Spieler has been appointed as the new director of transportation for the city of Madison, Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway announced Wednesday.

Spieler brings extensive experience in transportation and urban planning, having worked with cities such as Albuquerque, Boston, Houston, Dallas, and Philadelphia.

Currently vice president and director of planning at Huitt-Zollars in Houston, Spieler will lead Madison's Department of Transportation, including the Traffic Engineering Division, Metro Transit, and the Parking Division.

"I'm thrilled that Christof is bringing his impressive skillset and experience to the Transportation Division. Madison's urban character and unique geography require an innovative approach to how residents move around our city," Rhodes-Conway said.

Spieler expressed enthusiasm for his new role, stating, "I'm incredibly excited about the opportunity to direct Madison's transportation work."

His first day will be July 21.

https://www.wkow.com/news/city-of-madison-announces-new-director-of-transportation/article_90cb73f3-7447-4e44-b98e-726f04c62350.html

MMSD Students Ride Metro Transit Free All Summer!

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 16:16:10 GMT

Free Summer Youth Passes

Metro Transit and the Madison Metropolitan School District are once again partnering to provide free summer bus passes to all Madison students living in the City of Madison in grades 6 through 12, including graduating high school seniors.

Passes allow students to ride Metro FREE all summer long, making it easier to get to jobs, athletic camps, and other fun summer destinations.

Already have an MMSD Fast Fare Pass?

Keep using your existing pass all summer!

Need a Pass?

Get a virtual pass through the Metro Transit Fast Fares app!

Android(link is external) | Apple(link is external)

Virtual passes are valid from Friday, June 12, through Monday, September 1, 2025.

Physical cards will also be available upon request by emailing mymetrobus@cityofmadison.com.

How to Get Your Virtual Pass

Email mymetrobus@cityofmadison.com from your student email! Add "Summer Youth Pass" to the subject line.

Complete Virtual Pass Instructions

Printable Flyer & Instructions(opens in a new window)

Help the Environment!

Riding transit is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint! A typical trip on public transit emits 55% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than driving alone.

Ride Metro’s new routes to the list of fun summer destinations below. If you’ve never taken a ride on Metro, use this summer’s pass to give it a try!

Plan Your Trip!

Plan your trip, track your bus, and get real-time arrival info.

Metro Bus Tracker

Ride Metro’s new routes to the list of fun summer destinations below. If you’ve never taken a ride on Metro, use this summer’s pass to give it a try!

Fun Summer Destination	Served by Route
Capitol Square	A, B, E, F, R
Central Park/Skate ground	A, B, C
Elver Park –	H
Goodman Park/Pool	O
Kohl Center	A, B, C, D, E, F, R
Lakeview Park/Splash Pad	F
Madison Library (Downtown)	A, B, E, F, R
Madison Children’s Museum	A, B, E, F, R
Olbrich Botanical Gardens	C
Wisconsin Historical Museum	A, B, E, F, R
UW Geology Museum	A, C, D, F, O, R
Vilas Zoo	O

Out-of-Town or Elementary Students

Passes are also available for purchase for youth who do not qualify for a pass. Ride all summer for $35.00.

Pick them up at Metro Transit (1245 E. Washington Ave., Ste. 201.)

https://www.cityofmadison.com/metro/fares/youth-pass/summer

Gov. Evers: Evers, WisDOT, DWD announce over $4 million to expand access to transportation, help reduce barriers for joining the workforce

WIPTA Admin — Wed, 28 May 2025 16:43:08 GMT

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), today announced over $4 million in Wisconsin Employment Transportation Assistance Program (WETAP) grants for organizations across 54 Wisconsin counties to expand access to employment-related transportation opportunities and promote Wisconsinites’ ability to enter and remain successful in the workforce. Funded by the Federal Transit Administration and state funds from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) and WisDOT, WETAP is designed to help local communities address unique transportation needs to ensure transportation access is not a significant barrier to Wisconsinites seeking and retaining employment.

“Whether your family car needs repairs, you’re working the night shift when public transit options are limited, or there’s no bus route close to home and work, if there’s a bus at all, transportation can be a significant barrier for Wisconsinites in finding and maintaining gainful employment,” said Gov. Evers. “Wisconsinites are hard workers by nature, but you’ve got to have a way to get to work in order to work hard and put food on the table. So, I look forward to seeing how these grants will help close gaps in communities across our state to help fill available jobs, get folks to work, and build the 21st-century workforce and infrastructure we need to support a 21st-century economy.”

“Lack of transportation can be a significant barrier to getting and keeping jobs for many people in Wisconsin,” said WisDOT Secretary Kristina Boardman. “Supporting these transportation options will help to improve economic outcomes not only for these workers, but the for the entire state. WisDOT applauds and supports these community organizations that are working to address transportation needs for workers in every county.”

“Not much means more to a family than a good, stable job,” said DWD Secretary Amy Pechacek. “After a year of record employment in Wisconsin, we will continue to fight to remove barriers to work and connect skills with opportunities in a new environment of unpredictability.”

WETAP supports several initiatives to ensure Wisconsinites have access to the transportation they need, including:

New or expanded transportation services that address the employment-related transportation needs of eligible low-income workers;
Shared solutions such as ridesharing, public transportation expansion, vanpools, or carpools;
Individual solutions, such as car repair or used car loan programs; and
Coordinated transportation solutions that address gaps in service and streamline community efforts.

Wisconsinites looking for help under WETAP can find the contact information for the organization working in their area here.

This announcement builds upon Gov. Evers’ efforts over the last six years to prioritize improving Wisconsin’s transportation aids and infrastructure to ensure the state has the 21st-century infrastructure workers, businesses, and visitors depend on. The 2019-21 and 2021-23 Biennial Budgets, signed by Gov. Evers, both included an increase of $250,000 annually for WETAP, bringing the state’s investment to over $830,000 annually. The governor also proposed an increase of nearly $127,000 for WETAP in his 2023-25 biennial budget. However, Republican members of the Joint Finance Committee rejected the governor’s proposed increase. The 2023-25 biennial budget signed by Gov. Evers did, however, provide a two percent increase in mass transit aids to assist local transit systems, as well as a four percent increase in paratransit aids, and increased funding for specialized transit aids for seniors and people with disabilities.

Additionally, Gov. Evers included several efforts in his 2025-27 Executive Budget to promote transit accessibility, such as raising state support of mass transit aids to help provide Wisconsinites better access to jobs, education, friends and family, healthcare, and entertainment; increasing funding for programs supporting seniors and people with disabilities, paratransit, and employer-sponsored commuting options; increasing funding for programs that assist populations with specialized transit needs and job access; and more.

Click Here for the List of Grant Recipients

Oneida Nation Public Transit Celebrating Their New Home!

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 22 May 2025 15:47:30 GMT

ONEIDA, Wis. (WFRV) – The new home for the Oneida Nation’s Public Transit system is officially open, as representatives gathered to celebrate with a ribbon-cutting on Thursday afternoon.

The new space features more than just offices and garages, it includes a washing bay for Oneida Transit and servicing areas to ensure the transportation operations work smoothly.

Fares within the service area vary from $1 to $1.50; however, people at least 55 years old or older ride for free.

The new facility is located at N7341 Water Circle Place in Oneida, under the Water Tower on Highway 54.

Additional details and updates on service dates can be found on the Oneida Nation website.

https://www.wearegreenbay.com/news/local-news/oneida-nation-public-transit-system-celebrates-opening-of-new-facility/

MCTS Launches Two Bus Apprenticeship Programs

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 15 May 2025 13:25:14 GMT

The apprenticeship event featured remarks from state and county leaders, a ceremonial apprenticeship signing, and a presentation of toolboxes and gear to the inaugural class of apprentices,

The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) launched two apprenticeship programs in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) and the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU). Wisconsin’s coach/bus mechanic and bus operator registered apprenticeship programs are the first transit apprenticeship programs in the state.

"Wisconsin Apprenticeship helps develop a skilled workforce to meet industry needs and provides pathways to in-demand jobs like those in the transit field at MCTS," said DWD Secretary Amy Pechacek. "With record-breaking numbers of registered apprentices and youth apprentices, the broad appeal of apprenticeship is clear. It is an incredibly successful program for launching careers and building the workforce Wisconsin needs."

MCTS Interim President and CEO Julie Esch said, “Millions of people rely on public transit to get to work. We encourage other transit agencies across the state to start a similar workforce initiative to address the shortage of bus operators and mechanics. This shortage comes in the face of a growing trend of increased bus ridership in Wisconsin.”

About the coach/bus mechanic apprenticeship program

MCTS is offering an 18-month registered apprenticeship program for mechanics through the Wisconsin DWD Bureau of Apprenticeship standards. Once the apprentices fulfill program requirements, they can move into mechanic positions with MCTS. The curriculum consists of hands-on learning and mentorship at MCTS.

The agency notes that because there is a lack of a toolkit to moving up the career ladder into a mechanic position, it will award each mechanic apprentice with a set of tools valued at $4,000 for their training, which will become the apprentice’s own when they complete the program.

Each apprentice will earn between $30-$33 per hour (depending on their position prior to starting the program). Each trainer will receive an additional $4 per hour above their current wages for their time invested in the apprentices.

The apprentices will receive a coach/bus mechanic journey worker’s card issued by the state upon completion of the program. MCTS notes the goal is to begin each 18-month program with two mechanic apprentices.

About the coach/bus operator apprenticeship program

MCTS is offering a 12-month registered apprenticeship program for new bus operators through the Wisconsin DWD Bureau of Apprenticeship standards. In addition to on-the-job learning, MCTS says apprentices will also meet with a mentor who will provide additional guidance to ensure the long-term success of the apprentice.

The apprenticeship program is expected to improve the retention of new bus operators. MCTS notes the operator apprentices are selected both internally and externally for the full-year program. Each candidate will also be trained incustomer service skills.

Each operator apprentice will be assigned to a mentor. The mentor will be a current MCTS employee who can coach the new employee and share experiences. All the mentors have been bus operators at the agency for at least three years.

MCTS notes each apprentice will earn $24.54 per hour. Each mentor-trainer will receive an additional $2 per hour above their current wages for their time invested in the apprentices.

Apprentices will receive a coach/bus operator journey worker’s card issued by the state upon completion of the program.

MCTS’s goal is to begin with an inaugural group of 25 operator apprentices and two mechanic apprentices. The agency is now accepting applications for the next class in the fall.

“Congratulations to our ATU Local 998-Milwaukee and MCTS for establishing Wisconsin’s first registered coach/bus mechanic and bus operator apprenticeship programs. As a leader in developing workforce development programs in the transit industry, our union knows these programs are critical in preparing transit workers for the challenges on the job and helping them to advance careers,” said ATU International President John Costa. “Collaboration with union and management works because our members know the demands of the job better than anyone. We believe these innovative programs will serve as a model for transit agencies across Wisconsin.”

Metro Transit ridership in April surpasses pre-pandemic numbers for first time

WIPTA Admin — Wed, 14 May 2025 15:35:28 GMT

Outgoing Metro Transit General Manager Justin Stuehrenberg attributes the ridership increase to the September 2024 rollout of bus rapid transit in Madison.

Bus ridership in the Madison area surpassed pre-pandemic levels for the first time this April. Ridership on Metro Transit last month hit more than 1.3 million, the highest recorded that month in nearly a decade.

“We're excited to see that it not only exceeded 2019, but is the highest since 2015 in April,” says Metro Transit General Manager Justin Stuehrenberg, who will leave the agency May 30. “Metro's peak ridership was in 2014 and then [was] slowly going down, even before COVID.”

Ridership in April 2019 was at 1.26 million. Other cities have struggled to recoup their pre-pandemic ridership numbers, and Stuehrenberg says there’s “only a handful” of agencies nationally that have surpassed pre-pandemic ridership: he mentions Spokane, Nashville, Tucson, and Richmond, Virginia, as examples. Those agencies, he says, have either gone fare-free or “undertaken pretty substantial service enhancements.”

It’s a strong bounceback for the agency. The nonpartisan Wisconsin Policy Forum found in 2022 that Metro’s ridership numbers were “alarmingly low” after the pandemic. Systemwide ridership in 2019 totaled an estimated 12.9 million rides. In 2024, Metro’s annual ridership was at 9.2 million.

Transit experts say the decline is largely related to the rise of remote work. Former riders continuing to work remotely or on a hybrid basis could cause a “permanent” national reduction in 9 a.m.-5 p.m. commuter ridership, one 2024 U.S. Department of Transportation report warned. National public transit ridership — including trains and other forms of public transit — is at 79% of pre-pandemic levels, according to the American Public Transportation Association.

Stuehrenberg expects Madison’s bus ridership to continue rising and attributes the increase to the September 2024 rollout of bus rapid transit: “As we get any kinks worked out in the system and the operation gets a little bit more smooth, and people get more familiar with it, they're seeing the value and really gravitating towards it. I think [the increase is] directly attributable to those investments we've made.”

Stuehrenberg is “relatively confident” about a crucial expansion to Metro’s service. Though former Madison Director of Transportation Thomas Lynch said in March that the city was at “high” risk of not receiving federal money for a second, north-south BRT route, Stuehrenberg predicts $118 million in funding will come through.

“The biggest concern was that program just being eliminated or reduced dramatically,” says Stuehrenberg. “That didn’t happen. That funding program was fully funded in the 2025 continuing resolution that passed [on March 15]. That's a really good sign that money is there.”

He says he feels Madison’s proposal is “well situated” for the U.S. Department of Transportation's new criteria for the Capital Investment Grants program, which “largely mirror” executive orders signed by President Donald Trump. The revised criteria, Stuehrenberg says, disincentivizes electric buses and replaces references to environmental justice and race-based criteria with targeting of “opportunity zones,” federally-designated tax-incentive areas for low-income communities.

But, he notes, Madison won’t need to purchase any electric buses for the new BRT system — they were purchased with previously awarded federal funds — and most of Madison’s opportunity zones lie along the proposed north-south BRT line.

“We can, I think, still score very well even under some of these new criteria.”

[Editor’s note: This article was corrected to indicate that the cities Metro Transit General Manager Justin Stuehrenberg mentioned were examples of cities that have surpassed pre-pandemic ridership.]

https://isthmus.com/news/news/metro-transit-ridership-in-april-surpasses-pre-pandemic-numbers/

Need a Ride? MCTS and Summerfest Announce Transit Options for 2025 Festival

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 06 May 2025 14:49:01 GMT

The Milwaukee County Transit System and Summerfest have announced transportation options for all three weekends of Summerfest.

Summerfest will be held during the weekends of June 19-21, June 26-28, and July 3-5.

Options to fit every music fan's needs. MCTS will offer Summerfest shuttles at three park and ride locations, the CONNECT BRT 1 line with a stop near the Summerfest North Gate, and regular MCTS routes.

MCTS Summerfest Shuttles:
MCTS will offer shuttles from three park and ride lots, including College Avenue, Brown Deer Park, and Hales Corners Park and Ride lots. Parking at each Park and Ride lot is free on a first-come, first-served basis.

All shuttles are cashless, and riders will pay once they arrive at Summerfest. Payment options include the Umo App, WisGo Card, VISA, Mastercard, Discover card, Google, and Apple Pay.

Round-trip fare is $12 for riders 12 and up.

The first shuttle will leave the lot at 11:30 a.m., and the last shuttle will depart from the Summerfest Mid Gate at 12:30 a.m.

https://www.tmj4.com/news/milwaukee-county/need-a-ride-mcts-and-summerfest-announce-transit-options-for-2025-festival

Dane County Residents Make Big Impact Choosing Sustainable Transportation this April

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 05 May 2025 16:13:48 GMT

Hundreds of Dane County residents took part in a free transportation challenge this April, swapping solo car trips for more sustainable options like biking, walking/rolling, riding the bus and carpooling. The result? Over 15 tons of carbon dioxide emissions were avoided—roughly the same as getting four gas-powered vehicles off the road for an entire year.

The Spring Roll Challenge(link is external), hosted by the RoundTrip program, ran throughout April in celebration of Earth Month. RoundTrip is a free public program of the Greater Madison Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) that helps connect Dane County residents and employees to affordable, sustainable alternatives to driving alone.

Participants logged over 8,100 trips by bike, bus, walking/rolling and carpool throughout April, making this our biggest challenge yet. The results show how our small daily choices—like walking to the store or carpooling with a friend—can add up to a big difference for our environment.

—

Zia Brucaya, RoundTrip Program Manager

The impact went beyond emissions. Collectively, participants saved $10,000 on gas and car maintenance costs, burned 900,000 calories and avoided over 45,000 miles of drive-alone travel.

Everyone who logged at least six trips per week—and 30 throughout April—by walking, biking, carpooling, or riding the bus, was entered into weekly and grand prize drawings that included prizes generously donated by Willy Street Co-op(link is external), Ian’s Pizza(link is external) and Madison BCycle(link is external).

RoundTrip will host its next transportation challenge in September. To learn more, sign up and explore sustainable transportation options in Dane County, visit www.RoundTripGreaterMadison.org(link is external).

About RoundTrip: RoundTrip is a program of the Greater Madison MPO that helps individuals and employers in Dane County access affordable, sustainable alternatives to driving alone. In 2024, RoundTrip members logged more than 16,000 green trips—saving $27,000, burning three million calories, and cutting 35.5 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

About the Greater Madison Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)(link is external): The Greater Madison MPO leads a cooperative, comprehensive regional transportation planning and decision-making process for the greater Madison area and allocates millions of dollars of federal funding to local transportation projects.

https://www.cityofmadison.com/news/2025-05-01/dane-county-residents-make-big-impact-choosing-sustainable-transportation-this

Special Report: State of North American Bus Fleets

WIPTA Admin — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 14:06:48 GMT

April 15, 2025

Bus networks throughout North America are seeing growth on a variety of fronts. According to the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) “Public Transportation Ridership Report” for Q4 in 2024, total bus ridership increased by 9.24 percent compared to total ridership in 2023. This builds on the 16 percent increase in ridership from 2023 compared to 2022, according to a policy brief APTA released in April 2024. In the same brief, APTA cites national public transit ridership has reached 79 percent of pre-pandemic levels.

As ridership comes back to transit systems, agencies are investing in their bus fleets. Over a dozen of bus orders have been announced since the start of the new year, with many orders including low- or zero-emission vehicles. This follows the data from Mass Transit’s “2025 Mobility Outlook Survey,” where 40 percent of respondents said their bus fleets needed the most immediate investment. Several high-profile bus projects have also made strides in the past year, with IndyGo launching the Purple Line, its second bus rapid transit (BRT) route; Seattle Department of Transportation breaking ground on its RapidRide J Line; and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey moving ahead with its Midtown Bus Terminal replacement project after securing federal funding.

Navigating a delicate supply chain

While APTA is reporting 2,094 rubber-tired vehicles are on order as of Jan. 1, 2024, according to its 2024 Vehicle Database, fulfilling these orders may come with some hurdles. U.S. bus manufacturing and the larger North American transit bus supply chain has already been experiencing challenges, with several original equipment manufacturers (OEMS) having already or about to close operations. Nova Bus sold its Plattsburgh, N.Y., plant at the end of 2024 while REV Group sold ENC in October 2024. However, new players are entering the market, with Solaris signing its first contract in the U.S. market for an electric bus order and Micro Bird setting up manufacturing operations in Nova Bus’ New York plant.

Adding manufacturers is one step to build resiliency into the supply chain. Other steps being taken include the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) proposed Buy America Waiver for Battery Electric Minibuses, which ended the comment period early January 2025. This follows FTA’s extension of the Partial Buy America Waiver for Vans and Minivans, which was originally granted in 2022. APTA also continues to leverage the recommendations from the Bus Manufacturing Task Force, which encourages agencies entering contracts to consider adding in price adjustments in contracts, implementing progress payments and including vehicle price adjustment mechanisms to account for inflation or deflation throughout the contract lifecycle.

In line with these recommendations, a couple of agencies took steps last year to help streamline the procurement process. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (L.A. Metro) Board of Directors adopted a policy that requires all future bus procurements to minimize customization specifications and introduce new and early milestone payments. The policy also encourages other local bus agencies to participate. L.A. Metro’s Regional Zero-Emission Bus Procurement policy is meant to provide relief to OEMs.

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) Board of Directors approved a similar measure, allowing the JTA to award and negotiate a statewide contract to purchase autonomous vehicles (AVs). The statewide procurement is in partnership with the Florida Public Transportation Association (FPTA), which allows its members to select from shortlisted companies, after due diligence, that qualified through their compliance with specific operational requirements. This effort helped standardize and streamline AV procurements throughout the state.

One other thing to watch for will be how the onslaught of tariffs and counter-tariffs will impact current and future bus orders. The private sector was already bracing for cost increases. In the “2025 Mobility Outlook Survey,” 26 percent of respondents cited inflation as their top concern going into 2025.

Industry continues to pursue the zero-emission transition

According to APTA’s 2024 Vehicle Database, 44 percent of active rubber-tired vehicles in the U.S. are using alternative power. This number will continue to grow. Forty-seven percent of transit agency respondents to the “2025 Mobility Outlook Survey” said they planned to procure battery-electric buses (BEBs). That is compared to the 30 percent of respondents who plan to procure diesel buses.

This increase in alternative fuel and zero-emissions bus (ZEB) adoption is in line with CALSTART’s “2025 Zeroing in on ZEBS” annual report. According to the report, adoption of full-size ZEBs increased 14 percent compared to 2023. While BEBs make up the bulk of these vehicles, adoption of fuel cell electric buses increased by 55 percent compared to 2023. Small ZEBS also saw an increased adoption rate of 25 percent compared to 2023. CALSTART’s report calculates the U.S. will surpass 15,000 full-size ZEBS by 2030 if the industry continues this pace of adoption.

Helping fund this adoption is the FTA’s Low- and No-Emission Grant program and the Bus and Bus Facilities Grant program. In fiscal year 2024, over 100 projects across the county received nearly $1.5 billion in funding from these programs. Projects awarded will use the funds to purchase hydrogen fuel-cell buses, BEBs, charging equipment and modernized facilities to support the new vehicles. According to CALSTART’s report, this funding supported the purchase of nearly 600 ZEBs in 2024.

https://www.masstransitmag.com/bus/article/55275322/special-report-state-of-north-american-bus-fleets

Green Bay Metro Transit reports record number of riders on Day 1 of NFL Draft

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 15:33:48 GMT

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - Green Bay Metro, the public transit system for the city, reported a record number of bus riders on day one of the NFL Draft.

Day 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft ridership was just over 7,000, Green Bay Metro reported Friday.

RECORD SET!!!! Day 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft ridership was ….. just over 7,000. Definitely the busiest one day ridership...
Posted by Green Bay Metro on Friday, April 25, 2025

Green Bay Metro said its definitely the busiest one day ridership record for the transit system.

The transit system was also excited to report how its new Battery Electric Bus performed on Thursday.

Green Bay Metro said the bus traveled 97.1 miles, had a 1.71 Average kWh per mile, and had 58.4% battery remaining.

https://www.wbay.com/2025/04/26/green-bay-metro-transit-reports-record-number-riders-day-1-nfl-draft/

MCTS Open Applications for Summer Transit Teen Advocate Program!

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 19:32:07 GMT

The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) is calling on teens across the county to help shape the future of public transit. Applications are now open for the 2025 Transit Teen Advocate program — a summer opportunity designed to engage youth ages 14 to 18 in civic leadership, community education, and peer outreach.

Now in its third year and its first as a summer experience, the program will bring together approximately 20 teens to tour transit facilities, learn from industry professionals, attend local field trips, and collaborate on a group project that promotes public transit among their peers.

“We’re looking for teens who will show up as they are — storytellers, community advocates, people who are passionate about making a difference,” said Biltu Hamda, MCTS Community Outreach leader. “This is about youth helping youth connect with the community and the services that move them forward.”

Teen advocates will receive:

A $25 meeting stipend for participation
A free WisGo card for unlimited rides throughout the summer
Access to mentorship and networking opportunities

Past participants have described the program as a unique and empowering way to get involved and give back.

Applications are open now through Friday, May 23, 2025. Interested teens can apply online at RideMCTS.com/Teens. For questions or more information, contact Community@MCTS.org.

APTA Awards Open for Nominations

WIPTA Admin — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 14:07:22 GMT

The prestigious annual APTA Awards program, which recognizes excellence in the public transportation industry, is now open for nominations!

APTA Award winners are outstanding role models of excellence, leadership, and innovation whose accomplishments have greatly advanced public transportation.

Learn more and submit nominations here.

The deadline to submit nominations is May 30.

Green Bay Introduces First Battery Electric Bus Ahead of the NFL Draft

WIPTA Admin — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 13:32:39 GMT

GREEN BAY (WLUK) -- The city of Green Bay unveiled its first battery electric bus ahead of the NFL Draft.

The new bus will be used on the popular downtown to Titletown route during Green Bay's largest event this week.

"This is something that has been in the works with us for quite sometime," said Patricia Kiewiz, transit director for Green Bay Metro. "The city of Green Bay had kicked off their clean energy plan a few years ago, and Green Bay Metro, of course, was part of that... We have some great staff that have put a lot of work into rolling this out today."

Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich added, "This was a big milestone that was included in some of the recommendations from that [clean energy] plan, to explore how we could electrify our bus system here within Green Bay, so it's a great day for us to be able to celebrate this milestone."

Kiewiz said this bus -- and the five additional buses that will be added to the fleet in the coming years -- will not only have a positive impact on riders and the environment, but the Green Bay community in general.

"We are really excited to see some savings down the road and provide some great opportunity for the community -- cleaner energy, reduced noises, hopefully. We all know buses aren't the quietest, but we're hoping that with all the stuff that we put into play and the new technologies that we role out as a city, will help the community be better overall," Kiewiz said.

Manufactured by U.S. company Gillig, this zero-emission bus marks a significant milestone in Green Bay’s commitment to sustainable transportation.

This first battery electric bus is part of a phased transition, with plans to acquire three additional buses in 2026 and two more in 2027, supported by state and federal grants.

Each electric bus costs approximately $1.2 million. The transition is expected to lower long-term operating costs and reduce environmental impacts.

Funding for the bus was secured through federal grants, including the Surface Transportation Block Grant, as part of the city’s broader “Clean Energy Green Bay Plan” which aims for 100% renewable energy and community-wide carbon neutrality by 2050.

https://fox11online.com/news/local/2025-nfl-draft/green-bay-introduces-first-battery-electric-bus-ahead-of-nfl-draft-titletown-downtown-route-clean-sustainable-energy-transportation-carbon-neutrality-metro-transit

Riders reflect on Bus Rapid Transit system after 6 months

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 18:29:39 GMT

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

Metro Transit partnering with city of Madison to enhance safety on buses

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 17:50:54 GMT

Metro Transit partnering with city of Madison to enhance safety on buses

April 9, 2025

The agency and city are working together to assemble an incident review board, update the city ordinance that governs enforcement of bus fares, increase penalties for disorderly conduct toward drivers and have driver safety barriers installed.

Related To:

City of Madison Metro Transit

City of Madison, Wisconsin

Metro Transit bus

Metro Transit and the city of Madison, Wis., are putting together a set of initiatives to enhance employee safety on Metro Transit buses in response to a series of recent incidents.  

Metro Transit staff are assembling an incident review board made up of drivers, supervisors and other union representatives to review each of the recent events to make sure all of the correct actions were taken, all protocols were followed and determine what went wrong and what can be done to prevent similar situations in the future. The review board will be led by Metro Transit’s chief of operations, safety personnel and driver supervisors. The agency says it will be reaching out to Teamsters Local 120 that requested its members also join the board.

According to the city, the incidents and the findings of the review board will be discussed in annual summer refresher driver training courses and included in new driver training classes. The city notes an outside agency is also being brought in to provide de-escalation training as part of the summer refresher courses. The city says training will continue to emphasize that drivers are not responsible for confronting passengers about fare payment.

Citations for non-fare payment

Metro Transit is in the process of updating the city ordinance that governs enforcement of bus fares to reduce drivers' role in enforcing fare payment and thereby further reduce the potential for negative interactions with passengers.

The city says the first steps will be to create passenger signage encouraging riders to make sure to pay their fare and informing passengers of the penalties for non-payment. The ordinance will empower Metro Transit supervisors to enforce fare payment, thereby removing the burden on drivers and avoiding the need for police involvement, which will make enforcement easier.

Interagency safety group

Metro Transit will also assemble an interagency safety group made up of the agency’s management and safety teams, Madison police and the Mayor’s Office. The city says the safety group will meet regularly to assess and respond to recent incidents.

Increased penalties for disorderly conduct toward drivers

The Mayor’s Office and the Common Council are working with the city Attorney’s office on an ordinance to increase fines and specifically prohibit any disorderly conduct targeted at bus operators. The city notes the ordinance is modeled on the ordinance the city passed in 2022 in response to threats and violence aimed at elections officials. According to the city, the updated ordinance would be in addition to the felony charges that already exist for an assault on a transit operator.

Safety barriers

The city says it has ensured that all new Metro Transit buses have driver safety barriers installed. The agency is exploring retrofitting the rest of its fleet with new barriers.

Public education regarding driver and passenger safety

The city says it will work with Metro Transit to expand its public messaging about the risks and penalties for interfering with drivers, as well as reminders to pay fares and reminders about penalties involved for non-payment. The city notes the messaging campaign will employ all city communication channels.

https://www.masstransitmag.com/safety-security/press-release/55280872/city-of-madison-metro-transit-metro-transit-partnering-with-city-of-madison-to-enhance-safety-on-buses

Green Bay Metro will run free bus route from downtown to Titletown for 2025 NFL draft

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 22:46:05 GMT

GREEN BAY - To facilitate travel between downtown Green Bay and the 2025 NFL draft, Green Bay Metro Transit will run a special bus route April 24-26 from Lambeau Field to Hagemeister Park, 325 N. Washington St.

The route, Downtown to Titletown, is intended to combat parking concerns and the distance between official draft activities and local events and businesses while providing people with a safe travel option, Green Bay Metro Director of Transit Patty Kiewiz said. Open alcohol is not allowed on the buses.

The Downtown to Titletown buses will run continuously, with service approximately every 15 minutes, from noon-10 p.m. April 24-25 and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. April 26. It will be free to all riders and has 13 total stops. Riders can also track buses in real time on the Green Bay Metro app.

From Titletown to downtown

South Ridge Road and Ninth Street
Ninth Street and Gross Avenue
Ninth Street and Broadway
Broadway and Fifth Street
Broadway and Howard Street
Washington Street and CityDeck

From downtown to Titletown

Washington Street and CityDeck
Broadway and Howard Street
Broadway and Fifth Street
Broadway and Ninth Street
Ninth Street and Gross Avenue
1484 Ninth St.
St. Agnes Drive and South Ridge Road

The St. Agnes Drive and South Ridge Road stop is around a 10-minute walk to the Draft Experience general admission entrance on the west end of the Titletown district.

Green Bay Metro runs a shuttle to Lambeau Field on Packers home game days, which Kiewiz said makes 2,800 trips each game day. Kiewiz expects the Downtown-to-Titletown route to surpass that number as it will run for more hours each day than on a typical game day and as limited parking near the draft campus impacts visitors.

"This will give individuals the opportunity to park downtown, try some of the great restaurants and visit downtown," Kiewiz said. "Leave their vehicle there if they want and take the Downtown-to-Titletown route out to the field and not have to worry about that traveling."

https://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/news/local/2025/04/10/green-bay-metro-transit-runs-special-free-bus-route-for-2025-nfl-draft/82976414007/

Choose Green Transportation This April and Get Rewarded

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 16:08:02 GMT

Choose Green Transportation this April and Get Rewarded

posted March 27, 2025 – 3:04pm

Going green for Earth Month just got easier and more fun. RoundTrip, a free public program in Dane County, is encouraging community members to choose sustainable transportation options like riding the bus, biking, walking/rolling, and carpooling for chances to win prizes during its annual Spring Roll Challenge(link is external).

The challenge is free, open to everyone 18 and older, and supports both seasoned green commuters and anyone interested in trying something new. “Whether it’s your daily commute or a weekend errand, every car-free and car-light trip counts,” said Zia Brucaya, RoundTrip Program Manager. “This challenge is a great chance to explore alternatives to driving alone, reduce your carbon footprint, and earn chances to win prizes along the way.”

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, transportation accounted for the largest share—28%—of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in recent years, making individual transportation choices a powerful way to support climate action. To take part in the Spring Roll Challenge, residents can create a RoundTrip account at www.RoundTripGreaterMadison.org(link is external) and log trips taken by biking, walking/rolling, riding the bus, and carpooling from April 1-30. Each green trip logged boosts your chances of winning weekly and grand prizes.

Local favorites Madison BCycle, Ian’s Pizza, and Willy Street Co-op are supporting the initiative by donating prizes, including memberships and gift cards, for both weekly and grand prize drawings. Plus, the first 50 participants to log a green trip in April will receive a free slice from Ian’s Pizza and two complimentary Metro Transit rides.

It’s a fun way for us to reward community members for making choices that are good for the environment, their health, and their wallets. Maybe you can’t ditch your car entirely, but could you walk to the coffee shop instead of driving? Bike to work one extra day? Or hop on the bus to meet up with friends on a Friday night? Those small changes add up—especially when we make them together.

—

Zia Brucaya, RoundTrip Program Manager

For more information and to participate in the challenge, visit: https://bit.ly/spring-roll-25(link is external).

About RoundTrip(link is external): RoundTrip is a program of the Greater Madison MPO that helps individuals and employers in Dane County access affordable, sustainable alternatives to driving alone. In 2024, RoundTrip members logged more than 16,000 green trips—saving $27,000, burning three million calories, and cutting 35.5 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

https://www.cityofmadison.com/news/2025-03-27/choose-green-transportation-this-april-and-get-rewarded

RYDE Racine: 49% Surge in Ridership Signals Comeback for Public Transportation

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 16:05:44 GMT

RACINE, WI — Contrary to the common belief that “no one rides the bus,” RYDE Racine‘s data tells a different story.

In 2024, the transit system provided 1,053,361 rides, marking a 49% increase since 2021, helping residents from across the area get to work, school, and healthcare appointments.

“The idea that ‘no one rides the bus’ just isn’t true,” said Trevor Jung, transit and mobility director for the City of Racine. “We’re providing over a million rides a year—people depend on this service to get to work, school, the doctor, and more.”

Racine bus expands access to employment

Public transit connects workers to job opportunities, especially at or outside the city limits such as the Stephen Olsen Industrial Park on the city’s far south side or the Renaissance Business Park in Sturtevant.

At the request of area employers such as Summit Packaging and Aurora Medical Center near I-94 in Mount Pleasant, RYDE Racine added or adjusted transit stops to ensure employees could more easily access their workplaces. Kyle Kienia, a plant manager from Summit Packaging, said the collaboration began nearly two years ago during the company’s 80,000-square-foot expansion project.

“There was a bus stop around the corner near Chicory Road, but it was a long walk for our employees,” Kienia said. “While Mayor Mason was on-site for our groundbreaking, we made a handshake agreement to work with RYDE Racine to get the stop closer. Once it was added directly at our facility, it changed people’s lives—just being able to get to work.”

According to Kienia, approximately 20 to 25 Summit employees use the bus regularly across various shifts, out of a workforce of around 300 people. The bus now runs nearly until 11 p.m., which aligns with Summit’s round-the-clock operations.

“We’re very grateful for the City of Racine and RYDE Racine,” he added. “This has been an awesome, value-added partnership.”

The partnership reflects broader trends in the local workforce. A 2023 joint survey from RYDE Racine and the Racine County Economic Development Corporation (RCEDC) revealed that 64% of Racine employers believe more robust public transit helps attract and retain employees, and 60% said their workforce relies on public transit to get to work.

“Public transportation is more than a service; it’s a gateway to the middle class and provides freedom to move throughout one’s community,” said Jung.

The need for sustainable funding

Despite rising ridership, public transportation in Racine faces significant financial challenges.

The expiration of federal COVID-19 relief funds, which contributed between 17% and 26% of the system’s revenue from 2020 to 2024, has left a funding gap. Compounding this issue, inflation and stagnant state funding have eroded over 20% of RYDE Racine’s purchasing power since 2011, Jung said, making it increasingly challenging to maintain current service levels without additional support.

Funding public transportation in Racine is not an issue fare revenue alone can solve.

In Racine, the average rider pays about $2 per trip. Even with over 1 million rides annually, this revenue covers only a fraction of operating costs. RYDE Racine, like most transit systems in the country, relies on a combination of local, state, and federal funding to keep buses running.

“Think of public transportation as a public service,” said Jung. “We don’t expect the fire department or police to pay for themselves through fees. The same logic applies here—it’s about quality of life and access.”

This funding model isn’t unique to Racine. Across the U.S., no major transit system is fully funded through passenger fares. Even New York City’s MTA, the nation’s largest transit system, receives billions in government subsidies annually.

According to national averages compiled by Eno, a non-profit and nonpartisan research hub for public transportation, farebox recovery rates (the share of operating expenses covered by fares) typically range from 20% to 40%, and are often lower in smaller cities such as Racine.

Jung has heard the criticism at Racine Common Council meetings and read comments on the Racine County Eye Facebook page from some area residents who argue that transit should be self-sustaining, but he said this model is neither realistic nor effective.

“We don’t ask roads to be self-sustaining,” he stated. “The private sector couldn’t provide this service at a reasonable cost to people—and we don’t expect other public services like fire, police, or schools to turn a profit. Public transportation should be viewed the same way: as a quality-of-life service we invest in for the good of the community.”

Transit systems are designed to be affordable and accessible—especially for those who may not have other transportation options. Raising fares to fully cover costs would price out the very people who rely on it most: workers, students, seniors, and those living on limited incomes.

And there’s a broader economic argument to be made, Jung said. Every ride helps someone get to a job, a school, or a medical appointment. When people can work, they pay taxes, purchase goods, support local businesses, and contribute to the broader economy. Investing in transit is, in effect, investing in workforce participation and community prosperity.

“Public transportation is about social mobility,” he said.” If you have access to a job, to education, to healthcare—that’s what creates opportunity. None of that matters if you can’t get there.”

Without stable funding—especially as COVID-era federal support phases out—transit systems like RYDE Racine face tough decisions.

State mass transit aids have been effectively frozen for over a decade, and when adjusted for inflation, Racine has lost more than 20% of its purchasing power since 2011.

Regional support for public transit

While RYDE Racine is operated by the City of Racine, it does serve a broader regional ridership, and funding reflects that.

Several neighboring communities, including Mount Pleasant and Caledonia, contribute financially to RYDE Racine through intergovernmental agreements. These communities recognize that transit isn’t just a city service—it’s a regional lifeline connecting residents to jobs, healthcare, and education across municipal boundaries.

According to Jung, local support from surrounding municipalities has grown significantly in recent years. For example, Mount Pleasant increased its local share of funding from approximately $320,000 in 2021 to around $500,000 by 2024—an increase of over 55%. This boost was driven in part by local employers who rely on transit to connect with workers and who advocated for improved service access.

“I’ve been very impressed by the commitment we’ve seen from our municipal partners,” Jung said. “Their investment shows that they understand how critical transit is—not just for Racine, but for the region as a whole.”

The debate over regional transit authorities (RTAs)

A potential solution to funding woes is the establishment of regional transit authorities (RTAs), which can provide dedicated funding sources for transit systems. Gov. Tony Evers’ recent biennial budget proposal includes provisions to allow the creation of RTAs, granting local governments the authority to establish a dedicated transit tax.

If this passes as part of the larger budget, regions such as the corridor from Milwaukee to the border of Illionis could better manage and finance transit services that cross municipal or county boundaries.

But, the proposal faces opposition.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has consistently opposed the establishment of RTAs in Wisconsin, expressing concerns about their structure and funding mechanisms. In 2011, Vos co-sponsored legislation to dissolve existing RTAs, citing issues with how they’d be funded and the lack of government oversight.

KRM would link to buses and create greater mobility

Efforts to establish the Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee (KRM) commuter rail line have seen renewed momentum in recent years.

The proposed 33-mile service would follow the lakefront and connect Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha, between the Kenosha Metra station and ending in downtown Milwaukee. Proposed Racine-area stops include downtown Racine and Caledonia.

The rail line has the potential to create greater regional mobility and provide a sustainable transit option along the heavily traveled I-94 corridor.

In 2022, the City of Racine secured a $5 million federal planning grant to revisit and update prior feasibility studies. That planning work includes assessing development potential around proposed station areas and identifying funding mechanisms that could support long-term operations.

Jung sees the KRM as a crucial economic development strategy, not just a transit project.

“We’re in the third-largest economic region in the United States—more than Chicago alone—we’re in the 10th-largest economic region in the world. Yet Racine, the largest city furthest away from an interstate in the Midwest, is not connected by passenger rail infrastructure,” he said.

The Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SEWRPC) and city officials continue to study the technical, financial, and logistical components needed to bring the project to life.

In September 2024, Kenosha County Executive Samantha Kerkman declined to support a resolution backing the KRM study, citing concerns about representation and community input.

Despite this, the cities of Kenosha, Racine, and Milwaukee continue moving forward with the project, with the feasibility study expected to wrap up in 2025.

“The way you create investment in Racine, the way you help people get to jobs, and the way you encourage families to settle here is by investing in regional transportation—namely, passenger rail from Kenosha north to Racine and then into Milwaukee,” Jung added.

https://racinecountyeye.com/2025/04/04/ryde-racine-ridership-increases/

Could Milwaukee Create a Regional Transit Authority?

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 14:16:14 GMT

For the first time in more than a decade, Milwaukee has a chance at establishing a regional system for public transit.

Gov. Tony Evers’ biennial budget proposal includes changes to state law allowing the creation of Regional Transit Authorities, something that has been off the table since 2011. It would also create a new taxing authority for local governments to pay for transit routes that cross municipal, or county, boundaries.

Regional Transit Authorities (RTA) are typically independent governmental entities with their own taxing authority. They are created to manage and plan transit at a regional level. Local economies and transportation needs don’t stop at municipal or county boundaries, so why should public transit? At least, that’s the argument for an RTA.

“A Regional Transit Authority is essentially, in its most basic terms, creating a regional governmental body to replace multiple local bodies,” said Rob Henken, immediate past president of the Wisconsin Policy Forum.

The governor’s budget boosts — incentivizes, even — RTA creation by giving local governments the authority to establish a dedicated transit tax, something the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) has never had. The provision allows local governments to exceed state-imposed property tax limits in order to pay for any transit routes crossing municipal or county boundaries, provided they have signed agreements and passed a referendum to do so.

Milwaukee has history with RTA’s though it’s unclear if it has a future. Neither county transportation officials nor County Executive David Crowley‘s office have plans for establishing or even lobbying for an RTA, according to a spokesperson for the county. The Wisconsin Public Transportation Association (WIPTA) offered some praise for the proposal in a press release, saying it “appreciates” the governor’s inclusion of the RTA provision. Julie Esch, the interim managing director of MCTS, is also the chair of WIPTA’s board of directors.

Get a daily rundown of the Milwaukee stories

Muting the response to the governor’s proposal, perhaps, is the reality that some of the biggest political opponents to RTAs remain in power. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, for example, has sponsored legislation in the past seeking to repeal RTA authority across the state.

More than a decade ago, Milwaukee almost found itself with an RTA. One was created for the Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee (KRM) commuter rail line in 2009. A few years later, in 2011, Republicans led by Vos in the Assembly and former governor Scott Walker killed the KRM project and repealed the RTA. Democrats have also dashed hopes for an RTA. In 2010, disunity among Democratic state legislators sunk a bill that would have created an RTA for MCTS.

At the time, MCTS was finding it difficult to continue to pay for all the bus service it was running. Fast forward 15 years and that’s still the case. The transit system has a structural deficit that will reappear to the tune of approximately $17.8 million, once federal stimulus funds are exhausted in 2028.

“Often people think of the RTA as a funding mechanism,” Henken said. “But really it’s more than that.”

For transit systems that are struggling financially, it can be tempting to create an RTA simply as a mechanism for establishing a dedicated stream of revenue to run the system. But the real opportunities are found in being able to plan transit at the regional level, Henken said.

There are already thousands of commuters to and from Milwaukee County every day, so the benefit of regional transportation has already been established, Henken noted. From the perspective of a transit rider, bus routes that stop at the county line make little sense.

RTAs, however, pose political challenges beyond those that exist at the state level: it requires a new governmental entity and taxes. “I think citizens would, justifiably, be concerned about a new governmental body with its own taxation authority,” Henken said.

Currently county leaders have finite resources and have to make difficult decisions about where to put them.

“So from the taxpayers perspective, arguably, that’s a good thing,” Henken said. “From the perspective of the transit system that’s not a good thing, because it’s not only limited by what’s a reasonable amount of taxation, but it has to compete with other vital services, which, in the case of Milwaukee County, includes public safety and health and human services.”

An RTA would have more independence, and greater control over its own finances, allowing it to plan long-term in ways that have proven difficult for MCTS. The transit system recently scrubbed a long-term planning project for a second bus rapid transit project as it became clear the county would not be able to afford the operational costs without making cuts elsewhere in the system.

Dave Steele, executive director of MobiliSE, said a successful RTA might resemble the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD).

“Our region decided a long time ago that wastewater and clean waterways was a regional priority, so they created a regional mechanism to do that, the MMSD, and it’s been very successful,” Steele said. “If it’s a regional priority, then we need to have a regional way of planning it, making it happen and ultimately funding it.”

The sewerage district has not faced the same revenue restrictions local governments have, and as a result it has better maintained infrastructure, planning long-term and successfully implementing complex projects, Henken said.

Local leaders should not pursue an RTA as a goal in and of itself. The goal should be a regional system for “rapid, fast and frequent” transit, Steele said. Even an RTA will have trouble accomplishing that without guaranteed, sustainable funding.

“The regional collaboration is a big part of it, but let’s keep it focused on what our end goal is, which is fast, frequent and reliable service that takes people where they want to go,” Steele said.

MCTS has collaborated on regional transit projects in the past, creating bus routes bringing Milwaukee residents to job centers in other counties and partnering with Waukesha Metro to join the Connect 1 bus rapid transit route to Waukesha Metro 1 for riders traveling between the two counties.

In 2024, MCTS unsuccessfully bid to operate the City of Waukesha‘s transit system. The revenue MCTS would have picked up from the contract would not have closed the system’s structural deficit. The real opportunity leaders saw was in greater regional collaboration.

“Ultimately, the hope is to illustrate how a regional approach to public transportation is a key component in growing the region economically,” Esch wrote in a report to the county board.

What comes next is unclear. There are no plans ready to go. An RTA, or some other regional transit system, remains theoretical. On top of that, the governor’s proposals needs to survive the budget process in the Republican-controlled Wisconsin Legislature.

But, for the first time in at least 15 years, a narrow opportunity for regional public transit has been created. Will local leaders act on it?

https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2025/03/16/transportation-could-milwaukee-create-a-regional-transit-authority/

The State of Milwaukee: How Expanding Public Transit Builds a More Connected Community

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 22:21:47 GMT

In a city with a public transit system that has long served as a vital link connecting neighborhoods and economic corridors, the conversation around its future has reached a critical juncture.

Milwaukee faces a choice, does it pursue an ambitious expansion of its transit network, or does it scale back operations due to budgetary challenges and shifting ridership patterns? The debate has left residents, local leaders, and business owners looking for a sustainable path forward.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Milwaukee County’s public transit system has been operational for well over a century, starting with horse-drawn streetcars in the late 1800s. Over time, that gave way to electric trolleys and eventually the modern bus networks that traverse the area.

Although the appearance and technology of public transit have evolved dramatically, the fundamental mission remains, which is to provide reliable, accessible transportation to residents from every walk of life.

In recent decades, the city explored options beyond traditional buses. The streetcar system, now locally referred to as The Hop, is one such example. Launched to mixed opinions, The Hop has nonetheless reshaped certain parts of downtown transit.

Buses continue to be the backbone of Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS), but new modes of travel have begun to capture the public’s imagination. The tension between preserving current routes and expanding rail-based or bus rapid transit (BRT) lines has fueled much of the current debate.

THE FINANCIAL REALITIES

Despite occasional infusions of state or federal funding, the cost of running a robust public transit system continues to rise. Fuel prices, maintenance expenses, and labor costs all contribute to budget pressures.

Milwaukee County has historically relied on a combination of fare revenue, sales tax revenue, and state aid to keep buses on the road. In recent years, however, the fiscal environment has become more challenging.

Local officials say that balancing the budget can be a scramble. Ridership took a significant hit during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, when commuting patterns changed and more people worked remotely. Although ridership has gradually recovered, some of the lost fare revenue has forced MCTS to trim certain routes.

CHANGING RIDERSHIP PATTERNS

Another key factor influencing the debate around transit is the changing pattern of where people live and work. Milwaukee’s downtown has experienced a wave of new apartment buildings, restaurants, and cultural venues, making it a popular place to live for young professionals. Meanwhile, many of the city’s longtime residents continue to live in neighborhoods farther from the city center, and their job opportunities may exist outside Milwaukee’s core.

That evolving landscape has prompted calls for more flexible and comprehensive public transit solutions. Advocates for expansion say that improving service on existing routes and adding new lines is essential to maintain economic mobility.

Without such investment, they argue, certain communities may be left without reliable access to employment, education, and health care. Critics counter that the city and county can only do so much with limited funds, and question whether enough ridership exists to justify more routes or infrastructure upgrades.

THE ROLE OF BUS RAPID TRANSIT

A new chapter in Milwaukee’s transportation history opened with the launch of the city’s first BRT service. BRT systems, known for their dedicated lanes, limited stops, and quicker travel times, have shown promise in other large metropolitan areas around the country.

Local officials tout BRT as a cost-effective way to deliver faster service without the same infrastructure price tag as light rail or subway systems. The BRT route currently in operation aims to connect key employment centers, medical facilities, and residential neighborhoods.

Transit planners believe that if the County expands BRT corridors, it would encourage more people to leave their cars at home. Higher-frequency service, protected bus lanes, and modern vehicles are all part of the vision.

THE HOP’S PRESENCE AND FUTURE

Downtown’s streetcar, The Hop, launched with a focus on connecting major attractions, hotels, and business districts. Funded in most part by a federal grant, it was introduced as a catalyst for economic development and urban revitalization, akin to streetcars in other American cities.

Supporters highlight the new restaurants, apartments, and retail outlets that have sprouted up near the streetcar line. The Hop also had loud critics, mostly from people who did not live in the city or required its service. Their opposition was mostly manufactured outrage disguised as calls for fiscal responsibility, which followed no consistent logic for opposition to the project.

Today, the question remains whether the streetcar can or should be expanded. Initial proposals envisioned a broader route network that would stretch beyond downtown, possibly connecting to adjacent neighborhoods. Whether such expansions will materialize may depend on funding availability, ridership data, and broader public opinion. Some city leaders remain optimistic, while others want to see more evidence that The Hop is truly beneficial to residents.

EQUITY AND ACCESSIBILITY

Public transit has always played a critical role in advancing equity by providing affordable transportation to people who either do not own cars or cannot drive. In Milwaukee, the question of equity is especially important given the city’s diverse population and longstanding racial and economic disparities.

A robust public transit system can serve as a lifeline for residents who rely on buses to get to work, school, or doctor’s appointments. Proposed cuts to underperforming routes often spark concern among advocates for low-income neighborhoods. They argue that the lines, while not generating high farebox revenue, are essential for those who have no other means of travel.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS

Another factor shaping the discourse around Milwaukee’s transit future is environmental sustainability. Buses and private cars remain the most common modes of ground transportation, but the environmental impact of constant vehicle emissions has become harder to ignore.

Milwaukee has faced air quality challenges in the past, and local environmental groups call for more investment in public transit as one solution to curb emissions. Transit agencies are attempting to reduce their carbon footprint by introducing cleaner, more fuel-efficient vehicles.

Electric buses, for instance, could become more common on Milwaukee’s streets if pilot programs demonstrate cost-effectiveness. However, the upfront investment in electric charging infrastructure and new buses is substantial. Proponents say the environmental gains could be a key selling point for both local leaders and the public.

INNOVATIVE IDEAS FROM OTHER CITIES

Looking beyond Wisconsin, Milwaukee’s transit planners have taken cues from cities that have successfully rejuvenated their public transportation systems. Cleveland, for example, has gained attention for its HealthLine BRT service, credited with spurring economic development along its corridor. Minneapolis and St. Paul have expanded their light rail and bus networks with measurable success in boosting ridership.

Milwaukee’s leaders see both cautionary tales and potential role models. Some cities have struggled with cost overruns, low ridership, and public skepticism. Others have managed to align broad coalitions — including business interests, environmental groups, and neighborhood associations — to support expanded transit. Such cross-sector collaboration may be what Milwaukee needs if it hopes to move forward with significant changes to its system.

Transit decisions for Milwaukee rarely occur in a vacuum. Regional governance structures, county boards, and state lawmakers all play a role. Budgets are political documents that reflect priorities. In some cases, expansions proposed by the city or county have been halted by disagreements at the state level, where funds may be allocated elsewhere or withheld.

Observers note that the political climate can shift rapidly, affecting the availability of resources for projects. As officials look ahead to the next election cycles, some wonder whether transit will become a central campaign issue. If it does, public opinion on the importance of efficient, reliable transportation could shape the political calculus for years to come.

WEIGHING EXPANSION VS. CUTS

Ultimately, the debate over whether Milwaukee should invest in transit expansion or move toward cutbacks is a reflection of competing visions for the city’s future. Advocates for expansion highlight the economic, environmental, and social benefits of a reliable, wide-ranging system. They point to research suggesting that robust public transit can stimulate development, attract a skilled workforce, and lower carbon emissions.

Some hope to see improvements to existing routes, such as boosting frequency on high-demand lines, upgrading bus stops, and investing in cleaner vehicles. Doing so could yield tangible benefits without the cost of building new infrastructure. Others propose smaller-scale pilot programs for BRT expansions to gauge effectiveness.

Public forums and surveys continue to shape the conversation, providing residents with opportunities to voice their preferences. Meanwhile, city and county officials are examining how recent federal infrastructure legislation might provide grants or matching funds to help finance improvements.

Milwaukee’s public transit crossroads illuminates fundamental questions about the city’s identity. Is Milwaukee committed to growing into a vibrant metropolis with robust, efficient mobility? Or will it focus on maintaining current service levels, even if that means scaling back in some areas?

Local leaders, riders, and businesses alike will be watching closely as the city and county navigate that path. Despite uncertainties, the hope among those who use public transit daily is that thoughtful, community-driven solutions will emerge. The choices made now could define how Milwaukee moves, grows, and thrives for decades to come.

https://www.milwaukeeindependent.com/explainers/state-milwaukee-expanding-public-transit-builds-connected-community/

Milwaukee County Transit System will offer free bus rides on St. Patrick's Day weekend again this year

WIPTA Admin — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 15:16:15 GMT

Molson Coors is once again offering free bus rides for Milwaukee County residents on the weekend before St. Patrick's Day.

All Milwaukee County Transit System bus rides will be free beginning at 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 15, according to a March 4 MCTS news release. The free fares will continue until the end of regular service on all MCTS routes.

The free rides coincide with the Shamrock Club of Wisconsin's annual St. Patrick's Day parade, which is slated to begin at noon.

“No matter where your celebrations take you, we want our Milwaukee community to feel confident knowing that free rides will be available on Saturday evening, ensuring everyone can get to their destinations with a reliable ride," said Molson Coors Community Affairs Manager Alison Hanrahan.

Miller Lite’s Free Rides program provided more than 2,000 free rides for Milwaukeeans celebrating St. Patrick's Day in 2024 alone, the release said. Moreover, the program has provided more than 9 million free rides across the nation since its inception in Milwaukee in 1988.

Here's what to know:

When will MCTS bus rides be free for St. Patrick's Day?

Rides will be free throughout Milwaukee County beginning at 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 15 until the end of regular service on all MCTS routes.

How to plan your MCTS route:

You can view route maps by visiting RideMCTS.com/schedules, or you can download the Umo app to plan your trip. Another way to plan your trip is by using the MCTS website trip planner feature.

Madison at High Risk of Losing $118 Million in Federal Funding for Next BRT Route

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 15:33:38 GMT

Madison at ‘high’ risk of losing $118 million in federal funding for next BRT route, says transportation director

The city’s plan is to expand service to the north and south sides in 2028

by Liam Beran

City officials are working on 'alternate strategies' to implement the route if funding falls through.

Shortly before President Donald Trump took office, city officials were unsure how federal funding for Madison infrastructure projects would be affected under the new administration. Now, the city’s transportation director says the city is at “high” risk of not getting an anticipated $118 million in funding for Madison’s north-south bus rapid transit route.

“In the past administration, this grant program continued. But this administration is doing a lot of things they didn’t do in the first round,” transportation director Thomas Lynch said at a March 3 finance committee meeting. “So I would say the risk for that is high, meaning that we may not get that grant in the next four years.” It could occur, he added, “after the next four years.”

Though the Federal Transit Administration recommended the funding in May 2024, the city does not yet have a contract, said Lynch. The north-south route, planned for a 2028 launch, would be Madison’s second BRT route; the east-west route, buoyed by nearly $140 million in federal funding, launched in September.

City officials are currently working on “alternate strategies” to provide “some of the BRT improvements” without federal funding, said Lynch. Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway told The Capital Times in November that even without federal funding, the city may look at implementing the north-south route on a smaller scale.

Ald. MGR Govindarajan says the Trump administration's actions are an unfortunate impediment to the city’s efforts to implement BRT service citywide — a project that was nearly over the finish line.

“Over the last five years, there's been a lot of concrete city time and effort going into it,” says Govindarajan. “So when all of that is just stalled because of the Trump administration's actions of cutting funding, it's just very frustrating.”

He notes the east-west route increased Metro Transit’s ridership — Metro reported that systemwide ridership in November and December 2024 was 10% higher than it had been in those months during 2023 — and that the city’s implementation of BRT was “supposed to help stir economic activity in” Madison’s north and south sides.

Govindarajan says any cut would disproportionately impact low-income residents and people of color.

The city’s plan for the north-south BRT route states it would service areas that “have some of the greatest racial, ethnic and income diversity within the city.” The proposal also notes that Madison College, the Urban League’s Black Business Hub, Centro Hispano, and the Center for Black Excellence are located near the proposed route.

During his first months in office, Trump has targeted climate-focused projects like the all-electric buses used on the east-west BRT route, which save up to 135 metric tons of greenhouse gas per bus annually, defending such cuts as “unleashing American energy and eliminating the Green New Scam.”

The president has endorsed a House GOP budget proposal that would enact $4.5 trillion in tax cuts over the next 10 years, alongside a $2 trillion spending cut. Noting that some federal agencies are still offering funding opportunities, Ald. Marsha Rummel asked at the transportation meeting whether the city has “any sense of what this administration’s philosophy is about funding opportunities.”

Programs adopted over the last three years and green energy projects seem “particularly at risk” under the proposal, city finance director David Schmiedicke responded.

“There is probably some amount of agreement among the majority in Congress that those would be a part of the reductions made to pay for making these tax cuts permanent,” said Schmiedicke.

City Attorney Michael Haas said at the meeting that while some court decisions have struck down executive orders that halted federal funding, future funding challenges are likely. Courts have so far not weighed in on other “laws or authority” that the administration has to halt federal funds, he added.

“The biggest tool for that is the upcoming federal budget, [which] we’ll be keeping an eye on,” Haas said.

Govindarajan, for one, has not yet given up on BRT funding.

“We have a federal lobbyist that will be continuing to talk to the folks at the federal level and hoping that we can get the funding through,” Govindarajan says. “Because if that happens, then all of these hypotheticals are just hypotheticals.”

https://isthmus.com/news/news/madison-at-high-risk-of-losing-118-million-in-federal-funding-for-next-BRT-route/

MCTS Transit Plus Expanding Options

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 14:19:39 GMT

MCTS Transit Plus expanding service options

by Adam Roberts

One of the Milwaukee County Transit System's Transit Plus vans. Image Credit: Milwaukee County Transit System

MILWAUKEE — Thousands of Milwaukee County residents in need of specialized transportation for last-minute wellbeing trips will soon have more options.

The Milwaukee County Transit System‘s paratransit service is expanding its same-day ride pilot to include trips for health, employment, and wellbeing that were unable to be scheduled the day before. MCTS says alll of the approximately 5,000 Milwaukee County Transit Plus riders across the system are eligible.

“At the launch, we predicted there would be adjustments to the pilot as we learned more. That’s why, going forward, the pilot service will also transport riders to wellbeing meetings, appointments, and life events that come up on short notice. For all other travel that can be scheduled in advance, our ADA van service is here to help.” said Transit Plus Director Fran Musci Monday.

The same day pilot first began service in September 2024. Rides are available seven days a week, from 7:00 a.m. to just before 6:00 p.m. at $10 a ride one-way.

The service will be available until the pilot funds are exhausted, which MCTS estimates will be around fall of 2025.

https://wtmj.com/news/2025/03/04/mcts-transit-plus-expanding-service-options/

Madison Metro Transit expands services in the region, starts new Monona route

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 16:55:03 GMT

Madison Metro Transit expands services in the region, starts new Monona route

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Madison Metro Transit has expanded its services to Monona on Monday and is working to grow across the greater-Madison area.

By Ashley Weil

Published: Mar. 4, 2025 at 7:15 PM CST

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - Madison Metro Transit has expanded its services to Monona on Monday. The bus operation is working to grow across the greater-Madison area to become a regional source of public transportation.

Mich Rusch, Chief Development Officer with Metro Transit, says the launch of Route 38 was a success, saying timing and ridership went smoothly as buses operated at new stops.

The bus operation is working to grow across the greater-Madison area to become a regional source of public transportation.(wmtv)

“We’re really excited, in fact we heard our dispatcher reported that there was a point yesterday morning that we had 15 people on the bus at one time, which is really great for brand new service,” explained Rusch. “It’s great for anytime, especially early morning, and 15 people, that could be 15 cars that aren’t driving into Madison in the morning.”

The newly extended route 38 operates every 30 minutes through Madison and every hour through Monona and runs from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every weekday.

Monona officials are hoping this partnership will help Monona residents access Madison and other municipalities in the area. This will also help outside residents access Monona.

The City of Monona previously had its own private bus service, but it only operated at limited times and had limited stops.

“If you wanted to come to the library in the middle of the afternoon or you wanted to come to the pool at 10:00 AM, you couldn’t get here without getting in a car or riding your bike,” explained Alderperson Nancy Moore.

The bus operation is working to grow across the greater-Madison area to become a regional source of public transportation.(wmtv)

Alder Moore says she has been working with Metro Transit for three years to figure out how they wanted to execute the partnership.

“From the time that we started talking to Metro, to a whole bunch of community engagement that we had, to drawing and redrawing maps and routes and what would be safe,” said Moore.

Metro Transit also took time to organize and plan the new route systems. They have also worked with other municipalities in the past to set up other partnerships as they look to become a regional source of transportation.

“Going into Monona, we are looking into other arrangements with other neighboring communities. We want to be a regional transit, so we are working on different agreements with other communities, so that’s pretty exciting for us,” said Rusch.

Rusch says they are already in talks with Verona officials about expanding their metro services to add all-day service.

https://www.wmtv15news.com/2025/03/05/madison-metro-transit-expands-services-region-starts-new-monona-route/

Evers Budget Good for Transit

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 16:03:32 GMT

Gov. Tony Evers wants to boost state funding for mass transit and create a fund to help local agencies purchase new buses.

The governor unveiled his proposed 2025-2027 biennial budget Tuesday, which included a proposed 4% increase in mass transit aids, as well as the creation of a new fund to support transit vehicle replacements.

Both items, if ultimately approved, would help the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) as it enters a difficult period. MCTS has a longstanding structural budget deficit: it costs more to operate the system each year than MCTS has revenue.

The transit system has used federal stimulus funding to plug budget holes for the past five years. Once the federal funds run out, though, the system is facing a budget gap between approximately $12 and $18 million, according to a 2024 report by the Office of the Comptroller. MCTS recently cancelled the a second bus rapid transit project to save long-term operating expenses associated with the route, and to move finds dedicated to planning it back into the general operating budget, staving off service cuts until at least 2028, the last year the system will have federal funding.

In the previous biennial state budget, MCTS received approximately $66.8 million annually through the Urban Mass Transit Operating Aid program. A 4% increase in funding for MCTS under this program would mean an additional $2.7 million annually. The additional funding will not close the structural gap, but it will help.

“I’m especially encouraged by the budget increases in mass transit aid and transportation funding so we can keep investing in our infrastructure, supporting job creation efforts, and maintaining public transit services for people in Milwaukee County,” County Executive David Crowley said in a statement on the governor’s proposed budget.

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Urban Mass Transit Operating Aid is the single largest source of operational funding for MCTS each year. MCTS is also the greatest beneficiary of this state program. The combined program funding for other transit systems under this program is still less than what MCTS receives.

In 2023, Republican state legislators potentially weakened the position of this program, moving it out of the segregated Transportation Fund and into the General Purpose Revenue Fund, pitting it against other state funding priorities like K-12 education and healthcare.

Evers’ budget could do more for MCTS than increase operating assistance, though. The governor is also proposing to create a new $20 million grant program to assist transit agencies with vehicle replacements.

MCTS has been struggling in recent years to keep up with its bus replacement schedule for lack of funding. The system needs approximately 150 buses over the next five years to replace all of the buses that will reach the end of the useful life. The industry standard for the life of a bus is 12-years or 500,000 miles.

“We thank Governor Evers for both proposing an increase in mass transit aids for public transportation and creating a new Transit Capital Assistance Fund to modernize aging facilities and purchase additional buses to improve transportation safety and address inflationary costs on purchasing new equipment,” MCTS said in a statement to Urban Milwaukee. “With a ridership increase of 11.5 percent in 2024, we will need more funding to go along with this growth to deliver patrons to businesses and employees to jobs.”

Road Safety Funding

The governor’s proposed budget also includes provisions that would lend support to the Milwaukee County’s road safety projects. A new $60 million fund would be created to provide grants for traffic calming and reckless driving projects over the biennium. Additionally, the budget would codify “complete streets” pedestrian considerations for transportation infrastructure projects.

“If passed, Governor Evers’ budget proposal will allow the Milwaukee County Department of Transportation to sustain important transportation initiatives that contribute to the economic vitality of the entire state of Wisconsin,” MCDOT Director Donna Brown-Martin said in a statement to Urban Milwaukee. The department “applauds projects that could help us achieve our Vision Zero goal of eliminating traffic deaths and serious injuries in Milwaukee County by 2037,” she added.

MCDOT has spent the past three years creating a comprehensive, countywide plan for road safety, identifying hundreds of areas for traffic safety interventions.

“Proposed traffic calming grants, driver education grants, and complete streets directives support the initiatives we are working towards, in collaboration with our municipalities and state, local, and community partners,” Brown-Martin said.

Safer transportation infrastructure will have ripple effects, improving local quality of life and supporting economic growth, the director said.

“Enhancing the safety of our roads is one of the most important issues facing the health, well-being, and economic vitality of our community,” Crowley said. “Collaboration and partnership will be key to increasing multimodal safety and reducing reckless driving. Milwaukee County supports any efforts, including support from the State of Wisconsin, that help eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries, while improving overall health outcomes for our residents.”

APTA Holds Webinar on Impacts of Executive Actions on Public Transportation

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 20:33:35 GMT

APTA Holds Webinar on Impacts of Executive Actions on Public Transportation

More than 1,300 APTA members joined the association’s Impacts of Executive Actions on Public Transportation webinar Feb. 20. APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas kicked off the event, explaining that it was the first in a series of informative discussions that APTA will hold on the Executive Orders and directives.

Also speaking were three APTA senior attorneys: Ward McCarragher, APTA vice president for government affairs and advocacy; Taria Barron, APTA general counsel; and Stacie Tiongson, APTA senior director, government affairs and advocacy.

Skoutelas informed participants that, since January 20, President Trump has issued almost 100 Executive Orders, Memoranda, and Proclamations to carry out his Administration’s policy goals and agenda. Many of these directives, together with USDOT actions, he said, directly impact the public transportation industry. For example, they pause some transportation funding; terminate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs; impose new tariffs; and establish priorities for USDOT competitive grants.

Skoutelas said that APTA is continuing to both track and analyze the Administration’s policy announcements that directly impact the industry. APTA staff update on a daily basis the association’s Executive and Regulatory Actions Tracker, which provides real-time updates and summaries regarding the President’s Executive Orders and other Administration actions that impact the public transportation industry.

“Our mission and core values remain as important as ever, and our work to support, strengthen, and advocate for public transportation continues,” Skoutelas said.

McCarragher discussed funding, Green New Deal, DOT orders, and tariff issues that could affect the industry. Barron touched on Executive Orders that affect diversity, equity, and inclusion. Tiongson spoke about orders on immigration enforcement and the regulatory process.

View a recording of the webinar here.

WIPTA Statement on Governor Evers Executive Budget

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 20:08:31 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FEBRUARY 19, 2025 WIPTA STATEMENT ON GOVERNOR EVERS’ EXECUTIVE BUDGET The Wisconsin Public Transportation Association (WIPTA) commends Governor Evers for his executive budget proposal, particularly as it relates to prioritizing investments in statewide public transportation funding. Public Transportation serves a vital role in Wisconsin’s communities by connecting employees to work, getting students to school, and providing trips for healthcare, shopping, and even recreation. Despite this fact, state mass transit aids are 2% less in real dollars than they were in 2012. Adjusted for inflation, that is 40% less state funding over the same period of time. The Governor’s proposed increase of 4% in each year of the biennium is important progress for our local transportation providers and additional funds for our smallest urban and rural systems is extremely important in helping them meet their needs. The Governor’s proposed increases in Paratransit Aids and Specialized Transportation Aids, which support transportation for elderly and disabled residents, are crucial for providing important transportation options that our communities demand for seniors and our most vulnerable populations. These popular programs are very expensive for local transit providers to administer and continued increases are necessary for continued service. WIPTA also recognizes Governor Evers for again proposing the creation of a Transit Capital Assistance Fund to provide ongoing assistance for capital expenses such as facility improvements and bus replacement. This provision is especially important given current uncertainty in federal funding that communities rely on. Finally, WIPTA appreciates the inclusion of language that would allow local units of government to choose to finance public transportation via a regional transit authority. We look forward to working closely with the Legislature on these proposals to invest in the transportation services provided by local government that businesses and communities desperately rely on.

Green Bay to replace 3 buses using Volkswagen settlement money

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 17:33:01 GMT

Green Bay to replace 3 buses using Volkswagen settlement money

by Scott Hurley, FOX 11 News

Mon, February 10th 2025 at 10:30 AM

Updated Mon, February 10th 2025 at 1:00 PM

The Green Bay Metro Transit station, March 22, 2023. (WLUK)

GREEN BAY (WLUK) -- The city of Green Bay will be getting three new buses, courtesy of fines paid by Volkswagen for cheating on emissions tests.

The Wisconsin Department of Administration announced $11.8 million in grants to four cities on Monday.

Of that, Green Bay is receiving about $3.9 million for the new buses and to scrap older models. State officials say the city planned to buy electric buses.

The city previously replaced four buses in 2020 using Volkswagen fines. Valley Transit has also used the money to replace buses in the past.

Volkswagen agreed to pay the federal government $2.9 billion after violating the Clean Air Act between 2009 and 2016. The company sold diesel engines that had software showing inaccurate nitrogen oxide emissions. Wisconsin's portion of the settlement was $67 million.

https://fox11online.com/news/local/green-bay-metro-transit-city-buses-replacement-volkswagen-clean-air-act-violations-settlement-fines

Dept. of Administration: Announces nearly $12 million in Transit Capital Assistance funds for 4 Wisconsin communities

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 17:32:30 GMT

Dept. of Administration: Announces nearly $12 million in Transit Capital Assistance funds for 4 Wisconsin communities

February 10, 2025

Home » Press Releases » Dept. of Administration: Announces nearly $12 million in Transit Capital Assistance funds for 4 Wisconsin communities

MADISON, Wis. – The Department of Administration (DOA) today announced $11.8 million in grants to for the purchase of 15 public transit buses serving Janesville, Wausau, Green Bay, and Beloit.

The new buses will replace old, inefficient buses using funding from the State of Wisconsin Transit Capital Assistance Grant Program. The program is funded through a court settlement as a result of Volkswagen’s violation of the federal Clean Air Act (CAA), rather than state tax dollars.

“We’re excited to announce the 3rd round of transit bus replacements made possible through the VW Mitigation program,” said DOA Secretary Blumenfeld. “These new, clean diesel, hybrid, and battery electric buses will not only provide reliable rides to employment and shopping for Wisconsin residents and visitors, they will also help make our communities healthier by removing older, dirtier diesel engines from operation.”

Volkswagen admitted to violating the CAA from 2009 through 2016 by selling nearly 590,000 2.0-liter and 3.0-liter diesel engine vehicles equipped with software designed to cheat on federal emission tests. Under Volkswagen’s settlement with the federal government, Wisconsin will receive $67.1 million over the ten years to offset excess pollution emitted by affected VW vehicles in the state.

Legislation from 2017 established the Transit Capital Assistance Grant Program to competitively award Volkswagen settlement funds for the purpose of replacing public transit vehicles. The program will fund the replacement of engine models from 1992-2009 for transit buses in classes 4-8, with new diesel, alternate fueled or all-electric buses. All old buses must be scrapped under the terms of the federal settlement.

A complete list of grants is below:

	Bus	Replacement	Scrapping	Total
	Replacement	Cost	Allowance	Recommended
Applicant	Request	Request	($1,500 per bus)	Grant Award
Beloit	1	$920,000.00	$1,500.00	$921,500.00
Green Bay	3	$3,900,000.00	$4,500.00	$3,904,500.00
Janesville	1	$580,000.00	$1,500.00	$581,500.00
Wausau	10	$6,400,000.00	$15,000.00	$6,415,000.00
Total	15	$11,800,000.00	$22,500.00	$11,822,500.00

Final grant amounts and specific bus replacement plans will be negotiated between DOA and the local transit systems. Additional information is available on the VW Mitigation Program website.

Eau Claire Public Transit Division declares 2025 'Year of Transit' with big projects on the way

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 17:30:46 GMT

EAU CLAIRE (WQOW) - 2024 was a banner year for Eau Claire public transit as more people ditched their cars and took the bus.

50,000 more people used public transit last year, with around 710,000 total passengers. In 2023, that number was 660,000.

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2024 was a banner year for Eau Claire public transit as more people ditched their cars and took the bus.

Community services manager Ty Fadness said new bus routes helped connect more people to their destinations. He said the largest group contributing to the ridership increase were university students.

"We increased the bus service at peak times so that we're not leaving as many university students behind because sometimes the busses are so full on the university routes that there are students that have to wait for the next one," he said.

Fadness is calling 2025 'The Year of Transit' for the Eau Claire community. The division will be celebrating 50 years of operation, and finally opening the long-awaited new transit center this summer.

They will also be launching a new program called 'Micro Transit Pilot', an on-demand ride share service.

"You can either call or use an app just like Lyft or Uber, kind of those on demand services except it's public transportation so it's going be a lot more economical," Fadness said.

The service will give people more direct rides compared to a bus route. The micro transit ride share program will only service people on the north side of the city during its first year. Fadness said if the program is successful, they will expand it to other areas of the city.

The service is scheduled to launch on July 1st.

https://www.wqow.com/eye-on-eau-claire/eau-claire-public-transit-division-declares-2025-year-of-transit-with-big-projects-on-the/article_6ad77cbc-e25b-11ef-9a1a-53563b48ba36.html

Poetry inspires on the road: Racine buses to feature mental-health themed poems starting Feb. 1

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 17:19:36 GMT

RACINE, WI—Racine bus riders will soon notice the addition of poetry to the city’s public transit fleets.

The Poetry Movement spearheaded the initiative to “build resilience and bring together the community of Racine while giving greater attention to art and creative writing.”

According to a news release, all of the poems, which feature writers from Racine, Milwaukee, Indiana, and England, center on mental health.

Ryde Racine will feature placards with mental-health themed poetry started Feb. 1. The verses are meant to inspire individuals to care for their mental health. / Screenshot from Ryde Racine

The entire Ryde Racine public transit fleet, which includes 39 buses and nine paratransit vans, will feature two poems starting on Feb. 1. A committee of writing faculty from area colleges combed through 80 poems submitted last fall, selecting 17 to appear on buses.

Ryde Racine has approved the poems to be displayed on buses and will host a biannual poetry event at the transit center. Local graphic designer Amanda Gaastra handled the layout of bus signs.

Additional funding for the project came from the Osborne and Scekic Family Foundation and the Racine Council’s ArtSeed grant, according to the news release.

The Racine Literacy Council and NAMI Racine County each provided space for writing workshops prior to the contest deadline. Family Power Music donated sound engineering and equipment.

Nicholas Michael Ravnikar, a writer who lives in Racine, founded the Poetry Movement with Chicago poet Ivan Ramos. The movement’s goal is to highlight the literary significance of poets and poetry circulating throughout the Chicago-Milwaukee corridor.

Ravnikar launched the Bus Poems project after he hosted an open mic and performance showcase at the transit center for his public project as Racine Writer-in-Residence for ArtRoot, a local nonprofit. ArtRoot has organized Arts Mixer networking events for the Racine creative community, alongside the Wall Poems and Writer-in-Residence projects, according to the news release.

https://racinecountyeye.com/2025/01/27/racine-buses-mental-health-poetry/

Increase in Metro Transit ridership largely due to Bus Rapid Transit

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 17:18:21 GMT

Second BRT to be built within next five years, District 8 Alder MGR says

by Patricia Clark

January 30, 2025

Mia Homan

The 80 bus parked outside of Memorial Union. January 30, 2024.

Metro Transit ridership has significantly increased since the release of the Bus Rapid Transit.

The system showed a 10% increase in overall ridership and an 18% increase in ridership on the Rapid A Route in November and December of 2024 compared to the previous year, according to preliminary data released Wednesday.

District 8 Alder MGR Govindarajan said increased ridership is a result of improved public transportation systems.

Trump's Cabinet pick for secretary of transportation is Sean Duffy. Here's what to know

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 17:49:22 GMT

Sean Duffy, President-elect Trump's pick for transportation secretary, testified before the Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday.

Samuel Corum/Getty Images

We're following the confirmation hearings for the incoming Trump administration. See our full politics coverage, and follow NPR's Trump's Terms podcast or sign up for our Politics newsletter to stay up to date.

Who: Sean Duffy

Nominated for: secretary of transportation

WASHINGTON — When Republican Sean Duffy was in Congress, he worked with lawmakers from both sides of the aisle to replace an 80-year-old bridge across the St. Croix River between his home state of Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Trump taps Sean Duffy, Fox host and former congressman, for transportation secretary

More than a decade later, the St. Croix Crossing — and the relationships that the new bridge helped forge — came up several times Wednesday during Duffy's confirmation hearing to lead the Department of Transportation.

"When I fly into Minneapolis and drive up to Hayward, where I was born and raised, I go across that bridge," Duffy said during the hearing. "I'm proud every single time for the bipartisan work that we did together, and I would like to continue that kind of work should I be confirmed."

That project required action by Congress to grant an exemption from the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Duffy's work to make that happen helped endear him to several Democrats in the Senate, including Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin.

"Our efforts show that when we work together, we get important things done. And we haven't always agreed," Baldwin said in remarks introducing Duffy to the committee. "But at the end of the day, I am confident that Sean is the right person for this job in this upcoming administration."

Where did the workers go? Construction jobs are plentiful, but workers are scarce

While some of President-elect Trump's cabinet nominees faced sharp questioning from Democrats on Capitol Hill this week, Duffy received an overwhelmingly friendly welcome from Baldwin and other members of the Senate Commerce Committee.

Duffy has a long record in public service, representing a district in northern Wisconsin in the House of Representatives for more than eight years. But beyond the St. Croix Crossing, he has relatively little direct experience in transportation — or leading a large organization like the DOT, which has a budget of more than $100 billion.

Sponsor Message

At the confirmation hearing, Duffy committed to prioritizing safety on the roadways and in the air, and said he would "work to reduce the red tape that slows critical infrastructure projects, ensuring funds are spent efficiently." He pledged to bring "tough love" to Boeing as regulators work to restore confidence in the struggling airplane maker. And Duffy said he would address the shortage of air traffic controllers, while hiring only "the best and the brightest" for those jobs.

After leaving Congress in 2019, Duffy worked as a lobbyist and as a contributor at Fox News. In announcing his pick, President-elect Trump praised Duffy as a "respected voice and communicator" in a post on Truth Social in November.

Trump has looked to the ranks of Fox News for many of his cabinet nominees. But few have as much experience on camera as Duffy, who starred on MTV's "The Real World: Boston" in 1997. He met his future wife Rachel Campos-Duffy, a fellow Fox News contributor, when they both starred on another MTV reality show. Campos-Duffy was on hand at Wednesday's hearing, along with eight of the couple's nine children.

Biden signs the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill into law

Duffy noted that roadway safety "hits close to home for me, because my wife survived a deadly head-on car crash, which has profoundly reshaped her life."

The outgoing Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg also had little direct experience in transportation before taking the reins. Under Buttigieg, the department has handed out billions of dollars from the bipartisan infrastructure law to build roads and bridges, dig tunnels, modernize airports and more.

Duffy was asked several times on Wednesday whether funding for those projects would continue to flow.

Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) asked specifically about funding for the Gateway Program, a multi-billion dollar project to replace a series of crumbling rail tunnels and bridges connecting northern New Jersey to Manhattan.

Sponsor Message

"I want to look at what funding has gone out," Duffy said. "But I imagine those good projects that are underway, we would continue."

'Cozy' relationship between Boeing and the U.S. draws scrutiny amid 737 Max 9 mess

The Department of Transportation includes the Federal Aviation Administration, which is in charge of the nation's airspace, as well as agencies that regulate the nation's railroads, and set safety standards for passenger cars, trucks and commercial vehicles.

There are several areas where the department's broad mandate intersects with the business interests of Elon Musk, the world's richest person, who poured more than a quarter of a billion dollars into President-elect Trump's 2024 election campaign.

Now safety advocates worry that Musk may try to influence the federal agencies that regulate his businesses. His rocket company SpaceX has sometimes clashed with regulators at the FAA over its launch practices.

Federal regulators at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, part of the DOT, are investigating crashes involving Tesla's advanced driver-assistance systems. And safety advocates fear the Trump administration could move to end those investigations, along with a crash reporting requirement that Tesla opposes.

Exit interview: DOT Sec. Buttigieg on infrastructure act and the road ahead

Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) pressed Duffy on whether he would allow traffic safety investigators to "follow the evidence and operate objectively as part of their investigations?"

"Yes, I commit to this committee and to you that I will let NHTSA do their investigation," Duffy responded.

The nominee was asked several times about his level of commitment to Amtrak — not only by Democratic senators from New Jersey and Delaware, but also by Republicans from Kansas and Mississippi.

Duffy acknowledged voting against Amtrak funding when he was a member of Congress from rural Wisconsin. But he said "this committee has spoken loudly about Amtrak and rail in their home communities."

If he's confirmed, as appears likely, Duffy said his first trip as transportation secretary would be to the Appalachian mountain regions of Tennessee and North Carolina, where flooding from Hurricane Helene damaged major interstate highways along with countless smaller roads and bridges.

Sponsor Message

"This is an emergency," Duffy said. "I'll do everything in the power of the Department for Transportation to move the process forward as quickly as possible so these communities get access and roads that are functional again."

Milwaukee County Transit System rider feedback sought for 2025

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 17:48:14 GMT

Planning bus routes for 2025

What we know:

Riders are encouraged to provide input on how MCTS can adapt its services to better meet their changing needs.

MCTS wants to hear from riders directly. Feedback can be submitted through an online survey, visiting RideMCTS.com/MOVE to comment on interactive maps, or by attending one of five public meetings across the county. Riders have until Feb. 10 to weigh in.

Public Meeting dates

Timeline:

Jan. 14 — 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Milwaukee Public Library East Branch (2320 N. Cramer St., Milwaukee) - complete
Jan. 16 — 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Oak Creek City Hall (8040 S. 6th St., Oak Creek)
Jan. 22 — 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Silver Spring Neighborhood Center (5460 N. 64th St., Milwaukee)
Jan. 25 — 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at West Milwaukee Community Center (1345 S. 47th St., West Milwaukee)
Feb. 4 — 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at MCTS Administration Building (1942 N. 17th St., Milwaukee)

What's next:

March – May 2025: MCTS transit planners review feedback and develop a draft plan for additional comment from riders, bus drivers and the general public. Planners prepare a final recommended plan that will be presented to the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors will review and request approval.
June – August 2025: If the recommended plan is approved, MCTS promotes public awareness of the fall service changes.
Late August 2025: The changes go live.

For a Healthier Happier 2025 Ride Your Local Subway or Bus

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 17:45:43 GMT

For those who live in cities served by public transit, this is the perfect time to make a commuting habit that could save you money and improve your health.

Morning commuters wait for the MARC and Amtrak trains in New Carrollton, Maryland.

Photographer: Linda Davidson / The Washington Post via Getty Images

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Before it’s here, it’s on the Bloomberg Terminal

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By Kendra Pierre-Louis

January 1, 2025 at 7:00 AM CST

New Year's resolutions tend to take on a certain flavor: Pay off debts, eat healthier, exercise more. But this year, city residents might consider mixing things up and embarking on a habit that would be better for the planet’s health as well as your own. It might even be more convenient. This New Year’s, consider pledging to take public transit.

Only 3.1% of US adults use public transportation to get to work, according to 2022 data from the Census Bureau, down from 5% in 2019. That year, almost 76% of Americans said they drove alone to work, a number that fell to 68.7% in 2022 as more people reported working from home. Among those who take transit, 70% were located in one of seven metropolitan areas — Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington, DC.

This heavy reliance on private vehicles comes with a steep cost — both personally and to the environment (not to mention the fiscal health of your local transit agency). The average US household spends $13,174 per year on transportation, more than 85% of which go to car payments, gas and other automotive expenses. Driving costs help make transportation the second-largest expenditure for Americans after housing, representing roughly 17% of household income. In the European Union, it’s only 11%.

Transportation also accounts for 28% of US greenhouse gas emissions, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency, with nearly 60% coming from cars, SUVs and pickup trucks. And while electric vehicles can help reduce that figure, research from the California Air Resources Board and others have found that switching to battery-power alone is not enough. To stave off the worst effects of climate change, fewer people need to be driving.

And yet getting more people in the US out of their cars has been difficult. Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, transit ridership was falling in most US cities, with success stories such as Seattle’s expanding bus ridership standing out as a rare exception. Even nudges such as offering free fares have not substantially moved people from behind the steering wheel and onto trains, buses and light rail.

A big part of that problem is structural — lots of US communities simply don’t have good enough transit service. But even in cities with bus and train networks that are adequate for commuting, many people still opt to drive. For some of them, driving to work is just a habit, and habits are hard to break. Research has found that people will only change their commuting habits “when they’re starting a new job or when they’re moving,” says Ariella Kristal, a behavioral scientist and postdoctoral researcher at Columbia University. “But they’re not just going to, in the middle of daily life, change an entrenched habit.”

This is bad news not just for transit agencies, but for commuters themselves. One study led by Rababe Saadaoui, a doctoral candidate at Arizona State University, found that when people relied on cars for more than 50% of their daily activities, their life satisfaction declined.

“When you use your car, it provides benefits but up to a certain point,” said Saadaoui. “When you reach over-reliance on cars, we see a negative application between car dependence and their life satisfaction.” In other words, car usage has something of a Goldilocks effect — too much or too little and we’re left wanting.

Similarly, a transit commute might be some people’s best option — they just don’t know it. That’s because people rarely experiment with how they get around, due to a concept called “satisficing.” The word, a portmanteau of the words “satisfy” and “suffice,” was coined by the Nobel Prize-winning economist Herbert Simon. Simon’s work suggests that people often filter through every possible option and rapidly settle on one that is “good enough.” But many commutes could benefit from some experimentation, not least because of the digital navigation tools that are widely relied on to get around. The problem, notes Shaun Larcom, a lecturer in environmental economics and policy at the University of Cambridge, is these tools “often don’t take into account many of the elements associated with a good or pleasant journey.” They just prioritize speed.

When we plug a trip into our GPS, it might automatically pick the driving route as the fastest option, but it doesn’t consider how long it would take to find parking, for example, or how much that would cost. It also doesn’t weigh how we plan to spend our commuting time. Transit riders are free to read, nap, catch up on email, or do all manner of screen-based diversions and chores (plus, walking or cycling to stations provides some much-needed exercise). For those sitting behind the wheel, listening to music, podcasts or audiobooks is just about the only safe option, as attention and eyes need to be focused on the road.

In a recent Slate article, New York City teacher Jacqueline LeKachman confessed to loving her three-hour round-trip subway commute for giving her the space to not only decompress from work before entering a home full of roommates, but to also get writing done. She managed to pick up some editing work on the side that she only completes on the train — all things she’d struggled to do with a shorter commute.

None of this is an argument in favor of longer commutes — research has shown that typically longer commutes, especially by car, are associated with increased risks of everything from hypertension and diabetes to depression (although the risk seems to decline with non-driving commutes). It is, however, an argument in favor of transport experimentation, something that Larcom saw first-hand in a study that he co-authored looking at the impact of a February 2014 transit strike in London.

That year, workers on the London Underground went on strike for two days, shutting down some but not all Tube stations. The interruption forced residents to find creative ways to get to work, school and other destinations. It also enabled researchers to see how the strike shifted people’s routines. When the strike ended, while many people resumed their old routes, a sizable minority shifted their commutes — permanently.

“People didn't stick to their original routes because they found better ways to get to work,” said Larcom.

The trick was getting them to try a different route in the first place. Something like a New Year’s resolution might help with that.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-01/for-a-healthier-happier-2025-try-commuting-on-public-transit

La Crosse, WI Celebrates Transit Equity February 2-4, 2025

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 17:42:17 GMT

See the attached flyer for more information!

2025 Transit Equity Days

Eau Claire Transit Waives Fares for Extreme Cold

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 17:40:39 GMT

In a Facebook post, Eau Claire Transit announced that from January 21-22, bus fares are waived due to the extreme cold.

The post also highlighted that all of the busses are accessible, with the ability to "kneel" so that entrances are level with the curb.

For more information about routes and schedules, click here.

New FTA report shows U.S. transit ridership on the rise

WIPTA Admin — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 15:21:57 GMT

Transit ridership in the U.S. continues to rise, growing by more than 17 percent from 2022 to 2023, according to a recent report from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) on transit trends.

The report notes transit agencies provided 6.9 billion trips in 2023, an increase of 17.3 percent from 2022. Those same transit agencies moved passengers 35 billion miles, an increase of almost 17 percent from 2022. According to the report, with that year-over-year-growth, public transportation grew nearly twice as fast as domestic air travel between 2022 and 2023.

"Our nation's public transportation systems continue to punch above their weight, providing billions of trips covering billions of miles for millions of people all across our nation," said FTA Deputy Administrator Veronica Vanterpool. "This report shows an upward trend in people using transit, which provides many benefits, including less time wasted in traffic, fewer carbon emissions and better air quality."

The report notes public transportation is also a jobs generator, as in the past year, 10,000 new workers have entered the transit industry, and salaries have increased more than $1 billion. At the end of 2023, more than 388,000 people worked in public transportation, filling jobs in operations, maintenance and administration.

According to the report, the growth rate for jobs in the transit industry exceeds other occupations. Between 2022 and 2023, the number of transit jobs grew by four percent while growth in all occupations across the country was two percent for the same period.

FTA says the 2023 National Transit Summary and Trends report provides an annual snapshot of public transportation based on data submitted by 3,000 transit agencies to the National Transit Database (NTD). Reporting comes from federally supported transit systems, which report metrics regularly during the year for the report that comes out each fall.

Congress established the NTD in 1974 to support local and state planning efforts. According to FTA, the transit data offers a window into travel trends, workforce data and transit system conditions.

FTA notes the 3,000 transit providers operate all over the country, from large metropolitan regions to small urban places and rural areas. The report says that while most transit trips occur in large urban regions where transit helps manage traffic congestion and supports walkable communities, nearly a third of transit trips (28 percent) are taken in smaller urban and rural areas.

According to the report, high-capacity transit systems like light rail and bus rapid transit (BRT) increased substantially between 2013 and 2023. Transit rail miles increased by 12 percent and miles traveled via BRT increased by 44 percent, the largest increase among transit modes, reflecting the introduction of several new BRT systems.

The report notes that while transit is already an environmentally friendly way to travel, many of the U.S. transit providers are transitioning to greener propulsion systems, particularly for buses. The report, which also analyzes trends over the last decade, found that between 2013 and 2023, the number of zero-emission buses increased four-fold.

The report also shows a significant increase in improving accessibility for people with disabilities. In 2023, nearly 84 percent of the U.S.’s transit stations were considered fully accessible per the Americans with Disabilities Act, which includes stations that feature modifications such as platforms for level boarding and ramps. The 84 percent is an increase of 4.6 percent during the past decade.

https://www.masstransitmag.com/management/press-release/55259857/federal-transit-administration-fta-new-fta-report-shows-us-transit-ridership-on-the-rise

Eau Claire City Transit to Celebrate 50 Years of Service

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 07 Jan 2025 17:45:28 GMT

The Eau Claire Transit system will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025, and with that milestone, the city is looking forward to expanding and improving the system during the next year.

By Angela Curio

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

The Eau Claire Transit system will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025, and with that milestone, the city is looking forward to expanding and improving the system during the next year.

Eau Claire Transit Manager Ty Fadness said that, while the current bus system was bought out by the Eau Claire Transportation Company in 1975, the city has some interesting history regarding public transit.

“Eau Claire was one of the first cities to adapt horse drawn trolleys,” he said. “It was actually the first to have heated trolleys using electricity in the entire nation. That was developed because of our climate. In the twenties, the trolley system started to decline and [was] replaced by car lines. Buses slowly came after that.”

In 1985, the city built what was supposed to be a temporary transfer center downtown which lasted until it was torn down to build the new transfer center, scheduled to open up this summer.

“So it’s kind of an exciting time not just because it’s the fiftieth anniversary but also because the new transfer center is opening which has been a long time coming,” said Fadness.

When the bus system was first put into place, it was operated using a flag system where people would call to have the bus pick them up at a specific location. Now the bus route has 550 stops and the city is looking to expand it by starting a year-long micro transfer pilot program.

“That is where there are smaller vehicles that will pick people up at their door and bring them anywhere within that zone or to the transfer center,” said Fadness.

He added that this service will be limited to a certain new zone in the city not currently easily accessible by the public transit system.

“The geography is interesting in that it’s relatively low in population density, but the people there are interested in transit,” he said. “There’s lots of zero- and one-car households and we think those people would use public transportation.”

Currently a fixed route wouldn’t optimally serve the people in that area of the city. Over time, he said, the hope is that they’ll learn to make things more efficient and see if this pilot program is something the city will continue to pursue in the long term.

Fares for this new program will be the same as other transit fare prices.

In the meantime, the city is also hoping to find ways to provide free fares for K through 12th grade students and Veterans.

Other efforts are underway to help discover ways to improve the system and increase ridership.

“We’re going to be doing community meetings this spring to meet with [different] groups and tell them the story of transit and why it’s important to the community,” he said. “We want to make sure that the community shapes what the transit development plan is. [We’re hoping to] recommend service alternative for fixed routs, making it more efficient and trying to serve more people.”

He concluded that 2025 offers a lot of promise for the public transit system, being the safest and most fuel efficient option there is in the city.

“There’s all these positives,” he said. “We want to get people on the bus, so we want to make and create a system that meets the needs of the community, and we’re looking forward to another 50 years.”

More changes ahead for Madison bus system after 2024 overhaul

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 07 Jan 2025 17:43:10 GMT

People get off a bus at Baldwin Street and Washington Avenue in Madison on Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. The newly-constructed bus shelter is part of a nascent bus rapid transit system. Sarah Lehr/WPR

Bus rapid transit was introduced in Madison in the fall, following a complete redesign of the system’s routes. About three months in, transit officials say the transition is going well and more changes are coming next year.

The new system includes buses riders can board from any door, new stations and a new fare payment system. A new bus rapid transit route, or BRT, was launched in September.

Metro Transit chief development officer Mick Rusch said it’s the biggest overhaul to the system since the ’90s.

“We redesigned all of our service last summer to get ready for bus rapid transit, and then we got all the routes ready, and we implemented all the infrastructure this year, and we also rolled out all of our electric buses, our new fare technology, all of that all at once,” he said.

Of all the changes, Rusch said the new payment system “has taken us the longest to get people acclimated to.”

Before the overhaul, buses used magnetic stripe swipe cards. They stopped selling those in September, Rusch said, replacing them with pre-loadable, tap-to-pay fare cards.

But overall, Rusch said the new system is working well. While they don’t yet have official ridership data, they are anecdotally seeing “full buses.”

“We’re seeing a lot of people riding during the week, we’re just seeing a lot of people tapping their cards,” Rusch said.

Getting ready to board the BRT on University Ave., Terry Richardson said he mostly likes the new system. But, he said there is a downside to the rapid service.

“It moves fast, so that’s a good thing,” he said. “But if you’re not there, if you’re not right there, then it’s gonna leave you.”

Rusch said more changes are coming in 2025, including a system where riders will be able to tap a credit card or phone to pay on any bus, which will be implemented in April or May.

“You don’t even have to mess around with getting a fare card,” he said. “You can just use your credit card to board the bus.”

Rusch said Metro will also introduce hourly service to the city of Monona in March on route 38. And, they’ll also start doing outreach on adding a north-south BRT route. While they haven’t yet secured funding for that project, they hope it will come to fruition in two or three years.

Molson Coors to offer safe rides on New Year’s Eve across Milwaukee through partnership with Milwaukee County Transit System

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 21:01:12 GMT

Molson Coors to offer safe rides on New Year’s Eve across Milwaukee through partnership with Milwaukee County Transit System

Press Release

December 19, 2024

Molson Coors to offer safe rides on New Year’s Eve across Milwaukee through partnership with Milwaukee County Transit System

The company’s Free Rides program has offered more than 8 million free transit rides since 1988 to help Americans reach destinations safely; over 60% ridership increase in past three years

MILWAUKEE – Dec. 19, 2024 – As the nation prepares for the holiday season and new year, Molson Coors Beverage Company is helping Americans celebrate responsibly in Milwaukee with complimentary Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) rides through the company’s long-standing New Year’s Eve Free Rides program.

Thanks to a partnership with MCTS, residents and visitors in Milwaukee can take advantage of fare-free rides from 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 31 until the end of service on all routes. Service on the following popular routes will be extended to 4 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 1:

CONNECT 1 BRT
14 – Entire route
18 – Broadway and Knapp to 121st and Greenfield
21 – Mayfair Mall to North Avenue and Water Tower
24 – MCTS Admin Building to Southridge
30 – Entire route, both branches
PURPLELINE – Bayshore to Franklin Walmart
BLUELINE – Fifth and Clybourn to Fond du Lac and Constance (Hampton)
GREENLINE – Entire route

“To ensure that those celebrating in Milwaukee have a reliable ride, we are excited to activate the Free Rides program once again across the U.S. this New Year’s Eve,” said Alison Hanrahan, community affairs manager, Molson Coors. “In collaboration with MCTS, we are looking forward to fostering community and fellowship as we ring in the New Year.”

The Free Rides program, which began in 1988, has long underscored Molson Coors’ mission to promote responsible celebration. Last year, the New Year’s Eve Free Rides program saw its highest ridership yet, with 200,000 people taking advantage of complimentary transit when celebrating the new year.

Over the past three years, the New Year’s Eve program has experienced a 36% increase in ridership (the overall Free Rides program has grown by 62% during the last three years). The program continues to grow and evolve, expanding to Charlotte last year and Washington, D.C. this year.

“Our ongoing partnership with Miller Lite on New Year’s Eve is one of the highlights of our year,” said Kristina Hoffman, MCTS director of marketing and communications. “It’s a great way to fully enjoy the festivities with a fare-free ride around Milwaukee, the hometown of Miller Lite.”

Through partnerships with local public transit, Molson Coors is also offering fare-free rides on New Year’s Eve for celebrators in Charlotte; Chicago; Dallas; Denver; Phoenix; and Washington, D.C.

The New Year’s Eve Free Rides program marks the finale of this year’s Free Rides initiative, with more planned in 2025. In 2024, Molson Coors also sponsored Free Rides in 10 cities across the U.S. for events such as St. Patrick’s Day and various sporting events.

Those joining in the New Year’s Eve festivities are encouraged to plan ahead for a free ride to or from their celebrations. Riders can visit the MCTS website to review routes and arrange transportation before the celebrations begin.

Sneak Peek: Madison Metro Bus and Paratransit Service in Monona Begins March 3

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 21:00:03 GMT

Sneak Peek: Madison Metro Bus and Paratransit Service in Monona Begins March 3

On March 3, 2025, Metro Transit will begin providing service to the City of Monona, bringing residents a convenient, accessible, affordable, fast, and reliable connection to and from destinations throughout the entire Madison metro area. See this page on the Madison Metro website for a sneak peek of Monona routes, schedules, maps, paratransit information, tips for planning your trip, and numerous FAQs. Information is available in English, Spanish, Hmong, and Chinese. More details to come!

For those interested in Paratransit, a presentation has been set for Wednesday, January 22, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the Monona Senior Center. This event will include representatives of Metro Paratransit, there will be time to help people with their applications, and it is open to the public.

https://www.mymonona.com/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1731

Milwaukee County Transit System Begins Collecting Rider Feedback to Shape 2025 Routes

WIPTA Admin — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 15:33:42 GMT

Milwaukee County Transit System Begins Collecting Rider Feedback to Shape 2025 Routes

December 09, 2024

Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) is launching a new initiative called MOVE 2025, aimed at collecting rider feedback to help shape bus routes for fall 2025. This effort will guide decisions on whether certain routes should have higher frequencies, more or less coverage, or stay the same.

Riders are encouraged to provide input on how MCTS can adapt its services to better meet their changing needs. MOVE 2025 offers a unique approach where riders can see routing ideas from fellow passengers, bus operators and data trends along with the potential impacts of these ideas. This helps riders, bus drivers and the general public understand the broader effects of any potential adjustments to their routes and how their feedback can guide a recommended plan for the fall.

MCTS Interim Managing Director Julie Esch said, “MOVE 2025 aligns with a significant milestone—our 50th anniversary. Over the past five decades, Milwaukee County has evolved dramatically. Throughout this evolution, we’ve consistently adapted our resources to move public transit where the county is headed. I’m excited that MOVE 2025 offers riders a chance to share their vision of how the bus system could evolve to meet the future needs of Milwaukee County.”

MCTS wants to hear from riders directly. Feedback can be submitted through an online survey, visiting RideMCTS.com/MOVE to comment on interactive maps, or by attending one of five public meetings across the county. Riders have until February 10, 2025, to weigh in.

Key Dates and Locations for Public Meetings:

January 14, 2025 — 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Milwaukee Public Library East Branch (2320 N. Cramer St., Milwaukee)
January 16, 2025 — 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Oak Creek City Hall (8040 S. 6th St., Oak Creek)
January 22, 2025 — 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Silver Spring Neighborhood Center (5460 N. 64th St., Milwaukee)
January 25, 2025 — 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at West Milwaukee Community Center (1345 S. 47th St., West Milwaukee)
February 4, 2025 — 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at MCTS Administration Building (1942 N. 17th St., Milwaukee)

Timeline for MOVE 2025

December 9, 2024 - February 10, 2025: Public input phase through surveys, online comments, interactive maps, and public meetings.
March - May 2025: MCTS transit planners review feedback and develop a draft plan for additional comment from riders, bus drivers and the general public. Planners prepare a final recommended plan that will be presented to the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors will review and request approval.
June - August 2025: If the recommended plan is approved, MCTS promotes public awareness of the fall service changes.
Late August 2025: The changes go live.

The MOVE 2025 initiative follows previous efforts to align public transit resources with passengers’ needs, including a major bus system redesign in 2021 and the introduction of CONNECT 1, a Bus Rapid Transit service in 2023. For more information, visit RideMCTS.com/MOVE.

https://www.ridemcts.com/who-we-are/news/milwaukee-county-transit-system-begins-collecting

After 40 Years, Bus Rapid Transit Has Redefined Madison

WIPTA Admin — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 15:31:59 GMT

After 40 years, Bus Rapid Transit has redefined Madison

BRT’s long-awaited debut this fall has helped streamline Madison’s public transportation system, but it’s taken a lot of planning to get to this point.

By John Ernst

December 5, 2024 | 5:00am CST

Chris Phistry has lived his whole life in Wisconsin’s capital. When he began working on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus as a front desk agent at the Fluno Center five years ago, Phistry needed a way to commute into the city from his west side residence.

In Madison, the choice is clear: he takes the bus.

Five days a week, Phistry takes the bus to downtown, and in September, he began using the brand-new Bus Rapid Transit system.

“In the last 40 years, I've been paying attention to the bus system,” Phistry said. “I’ve seen it shift from a much wider coverage of the city to concentrating a lot more on the corridors that see the most service.”

BRT as a whole has been a growing movement in American cities, with cities like Madison receiving federal funding though the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill and Small Starts Grants to implement and build their systems. Wisconsin’s capital city isn’t the first. The federal government has been funding BRT systems since the first lines debuted in Pittsburgh in the early 1980s. As of 2016, there were over 300 miles of BRT service in the U.S., according to the Federal Transit Administration.

Route A, the BRT line Phistry takes to and from work, services the east-west corridor of Madison, running just past I-90 on the east side to Junction Road on the west side. On Sept. 22, Madison Metro Transit launched the line, debuting a project over 40 years in the making.

In 2012, Metro Transit Capital Projects Manager Mike Cechvala and his colleagues at the Greater Madison Metropolitan Planning Organization drew the first map of the BRT system, running through the same east-west corridor that Phristry and other commuters use every day. The city formally applied for a federal grant to fund the project in 2017 when Cechvala was working for Metro Transit, he told The Daily Cardinal.

After a $107 million investment in 2022, Madison received a $110.6 million construction grant for the project from the FTA in 2023. The Biden administration announced plans to allocate an additional $118.1 million in funding to Madison’s proposed second BRT line, running through the city’s north-south corridor, which is expected to open in 2028, Cechvala said.

‘A generational improvement’

Construction for Madison’s initial BRT project began in 2022 and was divided into three contracts: early works, main body and widen sidewalk. Cechvala said much of the construction dedicated to the new stations, bus lanes and infrastructure was part of the main body project.

As part of the BRT system, Metro Transit implemented several new features for the ease of travel, streamlining of transit and sustainability efforts. On the roads, passengers can expect to see a few changes, including new stations and bus-designated lanes painted red.

There were 31 new stations constructed for the BRT, according to Cechvala. Stations are equipped with benches, heaters and overhead covering. Each contains a farebox where riders can reload their cards with cash, and real time tracking to give minute-by-minute updates on when passengers can expect the buses to arrive. They’re also raised off the ground, allowing for easier accessibility on and off the bus.

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“I think [the stations] are super nice,” Jack, a graduate student at UW-Madison, said. “I haven't used the heater yet, [but] I'm sure I'll appreciate [it] when it's zero degrees.”

Cechvala said the new stations offer good infrastructure and services that are simply easier to use.

“If you see a bus stop sign on the side of the street, I think to most people, they look at that and it's just kind of invisible,” Cechvala said. “If you see the BRT stations and see the real time signs, it kind of feels [easier]. It's respectful to people who ride the bus.”

Jack has noticed the bus-only lanes have allowed buses to bypass traffic during particularly busy times of the day, such as weekday rush hour. Jack, who lives near the UW-Health University Hospital, has made Route A, which runs down University Avenue westbound, his main mode of transportation.

Madison’s BRT also debuted their new fleet of electric buses purchased from New Flyer, Cechvala said. The electric buses will work on Route A and service some of campus buses like Route 80. The buses will be charged on the opposite ends of the line, but also are capable of en route charging, allowing them to run throughout the day, he said.

The buses are also a crucial part of cooperation between the city of Madison and UW-Madison, with the latter assisting with the purchase of the buses, according to UW-Madison Transportation Services.

A spokesperson for UW-Madison Transportation Services told the Cardinal that although the project predated Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin’s sustainability initiatives, the project will be a crucial part of her goals and help accelerate sustainable progress.

Metro Transit will spend the next few months improving the service of Route A before turning their attention to Route B, Cechvala said.

For Phistry, Jack and the thousands of others will use the BRT, the next months and years will determine the success of the new line.

“This is a generational improvement,” Cechvala said. “We really hope that this investment pays off, and we're really excited about BRT and glad that people are using it.”

After 40 years, Bus Rapid Transit has redefined Madison

BRT’s long-awaited debut this fall has helped streamline Madison’s public transportation system, but it’s taken a lot of planning to get to this point.

By John Ernst

December 5, 2024 | 5:00am CST

In Madison, the choice is clear: he takes the bus.

Five days a week, Phistry takes the bus to downtown, and in September, he began using the brand-new Bus Rapid Transit system.

‘A generational improvement’

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“I think [the stations] are super nice,” Jack, a graduate student at UW-Madison, said. “I haven't used the heater yet, [but] I'm sure I'll appreciate [it] when it's zero degrees.”

Cechvala said the new stations offer good infrastructure and services that are simply easier to use.

The buses are also a crucial part of cooperation between the city of Madison and UW-Madison, with the latter assisting with the purchase of the buses, according to UW-Madison Transportation Services.

Metro Transit will spend the next few months improving the service of Route A before turning their attention to Route B, Cechvala said.

For Phistry, Jack and the thousands of others will use the BRT, the next months and years will determine the success of the new line.

“This is a generational improvement,” Cechvala said. “We really hope that this investment pays off, and we're really excited about BRT and glad that people are using it.”

https://www.dailycardinal.com/article/2024/12/after-40-years-bus-rapid-transit-has-redefined-madison

MTU Hosting "Talking Transit" Event December 14th

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 20:19:48 GMT

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WXOW) - People with questions about La Crosse's bus transportation system can get them answered at an event late Thursday afternoon.

Representatives from the La Crosse MTU are holding a special "Talking Transit" meeting at the Southside Neighborhood Center at 1300 S. 6th Street from 5:30-7 p.m. on December 14.

It is an opportunity for users and members of the public to come and ask questions about routes, bus stops, mobility and paratransit information.

Tina Deetz is Helping the Riders & Drivers of Eau Claire Transit

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 17:17:50 GMT

Feel Good Friday: Tina Deetz is helping the riders and drivers of Eau Claire Transit

by: Daniel Gomez

Posted: Dec 3, 2024 / 02:04 PM CUpdated: Dec 3, 2024 / 02:04 PM CSHARE

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WLAX/WEUX) – With the darker nights and colder temperatures, Winter can make the ride to and from work a little tricky. No one is more aware of that than the hundreds of people that utilize Eau Claire Transit. First News at Nine’s Daniel Gomez is sharing how one of the supervisors is helping riders and drivers alike.

Morning and evening routines are harder to set in the winter when your time revolves around the bus schedule. Tina Deetz is a supervisor with Eau Claire Transit and she says, “Once in a while, the bus driver will have to call in that they almost pass up a person at a bus stop because they couldn’t see them.”

Driver Even Figg adds, “I was driving at the crack of dawn, and it was dark out. Someone was wearing all black. They had to for work, and, I almost missed them because they were standing a little off from the street. As they should.

Deetz says there are more well-lit stops than not but leaving any rider in the dark doesn’t sit right with her. “Well, we handed out about 100 of these little bus flashlights, they’re really cute.”

The small lights are part of a “Be Seen, Be Safe” campaign. It’s to encourage more riders to flash their phones. Wear reflective gear. Anything to help bus drivers see them. Figg says, “Those little key chains, I have seen plenty of those around. They work very well. It’s just a tiny light, but that small light really alerts us.”

Daniel Kasten rides the route to Altoona. He explains, “We got a streetlight in a general area but that area is kind of dark. There’s no shelter there, nothing.”

In addition to the key chains, riders were also given hats so they could stay warm while waiting for the bus. Kasten says, “I think that’s a really good idea. And the fact that they are marketing themselves that way to the public, I think that’s a really really good idea. I come from Milwaukee and their transit system is much bigger and they don’t have time for that kind of stuff.”

Deetz adds, “Transit does have a marketing budget. And this is something we like to do just to make people aware that Eau Claire transit is here. It’s nice just to be out with the public. When you come down to the transfer center and get to talk to the passengers, you really know what a good public service you’re offering here for the City of Eau Claire.”

A heartwarming gesture, to keep Eau Claire moving this Winter. In Eau Claire. Deetz says she plans to hand out more winter hats in the future. Although there are no more key chain flashlights, she says if there are safety concerns at a bus stop those are brought up to a safety committee to explore possible ways to address concerns.

FTA Makes $10 Million Available in Bus Safety & Accessibility Research Program Grants

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 17:16:19 GMT

FTA makes $10 million available in Bus Safety and Accessibility Research Program grants

Nov. 20, 2024

The funding will allow awardees to design and develop prototypes to make existing and new buses safer for operators, riders and vulnerable road users, as well as more accessible for passengers.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for $10 million in grant funding through its Bus Safety and Accessibility Research Program to design and develop prototypes to make existing and new buses safer for operators, riders and vulnerable road users, as well as more accessible for passengers.

FTA notes the program’s key focus areas are:

Driver safety systems: Changes made to the transit vehicle and technology upgrades that protect the operator and enhance the safety of those outside of the vehicle, including vulnerable road users.
Passenger safety systems: Changes made to the transit vehicle and technology upgrades that protect and increase accessibility for passengers.

FTA says the design project solicited by the NOFO must address bus operator health and safety, transit vehicle safety and accessibility and provide a foundation for transformative bus systems and designs that enhance safety.

The project builds on previous research, including FTA’s Bus Operator Compartment Redesign Program, and the Transportation Cooperative Research Program’s Report 249, “Bus Operator Barrier Design: Guidelines and Considerations.”

Applications for the funding are due Jan. 17, 2025.

MCTS Hosts Career Day December 11, 2024

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 17:14:20 GMT

MCTS Hosts Career Fair on December 11

Over One Hundred Positions Will Be Available Throughout 2025

By Milwaukee County Transit System - Dec 2nd, 2024 09:00 am

MILWAUKEE (December 2, 2024) — Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) is hiring for 100 open positions, including bus operators, safety officers, diesel mechanics, electronic technicians, and bus fuelers/detailers over the course of 2025. People from across Wisconsin are invited to attend the MCTS Career Fair on Wednesday, December 11, from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Staff will be on hand at the MCTS Administration Building on 1942 N. 17th Street, to answer questions about these positions and to assist with filling out applications.

MCTS Employment Manager Tiffany Moore said, “We have many entry-level opportunities that offer a career path to advanced positions such as garage supervisors, instructors, customer service representatives, route supervisors, and director roles. Many leaders at MCTS, including executives, began their careers in roles like these, showing the tremendous opportunities for growth and advancement within our organization.”

WHAT: MCTS’s Career Fair is an exciting opportunity to explore a rewarding and family-sustaining career at MCTS.

WHO: Whether you are a recent high school or college graduate or looking to make a career change, this event is the perfect place to explore one of our open positions. Current staff come from Milwaukee as well as Kenosha, Waukesha and other counties.

WHEN: Wednesday, December 11, 2024, from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

WHERE: Milwaukee County Transit System Administration Office, 1942 N. 17th Street, Milwaukee. Plenty of free visitor parking available in front of the building.

Said Moore, “We invite everyone to discover our new positions, such as public safety officers or electronic technicians, and more. This is a unique opportunity for people across Wisconsin to learn how to take their careers to the next level.”

To see a complete list of job descriptions, please visit RideMCTS.com/Careers for more information or to register to attend.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

Mentioned in This Press Release

Buildings: MCTS Administration Building

Government: Milwaukee County Transit System

Kenosha Partners with Amazon on Express Bus Route Compensation

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 15:59:33 GMT

Kenosha Partners with Amazon on Express Bus Route Compensation

Kenosha, WI (WLIP)– The City of Kenosha and Amazon have entered into a funding agreement for an express bus route from downtown Kenosha to Amazon’s fulfillment center.

The one-year agreement, which can be extended for up to three additional one-year terms, will provide transit service funding to maintain the express route.

Amazon will contribute $78,0000 toward the projected $120,000 annual cost of the service.

The agreement outlines the service schedule, which includes morning and afternoon trips Monday through Friday, excluding major holidays.

The lone no vote against the measure was 16th District Alderman Dominic Ruffalo who says it’s unfair for taxpayers to foot the bill.

City Administrator John Morrissey says he feels the deal will save taxpayers money as they would be on the hook for the full amount without the agreement.

The route will run from Kenosha’s Transit Center to the Amazon Fulfillment Center, with no fares charged for Amazon’s 3,000 full-time employees at the Kenosha facility.

Chippewa Valley Officials Push for Passenger Rail Service

WIPTA Admin — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 14:56:51 GMT

WI: Chippewa Valley officials push for passenger rail service

Oct. 30, 2024

The Chippewa Valley is pushing for a new railway line to come through Eau Claire and connect the city of 70,000 in western Wisconsin to other passenger rail stops in the upper Midwest.

By Audrey Korte

Source The Chippewa Herald, Chippewa Falls, Wisc. (TNS)

The Chippewa Valley is pushing for a new railway line to come through Eau Claire and connect the city of 70,000 in western Wisconsin to other passenger rail stops in the upper Midwest.

If that happens the carrier will not necessarily be Amtrak, according to state transportation officials.

Wisconsin Department of Transportation Assistant Deputy Secretary Joel Nilsestuen said Friday that Wisconsin is seeing exciting development with passenger rail travel and he expects that will continue.

'Lot of demand'

Chippewa Valley leaders want in on that action.

"I think there is a lot of demand for passenger rail service, and to that end, we are looking at studying corridors to expand service from Chicago to Milwaukee, from Milwaukee, Madison, Eau Claire to the Twin Cities," Nilsestuen said Friday at a transportation themed event for the Chippewa Valley.

Area leaders have pushed for rail service for more than three decades, according to Scott Rogers.

Rogers is Vice President of Governmental Affairs at the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce. But he's also the chair of the West Central Wisconsin Rail Coalition and a commissioner with the Chippewa- St. Croix Rail Commission as well as Wisconsin's private sector commissioner on the 8-state Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission.

"In May, we announced the first passenger rail expansion in 22 years with new service from the Twin Cities to Chicago, with the Borealis service," Nilsestuen said. "There's been incredible need, or demonstrated need."

With the success of Amtrak's Borealis, Eau Claire and surrounding communities are reinvested in a rail proposal.

A group of a few dozen Chippewa Valley residents seeking to better understand transit plans in the area turned out for a rundown of major transit issues and projects in the region on Friday. The Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce event took place at the Chippewa Valley Technical College Business Education Center.

Talks included details of road and bridge projects in the region, parking structures and a proposed transportation center in Eau Claire, airline contracts and airport plans at the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport and the potential creation of passenger railway lines connecting Eau Claire to major cities in Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota.

In addition to Nilsestuen panelists included Scott Rogers, Vice President Governmental Affairs at the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce; Charity Zich, Chippewa Valley Regional Airport; Debby Jackson, Executive Director of the Transportation Development Association of Wisconsin; Ty Fadness, Transit Manager for Eau Claire Transit; and Dave Solberg, Eau Claire Deputy City Manager.

Amtrak's Borealis

Amtrak's Borealis train made its first eastbound and westbound trips between St. Paul and Chicago in May.

"We announced that we surpassed 100,000 riders for that service, and we hit that mark much sooner than our projections anticipated," Nilsestuen said.

The state-sponsored Borealis rail line includes eight stops in Wisconsin, including La Crosse, Tomah, Wisconsin Dells, Portage, Columbus, Milwaukee, the Milwaukee airport and Sturtevant.

It also features three Minnesota stops in Winona, Red Wing and St. Paul at Union Depot.

The Borealis route uses the same track in Wisconsin and Minnesota as the Empire Builder, which continues from the Twin Cities to Portland and Seattle.

Wisconsin worked with the transportation departments in Minnesota and Illinois and contributed nearly $1 million to fund the Borealis route.

Gov. Tony Evers said in May that he would push for new passenger rail lines to Eau Claire, Madison and Green Bay.

With the passage of the federal infrastructure bill in 2021, money became available to study expansion of passenger rail lines across the United States, Rogers said.

In December 2023, The Federal Rail Administration approved grants for many of these projects, including three projects that would bring passenger trains back to Eau Claire, Menomonie, Baldwin and other communities.

"We are now in the process of conducting those studies, with hopes of getting trains rolling by 2029," the West Central Wisconsin Rail Coalition reports.

New funds available

Rogers said while he is glad to see the Borealis up and running he understands people's frustration about how long it took to get going.

"Why is it taking 22 years to put one train on an existing route? A lot of that is that there was no federal program like there is with other transportation modes with 80-90% or even higher federal funds."

That changed with the bipartisan infrastructure law, he said.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, as enacted in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, authorizes up to $108 billion for public transportation — the largest federal investment in public transportation in the nation's history, according to the Federal Transit Administration.

"It also created $66 billion of that in advance appropriations for development and enhancement of existing corridors," Rogers said. "And FRA came out with a program or a pipeline that states and communities could apply to be in."

The Federal Railroad Administration put out the opportunity to apply for this program in the spring of 2023. That year multiple rail corridors across the country were selected for the program, including two that go through Eau Claire, Rogers said.

"Once you're in the pipeline, you can move forward with your project," he said. "We were successful at doing that, but just being on the map doesn't get you a train."

Eau Claire connections

There are ongoing discussions of connecting Eau Claire to Green Bay with one project and Eau Claire to the Twin Cities with another.

Rogers said the West Central Wisconsin Rail Coalition has been working on rail service to the region since 1999, leading the effort to re-establish passenger rail service through west-central Wisconsin.

"Part of our plan is to look at things like shuttles to Eau Claire, Rochester and Madison. So that may be the first opportunity we'll have to buy a ticket to Milwaukee or Chicago, where you would buy a ticket, you get on a shuttle in Eau Claire, it would take you to Tomah," Rogers said. "You get right on the train and go to Milwaukee or Chicago."

The Chippewa- St. Croix Rail Commission received a grant to work on a regional corridor between Eau Claire and the Twin Cities, Rogers said.

"There are a few things about that corridor that are unique among all the 69 corridors that were awarded," he said.

One is officials seek a competitive process for selecting the operator.

"So there's not an assumption that it will be Amtrak," he said. "In fact, there are private operators who do contract operations for commuter lines and others who are interested in doing the service, and we wanted to investigate that."

Union Pacific is interested in the region, he said.

" Union Pacific is very positive about having passenger service on its line," he said. "We wanted to investigate that as well."

Rogers said he got an update from the commission meeting this week about the Eau Claire corridor identification program.

"The consultant has been hired to take forward the first step of the program," he said.

___
(c)2024 The Chippewa Herald, Chippewa Falls, Wisc.
Visit The Chippewa Herald, Chippewa Falls, Wisc. at www.chippewa.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Door County Transportation Offerings on Pace for Ridership Record

WIPTA Admin — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 14:55:42 GMT

Door County transportation offerings on pace for ridership record

Posted Monday Morning by Tim Kowols

If you rely on Door 2 Door Rides or Door County Connect to get around the area, you are certainly not alone this year. The two services are on track to eclipse 47,000 rides this year, potentially more than last year’s 45,300. Transportation Manager Pam Busch credits the services’ shedding the image that they are only for the elderly or disabled. While they are still significant sections of their total ridership, Busch says more residents are treating it like any other public transportation option

Door 2 Door Rides has served the area for almost 15 years while Door County Connect, formerly the Aging and Disability Resource Center Bus/Van service, has served the community for over 35 years. Door County Connect and Door 2 Door Rides are offering no-cost rides to the polls on Election Day (November 5th), thanks to the League of Women Voters of Door County and to all veterans on November 11th.

Read All

Kenosha Training Academy Transit Tour

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 19:38:23 GMT

Kenosha Transportation Academy transit tour

October 17, 2024 in News

Happy bus riders

We are rounding out the last few weeks of the Kenosha Transportation Academy, with just two sessions to go before the end of October. Yesterday was the transit tour, and it was hands down everyone’s favorite class so far!

We started off with a Q&A from four local experts:

Anthony Kennedy, who represents District 10 on the City Council and is chair of the transit commission for the City of Kenosha

Jennifer Stenacki, AICP, Deputy Chief Transportation Planner at SEWRPC

Jeff Anhock, Supervisor of Operations for Kenosha Area Transit

Lauren Scott, Mobility Manager for the City and County of Kenosha

Guest speakers from L to R: Anthony Kennedy, Jennifer Stenacki, Jeff Anhock, Lauren Scott

I assigned everyone to plan an essential trip that they take without a car. This is an everyday experience for some of the participants in the class, but for many of them, it was a new exercise. One person shared that the trip from her home to work is only about 22 minutes by bus, but the infrequency of bus service would force her to get to work 45 minutes early. Another participant lives in Racine and works in Kenosha, so there is no public transit option to his workplace; he would have to bum a ride from his wife or pay $26 one way for an Uber ride.

Entering the transit center

After an hour of sharing expertise and answering questions, we boarded the No. 5 bus and rode to the transit center, where Jeff and Anthony gave us a tour of the maintenance and storage facilities. The transit center is a state-of-the-art building and was built in 2006 with federal funds. All cleaning, fueling, and maintenance take place under one enormous roof. It is impressive.

Metro Ride looking to expand outside of Wausau

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 19:36:55 GMT

Metro Ride looking to expand outside of Wausau

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The City of Wausau purchased the bus system from a private company in 1972

By Brianna Weaver

Published: Oct. 4, 2024 at 6:54 PM CDT

WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) - The public transit system in Wausau could be expanding to include Rothschild, Schofield, and Weston. While the idea is there, they do have a long way to go before that could happen.

The City of Wausau purchased the Metro Ride system in 1972 from a private company after a referendum. More than 50 years later, talks of adding lines to surrounding areas are finally here, but the process to do that depends on the wants and needs of the municipality.

“If they would like public transportation to go out into their neighborhoods and service the public that way, we’re more than willing to help them do that,” said Arran Hersey, the transit director for the City of Wausau Metro Ride.

If it’s just specific businesses, Hersey says they’re also able to do that.

He’s currently working on a presentation to talk with city leaders about the importance of the routes. This would touch on why expanding in those areas would be good, especially for mobility purposes.

“People are gonna stop being able to drive necessarily and gonna be relying on public transportation to get to medical appointments, to get to shopping just to get to community events,” said Hersey.

So far these presentations will only be to the leaders, but Hersey is more than happy to show it to the public if they’re okay with it.

“I’m willing to go to any town hall meeting for any of the other cities, ask any questions that they may have, and do my best to answer them. I could bring some of my other experts along that know the area better than I do,” said Hersey.

The busiest time of the day for the Wausau transit center is after school. Hersey says if they do expand, he hopes to work with the school systems in other areas to provide that same support.

“We supplement what the yellow school bus can’t do at this particular point in time in the Wausau area,” said Hersey.

Hersey adds that he hopes the city leaders hop aboard the expansion plan and help the local communities.

Changes to the 2024-2025 SASD Bus Pass Program start Nov. 1

WIPTA Admin — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 15:38:27 GMT

Changes to the 2024-2025 SASD Bus Pass Program start Nov. 1

In partnership with the Sheboygan Area School District, Shoreline Metro offers free rides for students actively enrolled and attending a school within the district and the public transit system service area.

Students are able to use Shoreline Metro during all hours of service and on any route for any purpose including school, work, social activities and appointments. Students and faculty simply show the driver the Student Bus Pass when boarding to receive the free ride (middle school and high school students only). Elementary students do not require a pass.

Download and view the Student Bus Pass Program. The program is an all-in-one resource guide that provides program details, teaches you how to set up the app and access the free bus pass, and outlines Shoreline Metro services and route information. We have made it simple to access all this information in one convenient, easy-to-use guide.

• Students must have a Student Bus Pass in order to ride at no-charge. Students without a pass must pay the fare to ride.

• Student IDs are not permitted.

• Student conduct is strictly enforced.

• Showing Your Pass: When boarding the bus, show the driver your phone with the Student Bus Pass displayed on your screen.

• Resolving Common Issues:

• Customer Support – Please contact HotSpot Customer Support by clicking on the “three bars” in the upper left corner. Then, click “contact us” followed by “Category/Issue”. Shoreline Metro cannot assist with digital bus passes.

• Getting a New Phone – Please be sure you log out and delete the HotSpot app on your old device before installing the app on your new device. Your pass can only be active on one device at a time.

Madison Metro Transit Named 2024 Climate Champion Ahead of Electric Bus Launch

WIPTA Admin — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 15:36:43 GMT

Madison Metro Transit named 2024 Climate Champion ahead of electric bus launch

Metro’s current buses use over 5,600 gallons of diesel each year. But in just ten days, one third of the fleet will include 60-foot all electric buses.

By Mackenzie Davis

Published: Sep. 12, 2024 at 3:33 PM CDT|Updated: Sep. 12, 2024 at 7:23 PM CDT

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - Last month, 32 Dane County entities were recognized for their work in reducing carbon emissions.

Dane County Executive Jamie Kuhn and the Office of Energy and Climate Change (OECC) recognized 32 local entities for leading on climate action through the Dane County Climate Champions program.

One of those champions is Madison Metro Transit for their efforts to upgrade Madison’s city bus fleet with 62 new electric buses.

“We’re very excited about it,” Madison Metro Transit’s Chief Development Officer Mick Rusch said. “This is going to save us a lot of diesel fuel.”

Metro’s current buses use over 5,600 gallons of diesel each year. But in just ten days, one third of the fleet will include 60-foot all electric buses.

“It allows us the opportunity to basically be one of the largest electric bus fleets in the country, certainly for cities our size,” Madison Metro Transit’s General Manager Justin Stuehrenberg said,

Stuehrenberg says passengers will notice a difference. The buses will be very quiet, smooth and comfortable.

“We are really excited for the operational benefits for most of the passengers and the operators,” he said.

But the new buses will not just benefit passengers.

“It’s great. Real easy. It’s a piece of cake,” Clinton Boone said about driving the new bus.

Boone says he has been a bus driver and instructor for over 20 years and that these new electric buses are the reason he’s still on the roads.

“I was not going to retire until I drove this so right now, I’m pretty much happy I got a chance to drive it,” he said.

The county-wide climate recognition continues to put Madison on the map when it comes to sustainability.

“It’s a great recognition of the work that Metro is doing to not only reduce their climate pollution footprint, but to help the community overall reduce our collective climate pollution footprint,” Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said.

Rusch says there will also be a new smart card fare system.

“A machine where you can just buy your fare right there or you can load it online which is something new for us where you can get loaded online. And next year, you’re going to be able to just use your credit card right on the bus. So, if someone wants to give us a try, you don’t even have to go get a fare card, you can just go on with your Apple Pay, Google Pay or tap credit card,” he said.

Making it that much easier to ride the buses.

“We hope we’re providing a great product that will make people thing twice about driving their car,” Rusch said.

Details on the Sept. 22, 2024 Bus Rapid Transit launch can be found here.

To learn more about the 2024 Climate Champion recipients, visit the Dane County Office of Energy and Climate Change website and the related Climate Champions map.

New Secretary shares vision for Wisconsin's transportation future

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 16:39:54 GMT

New secretary shares vision for Wisconsin’s transportation future

Release date: September 12, 2024

Secretary Kristina Boardman begins her new role today as Wisconsin’s secretary of transportation. Gov. Tony Evers announced her appointment to the position last month.

Secretary Boardman becomes the first woman to lead the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) after serving in a variety of roles in the agency, including deputy secretary and administrator of the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

As deputy secretary, Boardman was the department’s chief operating officer, overseeing operations for an agency with 3,200 employees, dozens of field offices and a biennial budget of more than $8 billion. Under Boardman’s leadership, the DMV excelled in customer service, efficiency, and innovation. Key accomplishments include innovating an award-winning online service for customers to title and register their vehicles, implementing the federal REAL ID program in Wisconsin, and expanding opportunities to schedule appointments at DMV service centers.

“It’s been a privilege to work at WisDOT serving the people of Wisconsin for the last 19 years,” Secretary Boardman said. “The opportunity to now lead the department I love is a true honor and a responsibility that I do not take lightly. I will build on the progress we’ve made to improve our transportation system in recent years and will continue to share WisDOT’s story, so the public understands the crucial work we do every day to improve safety and mobility in Wisconsin.”

Secretary Boardman’s priorities for WisDOT include:

Support the WisDOT workforce with ongoing opportunities for engagement and support.
Maximize the funding opportunities of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to bring needed resources to Wisconsin.
Strengthen our technology and tools to best deliver safe and efficient self-service opportunities to our customers and stakeholders.
Support continued investment in transportation to deliver on our core responsibilities to safely connect the public, wherever they travel.

In addition to her time at WisDOT, Secretary Boardman has nearly three decades of state government service, including 10 years as a legislative aide for the Wisconsin State Assembly, before transitioning to WisDOT in 2005. She also served as chair of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators International Board of Directors for the 2022-23 federal fiscal year.

Secretary Boardman replaces former secretary Craig Thompson, who Gov. Evers appointed to lead WisDOT in 2019. Since then, the Evers Administration has worked to improve more than 7,400 miles of road and 1,780 bridges across Wisconsin.

View Secretary Boardman’s full bio and download her official photo here.

For more information, contact:

WisDOT Office of Public Affairs
(608) 266-3581, opa.exec@dot.wi.gov

MCTS Launches On-Demand Paratransit Pilot Program in Milwaukee County

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 16:39:16 GMT

MCTS Launches On-Demand Paratransit Pilot Program in Milwaukee County

August 22, 2024 10:25 AM CDT

By: Stuart J. Wattles

MILWAUKEE, Wis (WAUK) — Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) is set to launch a new pilot program called Transit Plus Same Day, offering on-demand rides for those eligible starting September 1, 2024.

The year-long pilot, powered by Via, aims to provide last-minute transportation for health and employment needs that couldn’t be scheduled in advance. The service will operate seven days a week within Milwaukee County, with ride requests accepted from 7 a.m. to 5:59 p.m.

Fares are set at $10 for one-way trips, with personal care attendants riding free and companions allowed for an additional $10. Riders must present their Transit Plus ID upon boarding.

MCTS officials emphasize that the program is not intended as a backup for regular Transit Plus vans. Participants must sign an agreement acknowledging the program’s purpose and limitations.

Enrollment will be phased-in to manage demand, with those interested required to submit a form. Forms can be returned in-person, by mail, email, or through an online portal.

The pilot’s duration is set for one year or until funding runs out. MCTS plans to adjust qualifications throughout the program to optimize service.

For more information or to enroll, people can visit the MCTS website.

Madison's new bus rapid transit system launched Sunday

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 16:37:05 GMT

The new bus rapid transit system officially launched Sunday after years in the making. (Spectrum News 1/Abbey Taylor)

TRANSPORTATION

Madison's new bus rapid transit system launched Sunday

By Abbey Taylor Wisconsin

PUBLISHED 8:13 PM ET Sep. 22, 2024

MADISON — 14-year-old Zenon Neta is a big fan of the Madison Metro Transit System. He rides the bus to volunteer at the Madison Children’s Museum and helps his grandmother get around town.

“She rides it to the hospital and to the blood bank, so I always help her and show her how to ride the bus,” Neta said.

What You Need To Know

Routes A, B and F will board at new stations that have been built across town
The new system features bigger, electric buses with multiple entrances for riders to board
The city added 31 covered boarding stations with built-in heaters along the line

Both said they are thrilled to take Route A through the new bus rapid transit system that launched Sunday.

“We’re riding it from head to toe, checking it out,” Neta said. “It’s been in the works for so many years. It’s exciting it’s finally here.”

The new system features bigger, electric buses with multiple entrances for riders to board and will trigger green lights to stay on schedule and reduce travel time.

“I feel like it represents the city going green because the new buses are 100% zero admissions electric vehicles and it’s very nice,” Neta said.

Mick Rusch, the Chief Development Officer for Madison Metro Transit, said the city added 31 covered boarding stations with built-in heaters along the line with bike access and pedestrian crossings.

“We have a new way to pay your fair,” Rusch said. “We have smart cards. We have an online way to load money into your account. It’s a much easier way to ride the bus nowadays.”

For Neta and his grandmother, Judy Gunkel, it’s more than just getting around. It’s about the time they spend together as well.

“It’s wonderful,” Gunkel said. “I got to spend time with my grandson and he’s teaching me about the new bus.”

For more information on the new bus rapid transit system, click here.

Bus Technology Updates: Westchester County Bee-Line System; RYDE Racine and Connect Transit

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 16:32:15 GMT

Three bus systems in Racine, Wis., Westchester County, N.Y., and Bloomington-Normal, Ill., are progressing plans to implement technology upgrades in their vehicles.

Westchester County Bee-Line

GMV has been awarded a $16 million contract to install GMV Hub on each Bee-Line bus in Westchester County, N.Y. The hub is a vehicle computer that controls a range of onboard systems, including GPS, bus operator touchscreen, automatic passenger counters, next stop announcements and a dedicated sensor for precision tracking in indoor bus depots. The GMV Hub also functions as a digital video recorder to store footage from security cameras on each bus.

GMV will also provide its ITS Suite, which is a cloud native software platform GMV says will “enhance the county’s visibility and control” of its bus operations. The suite includes app functions that will assist the county in planning, scheduling and dispatch of its services, garage management and video management.

“We are thrilled to announce Westchester’s Bee-Line Bus System will be getting this cutting-edge technology upgrade, which will improve customer safety, real-time operations management and efficiency. The comprehensive upgrade also supports our commitment to sustainability with zero-emission fleet integrations and will enhance the experience for the everyday rider by incorporating modern mobility solutions,” said Westchester County Executive George Latimer.

To support Westchester County and other clients on the East Coast, GMV will open a New York office.

RYDE Racine

Racine, Wis., and Modine will collaborate with RYDE Racine to equip the transit system’s electric buses with Modine’s EVantage Thermal Management System. Modine says its EVantage thermal management system will optimize inverter temperatures and improve the range, longevity and reliability of the city’s electric bus fleet.

RYDE operates nine electric buses with the system installed and has another four electric buses on order after the city of Racine received a grant through the Federal Transit Administration Low or No Emission Vehicle Program. To meet the Buy America standard set forth in the funding guidelines, RYDE Racine has selected all-electric buses containing Modine EVantage thermal management systems to ensure they feature American-made components and systems from a hometown supplier.

"Racine has set an ambitious goal to reduce the carbon footprint of our public transit system and we're achieving this objective bus by bus. As we increase the size of our zero-emission bus fleet, Modine’s sophisticated thermal management system is essential for maintaining our transit program's smooth operation, reliability and efficiency," said Trevor Jung, transit and mobility director at the city of Racine. "Through this collaboration, Modine has helped RYDE Racine fortify our electric buses with a hometown solution, demonstrating our combined commitment to enhancing service reliability for our passengers and environmental sustainability."

Connect Transit

Connect Transit will use $800,000 in federal funds to invest in a series of upgrades, including onboard communication systems, camera systems and other technology to improve bus operators’ awareness of their surroundings.

The funding was part of the Fiscal Year 2024 Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) Program included in the THUD Appropriations Act that was part of an omnibus package to fund the federal government through the end of the fiscal year. U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) supported the transit provider by including the funds in the CDS Program.

“Everyone deserves a safe ride when they hop on the bus to get to work, run errands or meet up with loved ones. In Bloomington-Normal, Illinoisans can rely on Connect Transit to get the job done,” said Sen. Durbin. “I was a strong advocate for Connect Transit to receive today’s announced funding and I’m glad to see $800,000 in federal support going to the region’s transit systems.”

https://www.masstransitmag.com/technology/article/55054957/bus-technology-updates-westchester-county-bee-line-system-ryde-racine-and-connect-transit

City of Eau Claire Working to Increase Public Bus Ridership

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 16:30:50 GMT

EAU CLAIRE (WQOW) - According to the city of Eau Claire, more people are using cars over buses for transportation than in 2010. So the city is trying to get more people and students to use public transportation.

Although recent ridership has gone up, it still falls short from the numbers seen decades ago.

According to Eau Claire Transit manager Ty Fadness, taking the bus alleviates traffic and it's better for the environment. It's also potentially safer than traveling by car.

"Of the nearly million miles that we drive we (our buses) hardly have any accidents. We're one of the top transit agencies in the state in terms of accidents per miles driven so this really is a great way to get around town," said Fadness.

News 18 spoke with one bus rider, Max Childs, who doesn't own a car and instead uses the bus when he needs to travel far. He said the bus saves him money.

"You definitely save a lot on your gas. Fare is only a $1.75, that's pretty reasonable," said Childs.

Eau Claire Transit is seeing new improvements to their rides.

"When you ride the bus, you'll hear a lot of automated voice announcements so that's new and then we also have GPS technology so we can integrate that technology into an app," said Fadness.

The app will launch this fall.

Also new, more routes for Delong Middle and North High School student riders.

"We swing by Delong right after the bell rings and we drop them off west of Clairemont and its been a huge success so far," Fadness said.

Fadness said the new express routes go through areas that are too close to the schools for Student Transit. This helps students get around without parents having to plan ahead.

"Some parents have different work schedules. Some can't take their kids to school in the morning," said Childs.

This year, Eau Claire Transit is on pace to have 700,000 rides. The goal is to increase that to 1 million.

Eau Claire Transit will also be offering free rides this weekend for Eau Claire's Fall Festival happening this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on South Barstow Street.

For more information about Eau Claire Transit, click here.

https://www.wqow.com/eye-on-eau-claire/city-of-eau-claire-working-to-increase-public-bus-ridership/article_0ae84278-6eed-11ef-b891-43de0c29e7ed.html

Milwaukee County Road Improvements, New Buses, 29M in Federal Funds

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 16:26:00 GMT

The Brief

- Milwaukee County will receive nearly $29 million in federal funds for road and transit projects.
- Almost $22 million will be spent on redesigning and rebuilding county-owned highways and bridges.
- Roughly $7 million will be used to buy new MCTS buses.

MILWAUKEE - Nearly $29 million in federal funds are headed to Milwaukee County for road repairs and new buses, County Executive David Crowley announced Tuesday.

Video from our partnersBrought to you by Taboola

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State Transportation Secretary to resign for UW position, Evers appoints successor.

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 18:05:29 GMT

State transportation secretary to resign for UW position, Evers appoints successor

Wisconsin Department of Transportation Secretary Craig Thompson will leave his post to take a position as vice chancellor for university relations at the University of Wisconsin-Madison — Gov. Tony Evers has appointed Deputy Transportation Secretary Kristina Boardman to the position.

Associated Press

August 16, 2024

A flagpole at the Wisconsin State Capitol stands empty on June 22, 2023. The state transportation secretary plans to resign in September 2024 to take a job at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Gov. Tony Evers has appointed a successor to the position. (Credit: PBS Wisconsin)

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Tony Evers’ transportation secretary plans to resign in September to take a job at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The governor’s office announced Aug. 16 that Craig Thompson will leave his post on Sept. 11 to take a position as vice chancellor for university relations at the state’s flagship university. Deputy Transportation Secretary Kristina Boardman will succeed Thompson, becoming the first woman to serve as transportation secretary, the governor’s office said.

Evers appointed Thompson to the transportation post in December 2018, shortly before Evers began his first term in office. Republicans in the state Senate said then that they were worried about Thompson’s previous work as a lobbyist for the Transportation Development Association of Wisconsin, a strong advocate for raising taxes and fees to fund road improvements. But the Senate eventually confirmed him in 2021.

Evers’ office said that Thompson has worked to make improvements to more than 7,400 miles of road and 1,780 bridges during his tenure.

The Department of Transportation accomplished those improvements without an increase in the state’s gas tax, one of the major funding sources for roadwork. That tax hasn’t gone up since 2006. The first state budget that Evers signed, however, increased vehicle title and registration fees, two other funding sources for road improvements.

The $1 trillion federal bipartisan infrastructure package that President Joe Biden signed in 2021 along with increases in electric vehicle registration fees in the 2021-23 Wisconsin state budget also generated more dollars for road work during Thompson’s tenure.

Thompson, a UW-Madison graduate, will replace Charles Hoslet as vice chancellor of university relations. Hoslet retired earlier this year, university officials said in a news release.

Thompson will oversee a broad range of relationships the university maintains with state government, federal agencies, Congress, businesses and other stakeholders, the news release said.

Bus Rapid Transit to Launch in September

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 18:03:58 GMT

Bus Rapid Transit to launch in September

Corey Moen
Aug 19, 2024

MADISON, Wis. -- A new wave of public transportation is coming to Madison.

Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway announced Metro Transit's East-West bus rapid transit line is scheduled to start on Sept 22.

"The launch of the East-West BRT route is a monumental step forward for our community, and our transit system," Rhodes-Conway said.

The new Rapid A will run on the East-West Rapid Corridor with service running approximately every 15 minutes throughout most of the day. Routes B and F will also operate using the buses, stations, and lanes of BRT but will branch off to serve local stops.

Metro's Rapid Route A and local routes B and F will be served by 60-foot all-electric buses.

The 43 boarding stations along the East-West Rapid Corridor are in the final stages of construction and will have automated ticket machines. Metro is also launching a Fast-Fare system in preparation for the launch of the new corridor.

Metro will continue to provide updates on the launch of the rapid bus transit. Later this month, and in early September, Metro will be hosting opening houses at several BRT sanctions around the city.

More details can be found on the Metro's website and social media channels.

WisGO Program receives nod from Racine Transit Commission

WIPTA Admin — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 18:05:30 GMT

RACINE—Ryde Racine, Racine’s public transit system, is about to undergo major changes it calls the WisGO Program.

The City of Racine’s Transit Commission voted to proceed with the WisGO transit program, which aims to improve affordability and accessibility. Starting this fall, these changes will transform how residents use public transportation.

Transit and mobility director Trevor Jung said the measures, approved at the July 25, 2024, meeting, include fare capping, replacing the 10-ride pass with a weekly pass, and reducing the monthly pass cost.

“This is important because it creates flexibility for riders and reduces barriers to board the bus,” he said. “Right now, if you haven’t gone to a satellite location to purchase a bus pass or have exact change, you can’t board. With this new system, you can use a smartphone or a reloadable smart card, making it easier to take advantage of public transportation.”

How the WisGo program works

RYDE on, Racine, RYDE on. – Credit: Paul Holley

One of the most notable changes is the introduction of fare capping.

This system ensures that riders will not be charged more than a set amount within a specified period, typically a day or a week. After reaching this cap, users can continue to use the transit services without incurring additional charges.

“The fare capping system takes into account your usage and then caps the amount of money you spend, ensuring you don’t overpay for transportation,” he said.

In addition, the Transit Commission will consider replacing the existing 10-ride pass with a weekly pass at their meeting on August 29. This new pass will allow unlimited weekly rides, simplifying the fare structure and offering greater flexibility for regular commuters.

“We are changing our 10-ride pass to a weekly pass and adjusting its price. This change is expected to make the system more user-friendly, as riders will no longer need to keep track of their remaining rides,” said Jung.

Furthermore, the monthly pass cost will be reduced by one dollar. While this reduction may seem small, it demonstrates the city’s commitment to making public transit more affordable and accessible to a broader population.

“We are reducing the monthly payments from $65 to $64. Even small reductions help make a difference for our riders,” Jung added.

What’s the price tag?

City officials describe the changes as budget-neutral and align with Racine’s broader goals of sustainability and decarbonization. The city hopes to reduce reliance on personal vehicles, decrease traffic congestion, and lower carbon emissions by making public transit more affordable.

“These changes not only help individuals but also support our sustainability goals by encouraging more people to use public transportation,” Jung said.

Ridership is on the rise

The ridership of Ryde Racine has increased by 40% compared to 2022-23 and is expected to continue growing, potentially breaking a million unique rides. This significant increase can be attributed to several factors:

Focus on ridership as a priority: The transit system has prioritized increasing ridership, which has driven efforts to make public transportation more appealing and accessible.
Partnerships with local organizations: Collaborations with the Racine Unified School District, Gateway Technical College, and other institutions have made accessing public transportation easier for students and community members.
Marketing efforts: Targeted marketing campaigns have raised awareness about the benefits and availability of the transit system.
Natural recovery from the pandemic: As the community recovers, more people return to public transportation.
Community Engagement: Efforts such as job fairs, which have been organized in collaboration with the United Way of Racine County, and employer surveys have highlighted the value of public transportation and encouraged its increased usage.

Implementation and Future Considerations

Following the City of Racine’s fare change policy, the Transit Commission has deferred the final decision on these changes to the next meeting. This delay ensures that public feedback is thoroughly considered before implementing the new fare structure.

“From now until October, we’re focusing on raising awareness about these changes through advertisements, direct communications with riders, and tabling at the transit center,” said Jung.

As the city prepares to roll out these changes, further details on the implementation process will be discussed in upcoming meetings. Residents are encouraged to stay informed and participate in the discussions to help shape the future of public transit in Racine.

Local Officials, White House Senior Advisor Tout Impact of New Valley Transit Center

WIPTA Admin — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 18:02:49 GMT

APPLETON (WLUK) --Major upgrades are coming to the Valley Transit Center following a boost in funding, and officials believe the improvements will make a big difference for the community.

In late June,Appleton's Valley Transit Center announced a remodeling project that will rebuild the station and construct affordable housing units above the facility.

The project was made possible by a $25 million federal grant from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE)program and $1.8 million in city ARPA funds.

On Tuesday, officials held a news conference to explain the impact the new Valley Transit Center will have for tens of thousands of people across the region.

"The new transit center will do many things for the public transportation system in the Fox Cities, and in innovative ways that reduce our impact on the environment," said Appleton Mayor Jake Woodford. "But to me, the most important thing this project will do is for the people it is designed to serve. This new transit center is about the dignity and worth of hardworking people who rely on public transportation and affordable housing to live meaningful lives and provide for their families every day."

The new facility will be more energy-efficient and include 14 covered bus bays, public restrooms, secure bike storage, vending machines, a ticketing office and other infrastructural upgrades.

Rendering of the new Valley Transit Center, June 24, 2024. (Photo courtesy: City of Appleton)

Ronald McDonald, general manager ofValley Transit, described more upgrades featured in the remodel.

We'll have new and updated waiting areas with other amenities. We'll increase the security presence, we'll have an office inside for our transit security, as well as an office functioning as a substation for the Appleton Police Department for their officers in the area.

We expect to have some AV charging stations near us. We'll have parking for taxis, Uber, Lyft and other mobility utilities. We'll have new and updated tactile floor sensors for people to be able to navigate the area. We'll have real time, on-demand announcements for our passengers.

Also speaking Tuesday was State RepresentativeLee Snodgrass, D-57th District, and White HouseDirector of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs Tom Perez. Both praised the project and what it will do for Fox Valley residents.

"This project, this is a real point of pride. This is a big deal. What you're doing and how you're doing it -- and your savviness in accessing the federal funding streams -- that's what it's all about. It's about rebuilding and reconnecting communities, expanding opportunity. And that is why I am so excited," Perez said.

Wondering About Madison's Newly Painted Red Streets?

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 16:33:03 GMT

Wondering about Madison’s newly painted red streets?

The city’s new bus rapid transit system will likely start rolling this fall

BY GRAHAM BROWN

GRAHAM BROWN

BRT station 200 block of State Street

The station on the 200 block of State Street is one of 31 now around Madison to serve the city's new bus rapid transit system.

For the past two years construction has proceeded along Madison’s populous bus Route A, which connects East Washington Avenue to downtown Madison and UW-Madison before heading out to Mineral Point Road. Workers have been building the new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, which promises an unprecedented overhaul in the city’s public transportation.

According to Mike Cechvala, Metro Transit’s capital projects manager, plans for Bus Rapid Transit have been discussed since 2012, with studies done on two potential routes — one running north-south, the other going east-west. In 2017, the city council approved plans for the latter proposal, given its popularity.

“Route A has really emerged as a high ridership and well-performing route,” Cechvala says. According to city data, 12,000 people use the route every year and officials expect ridership to increase with the new BRT route.

It will cover 15 miles with 31 stations that Cechvala says are “More like rail stations than your typical bus stop.” They will all have full shelter, real-time information, and platforms at the level of the bus floor.

Mick Rusch, Madison’s chief development officer, says “It will be comfortable to wait.”

The buses will be electric and are paid for through President Biden’s infrastructure plan. Rusch calls them the “coolest part” of the overhaul. They are bigger, ADA accessible, and open on both sides, with doors also in the back. A new smartcard system is being introduced, with further details to be announced in coming weeks. While it will start with a physical card, Rusch quickly expects to transition to a QR code and, by early 2025, passengers will be able to board with a credit card or tap to pay.

What makes it a “rapid” transit system is how the buses travel, through red bus-only lanes that cover two-thirds of the route. Cars will not be allowed in this lane with hopes the buses can move unencumbered.

Weather could prove a challenge though. According to a fact sheet provided by the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, electric school buses performed best with temperatures in the high 50s. When the temperature dipped to 25°F, their range decreased by 33%. With average winter days in Madison hovering around that level, it remains to be seen how these buses will hold up.

Rusch calls the weather “a very real concern.” He stresses the city is adding 62 of these buses to their fleet, which will give officials the ability to switch them out if one is having problems. “We’ll just have to get creative and learn the new technology,” he says.

The city is currently in the process of installing three new charging stations along the route and is holding off on announcing an official BRT launch date until they are done. Both men expect the line to open in the early fall, with Rusch anticipating a September start.

Cechvala describes the reaction from the community as “interest and excitement,” but acknowledges there are some naysayers and concerns about safety. With the BRT lane on the left side of the road, and the stations in the medians, some worry the combination could be a dangerous situation for pedestrians getting on and off buses.

Cechvala promises plenty of precautions have been taken. Thirty of the stations are at traffic-controlled intersections and the other is on a four-way stop. The platforms have been installed with railings and concrete knee-high walls to offer protection against traffic. He also cites Cleveland, Indianapolis and Albuquerque as examples of cities with successful BRT routes utilizing the median.

Discussions about improving Madison’s public transportation infrastructure have gone on since at least the 1980s, with light-rail, commuter rail and street cars all having their advocates. But in the end, Cechvala says BRT was the model that made the most sense for a city of Madison’s size.

“These are big projects,” Cechvala says. “They take a long time to come to fruition.”

They aren’t done either. Transit’s preliminary community plan for the north-south route was recently approved by the city council, and Rusch says funding has been included in President Biden’s 2025 budget. He’s hopeful Madison’s second BRT line will open in 2027 or 2028.

https://isthmus.com/news/news/wondering-about-madisons-newly-painted-red-streets/

$15 Million Announced for Appleton & Green Bay Transit

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 16:11:35 GMT

A Milwaukee County Transportation System battery electric bus on November 10, 2022. Staff photo by Ethan Duran

$15M announced for Appleton and Green Bay transit

Appleton and Green Bay are getting more than $15 million in federal funding for zero-emission buses and a new maintenance center.

The money comes from a Federal Transit Administration program stemming from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, signed by President Joe Biden in 2021. U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin announced the award this week.

A total of $12 million will go to Appleton’s Valley Transit agency and support renovating the Whitman Facility, officials said. The project calls for updated maintenance bays, a new fueling and bus wash lane and an expanded bus storage area. The renovation comes with sustainable features such as a solar array, rainwater collection for washes and electric vehicle charging.

“This grant will help make our vision to deliver a safe, reliable, and ultimately more environmentally sustainable public transportation system for Appleton and the greater Fox Cities,” Appleton Mayor Jake Woodford said in a statement.

Green Bay will get more than $3.1 million to replace its diesel buses with battery electric buses and charging equipment, officials said. Officials added they expect the effort to reduce maintenance costs and the city will be closer to its 100% clean energy goal by 2050.

“I am extremely proud that the City’s efforts to reduce our carbon footprint are receiving recognition and support from the federal government,” said Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich in a statement. “I am thankful to President Biden and (DOT Secretary Pete) Buttigieg for making these funds available, Senator Baldwin for her strong representation and support of our application, and Director Kiewiz for her innovative leadership of Green Bay Metro,” he added.

The FTA’s Low and No Emission and Bus & Bus Facilities grant programs gave federal funding to the state and local government to buy or modernize buses, improve facilities and support hiring. The programs stem from the federal infrastructure law, which will give $5.6 billion through 2026 through the Low-No program and nearly $2 million for the bus facilities program.

In July, Appleton received $25 million to reconstruct the Valley Transit Center.

https://dailyreporter.com/2024/07/12/15m-announced-for-appleton-and-green-bay-transit/

More Commuters in Racine Choosing Public Transportation to Get Around

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 18:50:38 GMT

Topping one million annual rides in 2023, public transit ridership in Racine is on the rise with more commuters choosing to take the bus.

Transit Director Trevor Jung told TMJ’s Tahleel Mohieldin it’s a 40 percent increase from the year prior which he also said was more than the usual Covid bounce back.

“We’re doing really well,” Jung said.

He said while nationally on average transit ridership is 80 percent of what it used to be pre-pandemic; the city of Racine is closer to 100 percent.

"I take the bus every day. I rely on it,” commuter Bradley Stout said. “Overall, I'd give it an 8/10."

Jung credits the city’s outreach efforts with area employers, schools, and community non-profits as well as Ryde Racine adding more stops, for the above-average performance.

City leaders believe ridership will continue to rise as they gear up to launch an app-based fare payment system in partnership with Milwaukee County Transit and Waukesha Metro in the fall.

It’s a change Jung said is meant to make it easier to get people where they need to go and one that riders like Monica Navy seem eager to try.

“It’s convenient,” Navy said, “because who doesn’t have a phone?”

More Commuters in Racine Choosing Public Transportation to Get Around

Eau Claire Launching New Bus Tracking App This Summer

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 18:36:31 GMT

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'Where is the bus?' is a question riders in Eau Claire have had for almost a year, but now the city will be rolling out a new bus-tracking app to answer that question.

EAU CLAIRE (WQOW) - 'Where is the bus?' is a question riders in Eau Claire have had for almost a year, but now the city will be rolling out a new bus-tracking app to answer that question.

Eau Claire will be launching the new app in August through the company EQUANS. It replaces the TransLoc app which was discontinued last July because of what the city called too many software issues.

The EQUANS app will let people see where their bus is in real time, plan trips, see any detours, and get any updates or announcements to make sure they don't miss their ride.

"If they have to wait in their house and time it so they're not waiting at the bus stop so long, that's huge," Eau Claire Transit manager Ty Fadness said. "Students at the university love it so they can time it that way, so we're really excited it's going to be here before the school year starts. If it's snowing, or rainy, or cold, it's much easier to time and track your routes so you know when the bus is going to be at your stop."

The cost of the tracking service is around $375,000 and is fully funded through the federal CARES Act. Fadness said it will not have an effect bus rates or city taxes and the app will be free for users to download.

Eau Claire Launching New Bus Tracking App This Summer

MCTS Bids to Run Waukesha Buses

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 18:29:27 GMT

New Gillig Clean-Diesel Bus. Photo Courtesy of MCTS.

The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) is taking a big step toward regionalization and bidding to manage the City of Waukesha‘s system: Waukesha Metro Transit.

If awarded the contract, MCTS would manage Waukesha Metro like a third-party government contractor. The City of Waukesha would maintain responsibility for funding the operations and infrastructure needs of the system.

The move is the first major play by MCTS to create a regional transit system, after the launch of a new fare system being adopted by other transit systems in southeastern Wisconsin.

“Ultimately, the hope is to illustrate how a regional approach to public transportation is a key component in growing the region economically,” according to a report by MCTS Deputy Director Julie Esch, which will go before the Milwaukee County Board later this month.

MCTS is already a quasi-governmental private entity and not a government agency. In 1975, Milwaukee County created the non-profit Milwaukee Transport Services, Inc. (MTS) to take over operation of the privately owned and operated Milwaukee & Suburban Transport Company. MCTS, as an entity, is controlled by the MTS board, which is in-turn controlled by the county.

MCTS already has a close working relationship with Waukesha Metro. The two transit agencies collaborated on a connection between MCTS’ new Connect 1 bus rapid transit route and Waukesha Metro route 1 at the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center; an attempt at replacing the former GoldLine service that ran into Waukesha.

Waukesha Metro also recently joined MCTS’ fare collection system WisGo, so riders can already pay fares for both transit services through the same mobile application.

The Milwaukee transit system has a long-term structural deficit, which has been winnowing transit service in the county for years, at least until the COVID-19 pandemic infused the system with millions of dollars. The funding will run dry in 2027, and a projected $12.6 million budget deficit will surface. Regionalizing the system, and attracting new financial support from the state or federal government is one way MCTS officials hope to avoid drastic cuts to service. In other words, the transit system would be grown out of its funding crisis.

MCTS is also considering bidding on operating the City of Milwaukee’s streetcar, called The Hop, and taking over FlexRide, a relatively new city-to-suburbs, job-focused transit service, as Urban Milwaukee previously reported.

“Although state legislation does not allow regional transit authorities nor provides for dedicated funding, of any kind, there are opportunities for efficiencies and improved customer experience,” Esch notes.

Waukesha Metro is a modest transit system compared to MCTS. It has a $7.1 million annual budget and 23 buses it operates on 10 routes, which radiate outward from the city’s Downtown Transit Center, serving major local destinations like Waukesha Memorial Hospital, shopping centers and schools, along with a paratransit service with smaller buses and vans.

If MCTS ends up running Waukesha Metro, it may facilitate development of a cross-county bus rapid transit route. The Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission spotlighted Waukesha Metro Route 1 for development of a bus rapid transit service in a recent five-year plan for the system. Metro 1 already connects to the county’s nine-mile Connect 1, which runs east and west across Milwaukee County between Downtown and the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center.

“MCTS believes it is best positioned to operate Metro in accordance with RFP requirements and within federal, state, and local regulations,” Esch wrote in the board report. “Additionally, from a regional perspective, MCTS operation of Metro is a logical next step in transit growth for existing and future riders.”

MCTS Bids to Run Waukesha Buses

Could the Milwaukee County Transit System become a regional transit authority?

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 14:49:52 GMT

MILWAUKEE – As the Milwaukee County Transit System looks to grow its footprint in the region, while also juggling the complex funding issues the body has navigated for years, how realistic is the idea of a wider-reaching regional transit authority across not just Milwaukee County, but more of Southeast Wisconsin?

That idea was floated to begin last Wednesday’s Milwaukee County Committee on Transportation and Transit meeting. MCTS Deputy Director Julie Esch says the system is considering a bid to manage both The Hop streetcar and Waukesha METRO when their respective contracts become available later this year and in 2025, respectively.

“Not own the assets, but manage it” said Esch, adding that the FlexRide MKE program could also be brought under the MCTS umbrella within an RTA model.

MCTS President and Managing Director Denise Wandke says a regional transit authority would look more attractive to potential funding sources. “We’re one of the very few systems of our size that don’t have dedicated funding, and I feel that we should look at different ways that we can incorporate some of these other mobility types in order to qualify for an RTA or find additional funding” said Wandke. “It’s putting these things under one roof, and hoping people see the impact that we have, and getting us to that type of funding.”

Currently, mass transportation projects compete for state funds with other non-transit-related projects under the General Purpose Revenue Fund, a move instituted in 2023 by state Republicans. Before that, those transit projects would seek funds from the separate Transportation Fund.

The idea of a regional transit authority in Southeast Wisconsin has been considered before. When a Milwaukee-to-Kenosha commuter rail network was originally proposed in 2009, the project included an RTA to oversee the development and execution of the line. That idea was scrubbed by the state Legislature in 2011 under then-Governor Scott Walker. Another RTA proposed around the same time that would have included MCTS never saw mass support from local elected officials at the time.

While MCTS is not operated by the city, there is support for the idea of a RTA from Milwaukee leadership. In a statement from the office of Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, his spokesperson Jeff Fleming tells me the city is open to strengthening the existing relationship between Milwaukee and MCTS, which could also include a change in hands of management operations for The Hop. “If we are going to Grow Milwaukee and strengthen our economic competitiveness as a metro area, we will need a strong and robust public transit system. Whether that should take the form of a formal regional transit authority, mutually-beneficial operating agreements, or other approaches is worth exploring and discussing, including how different options could support the operation and expansion of The Hop” said Fleming.

Third District Alderman Jonathan Brostoff, a noted supporter of transit infrastructure projects amongst his colleagues at City Hall, was even stronger in his conviction that an RTA would benefit the city when I asked him about the concept after the June 11th meeting of the Common Council. Brostoff says a RTA would make systems like The Hop more attractive to federal funding sources than the city asking for the money.

“I think it’s important to keep all options on the table and explore what’s going to be best for the folks of Milwaukee. The county does have a long history and a lot of experience in running a transportation system. Let’s have those conversations and see what’s best for Milwaukeeans” says Brostoff.

In the past, the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 998 has been wary of wider support for RTAs due to legislative opposition. A comment from the union was not provided by the time of this article’s publication.

MCTS told WTMJ last week Wednesday that while no official proposals have been drafted, it is looking ahead at the next structural budget gap coming in 2027, and pursuing all angles to find a solution that leads to solvency. A report by the Milwaukee County Comptroller’s office indicated that by 2027, the estimated gap between operating expenditures and revenues will hit 12.6 million dollars, growing to 17.5 million by 2029, and will “likely fall to the property tax unless new or increased revenue sources are secured.”

While a regional transit authority remains purely hypothetical at this point, one way transit systems in Southeast Wisconsin have become more homogenized is through fare collection under WisGO, which took over MCTS fares from the old M-Card system in 2023. In addition to MCTS, four other transit networks in Wisconsin are either under the WisGO umbrella or will be at least partially on the network by the end of this year:

“Regarding WisGo, the goal is to make travel across the region easy, and having one easy way to pay is helping us meet that goal.” says MCTS Marketing and Communications Manager Anna Schryver.

Read the full article here.

Madison bus rapid transit questions answered — red lanes and more

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 20:05:48 GMT

As Madison approaches the launch date for the east-west bus rapid transit line, the special stations and lanes already present a host of questions.

Can cars drive in the lanes with the paved red squares? Will we be able to turn left there? When will all this road work be finished? When can we ride the new bus route?

Mike Cechvala, the capital projects manager for Metro Transit, has overseen the work to implement bus rapid transit and has the answers.

Construction crews on East Washington Avenue, University Avenue and Mineral Point Road are in the final stages of completing stations and platforms for the new bus system after 18 months of road work. City leaders say bus rapid transit, or BRT, will provide faster and more reliable transit service to more people across the city with service every 15 minutes or less. The revamped system will use specialized lanes, dedicated boarding stations, off-board fare collection, and fast and frequent operations.

Those modernizations, however, require construction crews to update underground utilities and traffic signals and to remove the bump-outs at several intersections. That work is almost complete, but there are a handful of steps left before the buses are running, Cechvala said.

The initial east-west line will run roughly between East Towne and West Towne malls. Construction on that line began in the spring.

Meanwhile, the City Council on June 4 unanimously approved the north-south route, which will run from the north side of Madison, through the Downtown area, to Madison’s south side neighborhoods and end in Fitchburg.

For now, though, work continues at some of the east-west stations, like between East Towne Mall and Stoughton Road and at the intersection of East Washington Avenue and Milwaukee Street. Crews are starting to make finishing touches, installing benches, railings, ceiling tiles and glass panels.

The Cap Times spoke to Cechvala about those logistics and the timeline for the east-west route.

Can cars drive in the lanes with red pavement?

Cechvala: We are in the middle of installing the bus-only lanes. This starts by putting down the red methyl methacrylate colorization people are seeing on East Washington Avenue and other streets. After that, we’ll add white lines, red lines and words that say “BUS ONLY” on top, in addition to signage. Once these are in place, people will not be able to drive in the bus lanes.

Can you get a ticket for driving in those lanes right now?

Cechvala: There’s not much that's really enforceable right now. Right now we’re in the awkward transition period where only the red colorization is in. Just red on its own doesn't mean anything. People can drive over them now, but when they see signs and markings that indicate the lane is bus only, they won’t be able to anymore. So for those who are seeing more red rectangles and they’re like, ‘What the heck is this?’ it’ll start making sense pretty soon. It’s very visible and kind of perplexing if you don't know what's going on. They’re basically just meaningless rectangles. When the BUS ONLY signs go in, it will be bus only and you can't drive in that lane.

How will boarding buses in the middle of the road work?

Cechvala: Buses will have doors on both sides of the bus. Riders will use the signalized crosswalk to cross from the curb to median like they normally would to cross the street. From there, they will walk up a short ramp to the platform, wait for the bus, and do the same thing in reverse when they get off the bus. On a typical journey, a rider does not have to cross the street any more than they do today. About two-thirds of the (east-west) route is center running. One-third is side-running still.

Are there any safety concerns about boarding in the median of a road?

Cechvala: Riders will have the same or better protection from traffic waiting at the platform compared to today waiting on the right side of the street. Having the bus in the left lane rather than the right lane eliminates many conflicts with right-turning vehicles, bikes and other vehicles stopping in the curb lane.

What is the timeline for the east-west line to open?

Cechvala: I hate to say it, but we just don't know it yet. We are still working on a launch date. It will be this fall, but we’re still not close enough to pick an actual date. We’re narrowing down a couple of dates but we don't want to set a date and then realize that it doesn't work. Besides the fact that we want everything to be basically done, there are events and football games, and we're looking to try not to open at the same time that traffic is a mess.

What is the status of construction?

Cechvala: We have 31 stations. Because there are multiple platforms at some of the stations, there are 44 platforms. I have three major milestones that I keep track of: One is the platform being complete, so that’s the roadwork and concrete. Then there is the shelter structure being complete, and then, the last thing is the whole thing being complete. Nothing yet is totally finished but those numbers are growing and getting closer. Thirty-two out of 44 platforms are complete. For the shelters, 39 out of 44 are done.

What else needs to be done?

We have a number of other things being built, odds and ends. People are starting to see pavement markings in the bus lanes. We’ve started painting the lines as well. You see the red first because the actual pavement markings go on top of that, and we put that off to closer to the end when the bus lanes will be actually open.

What else should people know as construction wraps up?

Cechvala: There are some other things to watch out for, like left turn restrictions. On East Wash, (once BRT starts), most of the time it will be two lanes of car traffic instead of three lanes. During rush hour, parking will be restricted and you will have the same three lanes. We hope going to two lanes will help manage traffic speeds and provide a more appropriate capacity, but we do need the capacity during rush hour for vehicles.

How many left turns will be removed on the route?

Cechvala: There are five total. One is the westbound left turn at University and Shorewood. That left turn didn't used to exist, and when the city rebuilt University Avenue a number of years ago, they squeezed in a very small left turn bay. We've removed that. There are four on East Washington. That would be:

The eastbound left at Paterson Street
The eastbound left at Baldwin Street
The westbound at Fourth Street
The eastbound toward Melvin Court

Was reducing the lanes on East Wash a purposeful change to address speeding?

It's not an intentional thing but it ties in well with some of the city’s other objectives to reduce speeds and reckless driving. It’s really all about BRT, but it's all connected.

Will fares go up when BRT starts?

Cechvala: No, fares are not going up, but we are instituting a new fare program and policy so it will be faster and easier to pay. There will be conveniences with that. There's going to be a combination of ways to pay. Right now, we have this antiquated magnetic stipe card. We're getting rid of that and we're using a combination of things, such as a smart card. At some point you'll be able to use your phone to pay with an app, with Apple Pay, Google Pay, debit and credit cards. That's not all going to come online at the same time, but that's the overall goal. It's a separate thing but it's tied to the BRT system — we'll be rolling that out ahead of the BRT launch sometime in the fall.

Read the full article here.

New Amtrak route across Wisconsin begins service

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 14:27:37 GMT

Tuesday marked the very first run of Amtrak’s new Borealis route, which stretches across Wisconsin from Chicago to the Twin Cities. The new route offers passengers daily trips, doubling the service currently offered by Amtrak’s Empire Builder, which runs from Chicago to Washington state.

In addition to increasing the frequency of rail service in Wisconsin, the Borealis route offers midday departure times, cheaper tickets and faster arrivals. It includes eight stops in Wisconsin, including Milwaukee, the Wisconsin Dells, and La Crosse.

Lisa Stern worked on the route as the chief of railroads and harbors at the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. She joined WPR’s “Wisconsin Today” to talk about the new service and how it might affect transportation in the state.

The following was edited for clarity and brevity.

Rob Ferrett: Take us on a tour. What are the basics of the Borealis route?

Lisa Stern: The Borealis route will complement the existing Empire Builder. It’s going to leave from both Chicago and the Twin Cities — St. Paul, actually — around 11 to 11:30 in the morning, and then arrive at their destinations between 6:30 and 7. So it’s a very convenient time frame.

It’ll be running through Wisconsin through the middle of the day. It will also provide a much more reliable schedule eastbound. I think a lot of people have been using the Empire Builder. And if you have, you know that sometimes that trip from Seattle back to Chicago has significant delays. But with this route, it will be just between the Twin Cities and Chicago and it will be a much more reliable schedule.

RF: What do you know about demand for this new route? You’ve built it, will the passengers come and ride the rails?

LS: The passengers are already coming. This started on Tuesday, and we have very high levels of train tickets being sold already. For this weekend, we were looking at 70 percent of the train already being sold out (as of) earlier this week. So there is a demand there.

When we were looking at the service to start with, and evaluating the Empire Builder, 60 percent of the people who got on in Wisconsin got off within this route. So there was already a demand.

RF: How does taking the Borealis across Wisconsin compare to driving, when it comes to factors like price, efficiency and environmental impact?

LS: The costs will depend on how early you’ve booked your ticket and how busy the train is. So on a holiday weekend, the price will tend to grow. This opening week, we were selling tickets between Chicago and the Twin Cities starting at $41. The price can increase to over $100, depending on if there’s not very many seats left, (for example) on a holiday weekend. That’s for the full route. It will vary. If you’re getting on in Portage and going to La Crosse—it will be a smaller amount.

The full distance from Chicago to the Twin Cities will take about seven and a half hours, which is about an hour longer than driving with no stops. But of course, you can get up on the train. We have a cafe car. We’ve made a big effort working with Amtrak and Minnesota and Illinois to provide some local fare there for people to enjoy.

Trains are an environmentally friendly option for people to use for transportation. Additionally, it’s great for business travel. If you’re going (somewhere) for business, you can get emails done or get reading done on the train, or you can just relax and get ready for whatever you’re attending to when you’re at your destination.

RF: There are groups out there calling for new passenger rail connections, including in Wisconsin’s second and third largest cities: Madison and Green Bay. What would have to happen to expand to cities that don’t currently have that train stop?

LS: The Federal Railroad Administration has created this new program called the Corridor ID Program. And Wisconsin DOT submitted four different projects, and we were awarded all four. So those projects will look at expanding passenger rail in Wisconsin, and that includes to Madison, to Green Bay and also an Eau Claire connection. And Eau Claire County actually also submitted their own. So there’ll be a study looking at connecting Eau Claire to the Twin Cities as well. We’re also working with Minnesota on their Northern Lights Express, which will connect the Twin Cities up to Duluth (and) Superior.

So this whole program would look at that exact question: what do we need? Where does it make sense to expand passenger rail? What do we need to do if we decide that that’s the way we want to move forward? So we’re just in the very beginning; we just signed the grant agreements this week, actually.

RF: For people who don’t live in towns on the Borealis route right now, what kind of connection options are out there?

LS: Currently, Wisconsin DOT supports a bus connection from the Green Bay area to the Hiawatha. So that’s one option that’s been very popular and successful. … There’s also some private bus connections between Madison and Columbus. … And we’re working on adding a bus connection between Eau Claire and Tomah. So that is something that will be coming, hopefully in the near future.

Ready the full article here.

Millions granted to expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure in Wisconsin

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 20:24:11 GMT

MILWAUKEE —

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation granted millions of federal dollars to expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the state.

WisDOT awarded $23.3 million to 53 locations across the state as a part of the Wisconsin Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program.

"We're very excited that we have some substantial geographic dispersion across the state of Wisconsin, funding projects as far north as Ashland and then throughout the state," said Kaleb Vander Wiele, the transportation electrification project manager for WisDOT. "Currently, there's about 23,000 electric vehicles in our system in the state. This will really reduce some of the anxiety that they may have as they travel the state."

The biggest beneficiary is Kwik Trip. Twenty-four of its gas stations will benefit.

"We're very excited to bridge the gap and increase the amount of locations that we can offer people who drive EVs. Knowing that there's not a lot of options out there, especially off of the I-90, you know, major interstates, the highways. So for people to be able to expand where they can travel within the state and not have to worry that they're going to run out of fuel or their battery is going to die, that's something that we're excited to be able to offer," Ben Leibl, public relations specialist for Kwik Trip said.

The sites include gas stations, hotels and grocery stores in counties as far north as Douglas County and as far south as Kenosha County.

"The main problem with electric vehicles in the state of Wisconsin today is the lack of publicly available charging stations," Vander Wiele said.

The funds will go toward fast charging stations that take 20 to 30 minutes to charge the vehicle. The new charging stations will be installed in two dozen Kwik Trips.

"This is something that, you know, we've been looking forward to," Leibl said, "bring an alternative fuel to our guests with this being in the form of EV fast chargers."

Babar Ansaree drives an EV Hummer pickup. He said more charging stations like the one he used at Festival Foods in Greenfield might help more people buy in to electric vehicles.

"I think it would be awesome. I think the convenience of charging the vehicles would spark the interest and better for emissions and everything throughout. And these cars are fun to drive," Ansaree said.

Gas-powered vehicle drivers WISN 12 News spoke with Friday weren't sold on the need for EV infrastructure.

"I don't think the electric is really something that we need right now," Paul Good said while filling up his truck at a Kwik Trip in Pewaukee.

The Department of Transportation said the EV charging stations could be operational by this fall, with the project continuing into 2025.

Read the full article here.

Modine and RYDE Racine Collaborate to Fortify Zero-Emission Bus Fleet in Wisconsin

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 21:13:39 GMT

RACINE, Wis., May 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In support of sustainable mobility solutions across the City of Racine, Modine (NYSE: MOD), a diversified global leader in thermal management technology and solutions, today announced a collaboration with RYDE Racine, the city's comprehensive public transportation system. As part of an initiative to modernize and reduce public transit fleet emissions, the City of Racine operates nine all-electric buses with the Modine EVantage Thermal Management System, with up to four additional EVs on order. The Modine EVantage thermal management system will optimize inverter temperatures and improve the range, longevity, and reliability of the city's electric bus fleet along the nearly 700 stops it serves.

The City of Racine recently received funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Low or No Emission Vehicle Program to expand its EV fleet up to 13 buses. These all-electric buses have integrated into the fleet, meeting range requirements for standard city routes. To meet the Buy America standard set forth in the funding guidelines, RYDE Racine has selected all-electric buses containing Modine EVantage thermal management systems to ensure they feature American-made components and systems from a hometown supplier.

"Racine has set an ambitious goal to reduce the carbon footprint of our public transit system, and we're achieving this objective bus by bus. As we increase the size of our zero-emission bus fleet, Modine's sophisticated thermal management system is essential for maintaining our transit program's smooth operation, reliability, and efficiency," said Trevor Jung, Transit & Mobility Director at the City of Racine. "Through this collaboration, Modine has helped RYDE Racine fortify our electric buses with a hometown solution, demonstrating our combined commitment to enhancing service reliability for our passengers and environmental sustainability."

With more than a century of expertise in thermal management, the Modine EVantage Thermal Management Systems combine state-of-the-art, proprietary heat exchanger technology with smart electronic products to deliver complete solutions designed to fit any chassis. EVantage thermal systems optimize inverter temperatures in all environments, from hot summer afternoons to icy winter mornings. EVantage systems offer best-in-class temperature management, improving performance, range, and longevity for various zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, including transit and school buses.

"Integrating our thermal management technology into the RYDE Racine electric buses marks a brilliant collaboration to achieve our shared goal of reducing transportation emissions and supporting our community," said Terry Petersen, Market Development Manager at Modine. "By partnering with RYDE Racine, we are proud to contribute to the sustainability efforts and innovation happening right in our backyard."

The collaboration between Modine and RYDE Racine aligns with the company's overall strategy of expanding into the EV market while supporting local communities like Racine in their efforts to modernize their transportation systems through green initiatives.

To learn more about Modine Evantage thermal systems, please visit www.modineEV.com.

About Modine
At Modine, we are Engineering a Cleaner, Healthier World™. Building on more than 100 years of excellence in thermal management, we provide trusted systems and solutions that improve air quality and conserve natural resources. More than 11,000 employees are at work in every corner of the globe, delivering the solutions our customers need, where they need them. Our Climate Solutions and Performance Technologies segments support our purpose by improving air quality, reducing energy and water consumption, lowering harmful emissions and enabling cleaner running vehicles and environmentally-friendly refrigerants. Modine is a global company headquartered in Racine, Wisconsin (U.S.), with operations in North America, South America, Europe and Asia. For more information about Modine, visit www.modine.com.

Read full article here.

Milwaukee Enhances Public Transit for Summerfest

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 30 May 2024 16:44:54 GMT

In preparation for Summerfest, Milwaukee authorities have announced plans to enhance public transit accessibility by linking The Hop’s two lines and utilizing all five cars simultaneously.

This initiative aims to facilitate transportation to the festival grounds, particularly the north gate accessible from the Couture.

Alderman Bob Bauman emphasized the necessity of managing crowds in the Third Ward while discouraging further vehicular congestion.

Parking at Summerfest will cost $40 per spot this season, with the festival scheduled to run for three consecutive weekends starting June 20th.

Read the full article here!

How La Crosse MTU helps to keep a safe social scene through Safe Ride

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 23 May 2024 16:24:16 GMT

Public transportation for University of Wisconsin-La Crosse students, especially first-year students without access to a car, opens the opportunity to explore their new home off-campus. Special to La Crosse Municipal Transit (MTU) is the U-Pass and Safe Ride program.

Established in 2000, the U-Pass program through MTU allows all Western Technical College, Viterbo University and UWL students free and unlimited access to city buses with a valid student ID. Under that program, MTU developed Safe Ride, or what is commonly referred to as “The Drunk Bus” by UWL students.

The week before the start of the fall semester Safe Ride begins, operating from 10 p.m. – 3 a.m. Thursday through Saturday. The two buses circulate the route between WTC, Viterbo and UWL resulting in an approximate 15-minute wait time for passengers.

On Friday and Saturday nights, a third bus is added. “We are trying to eliminate wait times,” said Deputy Director of Transit James Krueger (he/him). “When we add a third bus it’s about every seven minutes [of wait time].”

Similar to the U-Pass program, riding the Safe Ride buses required no fee. However, unlike the U-Pass, passengers are not obligated to show a form of student ID.

“This is handy if you have friends that are coming to town that are wanting to go out to eat or downtown,” said Krueger. “You can ride the bus for the Safe Ride program without that extra person having to pay a fare or anything.”

The Safe Ride program was created to serve primarily students from the La Crosse area colleges and universities and has seen high levels of usage since its establishment in 2000. According to Krueger, 33,318 rides were completed in the calendar year of 2023 on Safe Ride buses and 31,091 on U-Pass routes. These figures reflect the program’s resurgence following the pandemic.

Before the pandemic, Safe Ride and U-Pass saw numbers in the hundreds of thousands. “It’s rebounding,” said Krueger. “We are trying to continue to get it to grow and foster a good relationship with the university.”

UWL advertises the Safe Ride program as a safe way to travel between downtown and campus, however, students recognize the program with a different title: “The Drunk Bus”.

A second-year student who wished to remain anonymous said, “I am not drunk on my way down [downtown], but when I take it home after bar-close that is where the name comes from.”

This name is not embraced by La Crosse MTU. “Whenever we hear someone say ‘The Drunk Bus,’ we kind of take that and say ‘no, no, it’s not The Drunk Bus, it’s a safe ride home’,” said Krueger.

MTU emphasizes the safe mode of transportation the Safe Ride program provides. Third-year Student Isabella McCarron (she/her) understands their goal. “I think if we didn’t have it, it would increase drunk driving significantly,” she said.

However, the name given to the Safe Ride program by students still resides with McCarron. “The only time I have used it was when I’ve been drunk,” she said. “I use it after bars close because there aren’t many Ubers available.”

In 2012 UWL was ranked number one in the nation for alcohol arrests. In this same year, Safe Ride saw its highest year with 95,711 trips. The collaboration between UWL and La Crosse MTU works to ensure the safety of students amid a strong drinking culture.

Krueger reiterated the multiple ways students can use their free bus pass. “It does offer an ease for students to get to and from work, to get to and from those places of entertainment,” he said. “Whether it’s movies or dining or anything like that, it’s a good opportunity for students.”

The anonymous second-year student explained they are grateful for the presence of the Safe Ride program and subsequent free bus pass. “It is a great resource for students who don’t have cars,” they said. “Freshmen should still have the opportunity to go to Target.”

The Safe Ride program will wrap up for this academic year on Saturday, May 11 and resume the Saturday before classes begin in the fall semester.

McCarron stated, “I don’t have to worry about finding a ride home and I know I am safe on the bus.”

Read the full article here.

Powering up communities: New grant to accelerate electrification & smart growth

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 20 May 2024 18:47:18 GMT

Across the country, municipalities and transit agencies are beginning to embrace electrification in local transportation. They’re showing that the future of transportation does not have to be just electrified cars. And thanks to the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, there’s a new funding opportunity to help local communities go electric.

Electric bikeshare docking station in Madison, Wisconsin. (WORT News)

In our Smart Growth and EVs series, we outlined some of the electrifying strategies that work hand-in-hand with the existing benefits of smart growth development. Among them, we singled out e-bikes/e-micromobility, carshare, multifamily housing, curbside charging challenges, and charger-oriented development. While projects are ramping up across the country to build out the NEVI program’s new network of interstate charging stations, programs that support opportunities to walk, bike, and take public transit have often started not at the national level, but in our own backyards.

Thanks to flexible provisions in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a new grant program from the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation will put $54 million in funding in communities’ hands to help pilot and expand electric mobility options through smart growth strategies. The grant will support expanded access for people who can’t charge at home (like apartment dwellers), electric fleets, and managed charging to help fill in the gaps that larger programs might be missing.

Supporting electric fleets

Fleets of all sizes move forward under this grant—and for good reason. Electrified fleets can offer big bonuses for operators. Over the last few months, transit agencies and states have had the opportunity to apply for funding to expand clean bus fleets under the Low or No Emission Bus Program. However, they’re not the only entities that could use electric fleets to decarbonize mobility. Work to innovate and expand micromobility, light duty, and medium duty fleets are all eligible for this grant—and there’s been no shortage of innovative deployments in cities and localities already.

The Washington, DC region’s Capital Bikeshare system has seen ridership explode as of late. The DC region itself is full of hills, and when it comes to protective, modern bike infrastructure, DC is falling behind its peer cities. Despite that, ridership continues to grow. In March 2024, the bikeshare system saw over 430,000 trips, up over 50 percent from the previous year and continuing a trend of record use. There’s a culprit powering the trend—of all rides, about 50 percent were on the system’s newer e-bikes. And these big ridership boosts didn’t take much; only 1 in 7 bikes in the fleet are actually electrified. As a force for equitable mobility and transportation decarbonization, e-bike shares continue to stand out as a key strategy. (And this only scratches the surface once you consider the huge potential to reduce emissions from new e-bike subsidies, like those in Colorado and other states have).

Advancing EV carshare

Some localities have partnered with nonprofits to offer electric carshare that offers low-emission mobility to those who need it most. Evie Carshare in Minneapolis-St.Paul region, and Colorado Carshare in Denver metro help undercut costly car ownership by allowing people to use EVs only when they need them. Under this grant, non-profit organizations (like Evie Carshare and Colorado Carshare) and for-profits alike would be eligible for funding to plan, pilot and deploy fleets with awards up to $4 million.

Strengthening smarter charging infrastructure

Looking forward to a future powered by renewable energy and zero-emission fleets, one challenge will be balancing energy needs against generation capacity. Even today, increased demand for electricity from both EVs and development can be too much for existing utilities in certain areas. How municipalities and utilities will coordinate to increase capacity remains an open question. Managed charging helps alleviate these issues before they happen by leveraging software and systems to ensure that vehicles get charged at times most optimal for the grid and the vehicle. This program seeks to get ahead of these issues that dense, in-demand locations are very likely to face. And for many of those people who live in multifamily housing, new projects for charging models that minimize frustrating charger queues and enable curbside charging near essential destinations could make all the difference to electrify trips. Introducing mobility wallets that hold funds people could use for any mode (from transit, e-bikeshare time or EV carshare) could streamline charging even further.

Going beyond the main funding programs for electrification (like the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure, Charging and Fueling Infrastructure, and Low or No Emission programs) it’s a great sign that the Joint Office is still looking for ways to deliver funding where it’s still needed and could offer scalable decarbonization benefits with improvements. This is especially true when the funding opportunities play so well with smart growth strategies.

Read the full article here.

Introducing Amtrak Borealis trains with Expanded Service between St. Paul and Chicago via Milwaukee

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 09 May 2024 15:56:44 GMT

New passenger train arrivals and departures in a partnership with Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois

ST. PAUL, Minn., and CHICAGO – Tickets are now available for a second daily Amtrak service between the Twin Cities and Chicago, via Milwaukee: new state-sponsored Borealis trains originate from St. Paul at midday and from Chicago in the late morning. Travelers seeking a more comfortable, sustainable and productive choice than driving will have double the current rail options, starting May 21, 2024.

Amtrak Borealis coach fares start at $41 each way between St. Paul and Chicago for adults, with everyday discounts for children ages 2-12, students, seniors, veterans, military personnel and families, groups, and others.

Amtrak Borealis trains will offer Coach and Business Class in addition to a café car featuring regional items. Customers will enjoy wide reclining seats with ample legroom, no middle seats, free Wi-Fi, and views of the Mississippi River between St. Paul and La Crosse, Wisc., in daylight in both directions across Wisconsin.

The trains will make the current Empire Builder stops between St. Paul and Milwaukee and Hiawatha stops between Milwaukee and Chicago (see schedule). Another benefit of the Amtrak Borealis service is a new eastbound Amtrak origination from Ramsey County’s Union Depot in St. Paul.

“A second daily passenger rail service connecting St. Paul to Chicago via Milwaukee is a welcome addition to our transportation system, providing more choices and travel flexibility for passengers,” said Commissioner Nancy Daubenberger, Minnesota Department of Transportation. “We appreciate our partnerships with communities, federal, state and local governments, the host railroad CPKC, and Amtrak that were needed to get this service on-track, and to provide another safe, reliable transportation option. We look forward to continuing these partnerships as we work toward further building out passenger rail options in the Midwest.”

“This route includes eight stations in Wisconsin, and doubling the frequency of the service will better connect the many businesses, universities and tourist attractions along this corridor,” WisDOT Secretary Craig Thompson said. “This expansion is thanks to the work WisDOT was able to do together with Minnesota, Illinois and Amtrak, as well as the opportunities provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. We will continue to work with federal and state partners to explore more passenger rail options in Wisconsin.”

“We are proud to collaborate with neighboring states and our federal partners to offer more Amtrak service in the Midwest,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “Ensuring passenger rail that’s safe, reliable and accessible is one of the many reasons Illinois continues to distinguish itself as the transportation hub of North America under Gov. JB Pritzker.”

The new service is sponsored by the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois. Amtrak now operates 29 state-supported routes with 18 state partners.

“Through the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor Identification Program we are working with grantees on dozens of other possible new Amtrak routes,” said President Roger Harris. “Thanks to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, interest from state transportation departments and others for new or expanded Amtrak service across the country is at an all-time high.”

“This is a win for passenger rail expansion in America, and more importantly, it’s a win for a growing number of Americans who rely on passenger rail and benefit from it,” said Federal Railroad Administrator Amit Bose. “Investments in rail have long helped Midwesterners and the region’s economy, and this new service will mean additional access for people traveling between Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois while contributing to economic growth.

“The Federal Railroad Administration applauds the strong partnership between the states and Amtrak, and through President Biden’s infrastructure package, we know even more progress is underway,” Bose added.

More Reactions:

Rep. Gwen Moore, Wisconsin

“I will always support increasing access to clean, affordable, and efficient transportation options. Improving inter-city train services in Wisconsin and across the nation brings many economic benefits. I’m excited for the job opportunities and improved tourism that an additional daily train will bring for my constituents and others traveling throughout our region, as well as the improvements to our region’s collective carbon footprint. ”

Rail Passengers Association

“There were years when it seemed as if today’s announcement would never take place, and yet here we are today celebrating a new round trip that will transform transportation in this busy corridor,” said Jim Mathews, Rail Passengers’ President & CEO. “Passenger trains mean trips that are taken off of highways and out of the sky, saving lives, limiting pollution, and opening up new possibilities. These new trains also mean new trips that would not have otherwise taken place at all, producing direct returns for the communities they serve.”

The Association produced an economic-benefits analysis in 2019 suggesting that some 60% of passengers for the new service would come from diverting automotive trips as those passengers leave their cars behind, limiting pollution, and easing congestion. The Association estimated that 90,000 people who would otherwise use personal automobiles would be taken off the roads every year, saving $32 million across the region in highway maintenance costs alone.

Read the full article here.

A snapshot of federal investments being put to use in WI

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 06 May 2024 17:06:17 GMT

City and county governments are feeling the pinch of rising operating costs but in Wisconsin, federal incentives are driving a range of local projects, taking off some of the pressure in making communities economically viable.

Dane County is no stranger to embracing clean energy and federal aid from policies like the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are spurring more activity.

Joe Parisi, Dane County executive, said there have been past government credits for things like solar installations and the latest approach is more expansive, with a robust list of those who can benefit.

"Everybody -- a business, a nonprofit, a church, a temple, even a government, and a local government -- gets 30% back on renewable energy projects," Parisi pointed out.

For example, a local construction company put solar arrays on several of its facilities. Parisi noted the new credits speed up the pace of reimbursements, creating more energy savings in the near future. Federal officials said demand has been strong for the programs but Parisi said one challenge is creating broader awareness so under-resourced areas can apply.

Locally, the website for the Dane County Office of Energy and Climate Change has posted details about project opportunities and investments. Beyond clean energy, Parisi emphasized the federal government's push for more "Made in America" manufacturing creates opportunities for local plants and regional economies.

"There's money to help retooling to manufacture (products)," Parisi stressed. "Then, there's a stronger market for those components now because they are made in America."

National polling shows Americans are greatly concerned about things like inflation but Parisi argued long-term investments stand to help reduce operating expenses for government agencies and businesses, hopefully keeping local taxes in check and providing savings for consumers.

Read the full article here.

Off-Board Fare Collection Begins on Connect 1

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 02 May 2024 17:15:41 GMT

The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) began collecting fares along the county’s first bus rapid transit route using new off-bus ticket validators Monday.

The transit system launched the Connect 1, a nine-mile bus rapid transit service that travels from Downtown to the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center in Wauwatosa, in June last year. From its launch until April 8 all rides on the Connect 1 were sponsored by Umo, the software platform that hosts the MCTS mobile app called WisGO. MCTS began charging fares on April 8.

The off-bus fare validators are the last rapid transit element of the service to fall into place. Processing fares off the bus saves time during stops, speeding up the service in aggregate.

In March, the first off-bus fare collector was installed at the Watertown Plank park-and-ride in Wauwatosa, which is a charging and turnaround point for the Connect 1’s battery electric buses. Currently there are 32 off-bus fare validators installed at stations along the route. Once the Vel R. Phillips Plaza in Downtown is developed — which will include a Connect 1 stop — there will be 34.

Riders with a WisGo card can scan the silver terminal at Connect 1 stops. Riders using cash can purchase a $2 fare from the blue ticket vending machine. The machine will also take debit or credit cards. Whether paying with a WisGo Card or a ticket, each $2 fare buys a rider 90 minutes on Connect 1.

“My advice would be to use the real time sign that’s featured above there to keep a pulse on when your Connect 1 bus would be arriving,” said Jennifer Ortega, MCTS director of business services. “That way, when it’s within two minutes or so, my recommendation would be to scan your fare media… because that way, it gives you the optimal time to use your 90 minutes worth of transfer.”

MCTS is once again sending out employees as ambassadors to help riders with the new fare system.

“We understand as MCTS, that pre-board or off-board fare collection is new for a variety of people in the public here,” Ortega said.

Read the full article here.

Streetcar, bus terminal opens at Couture building, L-Line Hop service expands

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 18:42:31 GMT

MILWAUKEE — With the cut of a ribbon, Milwaukee’s newest transit hub is up and running.

What You Need To Know

The Couture Transit Center is now open in Downtown Milwaukee.
The Hop L-Line is now operating seven days a week.
MCTS's Connect 1 route will terminate at the transit center beginning in June.

City and county officials came together Thursday to officially open the Couture Transit Concourse inside the newly developed Couture building in downtown Milwaukee.

Beginning Thursday, The Couture station will serve as the terminus for The Hop’s new L-Line, which runs through downtown and ends closer to the lake than the existing M-Line. The L-Line has officially been operating since October 2023, but only on Sundays. Now, the line will run every day of the week.

Beginning in June, Milwaukee County Transit System Connect 1 service will also end at the Couture Transit Center. That line runs west to the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center.

The opening of the new station means transit will be closer to the lakefront than in the past. During the dedication ceremony, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said that will help meet the transit needs of more people around the city.

“It is important to recognize the people that will use this new facility. Think about the business people, think about the festival-goers. Think about the residents who will all take advantage of this incredible destination in Milwaukee. Think about the young people who will convince their parents to go on the Hop,” said Mayor Johnson.

Some dedicated Hop enthusiasts were among the first to ride the expanded L-Line service Thursday. Mark Ward has been following The Hop from the start. As he rode on the L-Line for the first time, he said he thinks the close access to the lakefront will make a difference in encouraging people to ride.

“If you walk to the southern edge of the platform, which is maybe a 200-foot walk, walk kitty corner across the street, you are right at the Summerfest grounds. How convenient can that be?” said Ward.

The Connect 1 bus service is expected to begin using The Couture station on June 2. The route currently ends a few blocks to the north.

Read the article here.

Interview: Free bus rides during Earth Week

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 18:28:36 GMT

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) - You can try Eau Claire Transit for free during Earth Week, April 22-27.

Funds have been donated to the city of Eau Claire from the Amalgamated Transit Union 1310, Jonah-Environmental Task Force, and Chippewa Valley Transit Alliance.

There will be three gatherings at the temporary transit center at noon with speakers throughout the week to speak to the importance of environmental awareness and how public transportation plays a big role.

April 22-State Representative Jodi Emerson and State Senator Jeff Smith

April 23-City officials Lane Berg and Ty Fadness

April 26-City Council President Emily Berge and City Manager Stephanie Hirsch

All sessions are at noon.

There is also an Earth Week Open House on Thursday, April 25 from 4-8 p.m. at The Brewing Projekt with vendors related to sustainability.

Full article here.

Dunn County bus ridership sees highest numbers ever in 2023

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 18:20:28 GMT

MENOMONIE (WQOW) - After changing some routes, the Dunn County Public Bus Transit System is taking more people across town.

In fact, 2023 marked the highest amount of bus riders on Dunn County's public transit.

The county's transit manager Austin Witt said one of the reasons is because they added a stop to the UW-Stout bus route. It now runs from the college campus to the Walmart area in north Menomonie once an hour in the evening.

"We had 126,000 riders in 2023," Witt said. "Seeing that increase and having the best year ever was great to see."

The general community route also experienced a jump.

In the past, so few people rode that route that it was more efficient to provide the rides free, since it would cost more to count the fares than what the fares brought in.

The department shortened the community route to make it an hour, and they removed a few stops. This resulted in a large increase. Monday through Friday ridership went up 62% from 2022 to 2023, and Saturday ridership went up 81% in that time.

Read the full article here.

Biden campaign official looks into La Crosse mass transit operation during Wisconsin tour

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 15:52:15 GMT

A former mayor of New Orleans spent some time in another Mississippi River city on Wednesday, checking out the La Crosse mass transit system.

Mitch Landrieu, co-chair of President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign, was given a tour of MTU facilities on Isle La Plume — inspecting the electric busses, used by the city.

MTU director Adam Lorentz (left) speaks with Biden campaign official Mitch Landrieu (center) and La Crosse Mayor Mitch Reynolds inside a city bus on Isle La Plume (PHOTO: Brad Williams)

Landrieu, accompanied by Mayor Mitch Reynolds and others, said cities like La Crosse need funding help from Washington to afford a bus that can cost around $400,000.

“Most of the time, local transit authorities don’t have this kind of money on their own,” Landrieu told reporters at the MTU bus barn. “So it really requires the federal government” to step up with funding.

Landrieu came to La Crosse as part of a two-day Wisconsin tour promoting the Biden campaign. The president, himself, visited the MTU headquarters in June of 2021, highlighting infrastructure needs.

Landrieu said D.C. is investing heavily in local projects important to Americans.

“The infrastructure bill actually is the first time in 50 years that the federal government has taken a substantial amount of taxpayers’ dollars and put them back exactly where the taxpayer said they wanted them,” he said.

Landrieu added that the first electric buses being used in La Crosse are state of the art vehicles.

Reynolds said the bus system is important in giving city residents a way to “move about the community, so they can live their best life.”

Read the full article here!

Madison set to get over $13M from USDOT for public transit

WIPTA Admin — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 15:51:16 GMT

MADISON, Wis. -- The City of Madison is set to receive over $13 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, officials announced Thursday.

The funding is meant to support public transportation like buses, light rail and ferry systems and is part of a total $20.5 billion that will be sent to states and communities nationwide for Fiscal Year 2024.

"We’re making history’s biggest-ever federal investment in transit – trains, buses, ferries, and more – so people can reliably and affordably get to wherever they need to be," U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. "This $20.5 billion investment in public transportation will support the daily lives of millions of Americans across the country."

Each community gets money based on formulas and apportionments set by Congress. The formulas factor in data points including population, population density and the revenue miles of a community's public transportation system.

Statewide, Wisconsin will receive $121,085,311 in formula funding. Madison will receive $13,128,446 while Milwaukee will get $34,506,685. Green Bay is in line for $3,610,808.

Full article here!

How proposed bus rapid transit line will affect Milwaukee neighborhoods

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 19:37:40 GMT

Milwaukee County residents are weighing in this month on plans for CONNECT 2, a new bus rapid transit line planned for 27th Street, and how it could affect their neighborhoods.

The Milwaukee County Transit System, or MCTS, plans to use CONNECT 2 to strengthen transit service on the heavily used PurpleLine route.

CONNECT 2 also aligns with Milwaukee County’s goal of achieving racial equity by attempting to improve transit access for communities of color along the corridor.

“Reliable and safe transit options are paramount in addressing the health disparities right here within our community,” Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley said at a news conference at the project’s Feb. 27 public information meeting.

The $148 million project is in the environmental review and design phase and will not be ready for riders until at least 2028.

MCTS has been gauging public interest in the faster CONNECT 2 bus route. It is taking feedback until the end of March.

Some community members and bus riders voiced their concerns at public information meetings for the project held in late February.

“It’s going to be pretty helpful for me because … sometimes I wouldn’t have to take more than one bus because it’s going to go all the way down to Bayshore and stuff,” said Quartaria Wilder, who lives near Walker’s Point and is a member of the MCTS Transit Teen Advisory Board.

Sam Kovnar, a MCTS bus rider who lives on the South Side and attended a public information meeting at Wilson Senior Center, 2601 W. Howard Ave., said he thought the plans looked good.

“I think there are a few places that look to me like compromises, but I can also see the reasons for not having things like a dedicated lane or certain features on the stops,” he said.

However, David Ashley, who lives near 27th Street in Midtown, said he felt the plans did not keep enough stops in densely populated areas on the North Side and parts of the South Side.

“I understand cuts have to be made, but you don’t want to cut the most vulnerable people away from their source of public transportation, or transportation period,” he said.

How will it work?

CONNECT 2, also known as the Milwaukee North-South Transit Enhancement project, will follow an 18-mile route that’s similar to the PurpleLine but with fewer stops.

David Locher, manager of enhanced transit at MCTS, said CONNECT 2 will build off of results from CONNECT 1, the bus rapid transit, or BRT line, that runs between downtown Milwaukee and Wauwatosa.

“We want to do the same things: achieve travel time savings and increase the frequency between buses, and ultimately, what we want to do with BRT is to make a more consistent and reliable service,” Locher said.

The project’s concept plan does not include in-depth designs yet, Locher said, and the designers will use public feedback as they move forward.

Addressing disparities and equity

Of 118,000 people living within a half-mile of the CONNECT 2 planned route, 73% are people of color, according to the project’s website.

Within this area, 21% of households do not have a car, 25% are in poverty and 15% of people have disabilities, all higher than the Milwaukee County averages, according to the American Community Survey data from 2014-2018 used in the project’s feasibility study.

If bus service along 27th Street and Layton Boulevard is more reliable and efficient, it will help residents access jobs, medical centers, schools and essential services, according to Robert Schneider, an urban planning professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

How could it affect Milwaukee’s neighborhoods?

With proposed stops planned near vacant lots, Schneider sees potential for community reinvestment in neighborhoods along the CONNECT 2 route.

“Each of those things provide an opportunity for a new building to go in, or some kind of reinvestment that provides for new jobs, new potential services like health care, new shopping opportunities, and other investments that hadn’t been made in a lot of these neighborhoods for a long time,” he said.

Locher said that MCTS plans to continue the underlying PurpleLine service when CONNECT 2 is added, but will analyze if changes will need to be made to the service.

“Our commitment is to find ways to not leave anyone behind,” he said.

Ashley said he thinks the BRT line will be successful if PurpleLine service is maintained because it will meet everyone’s accessibility needs.

“If that’s the path they want to go with, let’s ride,” he said.

Full article here.

Madison building bus rapid transit system

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 20:29:07 GMT

MADISON, Wis. — Madison’s city bus system will soon have another option for riders.

What You Need To Know

The new rapid transit line is expected to be done by fall
There will be 31 covered boarding stations on the line, with bike access and pedestrian crossings
The line will also offer new buses that can hold more passengers and trigger green lights
There will be dedicated bus lanes

A new rapid transit line is expected to be done by fall.

There will be 31 covered boarding stations along the line, with bike access and pedestrian crossings. The line will also offer new buses that can hold more passengers and trigger green lights to stay on schedule and reduce travel time. There will also be dedicated bus lanes.

“The overall strategy is to get people along the line faster, easier and more conveniently,” said Mike Cechvala, capital projects manager with Metro Transit.

Cechvala said it comes as more people are relying on the city bus system. Just this past fall, Metro Transit provided more than one million rides in a single month for the first time since the pandemic.

“It has since started escalating,” Cechvala said. “We’re now back up to basically where we were in ridership before COVID.”

Douglas Meier has been using city buses since starting as a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison five years ago.

“It was just the most convenient option,” he said. “Parking is really, really expensive on campus, if not impossible, and it was just a really convenient way to get around.”

Meier said he welcomes the upgrades.

“I’m excited to have an actual platform to wait on when it gets rainy or snowy,” he said. “It’s kind of sucky to sit on the curb without any shelter.”

But he said he still wishes bus wait times were shorter. According to the city, buses on this new line will still operate every 15 minutes.

“I think it could be more frequent,” Meier said. “Every 15 minutes is great, but if you miss your bus, then you’re kind of stuck waiting around for a while.”

Cechvala said the city is always looking to make public transportation the best it can be.

“We hope that the people who are currently using the bus will have a better experience,” he said. “We also hope that new people will see this service and start to use it and see it as a good option for getting around town.”

Full article here.

MCTS driver saves child from oncoming traffic on Capitol Drive

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 19:05:01 GMT

MILWAUKEE — A Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) bus driver saved a child Feb. 24 on Capitol Drive.

Keyon Finkley, a MCTS driver, was on his afternoon route when he saw a small child running into traffic on Capitol Drive. MCTS said Capitol Drive is Milwaukee's most dangerous road.

The child was wearing a pajama shirt and no other clothes. He was also barefoot.

Temperatures were in the 30s.

Finkley stopped the bus and ran toward the child. He brought the boy onto the bus, saving him from oncoming traffic.

Finkley called dispatch, who then got in contact with the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD).

Finkley and the child waited in the warmth of the bus for help to arrive. MPD officers arrived to pick up the child and bring him to safety. According to MCTS, MPD safely reunited the child with his family within an hour.

MCTS said in recent years it has been tracking how many lost and missing children its drivers have found. This is the 14th child a MCTS driver has found since MCTS has tracked that data.

Find the full article here!

Marathon County to explore public transit options with new task force

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 15:56:02 GMT

WAUSAU, Wis. (WAOW) -- Public transportation could soon see a makeover in Marathon County.

The county's Metropolitan Planning Commission announced the formation of a "transit planning work group" Tuesday, which is designed to bring leaders from the greater Wausau area and local transit officials together to discuss potential options for transit in the near future.

"What we're hoping to do is get everybody to talk about...opportunities for us to have cross-community transit services that would address the business, social, and other needs of our residents," said John Robinson, who currently serves as the chair of the Metropolitan Planning Commission.

The group will operate like a task force, consisting of people like new Metro Ride director Aaron Hursey, Wausau Chamber of Commerce president Dave Eckmann, and other officials from Wausau, Schofield, Rib Mountain, Rothschild, and Weston.

Public transportation in Wausau is run by Metro Ride, which only has stops within Wausau's city limits.

Some tell News 9 they would greatly appreciate expansion of services, especially to places outside Wausau.

"Like Weston, Rothschild, that kind of area, because then it can all be around and not just in one area," said Kaden Reynolds-Helvey of Wausau.

Others say it's important to help people get to and from work reliably, especially if their job is outside of Wausau or they live outside of Wausau.

"I need to go to work, I live too far from my work, and my dad can't drive me," said Randilynn Seidens of Wausau.

"Any opportunities we have to get to either get people to employable in areas that aren't being serviced by the buses or to get people who can't get to those businesses on their own, get them to shop and contribute to the economy, I think would be a wonderful thing," added Hector Delgado of Wausau.

The work group cannot make changes themselves, as they can only make recommendations to municipalities, but the scope of what they can come up with is broad.

"We want all the parties at the table to discuss what are realistic routes, what are realistic approaches, and that's what we're hopefully kicking off with this task force," Robinson said.

It does ultimately come down to what can get funded in what areas, but some say route expansion is necessary for the growth of the greater Wausau area.

That group is welcoming feedback from the public and plans to start meeting in April and potentially dissolve within one year.

For more on their stated timeline, click here and scroll to page 14.

Full article here.

President Joe Biden visits Milwaukee as campaign keeps focus on swing states

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 15:59:10 GMT

President Joe Biden was in Milwaukee Wednesday to announce new federal funding for transportation infrastructure, his latest visit to Wisconsin coming the day after he and former President Donald Trump officially secured the delegates needed for a rematch.

Biden announced Milwaukee will receive a $36 million grant for a street reconstruction project city officials say will improve safety.

President Biden spoke to around 100 people gathered at the Pieper – Hillside Boys and Girls Club of Milwaukee late Wednesday afternoon, which is located on 6th Street, the focus of the reconstruction project. He said the work will connect the city’s south side to the north side.

“These are life changing improvements,” Biden said. “They’re also going to make it easy for historic Black communities in the north and Latino communities in the south to access jobs, school and entertainment opportunities in the city and central hub — from watching the Milwaukee Bucks play to attending the Milwaukee Area Technical College.”

The Wisconsin trip was part of a series of campaign stops around the country where Biden is trying to bring a message to voters about his administration’s investment in infrastructure. The president has held events in Pennsylvania and Georgia over the last week, and will head to Michigan on Thursday.

Trump is also on the campaign trail, but has yet to visit Wisconsin.

On Wednesday in Milwaukee, Biden announced $3.3 billion for 132 infrastructure projects across the nation aimed at reconnecting communities that were torn apart by past transportation projects.

Milwaukee’s 6th Street corridor is near Interstate 94/43. Construction for that project in the 1960s led to the demolition of roughly 17,000 homes and 1,000 businesses in the city, according to the White House. Biden said many other communities across the nation have been impacted by similar projects.

“You’ve lived in and felt the decisions made decades ago. Today, today, we’re making decisions to transform your lives (for) decades to come, and we’re doing it all over America,” Biden said during his speech.

Milwaukee’s project will focus on a 2.6 mile stretch of the 6th Street corridor, from North Avenue to National Avenue. It’ll include work to widen sidewalks, install bike lanes and bus lanes, place new trees near the road and includes infrastructure work to prevent sewage from flowing into the Milwaukee River and Lake Michigan. Construction is set to start in 2027, according to the Milwaukee Department of Public Works.

“Part of what stood out about this project was how many benefits we saw all at once through the transformation of this 2.6 mile stretch of 6th Street,” U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said during a press call Tuesday.

It was Biden’s ninth trip to Wisconsin as president and second so far this year, another reminder of the key role the swing state will play in the election. The visit comes as the 2024 presidential election is shaping up to be a rematch of the 2020 election, when Biden beat Trump by less than a percentage point in Wisconsin.

Other state, national projects also won awards

Many of the other national projects that received funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods program are focused on rebuilding communities, “including those that were divided by transportation infrastructure decades ago and have long been overlooked,” according to a statement from the White House.

In addition to the grant the city received for work on 6th street, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation received $2 million to explore possible reconstruction efforts on West National Avenue in Milwaukee near Interstate 43/94. That study will “identify and evaluate alternatives to reconnect the neighborhoods and address safety and mobility concerns.”

The city of Madison received $1 million for planning and feasibility efforts for the Perry Street Overpass project. That project aims to reconnect Perry Street over the Beltline Highway, which was split during construction almost 70 years ago.

In a statement, Wisconsin Department of Transportation Craig Thompson said the money will create a “tremendous opportunity” for the state.

“Thanks to our federal partners, we have a tremendous opportunity to reconnect neighborhoods, create safer streets and improve pedestrian and bicyclist access in ways that meet the transportation needs these communities deserve,” Thompson said.

Presidential race is heating up

The visit comes as President Biden’s job approval rating is at 37 percent, close to the lowest level of his presidency, according to Reuters. In a recent Marquette University Law School Poll, Trump is leading Biden nationally among registered voters 51-49.

Biden’s visit drew criticism from the Republican National Committee, who called it part of his “Bankrupting America Tour.”

“Joe Biden just proposed $7.3 trillion in wasteful spending and $4.9 trillion in tax hikes on the backs of Wisconsin families, so his attempt to save face for Bidenomics’ failures is laughable,” the statement said. “President Trump built a strong economy that delivered relief for families across the country, and he’ll do it again.”

Biden was in Superior earlier this year to promote the administration’s infrastructure investments. In August and December, he stopped in Milwaukee to promote the Inflation Reduction Act and efforts to support Black-owned businesses.

Last week, First Lady Jill Biden visited Waukesha to tout her husband’s position on reproductive rights. It was one of the first stops on her “Women for Biden-Harris” tour. Three days later, Vice President Kamala Harris was in Madison to announce an apprenticeship program for the federal workforce.

Full article here.

Electric bus movement looks to accelerate

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 17:51:13 GMT

Most school and transit buses on the nation's roadways these days are still powered by diesel engines but in Wisconsin and elsewhere, there is hope about the push to switch to electric fleets.

The city of Racine has made headlines in recent years for leveraging federal funds to add more electric buses operated by its transit agency. Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, school systems such as the Palmyra-Eagle district have used federal grants to buy a handful of buses fitted with such technology.

Susan Mudd, senior policy advocate for the Environmental Law and Policy Center, a Midwest-based advocacy group, said it is encouraging to see the activity, knowing benefits will come with it.

"The children or the riders on buses, including the drivers, will experience zero tailpipe emissions," Mudd pointed out. "Which they now do, because fumes, unfortunately, often get circulated into buses."

The new models also prevent harmful emissions from floating through neighborhoods, especially when buses are idled. Mudd noted it has a positive effect on human health, as well as mitigating climate change, with transportation making up nearly 30% of U.S. carbon emissions. But even with federal support, she acknowledged there are still upfront cost barriers in securing electric buses.

Mudd added implementing charging stations for larger electric bus fleets can be more intensive than infrastructure for passenger models.

"It definitely requires more equipment," Mudd said. "(It) may require transformer upgrades and that is more costly."

Organizations like hers are appealing to utilities to help make the infrastructure more accessible to schools and transit agencies. Once they get past the initial expenses, supporters said the efforts help schools and municipalities reduce their fuel costs.

In late 2022, Wisconsin received more than $25 million in federal support to replace 65 diesel school buses around the state with electric ones. Read the full article here.

Ozaukee County Public Works Committee to discuss future of Express Service

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 17:10:26 GMT

OZAUKEE COUNTY — The Ozaukee County Public Works Committee on Thursday will discuss whether it will recommend terminating the Ozaukee County Express Service to the County Board.

The Ozaukee County Express provides county residents working in Milwaukee County a fixed-route service between Ozaukee County and downtown Milwaukee during peak commuter hours.

The committee did consider terminating the bus service last year, but in November it agreed to postpone a decision for 90 days until February to collect more data after a number of riders expressed their support for it.

"In talking with other riders, we really do feel that this is a very valuable service to all of us," said rider Jill Haupt of Grafton during a public hearing about the bus service in November. "I just think that it would really be a travesty to take this service away from us."

Ridership in October did double from September; riders and some county supervisors partially credited the closure of the Washington County’s Commuter Express after Sept. 29.

Ozaukee County Transit Superintendent Kara Ottum told the committee that there has been a downward trajectory in ridership prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the county’s data on transit ridership, 2023 monthly ridership numbers are roughly 85% lower than 2019. When compared to 2022, 2023 shows a continued decline in ridership each month at approximately 50% since June.

The data showed that there were 449 passengers on the OCE in September, which in comparison is down by 51.2% from 2022 and 89.2% from 2019.

There were 833 riders in October, though in comparison it's down by 20.1% from 2022 and down by 82.8% from 2019. The low number, according to county officials, could be attributed to the closure of the CTH C Park & Ride, which closed due to I-43 construction in April of 2023 and showed a reduction of ridership from March to April in 2023. The CTH C Park & Ride reopened in December.

Ridership decreased in November and December of 2023 to 730 and 713 riders, respectively. Ridership in November was down by 22.4% from November 2022 but ridership in December was up by 6.3% from December 2022.

The net cost per ride, which is the cost after fares, has also significantly increased over the years.

In 2010, the then net cost per ride was $8.04, while in September 2023 was $87.64, according to ridership data. However, the net cost per ride went down to $50.86 in October.

The net cost per ride increased in November and December to $55.93 and $56.13, respectively.

Ozaukee County has funding through COVID-19 relief funds to run the bus without the county levy through the end of 2024, according to the agenda information provided to the committee. Eliminating the bus service would provide more COVID relief funds to be used for the Shared Ride Taxi.

However, eliminating the OCE would trigger a higher hourly rate for the Shared Ride Taxi, which would cost approximately $120,000 more per year, but only about $40,000 of levy after grants and ridership fares. The additional levy wouldn’t be required until complete exhaustion of the COVID relief funds, which the county anticipates extending into 2025 with Shared Ride Taxi service only.

If OCE is eliminated, the following are other commuter options for Ozaukee County residents:

- Wisconsin RIDESHARE: Connects commuters with carpool or Bike Buddy. Most commuter bus users have access to a car. This program connects commuters to share the costs. This is the only alternative that provides service to downtown Milwaukee employment sites without a transfer.

- Shared Ride Taxi to Milwaukee County Transit Services: Ozaukee Shared Ride connects to the Milwaukee County Transit system at three locations along Brown Deer Road. Multiple transfers may be needed to get to downtown Milwaukee.

The Public Works Committee will meet at 8 a.m. Thursday in the meeting room inside the Ozaukee County Highway Department, 410 S. Spring St. in Port Washington.

Find the full article here.

Milwaukee County Transit hears from public about possible Connect 2 higher-speed bus route

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 17:00:39 GMT

The Milwaukee County Transit System is taking the public’s temperature on a possible faster bus line from roughly Bayshore Mall, down 27th Street, and all the way to the IKEA store in Oak Creek.

The so-called Connect 2 bus is at least four years away and needs a lot of federal money to become a reality.

The first Connect bus—also known as BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) — started operation last summer. It travels between the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center and downtown, with fewer stops than the typical transit system route.

BRT has had some glitches and all the electric buses on Connect 1 had to be halted for weeks, due to a battery concern. But now, the nine-mile route is back to its planned mix of battery-electric buses and ones that run on diesel. Also, due to a supply chain problem, the Transit System is months behind in charging money for rides on the BRT. But fares may start in April.

Thursday morning, WUWM rode in a half-full Connect 1 bus, rolling along bumpy Bluemound Rd. at about 64th St.

Transit System and Milwaukee County officials say they’re happy enough with Connect 1 to continue planning for Connect 2—an 18-mile route going through Glendale, Milwaukee, Greenfield, Franklin, and Oak Creek, mostly along the densely populated north and south 27th Street.

At a transit system open house on the north side Thursday afternoon, Jacobi Jackson of Milwaukee said he likes Connect 1.

“Connect 1, I ride it almost every day, and the thing I really like is it is fast route. There is far stop spacing, and the station designs [bus stops] look really nice. I also love the electric buses too," Jackson says.

Jackson says Connect 2 would provide faster links to other county buses that he rides.

Glendale resident Mark Caballero says he’s not a frequent bus rider. But he says Connect 2 would make him so.

“Visiting family, we’d go to maybe Tosa. I could see myself taking Connect 2 down to Connect 1. I could see myself going to a lot of restaurants downtown. So, Connect 1 again to Connect 2," Caballero says.

Quartaria Wilder of Milwaukee says she’d take Connect 2 for its mostly straight route. “Yeah, it’s going to be easier to get to my destinations, cause it’s one shot down — school," Wilder says.

At a southside open house earlier this week, Maria Parade, with Spanish to English translation by Marina Hernandez says Connect 2 would help her get to and from work.

"That would benefit me because there are buses that are really slow, like bus line 53, 54... oh my, I was freezing waiting for the bus the other day," Parade says in Spanish.

A few of the people at the open houses did tell WUWM some worries about the possible Connect 2 but declined to be recorded. The concerns range from believing the faster buses could lead to more reckless driving along the route, as car drivers try to get ahead of the bigger vehicles on roads that are narrowed for car traffic, to concerns that coordination of economic development along the north-south route would be lacking, to outright opposition to more government spending on the transit system.

Milwaukee County is seeking $118 million from the federal government and needs $30 million from non-federal sources just to develop Connect 2.

But County Executive David Crowley says he’s been making this pitch:

“I think this is a route about equity. Right? When we think about the people who live around this corridor and the amount of access they can have to job opportunities. When we think about the families who are struggling and need access to employment and want access to healthier outcomes and their families. I think that is going to help us tell the story of what Connect 2 can do for all the residents in Milwaukee County," Crowley says.

This might be a good year for the county to push for the money. As he was running for reelection in 2020, former President Donald Trump tweeted that he committed about $40 million in federal funds to what became Connect 1.

Trump, and transit supporter, Biden, appear headed for a presidential re-match this year.

Read the full article here.

Western Kenosha County Transit revitalizes service with LINK, a refreshed rural transit experience

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 19:24:29 GMT

Western Kenosha County Transit today announced a refresh of its existing public transportation services for 2024.

This rejuvenation introduces LINK Western Kenosha Transportation, a revitalized service emphasizing 'Your Route to a Better Rural Journey.'

This update, which includes visual updates to vehicles and communication, is not the introduction of a new service but a comprehensive refresh of the existing one. Organizers said it aims to address and change the stigma some community members hold toward public transit.

The initiative to refresh the service stems from extensive community engagement in the fall of 2023. Public hearings and a survey conducted across Western Kenosha County, with participation from over 400 residents, have been instrumental in shaping the refreshed direction of LINK, said Kenosha County Executive Samantha Kerkman.

“It was very important to us to engage the community in this process,” Kerkman said. “The survey played a crucial role in understanding the needs and preferences of our community members. We truly appreciate the public’s input.”

A standout feature of LINK is its door-to-door service. Residents can schedule a pickup from their homes and be taken directly to their destinations.

“This personalized approach ensures convenience and accessibility for all passengers”, Kerkman said.

Customers can call 1-888-203-3498 in advance, to arrange a trip.

“The service is tailored to be both affordable and inclusive, while offering extensive travel options,” Heather Vanoss, Elder & Disability Services Manager said. Fares are competitively priced at $5 per one-way trip for the general public, $3 per one-way trip for older adults and persons with disabilities, and $1 per one-way trip to a Nutrition Senior Dining Site. Western Transit's service area focuses on Kenosha County, particularly areas west of I-94, ensuring coverage for a significant portion of the county's residents.

This enhanced service is provided through a partnership between Kenosha Achievement Center and Kenosha County. All vehicles in the LINK fleet are equipped with lifts and wheelchair tie-downs, ensuring accessibility for passengers with mobility needs. Additionally, drivers are trained to assist with boarding and disembarking upon request.

Further enhancing the commuter experience, LINK is tailored for stress-free and relaxing commutes.

The service is specifically designed to provide a relaxing environment, particularly during peak hours. This feature enables passengers to engage in leisure activities like reading, relaxing, or simply enjoying the scenic views, transforming their daily commute into a more enjoyable part of their day.

In terms of reliability, LINK is fully equipped to handle all weather conditions. Its capability to navigate challenging rural road conditions ensures dependable and safe transportation regardless of the weather. This aspect of the service offers peace of mind to passengers, knowing that their journey will be safe and uninterrupted.

LINK also solves parking woes. With this service, passengers no longer need to concern themselves with finding parking spots, especially in crowded destinations or inclement weather. This benefit is particularly valuable in areas where parking is limited, making LINK a convenient option for daily commutes and visits to large medical facilities.

Lastly, LINK demonstrates a strong commitment to environmental stewardship. By opting for LINK over personal vehicles, passengers contribute to reducing carbon emissions and preserving the natural beauty of Kenosha County's rural landscapes. This aspect of the service aligns with broader environmental goals and reflects a growing public interest in sustainable transportation options.

“LINK’s economical fares allow travelers to journey farther while spending less and significantly reducing the financial burden typically associated with driving which supports the economic well-being of the community. As LINK launches a refreshed debut in 2024, Western Kenosha County Transit invites the community to embrace this service, promising a more connected, sustainable, and enjoyable travel experience,” said Vanoss.

Full article here.

Transit Equity Days: How accessible public transportation can benefit people and the planet

WIPTA Admin — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 18:41:03 GMT

‘Transit Equity Days’ is a week-long celebration in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and throughout the state with the “official” Transit Equity Day occurring on Feb. 4—the same day that Rosa Parks, an icon of transit equity and the “mother of the Civil Rights Movement”, was born 111 years ago.

Although many are familiar with the Civil Rights Movement from the 1950s, transit equity is a niche of the movement that may be less known by the general public. In 1841, the transit equity movement began when Frederick Douglass and his friend, James N. Buffum entered a train car designed for white passengers only. When the conductor ordered Douglass and Buffum to leave, they refused. This action led to similar ones on the Eastern Railroad.

With widespread action from people like Douglass and Buffum, the United States (U.S.) Congress eventually granted equal rights to people of color in public accommodations by passing the Civil Rights Act of 1875. However, in 1883, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned these equal rights declaring them as unconstitutional and unauthorized by the 13th and 14th Amendments in the U.S. Constitution.

On May 18, 1896, the U.S. Supreme Court established the “separate-but-equal” doctrine from the Plessy v Ferguson case. This new law made racial segregation constitutional under the Equal Protection Clause in the 14th Amendment.

Because of the new separate-but-equal doctrine, inequalities like the ones experienced by Douglass and Buffum persisted. In Dec. 1955 Rosa Parks was arrested after refusing to give up her seat to a white man on a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Her action led to the 381-day Montgomery bus boycott.

Before her arrest, Parks was not the only Black person who refused to give up their seat to a white person. On March 2, 1955, fifteen-year-old Claudette Colvin was arrested for her refusal to give up her seat on a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Colvin went on to be a witness in Browder v Gayle, the court case that eventually overturned racial segregation on public transportation.

Despite the ruling in Browder v Gayle, racial segregation continued to occur in the public transportation sector. In 1958, a Black law student was arrested for trespassing on the grounds of a restaurant within a train terminal. This arrest led to the Boynton v. Virginia case where the U.S. Supreme Court held that such segregation “violated the Interstate Commerce Act, which broadly forbade discrimination in interstate passenger transportation.” (Labor Network For Sustainability)

Now, the transit equity movement strives to provide “the same access to affordable and reliable transportation to everyone.” (U.S. Department of Transportation). In 2024, transit equity is viewed as an issue that intersects with other social movements like accessibility, environmental justice, economic justice and racial justice…just to name a few.

The utilization of public transit has multiple environmental benefits, including the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and carbon dioxide (CO2). According to the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA), “approximately 85 percent of greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector are related to the surface transportation system.”

If a person switched to public transportation from their 20-mile-commuting car, they could reduce their CO2 emissions by 20 pounds per day, or more than 48,000 pounds per year. This decrease in CO2 emissions would also decrease air pollution which disproportionately affects nonwhite populations, especially Black communities.

There are also economic benefits related to transit equity. According to inequality.org, “Public transit investments create huge economic ripple effects. The American Public Transportation Association estimates that every $1 invested generates $5 in economic returns. Better funding and (crucially) more ridership means more jobs and increased commercial activity.”

Finally, transit equity fosters accessibility allowing all people to have their needs met. According to Around the Sound, the “right to movement” is a human right, which means that any person with disabilities should have the ability to access every location of their liking.

Speaking upon the benefit of public transit, the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Sustainability Program Manager, Andrew Ericson said:

“Transit Equity Days is such an important event that’s held in La Crosse and around the nation. Transit is a backbone resource for our community, and is an essential service. Accessibility to public transportation, or simply having more than one feasible option to get from point A to point B, benefits us all. Building a robust transportation system that meets the needs of its many different users, will no doubt save us all money, build better and more resilient communities and prevent harmful impacts to our environment.”

UWL Student Association (SA) Sustainability Director, Grace Lopez-Johnson also commented on the benefits of public transit. She said:

“Transit equity is vital in creating a more sustainable future that is accessible to all people. Having safe and reliable public transportation systems can help to remove barriers that prevent people from easily commuting to their workplace, school or appointments; especially for people like students who may not have access to a personal vehicle. Utilizing public transportation instead of relying on cars is beneficial for the health of the environment and is key in creating a socialized and thriving community.”

Full article here!

Milwaukee County Bus Rapid Transit: new north-south route considered

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 19:57:28 GMT

MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) is looking to expand its bus rapid transit (BRT) service – and get the public involved in the process.

A news release says the community is invited to learn more about the proposed CONNECT 2 BRT route at virtual or in-person meetings which will be held on Feb. 27, 28, and 29.

Officials say the new North-South BRT will "enhance service along one of MCTS's top five busiest routes, the PurpleLine. The proposed route is twice as long as CONNECT 1 and involves five different municipalities across the county."

MCTS wants to get feedback about CONNECT 2. You are invited to share input on the features such as bus-only lanes, station locations and more at the following open houses:

South Open House

Tuesday, Feb. 27 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Wilson Senior Center, 2601 W. Howard Avenue, Milwaukee
Open-house style; stop by anytime
Take the PurpleLine to 27th Street and Howard or parking is available

Virtual Meeting

Wednesday, Feb. 28 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
Zoom: http://tinyurl.com/virtualnsbrt
Live presentation, followed by questions and answers

North Open House

Thursday, Feb. 29 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Century City Tower, 4201 N. 27th Street, Milwaukee
Open-house style; stop by anytime
Take the PurpleLine to 27th Street and Hope or parking is available

Spanish-speaking translators will be available at each open house, and the locations for each are ADA accessible. Visit mkenorthsouth.com for more information.

Advocates call for investments in public transit

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 15:16:26 GMT

Advocates for public transit in Wisconsin gathered in Oshkosh and Madison on Monday asking for investments in safe and reliable transportation systems.

The local events were in coordination with a national day of action organized for Transit Equity Day by the Labor Network for Sustainability. The event is held annually on or around civil rights activist Rosa Parks’ birthday on Feb. 4.

Demonstrators met at a closed bus stop on University Avenue in downtown Madison calling for the city to adequately support local buses as the rapid transit system expands.

The Transit Network Redesign project, implemented last summer, expanded access to service, according to Tom Lynch, Madison Transportation Director. The project included a Bus Rapid Transit system, set to be fully operational in the fall of 2024.

To make the new system more efficient, some bus stops along one route have closed, worrying transit advocates.

“BRT service should enhance rather than be at the expense of local routes,” Wisconsin Transit Riders Alliance said in a statement.

Advocates across the state ask for investments in public transportation

Susan De Vos, secretary-treasurer of the Wisconsin Transit Riders Alliance, helped organize the demonstration in Madison. She is concerned that as stops are spaced further apart in the new rapid system, people with mobility issues will have to travel further to board the bus.

“Public transit is a civil right that is supposed to serve everyone,” De Vos said.

The alliance also asked for more public funding for transit projects, more access for people with disabilities and better working conditions for people in transit-related jobs.

A poster reading “Thank you drivers” was available for bus riders to sign as a symbol of appreciation at the Downtown Transit Center in Oshkosh on Monday.

Deb Martin hosted the Oshkosh event as a part of Transit Equity Day to gather input from riders and show appreciation for drivers. Martin said she is advocating for expanded routes and hours, especially to accommodate third-shift workers. Right now, buses run from 6:15 a.m. until 6:45 p.m. six days a week.

“Transportation is a root cause of some of the poverty and the need in our state and really everywhere,” Martin said. “If they can have better transportation, they could improve the job they go to.”

The city of La Crosse celebrated Transit Equity Day with events throughout the last week in January including free fares on the La Crosse Municipal Transit Utility.

Expanding public transit could lower carbon emissions

The Sierra Club joined the Labor Network for Sustainability and other partners on Monday to advocate for public transportation.

Cassie Steiner, senior campaign coordinator with Sierra Club- Wisconsin Chapter, said transportation has a “huge impact” on climate, land use and equity.

“Our transportation priorities have been a mess in Wisconsin for quite a long time,” they said.

Steiner would like to see money allocated away from highway expansion projects and towards public transportation projects.

“Expanding transit in many places isn’t even a thought. It’s, how do we keep transit running? So, our transit systems are in really dire shape in the state, and readjusting where we’re putting funding can make a huge difference,” Steiner said.

Her hope is that increased public transportation will benefit those who rely on it and also encourage new people to try it.

Martin said she hopes public transportation advocacy continues year-round.

“At least we have one day that we especially set aside and say ‘thank you’ as we work to make improvements the rest of the year,” Martin said.

Read the full story here!

La Crosse celebrates Transit Equity Days

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 16:07:18 GMT

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WLAX/WEUX) – February 4th is recognized as Transit Equity Day. First News at Nine’s Dashal Mentzel explains how the city of La Crosse is stretching its appreciation into a Week.

The city of La Crosse is celebrating Transit Equity Days from January 29th to February 4th. State Representative Jill Billings says public transportation has helped her and many others get where they need to go, “I think it’s such an important part of our community and our economy. When people come to cities like La Crosse, that’s one thing they look for often is do you have a decent transit system. People are looking for that.”

The city introduced The Regional Transit Development Plan in 2021 and Billings appreciates the commitment by the city to help those who ride public transit, “I know the budget was tight this year, but they made sure that public transit was a priority. When you look around on this beautiful bus station that we have, I remember the old days when everybody stood out at the corners and the wind at the post office to transfer buses.”

Elizabeth Fryseth is legally blind. Riding public transit has helped her get around town and she encourages everyone to do the same, “Ride the bus, give it a shot just once, if not twice, because it could change your life. It’s an easy way. It’s affordable. Unlike Uber or Lyft. It’s also easier to get a hold of than a taxi service.”

Fellow advocate, Obbie King, says public transit is a great way to meet new people, “People get together, people see each other. When you’re in cars, it’s just one person per car. All the people relate to the pair of headlights that’s coming towards them or the pair of taillights that’s in front of them. They don’t see the person that’s attached to that vehicle. When you’re relating to each other, person to person, it’s a lot friendlier way to travel. You humanize each other.”

Today is only the beginning of a weeklong recognition of public transit.

In La Crosse, Dashal Mentzel, First News at Nine.

As part of the weeklong event, La Crosse Area Transit Advocates will be hosting rides with local elected city, county, and state leaders. Fares will also be free on the La Crosse Municipal Transit, now until Sunday, February 5th.

Read the full article here.

Milwaukee unveils nearly 50 new ‘traffic calming’ projects for 2024

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 15:31:58 GMT

Milwaukee officials have unveiled a series of “traffic calming” projects for 2024 in an effort to reduce reckless driving across the city.

The 45 projects, announced Tuesday by the Milwaukee Department of Public Works, include raised crosswalks, curb extensions or bump-outs and “full reconstruction projects” on certain streets. They also include several more protected bike lanes across the city.

Reckless driving has plagued the city for years, but city engineer Kevin Muhs said he believes the work will help make the streets safer for everyone.

“We want everyone to feel safe and enjoy our streets, whether they’re walking, biking, taking transit or driving,” Muhs said during a press conference Tuesday.

The projects are dispersed throughout Milwaukee and are funded by the city, through state and federal grants and programs, and through federal pandemic relief aid.

Officials say concrete bump-outs near intersections can help reduce the number of vehicles passing on the right and help protect pedestrians. Work also includes engineering projects like narrowing some streets to one lane, and raised crosswalks and curb extensions near several schools.

Michael Anderson, the youth programs manager for Wisconsin Bike Fed, said that’s a step in the right direction. Anderson said reckless driving near and around schools is something the city has been dealing with for years.

“We’ve got a long way to go to improving child mobility in this city — this is a huge start,” Anderson said.

“Our students should be able to walk and bike to school,” Anderson added. “Making sure that our neighborhoods are built in a way that facilitates youth travel is really important.”

City officials have called reckless driving a “crisis” in the community and have taken a number of steps to tackle the problem. Many believe engineering, education and enforcement are the main ways to address the issue.

“We (common council) felt very strongly, to change people’s behavior, certainly enforcement and accountability and education are important, but sometimes you need to physically change the structure of the streets to force people to be better drivers,” Milwaukee Alder Michael Murphy said at the press conference.

One example of the work the city is doing is along a stretch of the busy Highland Boulevard.

Muhs said last year, the city reduced the number of driving lanes to one in each direction and added concrete bike lanes along a portion of the street. The city is waiting for construction to be complete to collect data on how effective the changes have been, but Muhs said he believes the work has led to safer conditions for residents.

“We know from resident feedback that it has slowed excessive driving speeds, reduced reckless driving and provided a safer environment for people walking and biking in this area,” Muhs said.

The number of pedestrian fatalities in Milwaukee was significantly higher than in any other county across the state last year, at 21 deaths, according to preliminary data from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

A 2023 Milwaukee crash analysis also found that vulnerable street users — which include pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists — are “disproportionately likely to be killed or seriously injured when a crash occurs.” The highest concentration of injuries occur in Milwaukee in posted speed limit zones of 30 to 35 mph, likely due to high speeds and a high number of users.

“We see it with our own eyes. We experience it when we ourselves are on the roads,” Milwaukee Alder Bob Bauman said about the issue. “We’ve been pushing for these changes for a long time, the engineering takes time.”

To keep bicycle riders safe, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson announced a goal last year of building 50 miles of protected bike lanes by 2026. Bauman said he believes the protected bike lanes will encourage more people to travel by bike across the city.

“Because right now, on a lot of our streets, it’s actually not very safe to be riding a bicycle,” Bauman said.

Protected bike lanes include physical dividers to separate bikers from pedestrians and vehicles. A 2013 study found they reduce bike-related intersection injuries by about 75 percent, compared to comparable crossings without infrastructure.

“It’s really about building an all ages and abilities network,” Anderson said about the bike lanes.

Madison will also implement a number of traffic calming projects this year. The city plans to use a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All program to make improvements at 21 intersections near transit stops and six shared-use path crossings.

The city will use the federal money to build a sidewalk and path along a portion of a busy highway on E. Washington Ave.

Madison has also been working on improving street lighting, adding curb extensions and increasing flashing lights to remind people when they’re speeding.

Read the full article here.

End of the road, Mukwonago man retires from 52-year long career in transit

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 22:14:33 GMT

By Bridget Dean

bdean@conleynet.com 262-513-2644

WAUKESHA — Don Jans first passed a bus driver test nearly 52 years ago. He was given a school bus route and hit the road. He has remained in the transit industry since and will be retiring on Feb. 9 after an impressive career.

“I always said I did every aspect of the business except turn a wrench,” Jans joked. “I’ve never been mechanically inclined.”

His career took him from driving the buses to training new drivers, overseeing safety operations at a state level and working with professionals across the country.

His career began in June of 1972. While Jans was working on his master’s degree in criminology and sociology, he got his first job in the industry as a driver at Wisconsin Coachlines and Dairyland Buses.

“I grew up on a farm, and I’ve driven trucks, and I’ve driven tractors ... I took the school bus out. (The hiring manager) said ‘oh you’re fine,’” Jans said. One driving test later, Jans was hired and started working. He said bus drivers now have up to six weeks of training before they hit the road alone.

“I wanted to be a professor. But, once I started in the transportation field, working with everyone and traveling, I decided to change; I enjoyed it,” said Jans. “It was not uncommon at all to see teachers that had switched over and were working for different companies ... I thought, well, I’m just one of the numbers.”

He drove routes from Waukesha and Kenosha to Milwaukee and drove for charters and tours. He was a driver for seven years, all the while working his way up to supervisor and eventually president of the company.

“I drove all over the United States,” Jans said. “It was a fantastic way to see the country.”

From driver to trainer

From there, Jans became a bus driver trainer.

“I started training and all of the sudden I wasn’t doing much driving. I was spending full time training people,” he said. “I think the relationship was (that) I wanted to be a teacher, so it was coming across very easily.”

In 1989, he left Wisconsin Coach Lines to become the general manager of Waukesha Metro Transit until 2007.

That year, the Metro’s liability insurance carrier, Transit Mutual, created a full-time safety director role and sought Jans to fill it. At the same time, he became region manager for the Waukesha Metro’s management company, Professional Transit Management, and spent much time driving across Wisconsin to work with transit system teams.

“I did a lot of work with the American Public Transit Association and some of their safety committees. The nice thing was, I met a lot of very talented people across the country, and probably the most rewarding was when people come back and say I helped them in their career to advance,” Jans said.

Back to Waukesha Metro

In 2013, he returned to work for Waukesha Metro Transit. He never wanted to leave his home in Waukesha County, not even for a promotion.

“I wanted to come back and spend another 10 years. I was looking forward to that. I enjoyed the time I was the safety director, but there again I spent a lot of time on the road,” Jans said. “I’m tired of driving.”

He’s now the Waukesha Metro Transit compliance specialist. Jans handles driver payroll, compliance issues, labor negotiations and statistical reporting. He has also been training other employees for his role. Because Waukesha Metro receives federal grants, the organization receives a review every three years.

“We’re very proud of the fact that the last two tri-annual reviews we had were zero findings. That’s highly unusual. We’re in the process of preparing for the 2024 tri-annual review. I expect it’s going to be very similar,” Jans said. “The people that drive the buses have a really hard job, and I don’t think people realize.”

Jans’s goal was to work 50 years in the transit industry, although his coworkers at Waukesha Metro Transit convinced him to work one more year into 2024. He’s looking forward to spending time around his home and yard in Mukwonago, where his family lives with many animals.

“When I grew up, I always worked a couple of jobs at a time,” he said. “I guess I’m kind of a workaholic.” By choice, he said he spends 45-50 hours in the office a week.

“I enjoyed working with the people. That will be the biggest adjustment for me, is not seeing everybody on a daily basis and missing that interaction ... I kind of look at them as family,” he said. “I’m lucky enough that I’ve liked what I’ve done.”

Waukesha Metro team members with one of the Metro buses. Left to right, standing, Jason Zachow, Kari Bloedow, Brian Engelking, Linda Strike, Arnie Boivin, Don Jans. Kneeling left to right, Jon Hine and Mark Gurski.

Courtesy of Waukesha Metro Transit

Don Jans at the Transit Center opening on Oct. 2, 2004 when he was the Waukesha Metro Transit general manager.

Courtesy of Waukesha Metro Transit

Milwaukee awarded $4 million grant to improve traffic safety

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 16:47:28 GMT

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A $4 million federal grant to improve traffic safety has been awarded for the city of Milwaukee.

The city's Department of Public Works (DPW) said in a news release, the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program funds initiatives to prevent traffic deaths and serious injuries.

DPW says there is also a $1 million local match requirement for this grant that the city will contribute.

“Roadway safety is a top priority, and I am grateful to President Joe Biden’s administration for this multi-million dollar grant to assist our efforts,” Mayor Cavalier Johnson said. “We are making significant changes to our streets so that pedestrians, bicyclists, and automobile occupants are safer. This federal Safe Streets grant will advance our work.”

The DPW says the grant will be used by the city for a project named "Safe, Welcoming, and Enjoyable Streets to Grow Milwaukee."

Milwaukee will incorporate the funding and develop a plan. The city will conduct demonstration activities including street design corrections, neighborhood-driven traffic calming, innovative bike infrastructure, and transit improvements using temporary materials such as jersey barriers, modular bus boarding islands, rubber speed humps, and planters.

“The City of Milwaukee is the state’s largest city, and cultural and economic hub,” said Department of Public Works Commissioner Jerrel Kruschke. “This grant will help the City further it’s mission to make it safe and convenient for people to walk, bike, take transit, be active and enjoy our streets and public spaces.”

Milwaukee is one of eight Wisconsin communities to receive SS4A program funds.

Find the full article here.

Wisconsin makes $5.2M investment to help seniors, people with disabilities get around

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 18 Jan 2024 16:32:39 GMT

MADISON (WKOW) -- Wisconsin is investing in helping seniors and people with disabilities get around on public transportation, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation announced.

$5.2 million is being awarded to public and private non-profit agencies across the state that focus on mobility management, operating assistance and vehicle purchase.

WisDOT Secretary Craig Thompson said a good transportation system serves everyone and a small-town agency "that can add a couple of minivans" can make a big difference.

Since the mid-1970s, the Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Program has bought more than 2,200 vehicle to help seniors and people with disabilities get around.

The funds will go to the cities of Milwaukee, Madison, Appleton and Green Bay, which will then distribute the funds in their area.

Find the article here!

Richland County Transit's new 10-year plan calls for an expansion of services

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 04 Jan 2024 16:00:00 GMT

The Richland County Transit board is looking over the next 10 years to provide better workforce mobility through extended hours and weekend service, more convenient and reliable service with shorter wait and transfer times, and better connectivity to Mansfield including better access in Ontario and new connections in Lexington and Madison.

Jean Taddie, transit development manager for Richland County Regional Planning, and Christy Campoll, project manager with the transit consulting firm of RLS and Associates Inc. of Dayton, outlined the latest 10-year plan during the Richland County Commissioners regular meeting on Tuesday.

Campoll told the board that one of the main unmet needs identified during the year-long planning process was better service for people using RCT to get to work, particularly to the area of the Mansfield Industrial Park. “Right now it’s not possible to use RCT to get to work to a second or third-shift or any shift that has any weekend hours,” she said.

Campoll said other needs include service to the U.S. 42 business corridor in Madison Township to help people who go to the library, Madison High School and the weekly stay hotels, and for the Ohio State University at Mansfield students who want better access to the Lexington-Springmill Road business corridor. A related finding is the need to reduce the wait times on fixed routes from 60 minutes to 30 minutes, particularly for riders who use multiple routes to get to places.

Campoll said the data gathering included market and demand analysis, operation and financial analyses of RCT, input from focus groups, and oversight committee meetings. More than half of the data gathering involved a public survey, followed by on-board surveys, a local employer survey and stakeholder interviews.

Campoll said some improvement strategies in progress include improved access to destinations and efficiency, transition from flag-down stops to a fixed bus stop system, adding same day service to Dial-A-Ride, an upgrade to fixed route software, account-based fare payment for Dial-A-Ride, expanded contract transportation service and developing funding partnerships and secure new government support. Officials also recently signed a contract with ETA Transit for new fixed route software.

“That would link not only with our own passenger app but also Google maps, Apple maps and Transit app and will provide efficiencies on the back end as well,” Taddie said. “We’ll be adding internal efficiencies (for data compiling and reporting) as well as better passenger access.”

Mid-plan strategies include adding on-demand zones in east Mansfield, Lexington and Bellville, pending new funding partnerships, conducting marketing and outreach for possible demand response services in new areas, and making a decision in 2029 on a long-term operating mode. Long-term alternatives include keeping the current network with new on-demand services, increased route frequency with new on-demand services, a “spine network’ with increased on-demand or 100% on-demand/demand response service using smaller mini buses or vans.

Annual operating cost estimates for the current service and long-term alternative services range from $3.6 million for maintaining the status quo to $9.3 million to increase route frequency with about 63% of the figures covered by federal funds. The increased frequency proposal is projected to increase ridership 128% over the estimated 2023 annual ridership of 140,447.

Campoll says any new services over the next six years will be added as funding allows, noting that the plan gives Taddie the opportunity to put prices on the options so the transit board can prioritize them. She said officials will be looking at a number of sources for the additional operating funds including new federal programs, current program partners, and agencies that have untapped funds for transportation

“We want to point out that even if we keep the system status quo and implement none of the strategies in the plan, RCT will still need more local match funding beyond what it receives today,” Campoll said. “We believe this plan provides a road map for the community to come together and build a stronger transit system.”

Taddie pointed out that in addition to operating dollars, transit officials will be looking to the federal government to pay for new vehicles and repairs to a roof at the RCT facility.

Could a tax levy be considered in the future?

Officials were asked if there is any discussion about authorizing or putting a tax levy on the ballot for dedicated funding for RCT current and future services.

County Administrator Andrew Keller said that while the commissioners are the taxing authority for the county, that issue has not been addressed. Taddie noted that RCT needs $1.4 million per year in addition to the $900,000 that comes from the county general fund to maintain the status quo and that a levy would provide funding on a more sustainable basis.

“I don’t see a levy on the ballot in 2024 but the conversations are worth having of what kind of sustainability we want to have for our transportation system and what will our county look like with Intel and being a supply chain for Intel and some of the big developments in Ohio,” Taddie said.

Intel has announced a $20 billion investment to build chip-manufacturing plants near Columbus.

Commissioners hold auction for farm land rental at Dayspring

In other business Tuesday, commissioners held an auction to rent 109.5 acres of farm land at Dayspring, the county’s assisted living facility. John McCarron was the winning bidder at $265 per acre for a three-year contract with two one-year renewal options.

The contract that expires at the end of this year is $195 per acre. The going agricultural lease rate is between $220 and $290 per acre.

The board also approved a $44,500 change order for the project to remodel the L2 level of the courthouse into space for the Clerk of Courts and approved contracts with two firms for master plan examiner services for the Building Department.

Read the full article here.

‘A huge win’: Madison Amtrak plan gets big lift with federal money

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 28 Dec 2023 20:00:00 GMT

The state will start planning how to connect Madison to Chicago, Milwaukee and the Twin Cities via passenger rail with $500,000 in development grants from the Federal Railroad Administration.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation will receive a total of $2.5 million statewide for planning new Amtrak routes from the Corridor Identification and Development program, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin announced Wednesday in a press release. While the money for Madison planning will go to DOT, it will help the city move forward on its own planning for an Amtrak station.

Specifically, the Corridor ID program will support the creation of new routes on the existing Hiawatha service line from:

Milwaukee to Madison to Eau Claire
Eau Claire to the Twin Cities
Milwaukee to Green Bay
Chicago via La Crosse to St. Paul

The funds will also help make improvements on the existing Milwaukee to Chicago line.

“It's a huge win for moving passenger rail forward in Wisconsin, including Madison,” said Liz Callin, a transportation planner for the city who oversees the Amtrak station project. “Having those routes being accepted into the corridor ID program is a crucial component, certainly for the Madison station development. This is a unique opportunity, and we're thrilled to see these efforts moving forward.”

The passage of the infrastructure bill in 2021 freed up historic levels of funding for a new intercity passenger rail service in Madison. In December 2022, the city started planning how to use that money and looking for a location for a future station.

Madison staff members are conducting a station study to help build the local stop on the corridor.

The city is considering six potential areas: near the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus, downtown near Monona Terrace, on First Street and East Washington Avenue, on the near east side to the west of Fair Oaks Avenue, the site of the former Oscar Mayer plant, and lastly, near the Dane County Regional Airport.

Callin said she and other staff members have spent the last year diving into details and narrowing specific sites where a station could work. She hopes to present those to the public in January or February.

The city has budgeted money for that work, dubbed the station study, which is separate from the Corridor ID program but necessary, according to Callin. Neither can happen without the other.

“This is like a crucial milestone because, of course, you don't have a route to Madison, and we, of course, don't have the station,” Callin said. “There are all these pieces to this puzzle that we're putting together."

"We are working with WisDOT in supporting route development. It's a partnership," she said.

In combination with the other routes, this proposed expansion of the Hiawatha line, which currently operates only between Milwaukee and Chicago, is building out the route incrementally, Callin said. Now various communities will start fleshing out the route development process, with planning, design and engineering.

“The next piece would then be actually the construction,” Callin said.

As of now, Amtrak projects the initial trip times from Madison to Milwaukee will take one hour and 48 minutes, while the ride from Madison to Chicago will take three hours and 18 minutes.

No plans now for state funding

Madison tried to get high speed passenger rail in the city over a decade ago, a project that was ultimately killed by former Republican Gov. Scott Walker. Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway has been vocal about her support for bringing passenger rail service to the city despite pushback from Republican state leaders. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said there would be "no state funding" for the project last year.

Callin said, at this point, the city is not pursuing any state funding sources.

“One of the great things about this Corridor ID program is that it is a 100% federally funded program, which is extremely rare in transportation,” she said, explaining how there is no local match requirement. “Wisconsin is extremely successful in their application; they got all four of the corridors they applied for, and it's all fully federally funded. It’s just a great opportunity.”

Rhodes-Conway said in a statement that this funding from the infrastructure law is “an important step” in the process.

“The city is already working to identify an accessible station site that would meet operational needs and encourage economic development,” the mayor said. “Our hope is that a new Madison Amtrak station would become a dynamic destination woven into the fabric of our vibrant city, and that rail service will better connect us to our neighbors in Milwaukee, Eau Claire and beyond.”

Editor's Note: This story has been updated to clarify that the federal grant money was awarded to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, which is planning the new Amtrak routes.

Read the full article here.

MCT's Holiday Bus: A festive tradition of giving in Madison County

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 16:00:00 GMT

PONTOON BEACH — The enchantment of the holiday season is once again rolling through the streets of Madison County with the return of the Madison County Transit (MCT) “Holiday Bus.”

This tradition celebrates the spirit of giving, delivering the gift of a complimentary public bus ride to MCT passengers who step aboard one of these special buses throughout the month of December. In 2022, MCT Holiday Buses accounted for more than 3,800 free rides.

Through Dec, 31, MCT will enhance passengers’ travel experience by deploying the Holiday Bus daily on three MCT buses of varying sizes. These festive buses will embark on randomly assigned routes daily throughout the MCT service area.

A delightful surprise awaits passengers boarding the Holiday Bus when they encounter a farebox playfully wrapped like a present, symbolizing the gift of a free ride. The buses may also be adorned with additional festive decor.

"Our passengers really appreciate the surprise of stepping on to an MCT Holiday Bus and receiving a free ride on that trip,” said MCT Managing Director SJ Morrison. “And our drivers, who are our goodwill ambassadors year-round, love the opportunity to spread a little holiday cheer and bring some joy into the lives of the people we serve.”

Don't miss the opportunity to be part of this festive tradition. Step aboard MCT, for your chance to experience a little holiday magic and joy this December.

For more information about the services offered by MCT, visit mct.org, email info@mct.org, or call 618-797-INFO (4636).

Read the full article here.

Fond du Lac Area Transit Rates to Rise in 2024

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 20:24:33 GMT

FOND DU LAC, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Bus fares for Fond du Lac Area Transit will increase in the new year.

Starting Jan. 2, 2024, fixed route cash fares will now be $2 for adults, increased from the current $1.50 rate. Youth, elderly and riders with disabilities will see similar increases. Ten ride passes and monthly passes also jump to new 2024 pricing.

The rate increase was approved by the Fond du Lac City Council during recent budget discussions on Nov. 8.

In addition, ADA and non-ADA specialized paratransit HandiVans rates will rise to $4 from the current $3 and monthly adult passes will increase to $40, and student monthly passes will increase to $34.

Fares remain unchanged for student summer passes.

For a full list of all transit rates for 2024, click here.

This fare adjustment will support rising costs and prevent service reductions or cuts.

The new fares bring Fond du Lac Area Transit prices closer to rates charged in similar public transportation systems in the state.

Read the full article here.

Green Bay to Milwaukee among routes to be studied for passenger rail service expansion

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 21:08:05 GMT

GREEN BAY (WLUK) -- Another step in the process has been reached to possibly bringing passenger rail back to Northeast Wisconsin for the first time in more than 50 years. However, a lot still needs to happen.

A $500,000 federal grant has been awarded to study the possibility of extending passenger rail service from Milwaukee to Green Bay.

“We're anticipating there would certainly be a demand for it,” said Eric DeKorne, Vice President of Development for Greater Green Bay Chamber.

DeKorne says businesses have been contacting the chamber about their support for a train.

Chambers across the state teamed up to write a letter, applauding the grants, which were also awarded to study rail expansion for four routes in the western and southern parts of the state.

“We're hearing that businesses would be in support of it to try to help economic impact throughout the community, helping with talent and attraction and also helping with tourism as well,” said DeKorne.

The Green Bay to Milwaukee train would make stops in Appleton, Oshkosh, and Fond du Lac.

Amtrak estimates it would take 2 hours and 50 minutes one way and would operate round trip three times a day. That compares to about 2 hours or less in a car and 2 hours and 25 minutes for the Amtrak bus that currently runs directly between Green Bay and Milwaukee.

“Right now, we know approximately 35 people a day use the buses on that same route,” said State Sen. Eric Wimberger, R-Green Bay.

Members of the Republican-controlled state legislature, like Wimberger, have been skeptical of investing in passenger rail expansion. Wimberger says he isn't against public transportation and doesn't see harm in studying the issue, but he doubts the state and local matching funds likely needed would be worth it.

“The idea that people are suddenly going to switch to a train, I just don't see it,” said Wimberger.

“It's one of those things we have to keep pushing forward and the fact we have this funding that we can do this study, hopefully that will give us the tools and the data that we need to move that decision in the direction we're hoping for,” said Becky Bartoszek, President and CEO of Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce.

If the right people can be convinced, Amtrak has said after all the studies are completed, it typically takes six to 10 years to get a rail corridor operational.

Amtrak has previously told FOX 11 there are tracks capable of reaching 79 miles per hour between Milwaukee and Neenah, but signals would need to be upgraded to reach that speed on tracks to Green Bay.

The study is expected to identify the scope, schedule and cost estimate for preparing a service development plan.

Five new routes in Wisconsin have been selected to receive $500,000 each in planning and development grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor Identification and Development (Corridor ID) program.

The Corridor ID Program is a comprehensive intercity passenger rail planning and development program that will help guide intercity passenger rail development throughout the country and create a pipeline of intercity passenger rail projects ready for implementation.

Through the Corridor ID Program, the following projects will receive funding:

Milwaukee to Green Bay: The proposed Corridor would connect the existing Hiawatha service between Chicago and Milwaukee with an extension to Green Bay.

Milwaukee to Chicago: The proposed Corridor would provide improvements to the existing Hiawatha service between Milwaukee and Chicago, by adding new frequencies.

Milwaukee to Madison to Eau Claire: The proposed Corridor would connect Milwaukee to Minneapolis through Madison and Eau Claire. The proposed Corridor would provide new service on an existing alignment.

Eau Claire to Twin Cities: The proposed Corridor would connect St. Paul to Eau Claire. The proposed Corridor would provide a new service on an existing alignment.

Chicago via La Crosse to St. Paul: The proposed Corridor would initiate a new daily round-trip between Chicago and St. Paul to complement the existing Amtrak long-distance Empire Builder, with an extension to Minneapolis

Read the full article here.

Ozaukee County Express Bus decision delayed for 90 days

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 16:43:25 GMT

OZAUKEE COUNTY — It seems like, as one county Public Works Committee member said, the Ozaukee County Express Bus service may have nine lives.

The Ozaukee County Public Works Committee agreed last week to postpone a decision on the bus service for 90 days until its meeting in February to collect more data.

The Ozaukee County Express provides county residents working in Milwaukee County a fixed-route service between Ozaukee County and downtown Milwaukee during peak commuter hours.

When the committee voted to begin the process of terminating the bus service late last month, it was looking at plummeting ridership numbers.

But then the number of riders doubled in October from September; riders and some county supervisors say this could be because Washington County’s Commuter Express closed after Sept. 29.

Prior to seeing the data from October, Committee member Michelle Godden told the committee she believed the bus service was done. While she said the cost is still not at a sustainable rate, Godden supported waiting on a decision.

"I do think it would be premature to terminate today," she said.

According to the county’s data on transit ridership, 2023 monthly ridership numbers are roughly 85% lower than 2019.

When compared to last year, 2023 shows a continued decline in ridership each month at approximately 50% since June. In April and May, ridership was down by 31.8% and 40.2% respectively from 2022.

The data shows that there were 449 passengers on the OCE in September, which in comparison is down by 51.2% from 2022 and 89.2% from 2019.

Ozaukee County Transit Superintendent Kara Ottum told the committee last month that there has been a downward trajectory in ridership prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But in October, there were 833 riders, though in comparison it’s down by 20.1% from 2022 and down by 82.8% from 2019.

County officials believe the closure of the Highway C (Pioneer Road) Park & Ride has also affected ridership, but that is scheduled to reopen in December.

The net cost per ride, which is the cost after fares, has also significantly increased over the years. In 2010, the then net cost per ride was $8.04, while in September of this year was $87.64, according to ridership data. However, the net cost per ride went down to $50.86 in October.

The committee held a public hearing in August 2022 about the bus service and heard from under a dozen people and received multiple emails in support of continuing it.

Following that, the committee directed staff to work with the Milwaukee County Transit System to reduce the overall services and move forward with a request for proposals for the service beginning in 2023. GO Riteway was awarded the 2023 contract for Shared Ride Taxi and Express Bus, and has been operating the OCE with smaller vehicles, providing three morning and four afternoon runs.

After the committee’s decision last month, it held a public hearing last week Tuesday. Thirteen people spoke in favor of the bus service. Ozaukee County Highway Commissioner Jon Edgren added that the county also received over a dozen emails.

“In talking with other riders … we really do feel that this is a very valuable service to all of us,” said rider Jill Haupt of Grafton, adding that there are many riders who don’t have any other means of transportation to get to their jobs. “I just think that it would really be a travesty to take this service away from us.”

Many of the commenters that night said they’ve seen an increase in riders in October and suggested ideas for how to save money and advertise the bus service.

Commenters also claimed that sometimes the system GO Riteway uses to collect data on the number of riders doesn’t work when they get on the bus.

Dan Cramer, director of operations contracted services of GO Riteway was at the committee meeting last week following the public hearing and said they do have issues with their system “from time to time” but they are “checks and balances” to make sure they are getting accurate data.

He said the drivers of the buses have a note system where they can note the number of riders and any issues they had.

“They also bring it to me and on the back side we can adjust the numbers,” Cramer added.

Cramer also said they have a camera system on the buses that they can also look back on and check.

When Committee Chairman Marty Wolf asked how confident Cramer was in the data they received on the number of riders per month, Cramer said in the “97th percentile.”

Godden suggested that the drivers also have hand counters so that not only they can double check their numbers, but also show riders that they are trying to be accountable.

Cramer told Godden they could get those for drivers “tomorrow.”

“I think it’s time to stop the service whether it’s this month or next month or four months,” said Committee member Justin Strom.

Committee member Tom Grabow suggested giving the bus service 90 days. He also said they should try to reach out to college students to use the bus service.

In other business, the committee approved of an intergovernmental agreement with the village and town of Grafton regarding the design, construction, maintenance and repairs of improvements to the intersection of Port Washington Road (Highway W) and Falls Road.

The village of Grafton was interested in installing traffic signals and was asking the county to partner in cost-sharing for the project and for the county to take over ownership of the traffic signals upon completion, according to the agenda information. The committee agreed to contribute 20% to the costs of the project.

The committee also agreed to contract with Traffic Analysis & Design Inc. on a Wisconsin Department of Transportation Highway Safety Improvement Program application agreement for North Port Washington Road (Highway W) and Pioneer Road (Highway C).

Read full article here.

Construction underway as Madison plans to overhaul public transportation with bus rapid transit

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 07 Dec 2023 21:17:17 GMT

Construction is underway in Madison as the city works to become the second Wisconsin community to implement a revamped public transportation model known as bus rapid transit.

Bus rapid transit, or BRT, seeks to shorten commute times with more frequent stops at fewer, but more centrally-located stations.

Proponents say BRT harnesses some of the benefits of a light rail sytem, although bus rapid transit is much cheaper for local governments to implement. Rapid transit buses have dedicated lanes and are given priority at intersections. Riders can also pay fares ahead of time at BRT stations in an effort to cut down on delays during boarding.

Milwaukee County launched Wisconsin's first rapid transit line in June. Madison is working to follow suit, as work progresses on a BRT line that's set to come on line in late 2024. That east-west line known as Rapid Route A will run 15 miles from Madison's west side to Sun Prairie, the suburb northeast of Madison.

Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said the transportation overhaul is needed to reduce congestion in Wisconsin's fastest growing city.

"It's also going to help us prepare for the influx of jobs coming to Dane County and, frankly, the influx of people," she said. "We know that our unique geography of being on an isthmus just simply can't support more folks driving alone in their cars, and it's critical that we make transit a viable opportunity for everyone in our community."

Madison officials expect to cover the project's estimated $194 million cost through a combination of federal grants and local funding. That includes a $110 million to help build the east-west line from a Federal Transit Authority grant.

Roadwork for the project began in 2022 and, as of this month, concrete work had been completed for about three quarters of the route's planned 31 bus stations, Madison Metro Transit General Manager Justin Stuehrenberg said.

Stuehrenberg said the first rapid transit buses will arrive in Madison next month, with the full fleet of 46 buses expected by next summer. Those 60-foot electric buses will have capacity for more riders compared to Madison's existing city buses.

"This is not your grandfather's bus," said Kelley Brookins, a regional administrator with the Federal Transit Authority. "BRT provides modern-looking vehicles that are faster and more efficient than the typical American bus."

Planning is underway to develop a second Madison-area BRT line, which could begin operations in 2027. Public input meetings for that north-south line began this month.

Read the full story here.

Youth Voices in Transit: Milwaukee Teens Lead the Way to Better Public Transportation

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 18:11:54 GMT

MILWAUKEE — At the Milwaukee County Transits Headquarters, students from different high schools are learning about public transportation.

These teens are part of Milwaukee County Transit System's (MCTS) Teen Transit Advisory Board. For Tequon Green, it's his second year being a part of the program. He said he joined because he has a passion for public transportation.

"Being a part of the MCTS Teen Transit Advisory gives me the opportunity to connect with the community in ways that I wouldn't have initially done," said Green.

The teens will share about how transportation impacts them and learn about the inner workings of the transit system.

"We want to get them out to visit different stations like the KK station and Fond du Lac station and get to meet the mechanics, operators, and get really familiar with them," said Coordinator Biltu Hamda.

On Wednesday, the teens got to design their transportation route and bus systems, ideas that MCTS leaders say are important to listen to.

"It's important to uplift and highlight the voices of our young people," said Hamda.

"One thing I learned last year is, we might not think that we're so needed now, but in the future, we are needed because we are the future of MCTS," said Kydell Amos, a second-year member of the Teen Advisory Board.

"I think planners need to hear how young people experience the city, where they're going, how they're riding the bus, what they like, what they don't like," said Daniel Stein, a former MCTS Teen Transit Advisory Board Member.

Daniel Stein was part of the advisory board last year; he is now a student at UW Madison and said he will take what he has learned from the board into his future career.

"I'm really optimistic about where Milwaukee is headed, both with the bus system and really every other piece of how people get around the city," said Stein.

He hopes to one day work on policy changes for the City of Milwaukee.

"I think transportation is one of the real big issues for me. It defines how I think about the world, and I think it's going to be one where we're going to see a lot of changes in the next 10-20, 30 years," said Stein.

Developing leadership skills is another aspect of the Advisory Board with teens working together to create better transportation and a better future for the city.

"They bring such a unique perspective to different things in life. We really want to not only teach them about transit but also learn from them," said Hamda.

For the teens participating, they get a $25 monthly meeting stipend and receive a free MCTS WisGo bus card.

Full article here.

Could narrower traffic lanes help reduce harmful emissions?

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 20:45:18 GMT

Wisconsin's largest city has seen recent debate over highway expansion plans amid environmental concerns, and a new study suggested for similar projects, some effects could be limited if narrower traffic lanes are prioritized.

The expansion plan in Milwaukee involves a stretch of Interstate 94. Research from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health was more focused on urban roadways with speed limits of around 35 miles an hour.

Shima Hamidi, director of the Center for Climate-Smart Transportation and assistant professor of public health at Johns Hopkins University who helped lead the study, said switching from lane widths between 11 and 12 feet, long the norm, down to 9 feet helps reduce traffic collisions. She pointed out it also leaves more room for options not involving vehicles.

"It will help many people to switch from driving to other modes of transportation, such as biking and walking," Hamidi explained. "Which could result in greenhouse gas emission reductions from transportation."

The study contended with narrower lanes, people will not feel compelled to drive as fast and will be more alert. Hamidi acknowledged while the approach might slow traffic, past research shows minimal effects, which means the changes would not cancel out environmental benefits. Other studies have shown expanding the number of lanes, in general, does not reduce congestion.

Hamidi also noted transportation planners and engineers have expressed liability concerns, but she emphasized her team's study is one of the first to give cities and states firm data, on the traffic safety side, showing skinnier lanes are more effective.

"We are getting more and more interest from transportation planners, mostly at the local level," Hamidi observed. "Cities are eager and interested to really see how this could be implemented."

Hamidi added the next steps involve more research to quantify some of the other impacts, including air pollution. The study issued this month analyzed nearly 1,200 streets in seven cities around the
U.S. The findings come amid a gradual increase in pedestrian fatalities over the past decade.

Read the full article here.

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $110 Million Grant to Improve Transportation Options in Madison, Wisconsin

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 22:03:24 GMT

President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law makes historic investments to support better, more reliable transit service

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration (FTA) today announced a $110.6 million construction grant award to Madison, Wisconsin, for the new East-West Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project. The grant, funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will be used to build a 15-mile route that will provide fast, frequent, clean, and reliable service for the University of Wisconsin, the Madison Central Business District, and other important destinations in Wisconsin’s capital city.

"USDOT is proud to help connect the people of Madison to some of the most important employers and services in the city—including the Capitol, downtown shopping, and UW-Madison—with this grant for new electric bus service," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

Madison's East-West BRT battery-electric buses will run 15 miles from the west side of Madison to the City of Sun Prairie in the northeast. Along the way, it will travel through the UW–Madison campus (home to 50,000 students and approximately 20,000 staff), downtown Madison – including the state Capitol – and the East Towne Mall area. At both ends of the line, riders will be able to access the transit system through park-and-ride facilities.

"The East-West BRT will provide speedy service throughout Madison, while helping keep the air clean for generations of Badgers to come," said FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez. "Bus Rapid Transit has been transforming communities across the country with fast, frequent service along key economic corridors, and Madison is just another community that will benefit from America’s largest ever investment in high-quality public transportation."

The East-West BRT will alleviate traffic congestion on roads throughout the corridor that are among the most crowded in the region. BRT provides a faster, more convenient travel option than conventional buses and is expected to appeal to the estimated 115,000 new residents anticipated to move in and around downtown Madison by 2040.

New bus stations will provide level boarding and shelters enhanced with real-time bus arrival information and security cameras. The 60-foot zero-emission, battery-electric vehicles will run on 9.5 miles of dedicated lanes and receive transit signal priority to speed travelers on their way.

The federal support for the estimated $194.3 million project comes from FTA's Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program, which helps communities carry out transformational transit projects.

Full article here.

Feds award Milwaukee County $219,000 to improve road safety in 5 communities

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 19:08:24 GMT

MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee County announced Wednesday they have received $219,000 in new federal funding to improve street safety in the suburbs of Greendale, Shorewood, South Milwaukee, Wauwatosa, and West Allis.

According to a statement from County Executive David Crowley's office, the money is part of the federal government's "Safe Streets and Roads for All" program. The money can be used in those five communities to "implement swift solutions to combat reckless driving, calm traffic, and create safer streets for pedestrians, bicyclists, and bus riders."

In total, Milwaukee County has been awarded about $2 million from the feds to improve safety, amid rising levels of reckless driving and general crime on the county's roadways. In July of 2023, the county was awarded $400,000 to fund a study about road safety on 35th Street between Vliet Street and National Avenue.

Village of Greendale: The Village of Greendale will monitor traffic counts, collect new speed data, and install portable speed bumps and Speed Trailers in two different locations throughout the Village. These materials will then be used elsewhere throughout the Village to continue providing more traffic data and draw more attention to its busiest intersections and crossings.
Village of Shorewood: The Village of Shorewood will install two temporary traffic circles, one set of curb extensions, and one speed table at previously identified high-speed intersections and streets, although the exact number will be confirmed based on actual costs.
City of South Milwaukee: The City of South Milwaukee will temporarily narrow Chicago Avenue (Highway 32) at the intersection of Oak Street. The project team intends to use multiple pieces of quick-build materials to calm traffic and collect vehicle counts and speed data. Two Speed Trailers will be used at Chicago & Oak in various positions, and then the City of South Milwaukee will place them at other locations known for high speeds, high occurrences of crashes or other traffic safety issues. This funding will also allow the City of South Milwaukee to purchase enough traffic barrels, cones, and lighted signage to provide much higher visibility to this uncontrolled intersection and forewarn motorists about the presence of potential pedestrian crossings.
City of Wauwatosa: The City of Wauwatosa is receiving funding for two projects: To purchase bollards, flexible rubber stops, planters, plants, soil, and signage, as well as fund the various types of labor needed to deploy temporary traffic circles at various neighborhood intersections throughout the municipality; and To purchase two new camera systems and the necessary equipment for power and connectivity. The funding will also pay for a consultant to analyze the traffic safety data from the camera systems and the City Engineering department personnel to work with the consultant’s findings and help deploy and relocate the systems as needed.
City of West Allis: The City of West Allis will purchase four 10-foot portable speed humps to be placed at various locations throughout the municipality. The funding will also advance the purchase of necessary signage, evaluation of speed study data, City of West Allis Department of Public Works labor, and promotional letters to residents.

Read the full article here.

Bus rapid transit: Madison now planning for north-south line

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 14:30:16 GMT

A year into bus rapid transit construction on the east-to-west line, the city is starting to plan for the second route from Madison’s north side, through the downtown area to the south-side neighborhoods and end in Fitchburg.

Some form of rapid transit within the city has been studied since 1992. The bus rapid transit system has been in the works for nearly a decade and is aimed at improving the city’s existing Metro Transit system to shorten travel times, reduce congestion and support economic development.

Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway has made bus rapid transit a pillar of her platform during her tenure in office. The city broke ground last December on the east-to-west route, which will run along East Washington Avenue through the city’s center and the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus and end at West Towne Mall.

The north-to-south line will include 33 stations with raised platforms, shelters, seating and bus arrival information. Both lines will include larger electric buses that arrive every 15 minutes throughout the day.

BRT will use specialized lanes, dedicated boarding stations, off-board fare collection, and fast and frequent operations — but those modernizations require construction crews to update underground utilities and traffic signals, as well as remove the bump-outs at several intersections. On the east-west line, the main construction work is taking place on East Washington Avenue between Blair Street and Marquette Street, according to Mike Cechvala, Metro Transit's capital projects manager.

“It will be a similar process to planning for the east-west line, but things will move a little bit faster since we've already established things that we needed for the BRT network in general,” Cechvala said. “It’s essentially an expansion of the line being built now.”

Cechvala and others in Metro Transit plan to hold public information meetings to hear what Madisonians think of the route, where the stations should go and any other improvements that can be made along the line. Park Street will be the main area getting a major facelift.

“We'd like to hear about other needs along the corridor that we could maybe accommodate, such as bike lanes, pedestrian improvements, intersection improvements, those kinds of things,” Cechvala said. “We're just starting the process so it's a good time to get input.”

Metro would like to see “pretty significant improvements to Park Street” for the public, he said, and that will play a large role in the feedback process.

“Park Street is a street that's not very welcoming to people in terms of the infrastructure that's there,” Cechvala said. “It's difficult to cross, it's difficult to walk along, it's difficult to bike and that affects transit as well. We'd like to hear people's ideas and thoughts about how Park Street could serve people better.”

In-person informational meetings will take place on:

Wednesday, Nov. 1 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.: The Urban League of Greater Madison at 2222 S. Park St.
Thursday, Nov. 2 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.: Warner Park Community Center at 1625 Northport Drive.
Thursday, Nov. 9 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.: MainStay Suites in Fitchburg at 5421 Caddis Bend.

A virtual meeting will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 8 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. Those looking to attend can register online at MadisonBRT.com.

The north-south line construction is set to begin in 2026 and continue into 2027 when the line will launch. It seems like a ways away, Cechvala said, but it's actually “a pretty aggressive timeline.” Cechvala attributed it to design work and downtown Madison construction completed for the east-west line, which speeds up progress for the north-south route.

As for the east-west line, it will include 44 new bus stations, which will be 60 feet long and 10 to 12 feet wide. Fourteen of those are on the west side of the city where most stations will be located in the middle of the road, with left turn lanes additionally serving as bus lanes.

Despite a small manufacturing delay waiting for steel parts to get galvanized, that line is set to launch next summer.

“We get a few people who are saying, ‘Why is it taking so long?’ and ‘Why isn’t this station done?’ The basic answer is that it's a lot of work along a long corridor,” Cechvala said. “It's quite varied work, and so it does take two years to build it all. They are working on multiple sites simultaneously, which gets the whole project done faster.”

“Things are getting done. They're basically on schedule,” he said.

Full article here!

Bridging Policy and People

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 15:19:39 GMT

UWL-hosted community collaboration to learn about policy becomes statewide model

How we get from point A to point B in our community — walking, biking, taking public transit or our car — is a major part of our quality of life.

Yet many of the decisions about transportation are technical or bureaucratic, involving concepts like "Euclidean zoning” and "Level of Service” that are difficult to understand and make it hard for the public to participate in the conversation, explains UWL History Professor James Longhurst.

“While you may never have heard of terms like Euclidean zoning and LOS, they determine the design of almost every city in America,” says Longhurst. “They shape property values, housing costs and availability, and freedom of movement for almost everyone.”

This need for transportation knowledge is why Longhurst joined a statewide organization in bringing an “academy” to La Crosse with the goal of teaching citizens to engage in policy issues that are important for health, safety and quality of life.

Now this academy model for public engagement in health and transportation policy has been adopted in two other Wisconsin communities, Stevens Point and Beloit, and is spreading to other parts of the state, supported by AARP Wisconsin and 1000 Friends of Wisconsin.

"Change happens locally with your councilperson,” said Sadie Kuhl, a member of the La Crosse community who joined the academy. “The class has given me the knowledge and a game plan to talk to my council members with actual solutions versus complaints.”

About the academy

La Crosse area citizens joined the Community Transportation Academy, a 10-week educational seminar, in spring 2023 with the goal of providing community members with skills and knowledge to advocate for safe and accessible transportation networks. Students learned about transportation plans and processes, engineering standards, interacted with local and national experts, took local tours and more.

“The weekly classes really opened my eyes to how local infrastructure can’t just be built in one day,” says Randi Serres Pueschner, a local small-business owner. “It takes immense consideration of all factors that affect community members. We as citizens can be advocates for the changes we need in our communities.”

Pueschner learned a lot about the decisions behind transportation design and the large amount of effort in every project. “This class has made me more compassionate to that fact and helped me prioritize learning more about my local community’s process,” says Pueschner.

Members of the public and UWL students were in the class side-by-side with local elected officials who wanted to understand the issue more, as well as staff members for local government.

“More and more communities in Wisconsin, in the U.S., and worldwide realize the importance of increasing safe and accessible alternate transportation options,” says Larry Sleznikow, a member of the La Crosse City Council who joined the academy. Sleznikow is also chair of the city's Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee and Committee for Citizens with Disabilities.

The academy, facilitated by UWL Sustainability & Environmental Studies Program and UWL Graduate and Extended Learning, was led by 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, a statewide organization specializing in land use planning, transportation policy, and advocacy.

“We are delighted with the results from the La Crosse Academy and eager to take the CTA to other parts of the state,” says Deb Nemeth, executive director of 1000 Friends of Wisconsin. “We were especially happy with the UW-La Crosse partnership.”

1000 Friends is currently in a partnership UW-Stevens Point and, in the spring, will be in Beloit and later in Kenosha and Racine.

UWL connection

Longhurst, historian of urban and environmental policy, helped to bring the academy to La Crosse and worked to make it a credit-bearing class for UW La Crosse students.

UW-La Crosse Graduate & Extended Learning provided technical support for the online parts of the course, connected 1000 Friends to local speakers, field trips and more.

While programs like this exist in several other states, this was the first time such a class was offered to Wisconsin residents. The course helped bridge the gap between community advocates and transportation planning entities.

Definitions: Expand your transportation policy knowledge

“Euclidean zoning” is the practice of dividing cities into areas that restrict the use of property, named after the village of Euclid, Ohio. That practice was affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1926.

“Level of Service” or LOS, is an engineering term that grades road intersections by how quickly motor vehicle traffic can move through them.

Find the full article here!

City of Madison Announces 2023 Bus Lines Poetry Selections

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 16:09:29 GMT

The Madison Poet Laureate invites you to celebrate the poets on November 9th at 6:30pm.

The City of Madison is excited to announce the selected poets for the 2023 Bus Lines poetry project. Poems by six poets were selected, including:

“Land and People” by Rudy Bankston
“To my children in our garden” by Daniela Chandler
“Madison Metro” by Harmony, 3rd grader at Lincoln Elementary
“Trees in the Wind” by Kael, 3rd grader at Lincoln Elementary
“Remember” by Nola Pastor
“Solid Gold” by Mary Louise Peters

The selected poems can be seen in the attached images or PDF. 61 poets applied, submitting 130 short poems that celebrated the environment, including composting, gardening, upcycling and recycling, the importance of mass transit, and more. Bus Lines is made possible by a partnership between the Madison Poet Laureate and Metro Transit, with support from the Madison Arts Commission.

Selected poems will be placed on Madison buses beginning in late November, and the poets will be honored at a celebratory reading of their work at Pinney Library, Thursday, November 9th at 6:30PM.

Madison Poet Laureate Angela Trudell Vasquez shared, “during my entire term as the Madison Poet Laureate, we were unable to put the poems on the buses during the pandemic. I am so happy that in my fourth and final year as poet laureate the poems are back on the buses. The entire city will now be able to see the rich creativity and spirit of their fellow Madisonians. Poetry brings us closer together, just like public transportation.”

About Poetry in Madison

The City of Madison Poet Laureate position was created in 1977 by then Mayor Paul Soglin. The Poet Laureate is honorary position that guides and nurtures the development of the poetry community in Madison thereby enriching our culture. The Poet Laureate leads the Poetry in Common Council series, the Bus Lines project, and mentors the City of Madison Youth Poet Laureate. The Bus Lines program was started in 2009 by then Poet Laureate Fabu. This program creates an opportunity for Madison residents to display their poems on Metro Transit buses and brings poetry before city residents in a creative way.

Contacts

Angela Trudell Vasquez, Madison Poet Laureate, poetlaureate@cityofmadison.com

Karin Wolf, Arts &Culture Administrator, madisonarts@cityofmadison.com

Read the full article here.

Public gets chance to weigh in on Madison's proposed north-south bus rapid transit line

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 02 Nov 2023 14:48:46 GMT

MADISON, Wis. -- The next part of Madison's Bus Rapid Transit project got underway Wednesday when city and Metro Transit officials held their first public planning meeting for the proposed north-south line.

The line would consist of 33 stations, which have raised platforms, shelters, seating and bus arrival information, and larger electric buses that would arrive every 15 minutes. It's expected in 2027.

Transportation officials laid out some proposed stops at the meeting Wednesday, at the Urban League building on the city's south side.

"I live way out on the edge of town, and so I have quite a walk to the closest bus stop," south side resident Kate Schulte said.

She wants to see a sop closer to Novation Parkway and Ski Lane, but also wanted to generally learn more about what the city has planned to bring to others living in her area.

"Some people are very car-dependent, but then there are a lot of people in a lot of apartments out there, [former] town of Madison, people like me out there," Schulte said.

Others at the meeting wanted know if the line would have access to the airport.

"I think is something that should be looked at, especially for people who would want to get across town and make that, you know, every major city you look at has that," Kirk Hoffman said. "And I think that that would really improve the areas in that sense."

According to Tom Lynch, Madison's Director of Transportation, the city is waiting on another grant application for the project.

"Of that, 80% was going to be federally funded and then 20% would be locally funded," Lynch said, "and so we're partnering with... the state of Wisconsin was going to invest (in) some on Park Street and then some other people who are able to contribute to get this all done."

According to Lynch, the city should know the status of that funding by March or April of next year.

The construction work underway right now is for the east-west line, which will run from Junction Road to East Towne through the downtown and campus area. Lynch said that should be done in the latter half of 2024.

The city is learning from that work on those east-west bus stops, which take longer to build.

"You know, they have new walls and the like, and so we want to carry the same branding, but we might modify them a little bit so that maybe they're a little easier to construct," he said.

It's hoped that the new BRT system will help the city of Madison meet its climate goals.

Residents on Wednesday said if that's the case, the city should do more for bikers when planning new lines.

"I think using like the University Avenue model of having bike lanes that go opposing traffic, that are protected bike lanes would really improve the ability for people to move around in different climate friendly transit options," Hoffman said.

There will be multiple opportunities for the public to share their thoughts on the plan, including a meeting at the Warner Park Community Center from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday and another at the Mainstay Suites in Fitchburg on Nov. 9 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. A virtual meeting is scheduled from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 8. For more information, click or tap here.

Find the original article here.

WisDOT: All Aboard for Rail Planning

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 10 Oct 2023 13:37:08 GMT

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) announced today that the final draft of Wisconsin Rail Plan 2050, which establishes a long-term vision for freight and passenger rail travel, is available for the last round of review and comment through June 10, 2023.

“Thank you to all who participated in the first round of public comment on the draft Wisconsin Rail Plan 2050. We invite the public to revisit our rail plans and participate in setting a course to help strengthen our economy and make our multimodal infrastructure more efficient and resilient,” WisDOT Secretary Craig Thompson said. “Rail moves about 32% of our freight in Wisconsin and demand for passenger service is growing. This is an exciting time to help plan the future of rail in Wisconsin.”

The draft Wisconsin Rail Plan 2050 is available to review online. Comments can be made through the online comment form. A website with more information about this planning effort is also available.

To request the plan in another form, please contact:

WisDOT

Bureau of Planning and Economic Development

4822 Madison Yards Way

PO Box 7913

Madison, WI 53705

dotwirailplan2050@dot.wi.gov

608-266-3581

The draft Wisconsin Rail Plan 2050 is part of a comprehensive review of WisDOT’s federally required long-range plans. When published, it will replace Wisconsin Rail Plan 2030. The initial draft went before the public on January 27, 2023 for a 30-day comment period. The final plan is to be completed in 2023.

The Wisconsin Rail Plan 2050 will include policies for railroad crossings, freight rail, Wisconsin’s state-owned rail system, long distance passenger rail, intercity rail, and commuter rail. The plan will specifically discuss rail data trends, existing and possible future service levels, rail system conditions, and commodity freight movements.

Waukesha Metro introduces new WisGo fare payment system

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 19:50:41 GMT

The introduction of WisGo will allow Waukesha Metro customers to benefit from a simplified and versatile payment system, promising a more convenient and efficient experience while using public transit.

Waukesha Metro has announced that it has introduced WisGo, a cutting-edge fare collection system, in collaboration with Umo. WisGo offers numerous enhancements for public transit riders, including diverse payment options, fare capping and seamless connections to neighbouring transit services like the Milwaukee County Transit System.

The WisGo mobile app had made its debut on 11 September 2023, while the release date for the WisGo cards will be announced in later Autumn 2023. Commuters will have until April 2024 to transition from the previous fare system to WisGo, although cash payments and transfers will remain available.

Mayor Shawn N. Reilly of the City of Waukesha said: “We’re proud to make transit in the region easier through one, simplified payment system and look forward to modernising how our people get to important destinations such as work, school and medical appointments through WisGo.”

“I’m excited to see that many of our riders are already using WisGo within the Umo mobile app to connect to Milwaukee County. The feedback we’ve received from riders has been very positive,” said Brian Engelking, City of Waukesha Transit Manager.

Waukesha Metro is the second transit agency to adopt WisGo, following the Milwaukee County Transit System’s pioneering move. Other nearby transit agencies are gearing up for a similar transition, promising Wisconsin’s commuters a seamless and convenient payment experience.

WisGo offers multiple payment avenues, including the Umo mobile app, which accepts credit cards, debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay and WisGo cards. Commuters simply scan the QR code on the Umo app screen or WisGo card, and the system deducts the correct fare. Once a rider reaches the fare cap, further deductions cease, and low fund balances are promptly flagged.

Furthermore, WisGo introduces fare capping, allowing riders to save money as they travel more without the need for daily, weekly, or monthly passes. Once the cap is reached, subsequent trips within a specific time frame are free. Fare capping extends to regular, reduced fare and youth riders when using other participating WisGo transit agencies.

Read the full article here.

WI/MN Public Transit Conference - Register Today!

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 17:33:10 GMT

Just under 5 weeks until our electrifying joint conference with MIPTA! Prepare for an epic three days jam-packed with networking, connections, and knowledge-sharing with transit pros from both states. Secure your spot now – it's an opportunity you can't afford to miss!

Become an exhibitor: https://www.mpta-transit.org/event/2023-wisconsinminnesota-public-transit-expo

Milwaukee CONNECT 1 BRT free rides to continue into 2024

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 22:02:40 GMT

MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee County Transit System will continue its free ride period into early 2024 on the new CONNECT 1 BRT line, according to MCTS on Monday.

The change is due to supply chain issues.

A new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) feature that may be available in 2024 is pre-board payment, according to a statement.

The pre-payment feature will reduce boarding process times in public transit. Riders will be able to use their WisGo card to scan or access the Umo mobile app before boarding the CONNECT 1.

Read the full announcement below:

Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) and its fare payment service provider, Umo Mobility, have agreed to extend the free ride period on the new CONNECT 1 BRT line into early 2024. Riders can continue to explore the regional, 9-mile route that reaches major employers, education, recreation, and medical destinations, at no cost. One of the new features of Milwaukee County’s new Bus Rapid Transit line (BRT) is pre-board payment. Due to a supply chain delay, the pre-board fare equipment will not be ready as planned this fall.

MCTS will announce the timeline when WisGo pre-board fare collection will begin on the BRT sometime in early 2024, along with timing for an educational campaign throughout the community.

A Preview of Pre-Payment Along the BRT in 2024

MCTS will join major metros that already offer pre-board payment including San Francisco, Portland, Paris, and Berlin, and will be the first to offer pre-board bus payment in the state of Wisconsin. When riders pay at the platform before boarding the bus, it speeds up the boarding process. Pre-board payment is found more often in rail service than public transit. Once the new platform validators are installed in 2024, riders will be able to simply scan their WisGo card or Umo mobile app prior to boarding the CONNECT 1.

Read the full article here.

Janesville Students Can Now Ride Public Transit for Free

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 13:55:14 GMT

By Savanna Tomei

JANESVILLE, Wis. — Students in Janesville can now ride public transit for free.

What You Need To Know:

Starting this school year, Janesville students get free fares on public transportation
Previously, like many public transit systems, students got reduced fares
Before the pandemic, students took an average of 45,000 to 50,000 reduced rate rides per year

Previously, students could get reduced rates on public transportation in Janesville, not unlike many other cities in Wisconsin.

“We were averaging about 45,000 to 50,000 student rides in previous calendar years, particularly before the pandemic,” said Rebecca Smith, director of Janesville Transit System (JTS).

Starting this school year, the rides for Janesville students are free.

“Students have to just show their student ID card and they can board any city bus any time we’re in service,” she said.

They’re also adding more bus routes at the times kids need them most.

“We can capture that ridership peak in the morning with an additional four buses on the road, and we can capture that ridership after school with an additional nine buses on the road,” Smith said.

Edgar Alonso has been driving for JTS for 17 years. Every year, he said he looks forward to school starting again.

“I used to drive 60 kids in the morning during school time, so I’m expecting more than that,” he said.

He gets to know the students who take his bus, and although he’s hesitant to admit it, he said he does develop favorites.

“They are funny,” he said. “They’re kids, they behave like kids. So they keep you on your toes.”

Students don’t even need to be coming to or from school to utilize the free rides. They can be an opportunity for young people to get to work, or just spend time with their friends.

“Parents can help their students get jobs, go to the mall, head to the library, do other fun things around town at any time, and now, those rides are free,” Smith said.

Smith said she expects this year to eclipse that 50,000 student rides per year now that fares are free.

Find the full article here.

Active Transportation Plan 2050

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 19:57:55 GMT

The ATP project team is completing a quick poll to identify favorite places to walk, bike, or roll in Wisconsin. Please click on the link below to let us know your favorite places and what makes them special!

https://app.pima.wisconsindot.gov/public/s123-registration/search?project_id=14368&s123_id=35de5594d3e747cf98c9e88e2b1eff9f

WI/MN Public Transit Conference

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 18:51:29 GMT

Join us and MIPTA for an exciting conference on October 23 - 25 - don't miss out!

Become an exhibitor: https://www.mpta-transit.org/event/2023-wisconsinminnesota-public-transit-expo

Public-Transit Rides Increasing in Door County

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 14 Aug 2023 20:17:13 GMT

Ridership continues to rise on the County of Door’s public-transit services, including Door County Connect (DCC) and Door 2 Door Rides.

During pre-COVID 2019, these services provided more than 47,720 rides. Since then, ridership has remained just under 40,000 rides until last year, when 42,130-plus rides were provided.

“Rides continue to increase each month,” said Pam Busch, the county’s transportation manager.

Busch said that on average, there were more than 3,500 rides provided per month in 2022, and already in 2023, average trips per month have increased to almost 3,900.

“We are projecting to provide well over 46,000 trips in 2023,” Busch said.

Public-transit services can be used for any purpose, but employment rides have increased and were the largest rider category in 2022.

“We have also seen an increase in younger people using the services,” Busch said.

DCC is available Monday-Thursday, 7:45 am – 4:15 pm; and Friday, 7:45 am – 1:15 pm. DCC operates primarily in the City of Sturgeon Bay and up to 10 miles from the Aging and Disability Resource Center. The cost per ride is $2 in the city and $5 in the extended area. Call 920.746.6944 to schedule a ride.

https://doorcountypulse.com/public-transit-rides-increasing-in-door-county/

Ridership up 5% one month into Metro Transit redesign, mayor says

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 14:06:37 GMT

More than one month into Madison's first full-scale Metro Transit service redesign in more than 25 years, ridership is already up by 5% compared to last summer, Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said.

In a blog post, the mayor said Metro has gotten feedback from riders praising the more direct routes they say make planning trips easier and shorten travel times. The new routes rolled out in June with the goal of reducing wait times by creating more direct main pathways.

Despite that, some riders have voiced concerns to News 3 Now about changes that have made it harder to get to destinations like UW Hospital.

Rhodes-Conway acknowledged, though, that there was "room for improvement."

"Because Metro is only able to make service changes four times a year (June, August, December and March, when drivers officially pick their shifts) they’ve been monitoring how things are going, listening carefully to feedback from the public, looking for issues, and preparing adjustments so that they are reflected in time for drivers’ August shift pick," she wrote.

A round of small changes will take effect Aug. 20, including extra routes to the hospital and more buses on the popular Route 80 on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. Those changes also aim to address reports of buses running late and a lack of accessibility at some stops.

After August 20, changes can be expected a few times next year before the launch of the city's Bus Rapid Transit system next fall.

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=rm&ogbl#inbox/FMfcgzGtwWDLRdlXqGxdMlwsMFTVzhxB

Consider attending a virtual open house about the DOT’s active transportation plan!

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 12:53:53 GMT

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) is currently working on the Wisconsin Active Transportation Plan 2050 (ATP).

In early August, WisDOT will hold six virtual open houses to talk about the ATP and hear what goals and visions people throughout Wisconsin (you!) have for walking, biking, and rolling.

The Open Houses will be held at numerous times on Tuesday, August 1 and Wednesday, August 9.

Please visit the ATP website to find your WisDOT region and register for an Open House.

Please join us to help shape the vision for active transportation in Wisconsin!

Fiscal Year 2023 Areas of Persistent Poverty (AoPP) Project Selections

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 19:54:03 GMT

Congratulation to Madison Metro and MCTS on their grants to support eliminating persistent poverty! Only 47 communities in the nation were selected to receive funding!

/www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/grant-programs/fiscal-year-2023-areas-persistent-poverty-aopp-project-selections

Connect 1 bus route launches, connecting Milwaukee and Wauwatosa

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 14:13:55 GMT

Monday marked the official launch of the Milwaukee County Transit System’s CONNECT 1 service. A ribbon-cutting event was held on the corner of 27th and Wisconsin Avenue on Milwaukee’s west side to mark the occasion.

The CONNECT 1 line runs nine miles between downtown Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center complex in Wauwatosa, with intermediate stops every few blocks. Buses running on the line are electric, a first for Milwaukee County.

Throughout the past year, new bus stops have been built along Wisconsin Avenue and other streets where the bus travels. Work on the CONNECT 1 line has been happening since 2016.

Supporters of the project who spoke at Monday’s event, including Congresswoman Gwen Moore, said it is an exciting time.

“It connects us to our overall vision to have a sustainable environment, and it also connects people to work, it connects people to health opportunities,” said Moore.

With service running every 10 minutes during peak times, commuters can look forward to shorter wait times for buses. In addition, riders with disabilities will have more transportation options.

Denise Koss uses a wheelchair to get around. Since she doesn’t drive, Koss regularly uses the bus. Koss said she feels confident knowing the new buses are equipped to meet her needs.

“Safety is paramount to me, because I need to know that my chair is not going to move, and I want to be safe on the bus,” said Koss.

While many are pleased to see the CONNECT 1 line up and running, questions remain about the impact the bus line will have on traffic along busy corridors like Wisconsin Avenue.

Milwaukee Ald. Robert Bauman said he thinks having the line will be good for commuters, but does have concerns about what it could mean for overall traffic along the route.

“The dedicated lanes, whether they are going to be effective in keeping regular traffic out. And, to the extent, they will get congested with regular motor vehicles that will slow down the bus so they will lose the travel time savings,” said Bauman.

The CONNECT 1 service will be free to riders through September. After that, traditional MCTS fares will apply.

https://spectrumnews1.com/wi/milwaukee/news/2023/06/06/connect-1-bus-route-launches--milwaukee--wauwatosa

Rubber meets the road on Madison bus system redesign

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 13:29:57 GMT

Sunday morning Brian Skinner was making his first trip on Madison’s newly redesigned bus system from his Middleton home to downtown Madison. He picked up the R2 on its brief stretch going east along University Avenue. But the R2 route in that direction quickly takes a northern tack, reaches the end of its route, makes a loop, and comes back through Middleton before ultimately heading east on Old Sauk Road toward downtown.

“I stood on the wrong side of the street,” Skinner tells Isthmus the following afternoon while he waits for a bus outside the Hamel Music Center on University Avenue. “If I stood on the right side of the street it wouldn’t have gone all the hell through Middleton,” he adds. “I know that now.”

Skinner says he got help on Sunday from a “ride guide” when he transferred buses at the west-side American Red Cross on Sheboygan Avenue. The ride guide, one of about 50 customer service staff the city hired to help Madisonians navigate the new system, explained to a still confused Skinner what had happened and pointed out where to stand next time. On weekdays, Skinner can now take the R2 bus from his home near the Willy Street Co-Op West more directly to the UW Memorial Union, where he swims, compared to the winding 70 and 72 routes which he used to take. More direct service and reduced travel times were a goal of the redesign.

Despite the rocky start, Skinner was enthusiastic Monday about the new routes. “It’s a very efficient system, I have no complaints,” he says. “It seems to be working really well.”

The ride guides who helped Skinner were part of an outreach campaign put together by city officials ahead of the new system’s launch Sunday; the city held community engagement meetings throughout the city and distributed posters and other signage at stops urging riders to plan their new trips ahead of time. Proponents of the redesign, the largest change to the city’s bus system since the implementation of transfer points in 1998, say it will include more frequent service along main thoroughfares, reducing travel times and transfers (three of the system’s four transfer points have been eliminated). The trade-off is expected to be some longer walks for riders and fewer routes going into neighborhoods.

This reporter rode the new bus system widely over its first two days of operation, talking to riders and ride guides on buses and at key stops in every part of the city. For some riders, the transition was smooth. For others, there was frustration and delay. For most, it was simply an adjustment that required a bit of help.

For Shelby Beltzer, the elimination of transfer points threw her off at first. But by Sunday afternoon, she was exploring the new system on a west-side A bus traveling along Mineral Point Road and helping other riders find their way.

“I [moved] here in December so I just got used to the number system,” says Beltzer, who sometimes just likes riding the buses to explore the city or visit East Towne and West Towne malls. “I’m a wanderer,” she says. Now, the A goes directly between the two malls without stops at transfer points. “It hasn’t been inconvenient for me at all,” she says.

That wasn’t the case for a rider Beltzer was helping, who said she had been trying to get back to Middleton for more than two hours before hopping off quickly to catch an R1 bus headed north on High Point Road.

Many riders in the first days of the system’s launch were tentative as they boarded the bus. “Is this the 6?” one rider asked Sunday afternoon when getting on a bus at the East Washington Avenue overpass at Marquette Street. “This is the A,” the driver responded. “It’s not the 6? Do you go to Festival [Foods]?” “Yes I do.” Some passengers had more extensive questions, and drivers attempted to help with route planning. But they, too, are learning the new system and generally had limited time at each stop for longer conversations.

Despite the city’s outreach efforts, many riders interviewed said they had not heard the system was changing. They figured out their trip by using the information at hand, whether that was provided by a driver, a ride guide or a fellow passenger.

Some of the confusion led to negative reviews. “It needs to go back to how it was,” says a rider named Lawanda who identifies herself as homeless. Sitting on a bench at a Capitol Square bus stop Monday morning, she’s frustrated. A bus driver told her to head to Main Street to catch a bus going toward her destination, the east side Walmart on Nakoosa Trail, but she didn’t know where Main Street was. She felt better after a ride guide stopped by and used landmarks rather than street names to point her to a nearby stop.

“The good thing is [the buses] come more frequently. That’s the one thing I noticed yesterday,” says Lawanda. “That is the best. It’s okay if you miss a bus because another one is coming back-to-back.”

Another woman at the same Capitol Square stop declined an interview because she said her route, the 75 that runs to Epic’s campus in Verona, hadn’t changed. Moments later the woman walked away from the stop while making a phone call: “My bus changed [departure times]!” she shouted to this reporter. “It sucks!”

With new routes and new end destinations listed on bus displays, several riders were prepared to board the right bus, but got on going the wrong direction. Skinner’s mistake Sunday morning resulted in a 30-minute detour. A ride guide on Johnson Street midday Monday helped a rider catch the A in the right direction by walking with him a block to University Avenue.

David Alvarado, a ride guide who has been focusing on helping Spanish speaking riders along Park Street, near Post Road, and at the South Transfer Point, says he helped redirect a Spanish speaking woman about to commute home in the wrong direction Monday afternoon.

“I’ve been telling people about this system for two weeks,” says Alvarado. “But it’s different when you get out there and have to tell people exactly where they need to go.

“The lack of transfer points especially made it confusing for people at first,” he adds. “But once people figure it out, they’re happy.” That sentiment was echoed by other ride guides who did not want to speak on the record.

Calls to the Metro call center shot up during the route launch, nearing 1,000 by 3:30 p.m. on Monday, according to Jeremy Olson, who oversees Metro’s ride guide operation. The center typically receives 300 to 400 calls a day. “It was a bit overwhelming, but that is part of change,” says Olson.

On average, callers waited about five or six minutes to reach someone. One call from Isthmus on Monday morning was picked up without a wait, and another required a wait of about four minutes.

Olson says ride guides fanned out to closed stops in addition to the transfer points to help point riders in the right direction. In two days of widespread riding and spot checks of closed stops, this reporter observed only one rider waiting at a stop no longer being served, on Northport Road near the Northside Town Center late Monday morning. The closed stop was still on the B bus route, so a bus driver pulled over to the old stop, let the man board, pointed out where his new stop was farther up the street, and continued on.

But another rider who identified herself as disabled and didn’t want to be named struggled with the new system and had to transfer several times to get to the northeast part of the city and back on Sunday. Despite a frustrating morning involving delays and rain, the woman said the changes must be equally frustrating for Metro’s drivers. “You must be up for sainthood today,” she said to one as she boarded the A bus, a more direct route back to her home suggested to her by another driver.

Olson noted that concerns for people with limited mobility have been a discussion point throughout the redesign process, suggesting that those in need apply for paratransit service and noting that “we do not have a bus system that goes to every doorstep." As recently as 2017, Metro’s paratransit service did go to every doorstep, but after the loss of millions of dollars in federal Medicaid funding, the city contracted out the service, now run by three private companies. After applying, applicants usually wait weeks before a determination of eligibility.

Metro’s redesigned system is likely to face additional growing pains. Two weeks into the new routes, Metro officials will assess how the system is running and make some new tweaks, and will do so again if necessary roughly each quarter.

When UW-Madison students return to campus in August, Metro again plans to deploy ride guides to educate the new population about the changes. One undergraduate student named Grace, who is staying in Madison for the summer, found out the bus system had been redesigned when she arrived at her stop outside Witte Hall Monday afternoon.

Grace, who was born in Kenya and grew up in St. Louis, says the possibility of improvements excites her, but it might catch her fellow students off guard. “I think it’s gonna kind of shock people when they come back from summer break,” she says. “People are already learning about new buildings, new processes, new schedules. And this will be another new thing.”

https://isthmus.com/news/news/rubber-meets-the-road-on-madison-bus-system-redesign/

Bus driver helps deliver baby at Eau Claire bus shelter

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 14:31:52 GMT

A baby was recently born at a place you wouldn't expect and delivered by a person you wouldn't expect.

Bus shelters normally keep passengers out of the elements, but for one evening, a bus shelter was the site of a miracle.

On June 30, Eau Claire Transit bus driver Jerry Melsness had a regular start to his Friday.

Little did he know after doing this job for just seven-and-a-half months, his role was going to change from driver to doctor.

"I was probably about three quarters into my run, then I picked up a very pregnant lady," Melsness said. "Probably about five minutes after that, I dropped a gentleman off at a stop. My bus was parked and she screamed a couple of times so then I went and asked her if she was okay. She said she's fine."

But, she wasn't fine. At the temporary transfer center in downtown Eau Claire, she told Melsness she wanted to go to the hospital.

"Then I informed her that the next bus was a half hour from now."

Time was running out, so she hunkered down in a bus shelter on the north side of the transfer center.

"She laid down on the bench saying, 'Hold my hand, hold my hand! So then I was holding her hand. And then her contractions got worse and worse. Next thing she's doubled up saying, 'Oh, I feel the head.' And then the rest is history."

"Have you ever helped deliver a baby before?" reporter Katrina Lim asked.

"No, I've witnessed it," Melsness replied. "I've got three daughters so I've seen all three of my daughters being born."

Transit specialist Tina Deetz said as far as she knows, this is a first for Eau Claire Transit.

"You see this stuff on TV and all the movies, but it's still surreal right now," Melsness said.

Melsness added just three days after the mom gave birth, he bumped into the mom at the transfer station again.

She told him she and her baby girl are doing fine. She was only eight months pregnant so she wasn't expecting to give birth that day.

To the mom, if you're watching or reading this, please contact us at News 18. We'd love to speak with you about this experience.

https://www.wkow.com/news/bus-driver-helps-deliver-baby-at-eau-claire-bus-shelter/article_f08ff52e-d25f-5646-9033-6dfda4500cb7.html?fbclid=IwAR1p-jUPT4qpJXqW4bgUifG_ly2QBsSNCLY2Qc_OXq4Y5UscmvdilBmY64U

Bus stops to be added to Altoona bus route

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 12:07:44 GMT

Eau Claire and Altoona bus riders will eventually be able to access more places.

That's because Eau Claire Transit is planning to add a couple of stops to the Altoona bus route.

The number 17 bus currently goes from the temporary transfer station in downtown Eau Claire, to Woodman's, to downtown Altoona, and back to the transfer station.

Come January, transit officials plan to add a stop at the mobile home park Hillcrest Estates and one at River Prairie Park.

The city spoke with Hillcrest officials beforehand, and Hillcrest sent a survey to their mobile home residents.

"I did see the survey and there were comments on it like, 'It's about time.' 'I'm excited!' 'I can't wait.' 'We can get our kids to school. We can go to downtown Eau Claire.' And so I think it's going to be well-received," said Eau Claire Transit specialist Tina Deetz.

Deetz said this will double the route from half an hour to an hour, but she anticipates it will also double ridership.

Because the route will take an extra half hour, they're going to need to take a portion from somewhere else.

What route that will be is still up for discussion.

https://www.wqow.com/news/chippewa-valley/bus-stops-to-be-added-to-altoona-bus-route/article_0b34c5c0-1ac1-11ee-8dcd-577362ecc686.html

Taylor Swift has become an unlikely public transit icon

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 13:07:00 GMT

Public transit systems across the United States are getting a much-needed, if temporary, boost from Taylor Swift fans flooding trains, buses and subways to her sold-out Eras Tour. As transit agencies scramble to recover from the pandemic, transit experts say all those Swifies taking mass transit offer lessons for policymakers on how to adapt to the post-pandemic world.

The Chicago Transit Authority said it provided 5.63 million rides for the week of June 4-10, the highest number since the start of the pandemic in 2020, and CTA said that Taylor Swift’s sold-out show at Soldier Field contributed to the spike. The three-night concert generated more than 43,000 additional bus and rail rides, CTA said.

Last month, nearly 140,000 people packed Atlanta’s Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority system to see Swift perform at Mercedes-Benz Stadium over three nights. That’s more than three times the number of MARTA riders on a typical weekend at stations around the stadium.

Philadelphia’s SEPTA system and New Jersey Transit also got a boost from concertgoers taking mass transit to Swift shows.

Taylor Swift’s shows are known for helping industries such as hotels and restaurants. Raymond James analysts said this week that the shows were “bigger than the Super Bowl” for hotels.

Major concerts and special events often lift public transit, and agencies in Pittsburgh, Minneapolis, Denver, Seattle, Santa Clara, and Los Angeles are all expecting higher ridership from Swift’s tour, said Matthew Dickens, the director of policy development and research at the American Public Transportation Association, an advocacy group.

Many Taylor Swift fans took mass transit because they believed it would be faster than driving. Public transit agencies saw Taylor Swift concerts as an opportunity to draw riders, and agencies made a push to get Swift fans to take mass transit ahead of shows, adding extra service and routes to meet demand. (Philadelphia even brought the Taylor Swift puns for its campaign: “SEPTA is helping riders shake off traffic congestion.”)

Transit experts say that increasing service, rather than cutting it, will lead more people to take public transit, and that cutting transit service often leads to a downward spiral of declining service and ridership.

“What Taylor Swift is doing, and I thank her for this — although I don’t know she intended to — is proving that if you give people better, reliable transit alternatives, they’ll take it,” said Jim Aloisi, a lecturer of transportation policy and planning at MIT and former Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation. “They would prefer to do that than be stuck in soul-crushing traffic.”

Public transit agencies can hold onto these riders by running more frequent service at off-peak hours and weekends, Aloisi said. They can also cater to riders who aren’t going to offices every day but still work outside their homes at coffee shops and other places.

“The notion that this a nation that functions on a 9 to 5 work mentality is over,” he said. “Transit systems should adapt to the moment.”

What transit agencies can learn from Taylor Swift concerts

Public transit is crucial to urban and regional economies, lowering carbon emissions, and access for low-income Americans, who are least likely to own cars.

But public transit agencies still have yet to fully recover from the impact of the pandemic. They face challenges trying to draw riders and fund budgets and improvement projects.

The virus first kept millions of riders off trains, buses and other public transit in 2020. Although Covid-19 is no longer considered a global health emergency, the shift to remote work has led fewer people to commute on mass transit during the week to offices. Inconsistent service and safety concerns among some riders have also kept people off public transit.

Public transit ridership nationwide is down around 30% from pre-pandemic levels, according to the latest estimate from the American Public Transportation Association, although some cities have recovered more quickly.

The phenomenon shows that public advertisements and promotional campaigns can be extremely successful in helping travelers go back to transit, said Yanfeng Ouyang, a professor in rail and public transit at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

He said transit agencies should be encouraged to pursue policies such as advertisements and fare discounts to attract riders. Some cities are also experimenting with free public transit rides.

https://lacrossetribune.com/life-entertainment/nation-world/music/taylor-swift-concert-public-transit/article_71851716-5433-5c2a-9cab-4a378a813ad8.html

3 Destinations are most popular Milwaukee's New Bus Rapid Transit

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 13:05:15 GMT

After the recent June debut of Milwaukee's new Bus Rapid Transit system down Wisconsin Avenue, officials are reporting positive ridership.

About 16,800 rides were delivered on the Connect 1 in its first week between June 4-10, according to a news release from the Milwaukee County Transit System.

“We are thrilled with the early results on CONNECT and appreciate all of the positive comments we’ve received about our new BRT line,” said MCTS President and Managing Director Denise Wandke in a news release. “Thanks go out to all our supporters who have championed this project: elected officials, business leaders, transit advocates, and our dedicated riders.”

For its first week, the Connect 1 gave an average of 2,800 rides per weekday, according to MCTS. For many of the rides on the 9-mile route, three main destinations were apparent: downtown Milwaukee, Marquette University and the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center.

Downtown saw around 700 rides per day, while Marquette saw around 500 per day and the medical center saw 200, according to MCTS. The most popular stop is located downtown at Water Street receiving around 300 rides per day.

Transit officials said the connection to Waukesha's Metro Route 1 is getting growth with the Connect 1 debut. Metro 1 ridership boosted from 300 to 700 rides per day, MCTS said.

The new fleet for the BRT route includes seven buses with electric batteries, plus five clean diesels and other buses added during peak times, MCTS said. Rides on the new transit route remain free until Sept. 30, officials said.

“By modernizing transit, the BRT provides Milwaukee County with the transportation options people need to get to work, school and appointments more quickly and efficiently. With sustainable funding, the County could continue to see the positive economic impact transit has on the businesses and destinations that transit brings people to,” said Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley in a news release.

Riders can get more information about the new bus route through RideMCTS.com/CONNECT.

https://patch.com/wisconsin/milwaukee/3-destinations-are-most-popular-milwaukees-new-bus-rapid-transit

WISDOT Plans

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 19:07:09 GMT

Vulnerable Road User Safety Assessment - Active Transportation

WisDOT is completing a safety assessment for Vulnerable Road Users throughout Wisconsin. Please click on the link below to complete the brief survey. The results will aid the development of the safety assessment. Thank you!

https://app.pima.wisconsindot.gov/public/s123-registration/search?project_id=14368&s123_id=d3cd2a9dba824951bd64c17e5062fddd

UWO Whitburn Center student interns take lead role in Oshkosh transportation Survey

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 12:40:04 GMT

They can hardly be called interns.

With a variety of majors, a trio of University of Wisconsin Oshkosh students and one new graduate, have done the lion’s share of the work involved in surveying parents and compiling data about transportation needs in the city of Oshkosh.

The UW Oshkosh Whitburn Center for Governance and Policy Research is assisting Winnebago County Public Health with a survey to understand the impact of a pilot GO Transit city bus program that provides free rides to K-12 students.

Samantha Larson, deputy director of the Whitburn Center, said the UWO students are gaining skills that will help them as they apply to graduate programs or explore career opportunities.

Adrian Hanrahan of West Bend, who graduated in December with an English degree and has been working at the UWO Writing Center as she prepares for the start of grad school in fall, is part of the four-person team researching the GO Transit program.

“Public transit is very important to me as someone who does not drive and often relies on the bus, and it connects to my own social and environmental values and my minor in social justice,” she said. “I am glad to be part of a project that aims to improve public transit options, especially for youth.”

Hanrahan said the experience has helped her learn how to bring research ‘into the real world’ through the use of surveys and focus groups. It also gave her a better sense of the needs of youth and their parents.

She hopes to eventually earn a doctorate and teach at a public university.

“I find opportunities to practice my social and advocacy skills very helpful. No amount of reading can prepare me for the social and emotional elements of my future career as an instructor quite like having conversations with real people.”

Hanrahan has been working with three seniors: Julianna “Jules” Banayag of Oshkosh whose major is sociology; Ene “Priscilla” Idoko of Abuja, Nigeria, whose major is economics; and Maya Van Thiel of Appleton, whose major is social work.

Van Thiel said she has learned about the importance of free public transportation.

“This not only provides a free ride to school, but also impacts students’ daily well-being to hang out with friends after school and attending volunteer and employment opportunities,” she said, adding the project relates to her social work major as she could advocate for those who may not have “a voice” in the matter.

Van Thiel plans to continue her education to earn a master’s degree in social work. She said she is hoping to work with students in her future career.

Data collected by the Whitburn interns will be presented May 10 to inform Oshkosh city and school leaders as decisions are made regarding the free bus fare program.

Key study findings

A total of 117 K-12 students and 114 parents/caretakers responded to the survey that studied educational, health and financial impact.
About 31% of students and 40% of parents said school attendance was impacted by the availability of the GO Transit city bus program. Of the student group, 46% live in a household without a reliable vehicle.
Some 61% of students and 49% of parents reported access to free transportation had high impact on participation in social activities. The greatest impact on both students (77% surveyed) and parents/caretakers (75% surveyed) was financial—the money they saved by using the GO Transit city bus program.
Ridership has increased dramatically each year since the pilot program began in 2020, with 142,814 rides recorded in 2022

Written by Laurie Schlosser

Link to original story: https://uwosh.edu/today/115500/uwo-whitburn-center-student-interns-take-lead-role-in-oshkosh-transportation-survey/

Transit Center in Eau Claire still set to start service next year

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 22 Jun 2023 16:07:58 GMT

The new Eau Claire Transit Center is still undergoing construction — and despite the progress made — won't fully open until midsummer of 2024.

The building is nearly complete though, and city officials plan to open the parking ramp portion later this year. However, bus services won't begin until the exterior of the apartments are done. Cory Tietz, an official from Eau Claire Community Services Department, said rising costs due to COVID-19 and inflation caused the first developer to drop out of the apartment project and a new developer was approved in February 2023. For safety reasons, the transit center can't completely open until the apartments are done.

"There's still a lot of overhead work that needs to be done to build those three stories that would go on top of this structure," Tietz said. "So there will be an overhead crane and stuff set up again and just for safety reasons of people entering and exiting that facility, it's best to stay out of it."

Officials are hopeful that construction on the apartments will start this fall as the new developer, Merge LLC., is finalizing plans for the three-story addition. Once the exterior and the foundation of the apartments are complete, the center and its bus services could be open by the summer of 2024. Tietz anticipates the apartments could finish construction in summer 2025.

https://www.wqow.com/eye_on_eau_claire/transit-center-in-eau-claire-still-set-to-start-service-next-year/article_45cac556-0589-11ee-9b0a-17fccb58b246.html

Connect 1 transit line helps to increase accessibility and connect Milwaukee County

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 19 Jun 2023 16:04:49 GMT

There's a new way to get around Milwaukee County. The Connect 1 transit line is now taking people from the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center in Wauwatosa to Downtown Milwaukee. The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line is the first of its kind in Milwaukee.

At a ribbon cutting for the new route, and the new electric buses to accompany it, officials said the new transit line will make one of the most important corridors in the region more accessible to everyone.

"All of our residents should be able to access employment, access educational or recreational opportunities in any ZIP code across Milwaukee County. And this east-west BRT is a step in the right direction," said Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. "I can't think of a safer way, a better way to move across Milwaukee County and enjoy all the things Milwaukee County has to offer."

The transit line will connect people to several colleges and high schools, 120,000 jobs, seven medical facilities and things like Bucks games, the county zoo and Summerfest.

The new line is a big upgrade for frequent MCTS user Denise Koss, who said she relies on public transit. Koss also uses a wheelchair.

"For everything. Visiting friends, visiting family, going to the doctor, shopping," Koss said. "I will use this line to connect to other lines. I take the 15, I take the 35. So I'll just be using this all the time."

On top of its efficiency, Koss says the new buses on the route are safer for people who use wheelchairs.

"I tried it yesterday, I love the self-securement for my wheelchair. I don't have to have the bus driver get in my space. I can do it myself. I feel very, very secure and safe. And it's just a good way to get around the community," Koss said.

Bus fare on the Connect 1 route is free until Sept. 30.

https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/connect-1-transit-line-helps-to-increase-accessibility-and-connect-milwaukee-county

Milwaukee's First BRT Line Celebrates Grand Opening

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 13:52:04 GMT

Milwaukee celebrated the opening of its first bus rapid transit (BRT) line last weekend, reports Graham Kilmer in Urban Milwaukee. “The system promises faster travel times through a mix of dedicated lanes, traffic signal priority, off-bus ticketing and dedicated stations.”

The nine-mile line uses electric buses, promises headways of 10 to 15 minutes, and will offer free rides until the end of September. The BRT stations feature “glass shelters, elevated platforms, digital signs showing real-time bus arrivals and off-bus fare validators.” Connect 1 runs parallel to Interstate 94.

According to the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS), “Ridership will be fueled by activity generators within the half-mile station area around the route including: 9 colleges and universities and 8 high schools, 48,900 residents, 110,700 jobs, 200 businesses with 100 or more employees, 8 medical facilities, 25+ hotels, and countless attractions including the county zoo, American Family Field, Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee Art Museum and Summerfest.”

FULL STORY: Milwaukee’s First Bus Rapid Transit Line Is Open for Business

Adoptable dogs featured on Wausua bus ad

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 12:46:13 GMT

You may notice some furry friends on your next commute.

Adoptable dogs Sparky and Kate from the Marathon County Humane Society are being featured as part of a new ad campaign on one Wausau Metro Ride bus.

"There's a lot of very very fine adoptable dogs in our community and this is a great way to showcase it," said Matthew Rosenbloom-Jones, director of Wausau Metro Ride. "I mean what better way than larger than life on the back of a bus that's kind of in your face, you can't ignore it. "

He says he's hopeful this ad goes out of date soon, if it means these dogs can find homes.

https://www.waow.com/news/adoptable-dogs-featured-on-wausau-bus-ad/article_ce3e0660-f42b-11ed-922f-97f260a5e23c.html

Wisconsin rail plan calls for expanding service to 11 communities

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 12:44:04 GMT

A new Wisconsin Department of Transportation plan calls for connecting Madison to Milwaukee with a passenger rail line, as well as expanding rail service to eleven Wisconsin communities, including in the Fox Valley region.

The 2050 rail plan, released by the department Tuesday, forecasted that if several lofty rail expansion proposals were approved, annual ridership would increase from over 1.1 million riders in 2024, to over 3.3 million in 2050. But, that assumes all the projects within the plan would be approved by state lawmakers.

Connecting Milwaukee to Madison with a passenger rail line has long been discussed and debated at the state level. But Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said last year he would not support using any state funding for a train connecting the two cities. Vos could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Lisa Stern, the chief of railroads and harbors at the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, said the rail plan is a federal requirement to ensure state rail projects are eligible for federal funding. The 2050 plan is an update to the 2030 rail plan. The department is also now seeking public feedback on the goals within the plan until June 10. After that, it'll go to the Federal Railroad Authority for final acceptance.

"Once the plan is finalized, then those projects that are listed become eligible for potential federal funding in the future," Stern said.

The state plan says the department will continue to search for new ways to improve rail service for Wisconsin residents. It comes after the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided $102 billion for improvements to passenger rail in the next five years.

"It's very challenging … to develop new transportation corridors of any type, so part of it (2050 plan) is helping the department and the state determine where we want to put our funds for preservation and improvement," Stern said.

The report noted that Wisconsin's urban and suburban areas are growing, while the population in rural areas is declining.

"As urban areas grow, the desire and viability of passenger rail connecting urban areas within and outside of Wisconsin are likely to increase," the report said. "The desire for commuter rail within urban areas is also likely to increase as these populations grow."

Watertown, Madison, Granville, West Bend, Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, Neenah, Appleton, Green Bay, Eau Claire and Menomonie are all cities that would benefit from the creation of an inter-city rail system in the state, according to the report.

In 2010, Wisconsin got a federal grant to build a high-speed rail line between Madison and Milwaukee. But former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican, successfully blocked it from becoming a reality.

Studies or projects to start passenger rail service, connecting Madison, Watertown and Waukesha County to Milwaukee, Chicago, and/or Minneapolis/St. Paul have been included in state and regional plans for over three decades, the report said.

The Fox Valley is the third-largest metropolitan area in Wisconsin, but that area does not currently have intercity passenger rail service and is only served by Amtrak’s Thruway Interstate-41 bus service.

Officials in seven northeast Wisconsin cities in December asked federal authorities to consider creating an Amtrak passenger rail line from Milwaukee to Green Bay. Municipal leaders requested the region be incorporated into the federal administration’s Corridor Identification and Development program, an initiative included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that aims to identify new passenger-rail corridors.

The 2050 plan also mentions the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SEWRPC) 2050 long range transportation plan, which has similar lofty goals for the state when it comes to increasing rail service.

Benjamin McKay, the interim executive director at SEWRPC, said the commission uses long-term plans from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation as part of its planning. McKay said the commission's 2050 plan also calls for the creation of a rail service connecting Milwaukee to Madison.

"Providing those alternatives makes Southeastern Wisconsin a more attractive destination for new residents, labor force and employers and as well, it would have a benefit for Madison in the same regard — better connections between the fast-growing Dane County and Madison area and the economic hub of Southeastern Wisconsin and the Milwaukee area," McKay said,

https://www.wpr.org/wisconsin-rail-plan-calls-expanding-service-11-communities

Go Connect' micro-transit system connects Neenah, Oshkosh commuters for $5

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 16:11:05 GMT

Since April 3, Go Transit has offered Oshkosh and Neenah residents a micro-transit service called "Go Connect."

The service is similar to rideshare transits or cab services, except this one is government-funded and has a fixed rate of $5 per one-way trip.

Riders of the bus system may recognize the route from their days riding Route 10. But that bus route was removed after ridership numbers dwindled post-pandemic.

Go Transit's transit operations manager Steve Tomasik said what was once a bus route carrying 30-40 daily passengers turned into a commute that would average around 14 riders — and often the bus would be empty.

“The old run basically wasn't working. So, Route 10 became very expensive. There was not a lot of ridership on it, and we had a lot of empty bus miles to and from on a fixed route schedule," Tomasik said.

That's when the micro-transit solution was proposed.

"So, the intent was to have something more fiscally responsible, something more economical and more efficient for people to use,” said Tomasik. "Much more economical and green way of going about it instead of driving an empty bus back and forth."

Another difference between this option and traditional cab service is these rides must be booked at least one day in advance.

Driver Jodi Hudson works as a dispatcher and a driver with Go Connect. She said one thing she really appreciates about this option is her interactions with her passengers — some of which have already become regulars in the month that Go Connect has been available.

"Well, you tend to build relationships with them, the more often you see them, and you know, you just have great conversations — the ride goes so much smoother and faster," Hudson said. "They appreciate the service. A lot of people are in need of the service. So, they're very grateful that we're able to get them to and from."

Go Connect is a pilot program, with Winnebago County agreeing to fund the program for a year. After that, it will be evaluated, and future funding plans will be determined.

Go Connect micro-transit service is offered from 6:15 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays. It does not run on Sundays.

“I think it gives you satisfaction knowing that you were able to help people that are dependent on the transport and it's very fairly priced for people as well," Hudson said.

For more information about the program, or to go online to book a ride, you can visit the Go Connect website.

https://www.nbc26.com/oshkosh/go-connect-micro-transit-system-connects-oshkosh-neenah-commuters-for-5

City Council votes to put ARPA funds towards housing program, transit, and EDI initiatives

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 15:22:08 GMT

The Eau Claire city council has allocated American Rescue Plan funds for several different initiatives in phase two, including to address affordable housing and transit issues.

Council approved $675,000 towards the community pass pilot program. Its goal is to help the city's public transit system bounce back from a reduction in ridership and allow more people to afford rides on city buses.

They also voted yes to allocating $350,000 to a fund that would provide lower income residents a path to home ownership, as well as funding a downtown street ambassador program and community development corporation.

"It would be kind of similar to the community foundation where we would provide some seed money, look to private donations to match that, and then look to grow it over coming years, and then that money would be used in different aspects for affordable housing," said city of Eau Claire project manager Billie Hufford.

They also approved setting aside roughly $87,000 in total for several equity, diversity, and inclusion projects. These include the creation of a BIPOC steering committee, having EDI focus groups, and bringing in a consultant to help create an EDI plan for the city and the community.

As we reported, the city also approved putting $500,000 toward a new daytime homeless shelter in the city.

ARPA funds is money from the federal government given to help people economically bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic. It was passed by Congress in 2021.

https://www.wqow.com/eye_on_eau_claire/city-council-votes-to-put-arpa-funds-toward-housing-program-transit-edi-initiatives/article_1fb59d28-ef7c-11ed-9088-cbba050aa0d4.html

Push for transit, walkable communities growing across America

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 30 May 2023 12:49:05 GMT

On the weekend in March when Brittany Glover would have turned 34, her mother stood on the same busy road in Atlanta where her daughter died six months earlier.

Glover, a flight attendant with a passion for clothes, was coming from an entertainment venue during the early morning of Sept. 19, 2022. She had lived in Atlanta for only 48 hours when she was hit by a driver while crossing Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway, which elected officials and activists call one of the most dangerous streets in the city. The driver fled and hasn't been identified.

“Brittany didn’t have to die," her mother Valerie Handy-Carey said, surrounded by friends and supporters as speeding cars whizzed by. Atlanta, she said, needs to do more to protect pedestrians and cyclists.

She's far from alone in her call to action.

With pedestrian deaths in the U.S. at their highest in four decades, citizens across the nation are urging lawmakers to break from transportation spending focused on car culture. From Salt Lake City to Charlotte, North Carolina, frustrated residents are pushing for increased funding for public transportation and improvements that make it safer to travel by bike or on foot.

“We already hit the point of diminishing returns,” said Roby Greenwald, a public health professor at Georgia State University. “We’re going to have to examine other transportation modes that make that easier or else we’re just going to have to deal with increased congestion, increased traffic fatalities and increased air pollution emissions.”

Nationwide, the number of pedestrians killed in 2022 rose 13%, and cyclist fatalities were up 2% for the year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“There are plenty of people who must bike and walk for transportation because that’s their only means of transportation,” said Rachael Panik, a Georgia Tech transportation systems engineering researcher.

Panik previously worked as a transportation planning consultant for cities across the southeast. She said there was unmet demand for biking and walking in most of them.

“More people want to bike, more people want to walk, but they can’t because it’s either not safe or the destinations that they need to get to are too far and they can’t,” she said.

Quanisha Ball, 31, was struck by a car and killed in November while crossing a street on her way to work in the Atlanta suburb of Decatur. The driver was identified but never charged.

“I wanted to cross that street to see how dangerous it is. It’s dangerous,” said Courtney Thompkins, Ball's mother. Pushing a button gives pedestrians less than a minute to cross seven or eight lanes of traffic, adding that speed bumps, better lighting and longer crossing times would help.

Atlanta City Councilman Jason Dozier said he realized he could have been another victim — he was hit by a car while riding a bike.

“That experience really did a lot to radicalize me,” Dozier said.

He and 10 council members have proposed zoning legislation to prevent drive-thrus and gas stations from being built around the Atlanta BeltLine, a bike and pedestrian trail that runs through numerous city neighborhoods.

Some city leaders across the country are already taking big steps to reduce car traffic.

In 2021, the city council in Charlotte, North Carolina, adopted a plan to expand their transit system by adding shaded bikeways, bus routes and commuter rail lines in the next two decades. One goal is to reduce single-person trips by 25%, said Shannon Binns, president of Sustain Charlotte, a nonprofit organization focused on local sustainability.

“It’s an ambitious goal, but of course it will require us to really make a lot of different decisions budget-wise to give people those opportunities to get around without a car,” Binns said.

Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall has made pedestrian safety a priority for 2023 after her city saw an increase in fatalities in 2022 and a tragic start to 2023. In the span of a few weeks, two sets of kids on foot and a pair sharing a bicycle were all hit by drivers but fortunately survived, she said.

“The accidents that have happened from vehicles increasing means that we have to go beyond the way we’ve been operating," Mendenhall said.

A local mobility advocacy group called Sweet Streets Salt Lake City has worked with the city council to drop the speed limit on residential streets and is pushing the city to create a network of byways that cater to walking, biking and jogging.

“We really do believe our policy choices are killing people, and the way we stop doing that is by changing those policies,” Sweet Streets Board member Benjamin Wood said.

Despite some encouraging signs, advocates face high hurdles to creating walkable and transit-friendly communities.

The Utah Transit Authority implemented an on-demand service that is a combination of a public bus and ridesharing. It's been popular, but it's underfunded.

“We didn’t realize it would be as wildly popular as it is, and now, we’re turning away rides because we can’t afford to run more service,” the transit authority's transportation division director, John Larsen, said during a January work session.

In Charlotte, city council members have complained about the lack of progress with the 2030 Transit Corridor System Plan.

The city must gain local funding to access federal dollars for the mobility plan. One option is to create a referendum for a local sales tax, but city officials are already hearing it would be unlikely to win approval from the state legislature. Dana Fetton, a lobbyist for Charlotte's city government, recently told council members if they presented the transit plan as is to the legislature, it would be “dead on arrival.”

Winning funding for safe or sustainable transportation projects is a challenge nationwide.

The Georgia Department of Transportation first devotes resources to projects considered state priorities, such as interchange and bridge improvements. That leaves lower tier projects — like improving the parkway where Glover was fatally struck in Atlanta — to compete for funding.

Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway had more than 1,900 crashes over the course of a decade before construction began to make it safer by narrowing parts of the roadway from four lanes to three, according to the Georgia Transportation Department. The changes won't affect the stretch where Glover was killed.

Standing on a corner of the busy street with a handful of birthday balloons and flowers, Handy-Carey said she was worried about whether any improvements would come.

“I’m feeling that the state of Georgia, the city of Atlanta, Fulton County, didn’t value me or my daughter’s life,” she said. “Even after Brittany was killed, you still have more people dying. How many more people have to die?”

https://www.beloitdailynews.com/news/national-news/push-for-transit-walkable-communities-growing-across-us/article_144ee158-ec9d-50d3-a0d0-6058a08967f5.html

Metro Transit Prepares for Changes - Madison

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 25 May 2023 13:53:13 GMT

See the video here.

Milwaukee Bus Rapid Transit Debuts in June, Other Routes Changing

WIPTA Admin — Wed, 24 May 2023 20:12:38 GMT

Wisconsin's first bus rapid transit line that makes use of dedicated bus lanes and real-time signage at stops will debut this summer in Milwaukee.

New electric buses will power the line, called CONNECT 1, to bring riders between downtown and western suburbs via Wisconsin Avenue and Bluemound Road. Amid the new line's introduction, a few existing bus lines will change. The Gold Line will be eliminated entirely, with many of its riders expected to transition to Route 30 or be served by the new BRT line, according to a news release from Milwaukee County Transit System.

The changes take effect on June 4 alongside the introduction of a summer schedule meant to improve service reliability and expand job access, MCTS said. Ahead of the launch, transit officials invited the public to a virtual information session on May 22.

The new BRT line is meant to provide faster and more frequent bus service along Wisconsin Avenue and Bluemound Road between the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center and downtown. The new line features 33 stations with daytime buses arriving every 10 minutes on weekdays and 15 minutes on weekends. In evenings, the buses operate every 20-30 minutes. The line runs between 4:30 a.m. and 1:30 a.m., MCTS said.

Meanwhile, Waukesha Metro Route 1 is being extended from Brookfield Square to the regional medical center. Riders will be able to transfer between MCTS and Waukesha transit without needing to pay again.

https://patch.com/wisconsin/milwaukee/milwaukee-bus-rapid-transit-debuts-june-other-routes-changing

Wausau Transit Commission okays additional bus service for Horace Mann

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 04 May 2023 12:32:39 GMT

Wausau will provide additional bus service for Horace Mann Middle School, a move approved Thursday by the Transit Commission.

Metro Ride added the service after more riders to Horace Mann began using the city’s buses. A change to school bus service happened in January.

The formal change occurred on Jan. 27 though the additional middle school-bound riders were using the city’s buses service a week before that, Metro Ride’s Operations Manager Megan Newman told the Transit Commission Tuesday.

The Wausau’s transit service has seen a significant uptick in riders in the southeast side of the city since about the third week of January, Newman said. The route along the southeast side has seen a significant increase – about 40% – but there has not been a similar increase in use along the 10th Street route, Newman said. “We have added one bus to that route permanently,” Newman said, bringing the total to three.

Yellow buses operated by the transportation company First Student were serving Horace Mann School and Metro Ride was picking up Wausau East High School riders before the change. School district officials requested Metro Ride pick up riders going to and coming from Horace Mann in addition to the high school because of yellow bus service cancellations, Newman said.

Like most schools districts in the state and the country, the Wausau School District is grappling with disrupted school bus services, with a shortage of drivers among the leading causes. The challenge for the district is likely to increase when Wausau implements its school restructuring plan.

The Wausau School Board approved the restructuring proposal last month, prompting significant concern over future availability of buses and the duration of rides. Because the school district is mandated to provide busing to students who live beyond a fixed distance from their assigned school, shifting to one junior high on the east side of the river and a single senior high to the west would mean that every single student in the district would be eligible for mandated busing for several years.

On Thursday, Transit Commission Chair Becky McElhaney asked how long the additional service would continue and whether district officials are going to address the yellow bus service.

Newman said that the additional service will probably continue next year too since the staffing issues have not improved. Transit Commission member Carol Lukens also said the staffing problems for First Student have not improved, based on the feedback she received from teachers.

https://wausaupilotandreview.com/2023/03/24/wausau-transit-commission-okays-additional-bus-service-for-horace-mann/

Eau Claire Transit switches bus tracking services

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 01 May 2023 12:26:22 GMT

Eau Claire Transit has switched to TransLoc, a bus tracking app that shows all active routes, the location of buses and gives an estimated arrival time to bus stops near the user.

The same features can also be accessed by computer through the Eau Claire Transit webpage.

Tina Deetz is the new transit manager for Eau Claire Transit and has been overseeing the switch to TransLoc.

“There are GPS pucks in all buses that track the bus,” Deetz said.

While there are posters around campus advertising the new app and people have been using the new app, this is not the first bus-tracking app that Eau Claire has used.

Deetz said the process of setting up TransLoc started last summer under the oversight of the previous transit manager.

“We went out for bid for a new bus tracking system when we learned DoubleMap would be ending,” Deetz said.

Eau Claire Transit previously used the DoubleMap app. According to the Indianapolis Business Journal, Ford Motor acquired Journey Holding, the corporation that owns and manages DoubleMap, in 2019.

“Ford Smart Mobility LLC plans to integrate Journey’s products and technologies with Durham, North Carolina-based TransLoc, a Ford-owned provider of technology products for public and private transit operations,” Jeff Newman wrote for the Indianapolis Business Journal.

Double Map is still available in the app store and Ford Motor has not announced any plans to discontinue the app. DoubleMap’s website URL redirects to TransLoc’s website.

“We do miss how easy and convenient DoubleMap was, but we do not have an option any longer to use the service,” Deetz said.

Eau Claire Transit had to move on, with or without the bus tracking technology.

“TransLoc was the only bus tracking company that responded to our bid,” Deetz said.

TransLoc, according to their webpage, describes their company as providing “mobility solutions at the speed of life.”

The process of fully integrating TransLoc into Eau Claire has not been finished yet, Deetz said. There have been many difficulties in implementing TransLoc.

Deetz said they have had problems with the automated passenger counts (APCs), automated passenger announcements (APAs), tablet functionality and internal sign displays connecting with the front head signs.

“It almost seems anything that could go wrong with all the technology communicating has gone wrong, a TransLoc employee stated this morning. We are working through the problems with TransLoc,” Deetz said.

Though there have been some problems behind the scenes, Deetz said they are working hard to make this a good tracking system for the community. Deetz has even used the app herself.

“The app itself is currently working well,” Deetz said. “There are some features I like better than DoubleMap and some I would like to make better.”

More information on the Eau Claire bus system can be accessed on the Eau Claire Transit webpage.

More information on TransLoc can be accessed through a separate webpage.

Heffernan can be reached at hefferjs9199@uwec.edu.

https://www.spectatornews.com/campus-news/2023/02/eau-claire-transit-switches-bus-tracking-services/

New bus facility will appear in Park Falls in 2023

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 27 Apr 2023 12:19:20 GMT

"It's been a few years in the works but with our growth down here we needed a place to get our buses out of the weather," said Pat Daoust. BART is a public transportation service that operates in Ashland, Bayfield, Price and Oneida County. Even though the bus system is running smoothly there is an issue in finding a place to store their buses in the winter time. "Right now three of the four buses are stored outside and we are unable to find adequate storage for them," said Pat.

Pat Daoust the transit manager says finding a facility for the buses was his number one priority it took a while to find a spot but eventually he did. "I looked for a grant to build this building and I was able to get a grant, the city of Park Falls donated the property to us to use as local share towards the facility," said Daoust. As you can see there is nothing behind me, but grass and trees however by spring 2023 this grassland will turn into a garage facility to store buses in Park Falls.

"The maintenance facility will be just over 6000 square feet, it will have a little bit of office space but mainly its going to garage storage," said Pat.

BART bus drivers like James are excited for this new building. It will be a convenient location for drivers and they won’t have to drive lengthy distances to get inspections done. "We will no longer have to drive them up to Ashland to get them worked on," said James Powell. "Mechanics are going to come down here so that’s going to be a lot nicer for everyone involved," said Powell.

With this project in the works, Pat hopes that BART will continue to help out the Park Falls Community. "It’s great, I love when we keep growing," said Pat. "I love the fact that BART is so well received and we are able to get these projects going and done, because it just goes to show how important BART is to all of the community, he added.

https://www.wjfw.com/news/local/new-bus-facility-will-appear-in-park-falls-in-2023/article_d86b2f84-27f1-11ed-a213-0381f7c7359a.html

Sturgeon Bay bus route part of 2030 multimodal plan

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 24 Apr 2023 13:54:21 GMT

It is still years away, but you could soon see people traveling between Chicago and Sturgeon Bay without ever having to use their own car. Addressing the Door Peninsula corridor's transportation needs is part of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation's 2030 long-range multimodal plan. Much of the WisDOT plan calls for the continued service, preservation, and maintenance of current transportation aspects like area roadways, the Washington Island Ferry, and bicycle/pedestrian routes. The plan also calls for the expansion of rail throughout the region, including an extension of the current Hiawatha Service between Chicago and Milwaukee to extend north through the Fox Cities and Green Bay. From there, the plan calls for a bus route between Sturgeon Bay and the Green Bay rail station and other routes stretching from Marinette to Milwaukee. Noting how transportation needs have changed in big cities, Jon Jarosh from Destination Door County says a bus line between Sturgeon Bay and Green Bay would be great. Still, additional local investments would be needed to handle the visitors once they arrived.

According to Forbes magazine, the number of vehicles on the road could drop from 247 million in 2020 to 44 million in 2030. The plan's third phase includes a bus route that would stretch from Green Bay to Gills Rock, with stops in Egg Harbor and Sturgeon Bay.

https://doorcountydailynews.com/news/675624

Wausau Transit Commission okays additional bus service for Horace Mann

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 24 Apr 2023 12:28:44 GMT

Wausau will provide additional bus service for Horace Mann Middle School, a move approved Thursday by the Transit Commission.

Metro Ride added the service after more riders to Horace Mann began using the city’s buses. A change to school bus service happened in January.

On Thursday, Transit Commission Chair Becky McElhaney asked how long the additional service would continue and whether district officials are going to address the yellow bus service.

McElhaney said city officials are happy to help the students and families and take up the extra load.

https://wausaupilotandreview.com/2023/03/24/wausau-transit-commission-okays-additional-bus-service-for-horace-mann/

Sun Prairie to join Madison Metro bus transit system

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 13:51:08 GMT

https://www.nbc15.com/video/2023/01/21/sun-prairie-join-madison-metro-bus-transit-system/

Waukesha-Milwaukee bus line, Bluemound route enhancement proposed

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 15:00:00 GMT

There could eventually be a direct bus link from downtown Waukesha to places like the lakefront or Summerfest in one transfer. Buses could use dedicated lanes that would get travelers to their destinations faster.

Ike Wanters lives in Milwaukee and works in Waukesha. He said his commute – "an hour and 45 minutes" – takes up most of his day. He's one of an estimated 1,400 daily riders who take Waukesha Metro buses.

"We used to have more commuter service from folks coming from Waukesha County, going to downtown Milwaukee," said Allison Bussler, Waukesha County Public Works director. However, some of those folks are working from home now."

Bussler said ridership levels haven't fully rebounded since the COVID-19 pandemic. She's excited by the prospect of Waukesha County connecting with an innovative bus rapid transit line – BRT for short. It launches in neighboring Milwaukee County this June.

"It’s more frequent and faster service," said Donna Brown-Martin, Milwaukee County Department of Transportation director. "The frequency of that service allows us to give headways in the 10-15 minute range."

The Milwaukee County Transit System line will have stops near the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center and get commuters to downtown Milwaukee on electric buses. A proposal could see an enhanced route added from the Waukesha Metro Transit Center to connect with the MCTS line that extends east to the lakefront.

"It just makes sense to look at that link – should we continue that service on down Bluemound – because we already have some features in place for bus rapid transit, like a dedicated transit lane has been on Bluemound for a long time already," said Bussler.

Bluemound is the county's most frequented stop for public transportation, Bussler said. Getting people through the corridor faster could help solve another issue.

"We really have a worker shortage in Waukesha County. We’ve heard that from our businesses, and they’ve asked for any assistance in helping to get people who need jobs to the job openings in Waukesha County," said Bussler.

Riders like Michelle Shulfer said they're onboard: "It would be a lot easier if there was a bus going down into Milwaukee."

The public's feedback could bring faster, more frequent service. The Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission is hosting a virtual meeting Wednesday, April 12. Officials are looking for feedback not just on routes, but on things like bus stop lighting and Wi-Fi access.

https://www.fox6now.com/news/milwaukee-waukesha-bus-line-bluemound

Green Bay reducing bus fares to encourage ridership

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 15:00:00 GMT

The Green Bay Transit Commission on Wednesday announced they'll reduce bus fares for the rest of 2023, starting April 1.

Monthly passes for adult, elderly and disabled residents will be reduced by $20.

“An adult pass that’s typically $39 a month is now going to be $19 a month. Our reduced fare, which is for the elderly, and disabled, which is typically $29 a month, will now be $9 a month,” said Patty Kiewiz, Green Bay Transit director, at a press conference.

The one-way cash fare for para-transport will also be reduced in half, going from $4 to $2.

Money from the CARES Act — which was introduced to help with economic fallout during the COVID-19 pandemic — was used to support the fare reduction.

Kiewiz said one reason the commission reduced fares is due to lower ridership.

The number of Green Bay Metro riders dropped during the pandemic. Even now, ridership is still only at 65% of normal levels.

“We’re really hoping that this will jumpstart people into getting back and utilizing public transportation and hopefully attract new riders,” said Kiewiz.

https://spectrumnews1.com/wi/milwaukee/news/2023/03/22/green-bay-reducing-bus-fares-

Milwaukee County bus fares will be capped: What to know

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 15:00:00 GMT

Milwaukee County is modernizing its bus fare collection system, aiming to make transit equitable for residents.

Bus riders can pay for their fares through WisGo, a new fare collection system, starting Saturday, April 1.

Everyone with a plastic WisGo card or the Umo mobile app will ride for free after reaching daily, weekly and monthly caps. Riders currently paying with an M-card have through the end of September to transition to the new system.

Milwaukee County leaders gathered on Wednesday to announce the launch of WisGo and its partnership with Waukesha County, which is joining the fare collection system. Leaders touted a system that’s equitable for riders and predicted it would help return ridership to pre-pandemic levels.

“Historically, only those who could afford to pre-purchase discount passes to ride the bus got the best value. But with WisGo, these inequities are being addressed through fare capping. Now, everyone pays the same rates no matter how many times they ride,” County Supervisor Priscilla Coggs-Jones said in a news release.

Milwaukee County, like public transit systems across Wisconsin, has faced a years-long slide in ridership and revenue that only worsened as remote work options expanded during the pandemic. While Milwaukee County ridership is recovering from the lowest pandemic-era numbers, it’s still lagging behind its earlier status.

The new fare collection system is powered through the Umo Mobility platform and is used around the world in places such as New York and London.

The technology has made transit in those cities easier to navigate as ridership recovers from the pandemic levels, said Bonnie Crawford, Umo’s vice president and general manager.

“People expect technology. We’re used to connecting to technology in all of the ways that we engage in our neighborhoods, whether that’s paying for your coffee or buying your groceries, and this is really that next step for Milwaukee County and the region,” Crawford said.

Riders can scan their phone or WisGo card on tap-and-go validators onboard buses, which will determine how many times a rider has paid a fare and automatically deduct the lowest amount owed. The validator will also tell riders if their fund balance is low.

Riders will also be able to use WisGo cards and the Umo app on Waukesha Metro Transit buses. Waukesha County is the first to join the regional fare system.

“Transit is something that’s extremely important for a big segment of our population. It gets a lot of people to work; gets them to the doctor; it gets them to the grocery store; and without it, I don’t know how we would really function,” said Waukesha Mayor Shawn Reilly, adding that the two counties aim to make transit efficient.

Under WisGo, riders will immediately see lower costs.

The regular fare — for ages 12 to 64 — will be $2 per ride, down from $2.25. Under WisGo, it will be capped at $4 per day, $19.50 per week and $72 per month.

The reduced fare — for ages 6 to 11, 65 and older and those with qualifying disabilities — will be $1 per ride, down from $1.10. It will cap at $2 per day, $11 per week and $32 per month under WisGo. Learn more about reduced fares here.

M-Card or cash riders will continue paying regular per-ride fares of $2.25 or reduced fares of $1.10 until the transition period ends Sept. 30. After that, the cash fare will drop to $2 per ride or $1 under the reduced fare.

“The way that you’re going to get riders on board is to ensure that no rider is left behind, and that’s really a commitment we have here in Wisconsin and throughout the world,” Crawford said.

The Umo Mobility app will replace the RideMCTS app. The app connects to other modes of transportation like Uber and provides real-time tracking of Milwaukee County and Waukesha County buses. It accepts credit and debit cards, along with Apple Pay, Google Pay and WisGo cards.

The WisGo card is an alternative to the Umo app and will replace the M-Card. The cards will be sold and available for reloading at nearly 100 locations, such as supermarkets, pharmacies and convenience stores.

M-Card users can exchange cards for a free WisGo card from April 1 through June 30. After that, the card will cost $2. Reduced fare riders will receive a WisGo card in the mail. Riders with Commuter Value Passes and U-Passes are automatically enrolled in WisGo.

Riders will not be able to store value on the M-Card starting Aug. 31, and the Milwaukee County Transit System will stop accepting the card on Sept. 30. MCTS CONNECT, Milwaukee County’s bus rapid transit service that launches June 4, will not accept M-Cards.

Riders can still pay with cash on all bus routes, but those paying cash will not qualify for fare caps.

Regular fare replacement for WisGo cards will cost $2, and reduced fare replacement cards will cost $5.

Ambassadors will assist riders with downloading the Umo app or getting a WisGo card.

For more information

Virtual and in-person sessions explaining the program are slated for April 6, April 22 and April 28. You can sign up at RideMCTS.com/Community.

You can also visit the following resources for information on WisGo:

RideMCTS.com/WisGo: Timeline and overview of WisGo

RideMCTS.com/UmoApp: How to download the Umo app

RideMCTS.com/WisGoLocations: Where to pick up a free WisGo card through June 30

RideMCTS.com/TopThingstoKnowAboutWisGo: Quick tips

RideMCTS.com/ReducedFare: For minors, seniors, and persons with a disability

RideMCTS.com/TPReducedFare: For Transit Plus riders who use the bus

https://wisconsinwatch.org/2023/03/milwaukee-county-to-cap-bus-fares-under-new-system-heres-what-to-know/

Amtrak preparing to add second passenger train service between Chicago, Twin Cities with stops in La Crosse, Winona

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 27 Mar 2023 18:11:36 GMT

Hours long delays for eastbound Amtrak trains arriving at the La Crosse station are not uncommon, but Amtrak’s planned Twin Cities-Milwaukee-Chicago intercity passenger service aims to offer more reliable scheduling.

“This second train will be dedicated just between Chicago and St Paul. It will not go on beyond St. Paul, it will turn around and go back. So that is going to eliminate a lot of those delays already,” said Trista MatasCastillo, Ramsey County commissioner and chair of the Great River Rail Commission, a group of governmental officials advocating for the passenger rail project.

Service is set to begin in 2024 or sooner, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation website. Amtrak spokesperson Marc Magliari confirmed riders should expect service to begin according to the state agency’s timeline.

The train will run from Chicago to the Twin Cities on existing tracks used by Amtrak’s Empire Builder and will replace and extend one of the seven Hiawatha services between Milwaukee and Chicago.

“For tourism, for students, for businesses, there’s a huge benefit,” said Peter Fletcher, La Crosse Area Planning Committee executive director. “With the added service, two trains a day, there are opportunities to go down on one train and come back on another, so that opens up a lot of business opportunities.”

The arrival of a second train from Twin Cities, Milwaukee and Chicago comes as ridership rebounds from the pandemic. In fiscal year 2019, between October 2018 and September 2019, there were over 970,000 boardings and exits on the Amtrak trains in Wisconsin and over 130,000 in Minnesota.

Ridership in both states sank over the next two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but Amtrak reported total ridership grew by 89% in fiscal year 2022 with overall ridership returning to 85% of pre-pandemic levels. While state-specific data is not available for fiscal year 2022, ridership on the Hiawatha route more than doubled and ridership on the Empire Builder route increased by over 37%.

The Twin Cities-Milwaukee-Chicago second train is expected to serve more than 124,000 riders in its first year of service.

Only one passenger train runs in each direction from Chicago to St. Paul a day on the Empire Builder, which continues west to Seattle or Portland. Eastbound trains are often delayed before reaching St. Paul.

According to Amtrak data for fiscal year 2021, 57% of Empire Builder riders arrived at their destination on time, compared to nearly 95% riders on the Hiawatha.

“The longer the route, the more opportunity there is for disruption at all the stops along the way. That’s a lot of rail to keep cleared, weather, floods, snow,” said MatasCastillo. “Right now passenger rail stops for freight, and they’re using the same track.”

Track improvements

The second train project includes upgrading infrastructure between Winona and La Crosse that has caused increased conflicts with passenger and freight rail. “It’s not just passenger improvements here, it’s also freight improvements,” said MatasCastillo.

Local government agencies in Wisconsin and Minnesota have been interested in expanded passenger rail service for over a decade, after then-Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker scrapped high speed rail plans.

“The discussion changed from, ‘Well, this is what we have as far as our existing service, how can we improve it?’” said Fletcher.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation in 2012 requested Amtrak to study the feasibility of adding a second train to run between Chicago, Milwaukee and the Twin Cities. The passenger rail operator issued a report in 2015 finding sufficient demand to expand operations.

In the following years, the state transportation departments and partner organizations needed to complete a variety of environmental, engineering and service studies while applying for federal grants and securing state funding.

Railroad improvements in La Crosse, La Crescent and Winona total $53 million, with a Federal Railroads Administration grant covering 60% of the cost and Amtrak committing $5 million. Wisconsin and Minnesota provided over $6 million and $10 million respectively.

“In Minnesota, it took us a couple of years to get the funding dollars allocated,” said MatasCastillo. “The $10 million dollar match from Minnesota came into play, which gets us now moving to the next phases.”

The state governments of Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois are in negotiations to split annual operations costs. An additional federal grant of $12.6 million will fund 90% of operating costs in 2024 and 2025.

After a period of public comment last year, the final design plans for rail improvements are scheduled to be completed this year with construction starting in 2024 and ending in 2025. Ongoing supply chain issues may make it difficult to secure the materials needed for construction and train engines, said MatasCastillo.

“We’d have to have available rail cars to assign and crews that are trained to operate,” said Magliari. “The Empire Builder already exists, we have crews that are qualified on the route, that is an easier hurdle to get over.”

Infrastructure improvements include track extensions and signal upgrades aimed at reducing conflicts between passenger and freight trains and increased speeds and platform upgrades are planned for the La Crosse and Winona stations. Following a brief closure due to a staffing issue, the Winona station has reopened, said MatasCastillo.

Drivers also can expect safer train intersections and shorter waiting periods at gates, said Fletcher.

“For the long-term operation of the service, the corridor improvements are going to make it run more efficiently in avoiding any delays,” said Fletcher. “Because of those improvements, the freight movement through this area will be better, safer.”

Under an agreement with Amtrak and Canadian Pacific, which owns most the rail corridor, service could begin before construction starts in 2024.

“The opportunity for an early start is something that would be great if it could happen but we’ll wait and see. We know it’s certainly coming in the future,” said Fletcher.

https://lacrossetribune.com/news/local/amtrak-preparing-to-add-second-passenger-train-service-between-chicago-twin-cities-with-stops-in/article_9a227cda-bf79-11ed-b94c-575a77ffa202.html

JTS Transfer Center Fully Reopens Following Renovation

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 13:46:53 GMT

Earlier this week, the Janesville Transit System (JTS) Transfer Center (123 S. River St.) fully reopened to the public following the facility's renovation project. The center's lobby is now available to riders looking to stay warm and dry while waiting for a bus to arrive. The facility's restrooms are also now open for public use.

The renovation project, which began last year, brought significant improvements to the Transfer Center, including:

Adjustments along the concrete platform for ADA accessibility
Construction of additional public restrooms
Major facility component replacement (HVAC, plumbing, concrete paving)
Refurbishment of the public lobby, bathrooms, and dispatch room
Improved vandal-resistance
Roof replacement

The work represents a $1.5 million investment in transit services in downtown Janesville. JTS appreciates the community's patience throughout this project and is excited for its riders to enjoy the improved facility.

For questions, contact JTS at (608) 755-3150.

https://www.janesvillewi.gov/Home/Components/News/News/15638/29

Ozaukee County officials consider new on-demand transit service

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 12:41:02 GMT

The program launched in March of 2022 and was conducted by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission. The pilot program received a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation.

“What we’re doing here with FlexRide Milwaukee is we brought in an entirely new form of transportation to the Milwaukee area and that is microtransit,” Steele said.

Steele explained that microtransit is a hybrid of traditional bus and on-demand services, like Uber. It is a ride that an individual can call on their phone, but the ride is shared with other riders. Riders aren’t necessarily picked up at their front door, Steele said, they might need to go a few blocks down the road to a coffee shop or hop on a city bus for a few miles to get to a collection point.

“What that encourages is shared rides, because the shared ride aspect of it is huge for the cost effectiveness of the program,” Steele said.

Riders can travel between Zone 1 or Zone 2 and the Employment Zone. Depending on where you’re traveling to or from, rides are free or $1.50 each. FlexRide Milwaukee operates only during the weekdays.

The research period of the pilot ended at the end of October 2022 and they expect to launch FlexRide Milwaukee 2.0 in April. The program received a $4.2 million grant from the state of Wisconsin to extend FlexRide Milwaukee services through 2024 and allow FlexRide to expand to other communities in the region.

Steele said this spring they hope to expand pick up zones to include both the north side and south side of the city of Milwaukee and to launch service to Franklin and New Berlin. Later in 2023, he said they are looking to potentially expand to Brookfield and Oak Creek. At this time they would consider other areas like Ozaukee County as well.

Steele reported that ridership in the program continues to grow. He added that at any given point, there are 200 individuals participating in the program, with one-third of that using it every day, twice a day and another one-third using it about four to five times a week.

Ozaukee County is holding an open house from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 7 to discuss potential Flex-Bus routes that would run on Port Washington Road from Bayshore Mall to northern Port Washington and along Cedarburg and Green Bay roads from northern Milwaukee County to Saukville.

To view a map of the routes being considered, visit www.ozaukeetransit.com/ozaukee-flex-bus. The event will take place at the Frank L. Weyenberg Library in the Tolzman Community Room, 11345 N. Cedarburg Road, Mequon. To learn more about FlexRide Milwaukee, go to www.flexridemke.com. For more information about MobiliSE, visit www.mobilisewi.org.

https://www.gmtoday.com/news_graphic/news/ozaukee-county-officials-consider-new-on-demand-transit-service/article_8106742c-b37b-11ed-9119-8ff412df1f57.html

Greater Madison MPO offers new transportation RoundTrip platform

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 16 Mar 2023 15:35:26 GMT

The RoundTrip program of the Greater Madison MPO recently announced the launch of a new online platform connecting Dane County residents and commuters with convenient alternatives to driving alone.

RoundTrip provides resources and incentives that support affordable, sustainable transportation options including carpooling, vanpooling, bicycling, and public transit.

Features of the new platform include a multimodal trip planner with easy-to-use ride-matching capabilities; personalized user dashboards; trip logging for personal stats and gamification; a RideBoard for one-time trips; and event-based trip pooling.

To celebrate, RoundTrip is sponsoring a March Madness Challenge through March 31 to reward car-free and car-lite commuters. Individuals can register at RoundTripGreaterMadison.org to connect with personalized transportation options; access the Emergency Ride Home program for car-free commuters; and participate in the March Madness Challenge and future regional reward programs.

RoundTrip encourages all residents and commuters to make transportation choices like walking, bicycling, carpooling, public transit, and telework a daily habit. With over 70% of Dane County commuters driving alone to work pre-pandemic, these choices contribute to a more affordable, sustainable, and equitable transportation system, and a higher quality of life for all as Dane County grows.

RoundTrip also encourages employers to promote transportation options at their workplace by partnering with RoundTrip. More information for employers is available on the RoundTrip website and in the Employer Commute Options Program Toolkit.

What to know about RoundTrip

• RoundTrip is a free transportation options program that connects individuals and employers in Dane County with affordable, convenient alternatives to driving alone, including carpools, bikepools, vanpools, transit and bicycle routes, and more.

• RoundTrip’s new online platform, accessible in Spanish and Hmong, connects commuters with carpool and bikepool partners, state vanpools, Metro Transit routes, Madison BCycle stations, and more. It also offers new features for one-time and event-based trip pooling.

• RoundTrip users can download the CommuteTracker mobile app by RideAmigos for Android or iOS, to access trip planning features and passive trip logging for incentive programs.

• Users can track trips to participate in reward programs like the March Madness Challenge, and to see their cost savings, calories burned, and CO2 reductions over time compared to driving alone.

• Employers can contact RoundTrip to set up networks that make it easier for employees to form pools and access incentives. Current workplace networks in the RoundTrip platform include the City of Madison, Dane County, UW-Madison, the City of Sun Prairie, Madison College, and more.

The RoundTrip platform is powered by RideAmigos, and made possible in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation RIDESHARE program and the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission CommuteWISE program.

RoundTrip is a program of the Greater Madison MPO (metropolitan planning organization), that connects individuals and employers in the Madison region with convenient alternatives to driving alone. Local funding partners include Dane County, the City of Madison, Metro Transit, and UW-Madison.

https://www.hngnews.com/sun_prairie_star/news/local/greater-madison-mpo-offers-new-transportation-roundtrip-platform/article_9551d560-b840-11ed-9ca8-9f49744f34cb.html

Milwaukee County Bus Rapid Transit; riders invited to attend meetings

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 13 Mar 2023 13:48:49 GMT

Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) invites riders to attend community education meetings in March to learn more about the new CONNECT 1 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line which starts service June 4.

Transit planners plan to explain adjustments to other routes in the MCTS system that will intersect with the CONNECT 1 BRT. Attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions related to navigating these new services.

Riders have three meetings to choose from: One virtual lunch hour meeting and two in-person meetings in March.

Virtual Meeting

Thursday, March 9, Virtual Meeting @ 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. (click here to register)

In-Person Meetings

Tuesday, March 14 @ 5:30-6:30 p.m. at Mitchell Street Library located at 906 W Historic Mitchell St, Milwaukee, WI 53204 (click here to register)
Saturday, March 18 @ 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. at MCTS Administration Building located at 1942 N 17th St, Milwaukee, WI 53205 (click here to register)

The start of CONNECT 1 BRT also presents an opportunity to improve the reliability of service on adjacent routes and make them easier to understand:

GoldLine – The CONNECT 1 BRT will replace GoldLine (Wisconsin Avenue) service along Wisconsin Avenue and Bluemound Road between downtown and the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center (MRMC). In addition, Route 30 (Sherman – Wisconsin) will replace GoldLine service from downtown to UWM. Finally, GoldLine service from the MRMC to Brookfield Square will be replaced with an extension of Waukesha Metro Route 1 (Brookfield – Waukesha). The GoldLine name itself will be retired.
Route 14 (Forest Home – Humboldt) – Route 14 will be modified into two separate routes to improve reliability and on time performance. New Route 14 (Humboldt Blvd) will primarily serve Humboldt Boulevard between Bayshore and downtown. New Route 24 (Forest Home Avenue) will primarily serve Forest Home Avenue between Southridge and the MCTS Administration Building on 17th & Fond du Lac. Both routes will serve stations on the CONNECT 1 BRT line.
BlueLine (Fond du Lac Avenue) – The BlueLine will be shortened to end at Marquette University (16th Street & Wisconsin Avenue) instead of the downtown Intermodal Station. Riders will continue to enjoy high frequency service.
Route 21 (North Avenue) – Route 21 service will be expanded so buses run year-round on Downer Avenue between North Avenue and UWM. Route 21 will continue to provide riders with high-frequency service.

View the BRT routes with an interactive map.

https://www.fox6now.com/news/milwaukee-county-bus-rapid-transit-riders

Milwaukee County capping costs for bus riders with new tech this spring

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 13:56:25 GMT

Milwaukee County buses in April will launch a new fare collection program modeled after those in cities like London and Portland that is designed to level out pricing regardless of whether riders have a monthly pass.

https://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2023/02/13/milwaukee-county-cap-bus-fares.html

Construction work on Madison's bus rapid transit system set to begin in March

WIPTA Admin — Fri, 03 Mar 2023 12:57:06 GMT

Construction on Madison's bus rapid transit system is officially set to begin in March ahead of its planned launch in late 2024.

City leaders officially broke ground in December on Madison's east-west bus rapid transit route, which will connect East Towne and West Towne malls, Madison College, the Capitol Square, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Hilldale shopping center, among other locations.

The system is designed to improve travel times while connecting key parts of the city and major employers. It will feature all-electric articulated buses that run roughly every 15 minutes on most weekdays; it will also offer some weekend service.

Work will begin on the city's west side and generally move east from there, city transportation planner Mike Cechvala told News 3 Now in an email Tuesday.

In a tweet, the city said work still start next week in the Mineral Point Road, Whitney Way and University Avenue areas.

Construction will involve not only building the 31 new stations but also improvements to intersections and crosswalks, new traffic signals and a terminal on Junction Road.

Some early work to remove bump-outs and update traffic signals began last year along East Washington Avenue; that phase of construction is set to wrap up in June.

The city's north-south bus rapid transit route is still being developed.

A public meeting about the work on the west side is scheduled for 6 p.m. on March 14. For more information, click or tap here.

https://www.channel3000.com/news/construction-work-on-madisons-bus-rapid-transit-system-set-to-begin-in-march/article_2de26e66-b7b0-11ed-94c9-2743fcc0c64e.html

Eau Claire Transit extending hours, adding new route

WIPTA Admin — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 21:41:57 GMT

If you're a bus rider in Eau Claire and live near campus, you'll soon have more options and more time to get where you need to go.

Officials with Eau Claire Transit told News 18 a new route is being added. It will go from UWEC's upper campus to lower campus and downtown every half an hour from 6 p.m. to 11:40 p.m.

Other buses will also run later. Monday through Friday, buses will now be out an extra hour at night, until 11:30 p.m.

The Saturday mall route will also now run until 11 p.m. And the Pablo route will run from noon until 11:35 p.m. on Saturdays.

https://www.wqow.com/eye_on_eau_claire/eau-claire-transit-extending-hours-adding-new-route/article_9b5ae680-9e92-11ed-a968-b3ef93c1376d.html

Valley Transit reinstating bonus incentive program to hire more drivers

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 15:08:12 GMT

Valley Transit is bringing back its successful hiring bonus incentive program.

The next five qualified candidates with a valid commercial driver’s license (CDL) will receive a $5,000 sign-on bonus for full-time new hires and $2,500 will be offered for part-time positions.

Last year when the company offered the incentive, they say it worked.

“We've seen an increase in applications because of the bonus and several positions have been filled. While we are pleased with the progress we've made, we are still actively seeking five more candidates with a valid CDL to join our team and continue the positive momentum,” said Valley Transit general manager, Ron McDonald.

The reinstated hiring bonus now includes part-time maintenance utility workers in addition to full-time and part-time bus drivers because these positions require a valid Class A or Class B CDL with a passenger endorsement and no air brake restriction.

Working for Valley Transit provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package that includes enrollment in the Wisconsin Retirement System and the opportunity to work for an organization that is supportive, inclusive, and making a positive impact on its community.

Click here to apply

Those interested in bus driver or maintenance utility roles are not required to have their CDL to apply but will need to be able to acquire and maintain one along with a federal medical card as a condition of employment.

https://fox11online.com/news/local/valley-transit-reinstating-bonus-incentive-program-to-hire-more-drivers-bus-transportation-employment-jobs-cdl-commerical-drivers-license

WIPTA STATEMENT ON GOVERNOR EVERS’ EXECUTIVE BUDGET

WIPTA Admin — Fri, 17 Feb 2023 14:23:51 GMT

The Wisconsin Public Transportation Association (WIPTA) commends Governor Evers for his executive budget proposal, particularly as it relates to statewide transit funding.

Due to the pandemic, public transportation networks were severely impacted with greatly reduced ridership and significantly reduced fare box revenue. Federal relief dollars were a vital lifeline for every system during those times. As Wisconsin continues to work to address employee shortages and the needs of the business community, the need for adequate public transportation funding is more pronounced than ever.

We thank Governor Evers for the proposed 4% increase to state mass transit aids. As our entire state and country grapples with inflation, transit systems are facing many of the same familiar challenges, including increased gas prices. Meanwhile, state funding for mass transit aids is 4% lower – in real dollars - than it was in 2012. This long-term trend has resulted in increased costs to local government, reduced services, and the inability for our statewide transit systems to keep up with the needs and demands of their communities. Local businesses especially feel the impacts as over half of the rides provided by our bus systems are to get employees back and forth to work.

In addition, the Governor proposed 4% increases to paratransit and elderly and disabled (specialized) transportation aids. These services are incredibly important to our most vulnerable residents but are extremely expensive to provide. Increases are desperately needed.

WIPTA also strongly supports Governor Evers’ creation of a much-needed statewide transit capital assistance program. Bus systems continue to lack the resources needed to replace inefficient buses that have passed their useful lives and other unmet capital needs. This program and funding would be an enormous help.

Finally, WIPTA appreciates the inclusion of language that would allow local units of government to choose to finance public transportation via a regional transit authority.

We look forward to working closely with the Legislature to turn the corner on providing the services our local businesses and communities so strongly desire and rely on.

City Council approves additional funds for ev chargers for electric buses

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 14:07:35 GMT

In June of last year, two electric buses joined the Municipal Transit Utility fleet to help get the La Crosse community around the city.

Last night, the La Crosse Common Council approved additional funds for the project so the transit department could purchase two charging stations and the necessary infrastructure upgrades.

In 2019, the council first approved the purchase of the vehicles and charging stations with $1,250,000 from a federal grant and $312,500 from city funds.

However, due to increased costs, responsible planning for future growth of the electrical fleet and an upgrade to the original charger size, the new project cost is $1,573,000, the resolution stated.

On Thursday night, the council approved using an additional $10,500 from the Capital Improvement Project budget, bringing the total city funding to $323,000 for the project. The funds will come from the monies allocated for new transit capital equipment.

The resolution was first approved at the Finance and Personnel Committee meeting Feb. 2. At that meeting, MTU director Adam Lorentz said that the technology for electric vehicle charging has improved since the initial 2019 resolution. The new chargers are 125 watts instead of 65 watts, which will charge the buses faster.

Due to delays in manufacturing and waiting on improved technology for the charges, Lorentz said the department used temporary chargers to get the buses in service last summer.

Lorentz also said that when updating the infrastructure to install the electric chargers, the team added a third conduit for another charger in the future. He said it is very costly to make those infrastructure upgrades, so preparing for more chargers now will save time and money in the future.

“If we were to add buses in the future — which is our plan — we’d have to go back and redo the process,” Lorentz said.

Additionally, the city is using a battery leasing program for the buses. Every six years, the bus batteries will be replaced and recycled.

“Anybody who knows technology knows that batteries continually get better and better,” Lorentz said. “Basically, we’re going to have a new bus in six years with the cost that we’re already paying.”

The cost of each bus is $649,066, each charging station is priced at $68,050 and the electrical infrastructure updates cost $138,769.

https://lacrossetribune.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/city-council-approves-additional-funds-for-ev-chargers-for-electric-buses/article_bb4c3f98-a964-11ed-b6b7-cfbcf2a4e020.html

Mayor speaks on expanding transit access

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 14:26:37 GMT

La Crosse Mayor Mitch Reynolds issued a proclamation Wednesday morning at Grand River Station commemorating Saturday as Transit Equity Day.

The national day of action honors the birthday of Rosa Parks and her role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a year-long protest of racist policies for Black riders and a lack of service in Black neighborhoods in Montgomery that culminated in a 1956 Supreme Court decision ruling segregated seating on public transit is illegal.

“Increased community access to public transit; reduction in racial, economic and other disparities in access to transit; and increased opportunities for employment in good jobs using less polluting, safer public transit form a key part of a ‘just transition’ from a fossil fuel to a renewable energy-based, just economy,” said Reynolds in the proclamation.

Transit managers, union leaders, elected officials and frequent bus riders joined Reynolds in recognizing the ability for public transit to increase accessibility to community services for residents who do not drive.

The La Crosse MTU is the only Wisconsin transit service outside of Milwaukee and Madison that runs on Sunday, and was the first service in the state to use electric buses for regular service.

The MTU also connects with the Scenic Mississippi Regional Transit bus system and the Onalaska-Holmen-West Salem shared ride taxi. Onalaska Alderman Larry Jiracek, who spoke at the Grand River Station event, said riders of the shared taxi included people commuting to work but also those with appointments at Gunderson and Mayo hospitals.

“We have to have a place to live, we have to have food, we have to get places, and transit equity day is a time to think about whether how we get places is fair right now,” said Cathy Van Maren, La Crosse Area Transportation Advocates member.

Between 30% and 40% of La Crosse residents over the age of 15 are nondrivers, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. The department defines non-drivers as having no license or no vehicle matched to them through Department of Motor Vehicle records.

La Crosse has the highest percentage of nondrivers in the county and is among the top municipalities statewide by percentage of nondrivers.

The DOT estimates that more than 40% of residents who live between Cass and Clinton streets and in areas surrounding the Mayo Hospital, the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse campus and west of Gundersen hospital do not drive.

Whether someone drives or not depends on several factors, including age, physical condition and where they work. Affordability is another reason why many don’t drive. The U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics estimates the average yearly cost to own a car in 2022 was nearly $11,000.

According to a White House fact sheet published in 2021, Wisconsin residents who rely on public transportation spend over 60% more time commuting, and non-white households in the state are nearly six times more likely to use public transportation.

The drive for increased accessibility to public transit fueled the creation of the La Crosse Municipal Transit Utility’s Circulator Route on the South Side.

“We realized there was a need for service on the South Side,” said Adam Lorentz, MTU director.

Looking forward, Lorentz said third-shift workers have expressed interest in extended service times. Service times differ by route, but all MTU service stops before 11 p.m. on weekdays and before 8 p.m. on weekends.

Reynold’s proclamation also highlighted the potential for public transit to support the city’s commitment to reaching carbon neutrality by 2050.

The MTU unveiled two electric, zero emissions buses last summer. The city has four more under contract, and hopes to get three more new electric buses, Lorentz said.

“We’ve been a model for different agencies across the country of how agencies our size bring electric vehicles into our system, not only for the now but for the future as well.”

This year’s focus on transit equity comes as local public transit rebounds from low ridership during start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ridership fell by nearly 40 percent from 2019 to 2020 as lockdowns closed workplaces and social spaces and close proximity to others posed health risks. In 2019 the MTU provided more than 920,000 rides. In 2017, ridership between fixed routes and paratransit services hit over 1 million rides.

The MTU last year provided nearly 760,000 rides on fixed routes and over 18,000 rides through the paratransit service, a 48 percent increase in ridership from 2021.

Nearly one in six rides on MTU fixed route buses last year were by passengers using a disabled persons pass, totaling nearly 125,000 rides.

Passengers with student passes from Western Technical College, Viterbo University and University of Wisconsin-La Crosse last year took more than 87,000 rides on the MTU.

The SMRT bus system provided over 18,000 rides and the Onalaska/Holmen/West Salem Public Transit Taxi provided over 48,000 rides last year. Both systems saw an increase in ridership from 2021.

Buses to downtown areas across the country ran empty during the pandemic as fewer workers traveled to work, but that hasn’t been the case in La Crosse, said Lorentz. Part of the reason is La Crosse’s unique geography wedged between the river and bluffs, but also due to increased interest in using public transit.

“We always focus that there’s the people that need the bus, but we’re also seeing an increase of riders who want to ride the bus,” said Lorentz. “When you talk about the Milwaukees, the Chicagos, the Minneapolises, that they have that bus culture, we’re starting to see that come here in La Crosse, and that’s an exciting thing.”

https://lacrossetribune.com/news/local/mayor-speaks-on-expanding-transit-access/article_8eee3bcc-a266-11ed-8da6-d3b7769e3844.html

NFI receives award for 46 zero-emission, high-capacity buses from Wisconsin's Metro Transit

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 14:35:01 GMT

New Flyer of America Inc. (“New Flyer”), a subsidiary of NFI Group Inc. (“NFI”), a leading independent bus and coach manufacturer and a leader in electric mass mobility solutions, today announced that the City of Madison (“Metro Transit”) ordered 46 battery-electric Xcelsior CHARGE NG™ 60-foot heavy-duty transit buses (92 equivalent units or “EUs”). The purchase was supported by Federal Transit Administration (“FTA”) funds.

The high-capacity, zero-emission articulated buses will be configured with five doors to operate on Metro Transit’s new East-West Bus Rapid Transit system, which is expected to begin its service in 2024. In addition, the new battery-electric buses for Metro Transit will be equipped with high-power batteries, providing 410 kWh of power to deliver more energy-efficient and longer-range zero-emission buses. Metro Transit provides public transportation service throughout the City of Madison, Wisconsin, delivering more than 4.6 million annual fixed route bus and paratransit rides.

“Metro Transit is excited to partner with New Flyer to help make our ambitious BRT plans a reality,” said Justin Stuehrenberg, General Manager, Metro Transit. “New Flyer's track record of innovation, quality products, and on-time delivery give us complete confidence that they will be a trustworthy partner for the largest infrastructure project the City of Madison has ever undertaken."

“With more than 16,000 Xcelsior buses on North America’s roads, NFI is a proven mass mobility leader that provides reliable and safe mobility solutions,” said Chris Stoddart, President, North American Bus and Coach, NFI. “These 60-foot Charge NG buses will immediately reduce greenhouse gas emissions, delivering cleaner, more sustainable mobility all while providing faster, high-capacity transportation to the City of Madison community.”

Introduced in 2021, the Xcelsior CHARGE NG incorporates three distinct technology advancements, including high-energy batteries, advanced protective battery packaging for easy install and simpler serviceability, and a new lightweight electric traction drive system with up to 90% energy recovery. For more information, visit newflyer.com/ng.

NFI is a leader in zero-emission mobility, with electric vehicles operating (or on order) in more than 120 cities in six countries. NFI offers the widest range of zero-emission battery and fuel cell-electric buses and coaches, and its vehicles have completed more than 85 million EV service miles.

Today, NFI supports growing North American cities with scalable, clean, and sustainable mobility solutions through a four-pillar approach that includes buses and coaches, technology, infrastructure, and workforce development. NFI also operates the Vehicle Innovation Center (“VIC”), the first and only innovation lab of its kind dedicated to advancing bus and coach technology and providing workforce development. Since opening in late 2017, the VIC has hosted over 350 interactive events, welcoming 7,000 industry professionals for EV and infrastructure training.

About NFI

Leveraging 450 years of combined experience, NFI is leading the electrification of mass mobility around the world. With zero-emission buses and coaches, infrastructure, and technology, NFI meets today’s urban demands for scalable smart mobility solutions. Together, NFI is enabling more livable cities through connected, clean, and sustainable transportation.

With 7,500 team members in nine countries, NFI is a leading global bus manufacturer of mass mobility solutions under the brands New Flyer® (heavy-duty transit buses), MCI® (motor coaches), Alexander Dennis Limited (single and double-deck buses), Plaxton (motor coaches), ARBOC® (low-floor cutaway and medium-duty buses), and NFI Parts™. NFI currently offers the widest range of sustainable drive systems available, including zero-emission electric (trolley, battery, and fuel cell), natural gas, electric hybrid, and clean diesel. In total, NFI supports its installed base of over 105,000 buses and coaches around the world. The Shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol NFI and NFI’s convertible unsecured debentures trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol NFI.DB. News and information is available at www.nfigroup.com, www.newflyer.com, www.mcicoach.com, www.nfi.parts, www.alexander-dennis.com, www.arbocsv.com, and www.carfaircomposites.com.

About New Flyer

New Flyer is North America’s heavy-duty transit bus leader and offers the most advanced product line under the Xcelsior® and Xcelsior CHARGE® brands. It also offers infrastructure development through NFI Infrastructure Solutions™, a service dedicated to providing safe, sustainable, and reliable charging and mobility solutions. New Flyer actively supports over 35,000 heavy-duty transit buses (New Flyer, NABI, and Orion) currently in service, of which 8,600 are powered by electric motors and battery propulsion and 1,900 are zero-emission. Further information is available at www.newflyer.com.

Forward-Looking Statement

This press release may contain forward-looking statements relating to expected future events and financial and operating results of NFI Group that involve risks and uncertainties. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, investors cannot be assured that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements, and the differences may be material. Actual results may differ materially from management expectations as projected in such forward-looking statements for a variety of reasons, including market and general economic conditions and economic conditions of and funding availability for customers to purchase buses and to purchase parts or services; customers may not exercise options to purchase additional buses; the ability of customers to suspend or terminate contracts for convenience; production may be delayed or production rates may be decreased as a result of the pandemic or ongoing and future supply chain disruptions and shortages of parts and components, shipping and freight delays, and disruption to labor supply; and the other risks and uncertainties discussed in the materials filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities and available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Due to the potential impact of these factors, the NFI Group disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable law.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Amanda Wanke
P: 515.474.1704
Amanda_Wanke@newflyer.com

For investor inquiries, please contact:

Stephen King
P: 204.224.6382
Stephen.King@nfigroup.com

https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2023/01/10/2586033/0/en/NFI-receives-award-for-46-zero-emission-high-capacity-buses-from-Wisconsin-s-Metro-Transit.html

Mural project chosen to transform Metro 'bus barn'

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 15:36:41 GMT

Each day, thousands of commuters and visitors to Wisconsin’s state Capitol pass the fading, beige edifice that is the Metro Transit Maintenance Facility. Occupying almost a full block of East Washington Avenue at South Ingersoll Street, the building has long served as the main hub of Madison’s public transportation, housing all of Metro’s buses.

Plans are in progress for an 8,000-square-foot mural by artist Jenie Gao to decorate its outer wall. Gao’s proposal “The Time is Ours,” was recommended by the Madison Arts Commission above three other finalists and approved as the selection by the city council Nov. 1.

The project will receive funding from Madison’s Percent for Art program. A 2017 ordinance pledged to set aside 1 percent of city spending on capital projects exceeding $5 million for the purpose of public art. According to the 2021 Percent for Art Ordinance report, $132,000 has been allocated for the Metro transit facility.

Over the summer Gao interviewed city employees and 27 people who rely on buses. Of her interviewees, 70 percent identify as BIPOC. Gao, the only finalist of color, says their inclusion was integral to her decision to focus on the experience of bus riders.

The artwork “embodies the feeling that many bus riders express that even people with the longest commutes feel ownership over their time spent in transit,” Gao said at a Sept. 7 Madison Arts Commission meeting. “They don’t have to mind traffic and the time is theirs to reflect, to read, and to do as they choose. For many people, access to public transit means having independence.”

The mural is composed of four sections connected with aluminum silhouettes of people waiting in a bus shelter. These figures observe the passing of the seasons, represented by the first spring crocuses, sunflowers and cicadas, fluffy milkweed and migrating geese, and snow.

Madison Arts Commission administrator Karin Wolf says the public response to the proposals “was very robust and rewarding.” The public comment form yielded 39 pages of feedback for all four proposals, and community members also emailed the Madison Arts Commission. Many comments supported Gao’s project and its focus on diversity. State Rep. Francesca Hong (D-Madison) wrote in an email that she didn’t think “any of the other finalists measure up to Jenie in artistic design, ethical considerations, community involvement or economic impact.”

Wisconsin once had a statewide Percent for Art Program that dedicated 0.2 percent of the construction budget for selected new state buildings or renovations for public art projects, but Gov. Scott Walker’s administration eliminated the program in 2011. Wisconsin currently ranks last in the nation for arts and culture funding, according to the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies. Madison is the first city in the state to institute a percent for art program since.

Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway says the ordinance aims to produce more public work like the Metro project.

“It’s really important for us to include art in public spaces because it sends a signal to the community that we care. We care about how things look, we care about investing in arts and culture, we care about investing in artists, and we care about beautifying our city,” Rhodes-Conway tells Isthmus.

Public art projects like the Metro Transit center also benefit tourism, adds the mayor. “In the travel industry, they call them the Instagram moments, they’re the places people stop and take a picture.”

For Jessy Stammer, Metro Transit marketing and customer service manager, the project is a way to turn the Metro facility, which she describes as a “giant, empty canvas,” into an arts space.

“We’ve been here and watched the development that’s happened on East Washington and all around us, and we’ve kind of stayed stagnant,” says Stammer. “This is a big opportunity for us to be a part of our community and our neighborhood again.”

A few possible stumbling blocks may lie ahead. Wolf is concerned that inflation could drive up the cost of materials like aluminum. Also, the design Gao submitted is for the lower half of the building, which could potentially be refaced in the next stage of the Metro facility upgrade. Beneath the building’s perforated metal siding are old brick and windows. Changes of the facing or new exposure of the old surfaces could impact Gao’s design; it might end up smaller in scope or on a different part of the building.

“This is a fixed budget,” Wolf says. “I’m worried about that because it often takes a long time to execute a project with the city. An artist has to be just very nimble and flexible and move with the project as it evolves.”

Wolf says the Madison Arts Commission will work with the city’s transportation and engineering departments to refine Gao’s designs in the coming months.

“I want people to try to suspend expectations and just see what evolves,” says Wolf. “And it’ll be gorgeous, because she’s a good artist.”

https://isthmus.com/arts/arts-beat/mural-project-chosen-to-transform-metro-bus-barn/

La Crosse kicks off week dedicated to transit equity

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 15:56:37 GMT

Rides on La Crosse buses are free from Monday to Saturday this week, part of Transit Equity Days, a celebration centered on Rosa Parks’ birthday, Feb. 4, emphasizing access to public transportation as a civil right.

Rides on Scenic Mississippi Regional Transit buses, which run to Prairie du Chien, Viroqua and Tomah, will be free on Wednesday.

A news conference with Mayor Mitch Reynolds and local transit advocates at 1 p.m. Monday at Grand River Station will kick off a week of events oriented around public transit and its connections to issues including socioeconomic inequality, climate change, accessibility and labor.

Susan Gaeddert, community program director with 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, an environmental and land use advocacy group, will lead a program titled “Transit Equity and Climate Action” on Tuesday online at 7 p.m.

MTU Transit Manager Adam Lorentz and La Crosse Area Planning Committee Executive Director Peter Fletcher will speak online Wednesday at 2 p.m. about the MTU and SMRT bus systems.

Throughout the week, local elected officials from La Crosse and Onalaska will ride the bus for one hour shifts to talk with drivers and riders.

A schedule for elected officials’ bus “office hours” and registration links for the online presentations can be found at LaCrosseTransitAdvocates.org.

The website also includes links for passengers to thank local transit employees and to share their experiences riding local public transportation.

A display at the public library will showcase information and books about transportation equity, climate change and the history of Rosa Parks and the Montgomery bus boycott. A display at the Grand River Station highlights La Crosse historian Terry Hicks’ history of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 519 and other labor organizations.

In addition to this week’s events, the La Crosse Area Transit Advocates regularly pairs new riders with experienced passenger through a buddy program. Interested residents can email LaCrosseTransitAdvocates@protonmail.com or call 608-315-2693 to participate.

“We’d like to get people to try the bus if they haven’t,” said Cathy Van Maren, member of La Crosse Area Transit Advocates. “I think a compelling reason is to take climate action, but it could be you’re interesting in taking the bus because of driving in the snow and slush and finding a parking space.”

The La Crosse Area Transit Advocates also shared several statistics regarding access to cars, road safety and carbon emissions.

“What do we subsidize? Parking for private cars or public transportation or bicycle infrastructure?” said Van Maren. “How do we expect people to get places, and how do we build our cities so they can get places?”

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation estimates that 30 to 40 percent of the city of La Crosse’s population over the age of 15 are not drivers, meaning they do not hold a drivers license or do not own a vehicle per Department of Motor Vehicle records.

According to a White House fact sheet published in 2021, Wisconsin residents who rely on public transportation spend over 60 percent more time commuting, and non-White households in the state are nearly six times more likely to use public transportation.

The U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics estimates the average yearly cost to own a car in 2022 was nearly $11,000.

The La Crosse Municipal Transit Utility last year provided nearly 760,000 rides on fixed routes and over 18,000 rides through the paratransit service for passengers who cannot access regular bus routes due to disability.

The SMRT bus system provided over 18,000 rides and the Onalaska/Holmen/West Salem Public Transit Taxi provided over 48,000 rides last year.

All three systems saw increased use from last year.

https://lacrossetribune.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/la-crosse-kicks-off-week-dedicated-to-transit-equity/article_51bc4e1a-9e7e-11ed-be8c-bfcce64f24d0.html

“It’s a Big Deal” -- President Biden Mentions Madison in Recent White House Speech

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 26 Jan 2023 14:33:21 GMT

On Friday, President Biden gave a speech to the US Conference of Mayors at the White House, which included an unexpected pat on the back to Madison for the city's efforts to improve the climate and public health with the purchase of 46 electric buses. (See link to the video below.)

"I am delighted that the President recognized Madison as a national leader on climate action and reducing harmful greenhouse gases. We couldn't do it without the strong partnership of the White House and the federal Department of Transportation," said Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway.

Madison's planned bus rapid transit (BRT) system will be fully electric. The City placed an order for the zero emission buses in the summer of 2022. They are expected to begin arriving summer of 2023, while BRT will launch in 2024.

With each of Metro’s current buses using approximately 5,000 gallons of diesel each year, electric buses are expected to conserve nearly a quarter million gallons of fuel annually. Without diesel engines, transmissions, intakes or exhaust systems, electric vehicles can also save up to $125,000 in maintenance costs per vehicle during the lifetime of the bus.

Converting Metro’s fleet to electric is one of the most important things the City can do to take climate action. Transportation is responsible for about 40% of Madison's greenhouse gas emissions and diesel exhaust is a significant contributor to childhood asthma and other health conditions.

Mayor Rhodes-Conway attended the US Conference of Mayors this week. She also took the gavel as the national Chair of US Climate Mayors, a group of over 500 Mayors working to accelerate climate action in the United States.

Transcript of Biden Remarks

BIDEN: Transportation Secretary Pete is here. Look, we know the -- better known as “Mayor Pete” -- (laughter) -- but he’s working with many of you to address those quality-of-life issues that really matter to people you serve, not just through big bridges and highway projects, but through -- though they’re important -- but also through smaller projects that are critical to your cities. Like in Madison, Wisconsin, where Mayor Rhodes-Conway is buying 46 electric buses, replacing those dirty diesels -- bad for the health of the environment and making it clear. No, I'm serious. It's a big deal. (Applause.) There you are, okay. (Applause.)

MAYOR RHODES-CONWAY: Thank you, Mr. President.

THE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you. And it means our kids aren't going to be inhaling that diesel fumes when they get off the bus. For real. It matters. Environmentally, it matters, as well.

https://www.cityofmadison.com/news/its-a-big-deal-president-biden-mentions-madison-in-recent-white-house-speech

Is Uber the future of Juneau Country's public transit?

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 14:36:14 GMT

As early as March, Juneau County residents could be able to request a ride through two major rideshare apps with the help of federal dollars.

Uber and Lyft services will be government subsidized temporarily within the county; approximately $300,000 of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds will be expended over the course of two years to bring drivers, and passengers, together.

“A lot of us have apps on our phone that we use in other communities and they’re ready to go. You request a ride and then a driver comes,” said Health Officer Amanda Dederich. “Now whenever I pull my app up, there’s not a driver available in our area because they think the demand isn’t there.”

For every ride begun or completed in Juneau through the Uber or Lyft apps, drivers will receive an extra $5. Residents and visitors could request rides 24/7. A fare will still be paid by the rider to the driver, with the additional compensation made between the county and the driver on top of that cost.

The Juneau County Health Department believe that the extra cash will attract more drivers to the area and create new opportunities for residents.

“We’re hoping that by the time this pilot project is over, it’ll be a sustainable model,” Dederich added.

The program was proposed by the Transportation Community Action Team, which was formed by the health department in response to a county-wide resident survey. When asked what determines community health, over 12,000 residents identified a strong economy and accessible transportation as top priorities.

The health department estimates that up to 30,000 residents could make use of the service per year if enough drivers were attracted by the offer. The county board was presented with research done by the city of Mauston in December that showed 40% of its residents “would definitely or probably use” Uber or Lyft if it was available. Another 40% would consider using ride-share if they had more information.

Mauston discussed creating its own rideshare subsidy, but the city ultimately couldn’t afford it with last year’s budget.

Juneau County’s new program isn’t unique by any means. Public transportation agencies from New Jersey to Florida have turned to subsidizing Uber rides where bus routes are too costly or difficult to maintain.

Rural communities have gotten in on the action, too. In Innisfil, Ontario, a program to subsidize Uber rides was launched in 2017. The cost began as a flat rate between $4 to $6 for passengers in an area serving 36,000. By 2020, the price tag for subsidizing Uber overtook what it would have cost for the municipality to buy and operate its own public buses.

Tara Ennis, a supervisor with the health department, stated that while $300,000 might sound like enough money to buy the county a bus or a fleet of taxis, the pay for a driver would only be going toward a handful of individuals.

Instead, the pilot project could create a gig employment opportunity for dozens of county residents.

“We’re not just putting money into a private company; we’re putting the money into our residents as employment opportunities,” she said. “If we can invest this, and have multiple vehicles available at peak times, we’re serving more people in the long run.”

Ennis added that the county is already aware of residents who work for Lyft and Uber but commute to the Wisconsin Dells and other neighboring cities where demand for rideshare is higher. The subsidy program, and assistance from the county to raise awareness for it, could help bring those drivers home.

Juneau County Finance Director Lori Chipman noted at the county board’s last meeting that the subsidy program will likely dissolve in late 2024 as ARPA funds must be fully obligated in the next two years and spent by 2026. If the program is unsuccessful, the county will find another use for the remaining funds.

“Best case scenario, the money is eaten up in the first year. That means there’s a market for it and it’s sustainable,” stated Dederich, who has since left the health department.

The county board has already voted to support the program, but there are still kinks to work out. Initially, only residents with smartphones will be able to access the app to request Uber or Lyft services. Ennis believes that community outreach and education efforts, such as events held at local libraries, could breach the divide.

“We know that it won’t be the program that fixes everything for everyone,” Ennis said. “But we know that if you aren’t over 60, have a documented disability or live outside of Mauston, you literally have no access to transport right now.”

“We’re hoping this will fill that major gap.”

https://www.wiscnews.com/community/are-rideshares-the-future-of-juneau-countys-public-transit/article_e1d323e2-10b9-5a02-8de9-e3d67961082f.html

Interactive bus stops aims to fight gun violence

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 15:31:25 GMT

Debra Gillispe is the founder of Mothers Against Gun Violence. She lost her son, Kirk Bikham Jr., to gun violence in the city in 2003.

Twenty years later, she’s still doing all she can to share support and resources for others going through the same thing.

Through a partnership between Mothers Against Gun Violence, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Carroll University and the Milwaukee County Transit System, interactive murals have gone up at two Milwaukee bus stops.

People can scan the QR codes on the bus stop mural. It takes them to a webpage where those impacted by gun violence across Wisconsin share their stories.

The bus stop murals are located at 12th and State Streets and 6th St. and Highland Ave. A third interactive mural is in the works.

“I see these stories and I’m just so honored that we were able to share their voices,” said Gillispe.

Gillispe said over the years, she’s noticed that gun violence has gotten worse in the city.

“I think it’s very important to show that gun violence isn’t just a Black or brown issue,” she said. “It’s a people issue. That’s why these voices represent our community.”

She said her faith and giving others a voice has helped in her own grief process.

“I’m just blessed that I healed because grief is unexpected,” said Gillispe. “God used it for good. He used it to elevate other survivors’ voices.”

The artist behind these murals is Natalie Derr, a local Milwaukee artist.

She listened to the personal interviews to gain a better understanding of each victim so that she could represent them accurately through the murals.

“The best reward has been talking and speaking to the people that have actually gone through this so I can get a better idea on how to create an artwork that really reflects that person,” said Derr.

She was connected with Gillispe through her former professor at UWM.

“Working with Debra has been such an honor and such a privilege,” said Derr. "She’s such a beacon in the community for all that she stands for and all of the people that she supports.”

Gillispe said these interactive murals are just one way to give survivors a voice and to inspire change in our communities one story at a time.

If you’ve been affected by gun violence and would like to share your story, you can reach out to the project, here.

https://spectrumnews1.com/wi/milwaukee/news/2023/01/17/interactive-bus-stops-elevating-voices-of-gun-violence

Eau Claire switching to Tap and Ride Technology

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 14:09:15 GMT

Eau Claire Transit, the city’s bus system, recently announced it is adopting a new account-based ticketing with “tap and ride” technology as well as up-to-date dispatch and vehicle location systems.

Masabi is a British company that has been bringing Fare-Payments-as-a-Service (FPaaS) to public transit systems and has recently worked in part with Durham, North Carolina-based TransLoc to redesign the payment system for Eau Claire Transit. Masabi and TransLoc were selected by Eau Claire Transit for their innovative account-based fare payment system that will change how Eau Claire does transportation.

A mobile app will be made available by January to allow riders to purchase tickets and passes, but alternative cash payments can still be made at select retail locations across the city. As of March 31, 2023, paper tickets or passes will no longer be able to be used. Masabi will install fare validators across the Eau Claire Transit fleet which makes boarding a bus as easy as swiping your smartphone or smartcard.

Meanwhile, TransLoc will be creating an easy navigational system that allows riders to find buses through an app for real-time trip planning and receive announcements for upcoming bus stops while riding.

All this is in an effort to make Eau Claire Transit more accessible and user friendly, with the hope that the changes implemented will benefit the public transportation system and its riders.

https://volumeone.org/articles/2022/11/01/307164-eau-claire-transit-switching-to-tap-and-ride

Green Bay Metro Bus Driver Retires After 50 Years

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 15:55:56 GMT

He is the first Green Bay Metro bus driver hired - and he drove his last shift today. Dale Detry is retiring, and he was awarded a plaque for his perfect driving record with a high safety score rating. He got into zero accidents during his entire career.

He started in 1973, when Green Bay bought its transit system from Wisconsin Public Service.

On his last day, Dale Detry observed: “I was always very dedicated and uh, got my rest in order. You got to be real disciplined to do something like that. Just doesn’t happen by accident.”

He added that his favorite part of the job was helping people: “Everybody’s real grateful, especially if they’re new and they don’t know where something is and I point it right out to them right away. I give them the time points and when to come back and they’re really appreciative.”

One of many of Dale’s experiences is driving the 1996 Super Bowl-winning Packers in the parade after the game.

Patty Qiewiz, Transit Director of Green Day Metro, was on hand to say good-bye: “Dale has been some of individuals everyday contacts, personal contacts, you become friends and those types of things so people could always rely on him and they’re really going to miss him.”

https://www.wbay.com/2022/12/30/green-bay-metro-bus-driver-retires-after-50-years/

Gov. Evers announces $5 million in funding to improve transportation for seniors, those with disabilities

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 14:02:29 GMT

Governor Tony Evers has announced that $5 million in state and federal funds will go toward improving transportation for seniors and people with disabilities in 2023.

The funding will expand a program called the 5310 Enhanced Mobility Of Seniors And Individuals With Disabilities Program. The program helps non-profits and public transit provide more accessible transportation. For many residents in Brown County, the funding will help meet an essential need.

"It increased our funding for almost half for next year," said Ker Vang, Senior Planner for the Brown County Planning Commission.

In the state's four large "urbanized" areas, Appleton, Green Bay, Madison, and Milwaukee, the county administers the program, while Wisconsin DOT administers the funding in more rural areas.

In Brown County, one of the recipients of the 2023 funding is Green Bay Metro. In the past, the program has helped Green Bay Metro acquire new wheelchair securement devices and ADA accessible bus shelters. Now, Green Bay Metro will be receiving funding to purchase an audio component to go with a new display board that will be at the various bus stops. The audio component will read the bus schedule to riders.

Another recipient is Curative Connections, a non-profit that serves seniors and adults with disabilities. The non-profit will receive funding for operational assistance with their transportation services. Another portion of the funding will go to Mobility Management of Brown County.

“Mobility Management of Brown County also received half of this funding to do research, find new ways to help partners find new ways to manage their programs as well too," Vang said.

For an area with a large senior population, accessible transportation is essential for many residents. That's why Vang says this funding is critical for the county to be able to accommodate them.

"A lot of them need transportation for services such as medical, or even daily appointments to get their meds from the store, or to even go to social activities," Vang said.

You can learn more about the program at browncountywi.gov.

https://www.nbc26.com/news/local-news/gov-evers-announces-5-million-in-funding-to-improve-transportation-for-seniors-those-with-disabilities

Madison, State leaders break ground on city's bus rapid transit system

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 13:26:53 GMT

City and state leaders on Thursday broke ground on Madison’s first bus rapid transit line set to connect the east and west sides, one of Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway’s key initiatives since assuming office.

The push for rapid transit has been decades in the making, Rhodes-Conway said during a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday afternoon, and one that she said will better position Madison to compete with other cities of its size while also helping meet the city’s climate goals.

“Someone who relies on transit to get to work shouldn’t have to make an hour and 15 minute commute trip one way,” she added. “We all deserve mobility choices to get us to where we need to go in a reasonable amount of time.”

Wisconsin Department of Transportation Secretary Craig Thompson praised the bus rapid transit system as a critical new link that will connect residents to jobs and cultural centers.

The rapid transit system, which coincides with a larger route redesign within the Metro Transit umbrella, aims to reduce travel times and better connect major employers and key parts of the city, including the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Madison College campuses, downtown, Hilldale Shopping Center and East Towne and West Towne malls.

It will also run down State Street, which has drawn concern from businesses in the pedestrian corridor.

Once completed, 60-foot articulated buses will run every 15 minutes in dedicated lanes with greater distances between stops, according to the city. The north-south route is still in development.

Construction is set to continue through 2024. The city hopes to have the east-west line running by the fall of that year.

https://www.channel3000.com/madison-state-leaders-break-ground-on-citys-bus-rapid-transit-system/

US: Digital Fare Payment Tech Is Finding Its Way to Small Agencies

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 15:25:13 GMT

Transit tech companies are bringing digital fare payment and other technologies found in some of the largest public transit systems to smaller cities.

Eau Claire Transit in Wisconsin, for example, is partnering with Masabi and TransLoc to offer not only an account-based digital fare payments as a service (FPaaS) to riders, but also technology that allows riders expanded trip planning and real-time bus tracking.

Meanwhile, the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA) — serving the Aspen, Colo., region and the largest rural public transportation provider in the U.S. — will use the Masabi digital fare payments system as well, offering discounts and other perks. The new platform will launch Nov. 21, said Jamie Tatsuno, communications manager for the RFTA.

"With the RFTA Tickets app, we are hoping for faster boarding times and a contactless fare payment system," said Tatsuno, adding, "We are making our tickets and passes more accessible to our riders who may not be able to access a ticket vending machine or sales outlet to purchase the discounted fare media, being that we are in a rural area."

RFTA and Eau Claire Transit will use Masabi's Justride platform, a cloud-based plug-and-play technology used by more than 150 transit agencies across nine countries.

"Justride is the largest and most advanced platform in the world, which means all agencies can get the same ticketing systems as the largest cities for a fraction of the cost — and in a fraction of the time — and still receive continuous updates to ensure their solution is the best it can be," said James Gooch, head of marketing for Masabi.

Justride is an app-based system that is entirely contactless. Masabi will install the appropriate fare-validator hardware across the bus fleets. Riders who want to continue using cash can make deposits into their accounts at select retail locations.

In Eau Claire, TransLoc will provide tech upgrades to benefit both riders and operators. Riders will get real-time bus location data; while operators will have access to automated passenger counting onboard buses as well as computer-aided dispatch and other features.

"Just a few years ago, this technology would have been out of reach to all but the largest agencies," said Brian Zanghi, CEO of Masabi, in a statement. "Today, we are delivering this cutting-edge solution to towns and cities all over the world in a fraction of the time and at a fraction of the cost. We are delighted to have been selected to provide this system with our partner TransLoc, and look forward to working with Eau Claire Transit in the years to come."

In Colorado, the RFTA will not be partnering with TransLoc. The Masabi system will make discount opportunities available to riders. For example, single one-way and round-trip tickets get discounted 25 percent across all RFTA regional routes, 30-day zone passes for routes to and from Aspen and seasonal zone passes. Also, when riders first download the new app and create an account, they will receive a free one-day bus pass good for any of RFTA's regional routes. Funds can be added to rider accounts via the app when a bank card is attached, or depositing cash into the accounts at retail locations.

RFTA's current ticketing process involves slipping cash into the fare box on buses, or using a "stored value card" purchased at transit vending machines, said Tatsuno, adding, "We do not have any sort of digital ticketing as of yet."

The new digital ticketing will happen alongside the existing fare collection system, with RFTA continuing to accept current stored value cards, 30-day zone passes and cash aboard all buses.

https://www.masstransitmag.com/technology/fare-collection/news/21287329/us-digital-fare-payment-tech-is-finding-its-way-to-small-agencies

Milwaukee County Transit System: Reaches agreement with ATU local 998

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 16:17:34 GMT

Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) and Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 998, the union that represents MCTS bus drivers and mechanics, have reached an agreement on a 3-year contract. The contract includes significant wage increases, increased work/life balance and minimal changes to healthcare.

MCTS Interim Managing Director Denise Wandke said, “The company and the union have been working together since March to address wages, healthcare, security and work/life balance for operators and maintenance employees. Starting my employment with MCTS as an operator, I know the hard work and passion my fellow bus operators share. I think this contract shows our commitment to our employees and desire to collaborate with the union. I am proud of each and every employee and their amazing contributions to this community.”

“On behalf of all Milwaukee County residents, I commend the Milwaukee County Transit System and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 998 for reaching a fair and equitable agreement that results in uninterrupted transit service for all residents,” said Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. “The transit system is an integral part of our community and I’m proud to stand in support of both MCTS and the ATU, as we continue serving passengers across all of Milwaukee County.”

Highlights of the 3-year agreement include:

Wage increases – Wages will increase each year of the contract.
Competitive healthcare benefits – Percent contributions for 2023 and 2024 remain at 15% with slight increases to co-pays and deductibles.
Pension – A healthy pension that provides a great deal of financial stability for employees’ futures.
No Takeaways – The agreement does not take away anything from employees. MCTS did not request any concessions from the union.

MCTS is hiring additional drivers, offering a $1,000 sign-on bonus. A paid training class starts each month. Candidates are welcome to apply at RideMCTS.com/Careers.

https://www.wisbusiness.com/2022/milwaukee-county-transit-system-reaches-agreement-with-atu-local-998/

Mayor and Alders Propose to Allow More Development Near High Capacity Transit

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 14:09:29 GMT

At the November 22 Common Council meeting, Alder Heck, Alder Foster, Alder Vidaver and Mayor Rhodes-Conway introduced legislation to promote transit-oriented development along high capacity transit corridors in Madison. Transit-oriented development (TOD) is a pedestrian-oriented, compact, mixed-use development style focused along high quality public transit. It typically includes a mix of housing, office, retail, neighborhood amenities and other uses within walking distance of a transit station.

The legislation would create a TOD overlay zoning district, based in the policy direction of the City’s 2018 Comprehensive Plan, Imagine Madison, to focus much of our future population growth to areas best equipped to serve it – along public transit corridors. Madison has grown by nearly 70,000 people since 2000, and is expected to grow by another 70,000 people in the next two decades.

“Part of providing affordable housing is making sure it’s connected to affordable, accessible transportation options,” said Mayor Rhodes-Conway. “By focusing development in areas with great transit service, we can offer future residents walkable and amenity-rich neighborhoods, and avoid making traffic worse.”

The current proposal permits modest, context-sensitive increases to allowable residential development limits within about a quarter-mile of corridors with frequent transit service – that is, transit that comes at least every 15 minutes. It also removes minimum parking requirements, adjusts site layout regulations, and makes small adjustments to heights to accommodate a more compact development pattern.

“While we are proposing some increases in density, this is not a one-size-fits-all solution,” said District 2 Alder Patrick Heck. “This legislation makes small, incremental adjustments to the base zoning that allow us to accommodate more growth without dramatically changing neighborhood character.”

As an example, in some areas, the TOD overlay will allow a 6-story building instead of a 5-story building, or a 4-story building instead of a 3-story building. In single-family neighborhoods, the TOD overlay will allow a duplex instead of just one housing unit.

“The TOD overlay will help the City deliver on its housing and sustainability goals,” said District 15 Alder Grant Foster. “We are creating the opportunity for more housing to be developed, and making it easier for residents to opt for the bus instead of their cars.”

To keep up with population growth, the City estimates it needs to be building around 2,000 new housing units per year. However, the average number of new units created each year has fallen short of that target over the last decade, which puts pressure on house prices and rents.

“We desperately need more housing, and this is one of many tools that can help deliver it,” said District 5 Alder Regina Vidaver. “An increased supply of housing and the ability to get around without a car are both important aspects of keeping Madison affordable in the long-run.”

The proposed legislation will be reviewed by the Transportation Policy and Planning Board on December 5 and by the Plan Commission on December 12. It is scheduled to return to the Common Council for a final decision on January 3.

To learn more about the proposed TOD overlay, visit http://www.cityofmadison.com/tod.

https://www.cityofmadison.com/news/mayor-and-alders-propose-to-allow-more-development-near-high-capacity-transit

Feeding America hosts 25th annual 'Stuff the Bus' food drive

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 15:23:43 GMT

The annual "Stuff the Bus" event returns for it's 25th year. The event helps feed thousands of families in need throughout the Milwaukee area.

The event fills two Milwaukee County Transit System bus with groceries. According to Feeding America, one in eight people in Milwaukee don't know where their next meal is coming from and one in four children don't know where their next meal is coming from.

You can help by stopping by Pick 'n Save on 6462 S. 27th Street in Oak Creek to purchase and donate a non-perishable food item, or Round Up your grocery purchase to the nearest dollar or donate $1, $5 or $10 at the in-store registers, including self-checkout! The event goes until 6 p.m. Wednesday.

"Stuff the Bus is a staple of the holiday giving season," said Patti Habeck, President and CEO of Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin. "We are thrilled to partner with Pick ‘N Save, Audacy and Milwaukee County Transit System to help provide so many meals for local families."

https://www.fox6now.com/news/feeding-america-hosts-25th-annual-stuff-the-bus-food-drive

Battery-powered electric bus unveiled in Milwaukee

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 15:11:01 GMT

The Milwaukee County Transit System is introducing a new type of bus to its fleet, unveiling its first battery-powered electric bus this week.

This method of power means zero emissions, a priority guiding the future of public transportation in many large cities across America.

Officials say that this bus will be in service starting next year as part of Wisconsin's first rapid transit line under the MCTS Connect brand. Their stated goal is to make this a step towards making public transit more sustainable.

Martin Larose, President of Nova Bus says that access to this type of vehicle changes the public transit environment in a major way, adding, "Electric buses are really a game-changer. Putting a bus in service obviously right off the bat is good for the environment, you remove cars from the city."

He also praised the new bus for being cleaner and quieter.

MCTS began the construction and infrastructure of this project last year, purchasing 11 battery-powered electric buses.

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley said in March 2021 that alternative fuel buses would represent the future of public transit in Milwaukee, saying, “We’re excited to transition towards greener, more sustainable and more efficient transit for our community. Innovative technologies like this help in our mission to advance racial equity and enhance the quality of life through great public service.”

https://www.cbs58.com/news/battery-powered-electric-bus-unveiled-in-milwaukee

Neenah Transit Center moves to new site near City Hall

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 15:18:56 GMT

Reader question: Why is the Valley Transit bus transfer station in Neenah moving? Was that requested by Valley Transit or the city?

Answer: Valley Transit, the public transportation service in the Fox Cities, will relocate the Neenah Transit Center closer to Neenah City Hall starting Monday.

The bus transfer station currently is located on the east side of the 100 block of South Church Street. It will move two blocks east to the south side of the 100 block of East Doty Avenue.

The move will affect riders on Route 30 (Neenah-Menasha), Route 31 (East Neenah), Route 32 (West Neenah), Route 41 (West Fox Valley) and Route 10 (Neenah-Oshkosh) operated by GO Transit.

The city of Neenah requested the move. Traffic engineer James Merten said the relocation will:

Address traffic safety concerns around the existing bus shelter and on Wisconsin Avenue.
Provide riders with access to public bathrooms at City Hall.
Cause fewer disturbances to transit operations during special events.
Add street parking in a high-demand area (South Church) in exchange for sacrificing street parking in a relatively low-demand area (East Doty).

The major drawback of the move is the new shelter will not be heated.

Neenah spent about $8,300 to prepare the new site and assemble the shelter. The total accounts for new pavement, traffic signs, lighting and a wireless security camera.

Neither the city nor Valley Transit has committed to make the new location anything more than a short-term solution.

Neenah plans to reconstruct East Doty between Commercial and Oak streets in 2024, so it wants to evaluate how the station functions in the new location before proceeding with the design of the new street.

"It gives us a good chance to look at how it would operate here," Public Works Director Gerry Kaiser said.

Ron McDonald, general manager of Valley Transit, said Valley Transit will work with Neenah and the East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission to determine whether the new site is the optimal location.

"It's going to be permanent until we decide that there's another alternative that's better," McDonald said.

Post-Crescent reporter Duke Behnke answers your questions about local government. Send questions to dbehnke@gannett.com or call him at 920-993-7176.

https://www.postcrescent.com/story/news/local/2022/11/11/neenah-transit-center-moves-new-site-near-city-hall-monday/69635683007/

Metro Transit redesign will benefit minorities, low-income areas, study says

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 19:33:33 GMT

A sweeping redesign of the Madison’s bus system will benefit minorities as much as white residents and low-income neighborhoods as much as other neighborhoods, a new equity analysis says.

Older adults will also benefit from the coming Metro Transit redesign, but not as much as others; non-English speaking residents will benefit as much as English speakers; and those with disabilities may benefit less than others, a study by the city’s consultant, Jarret Walker and Associates of Portland, Oregon, says.

But critics say the city’s outreach process failed to truly engage marginalized communities, that some people could get less service due to inadequate geographic coverage, and that a more in-depth equity analysis is needed to ensure riders most in need are being better served by the redesign.

The network redesign is intended to address longstanding inequities in public transportation, reflect future needs and complement coming bus rapid transit, or BRT, city officials have said.

In the early morning of June 8, the City Council voted 14-6 for a system redesign that promises to deliver more frequent and consistent service while using fewer routes and transfers, and better links to outlying areas, and eliminating buses from lower State Street. For some riders, the changes will mean longer walks to the bus stop and less service. But the council also approved a series of amendments intended to reduce those hardships.

After the plan was approved, the private consultant conducted a federal Title VI equity analysis to see if there are any disproportionate impacts on specific communities.

The study’s positive results were anticipated because the city designed the system with the goal of providing better, more useful service with an emphasis on improving travels times for communities of color and low-income people, city transportation director Thomas Lynch said.

But Susan De Vos, president of Madison Area Bus Advocates, said the analysis has serious methodological problems, inadequately addresses qualitative issues, and should be considered inadequate and be improved.

“We went into the redesign favoring a ‘ridership’ model for the new network and then failed to deliver the service frequency it requires,” added Jonathan Mertzig, a member of Madison Area Bus Advocates.

The city has scheduled a final online public hearing on the consultant’s analysis, bus stop placements, route start and end times, and route name updates for 6 p.m. Wednesday. The system changes will go into effect in June 2023.

Access to jobs

The redesign and amendments envision BRT — a high-frequency, high-capacity, limited-stop service that would run on city streets and dedicated lanes with special stations — as the backbone of the new network, which is a separate initiative. The initial 15.5-mile, east-to-west BRT route will run roughly from East Towne to West Towne, while a future route will run from north to south.

The proposed network reconfigures bus service in all parts of the city with a completely new set of routes designed to better meet the goal of connecting the most people with the places they need to go in a reasonable amount of time, city officials said.

For the equity study, Metro considered how often a bus stops near each neighborhood and how many jobs or places riders can get to from where they live. The location of jobs is a good way to see where people can travel because the places that people work are also the places many people go to shop, eat and get other services, officials said.

Overall, the analysis found people will be able to travel to more places using the bus. Residents will see a 27% increase in the number of times a bus comes to their neighborhood, and 47% of residents will be able to travel to many more places, which means being able to get to 10,000 or more additional jobs on a 45-minute trip, the analysis says. But 3% of residents will be able to travel to fewer places, which means getting to 1,000 jobs or less in 45 minutes, it says.

“I don’t think we realized how much better job access would be for most of our communities, including marginalized communities,” Lynch said.

But DeVos, Mertzig and others have concerns.

“The planners and city leadership will point out that they’ve delivered 15-minute high frequency on some routes, but if you’re outside that core network, basically on the central Isthmus, I suspect this network and proposed service levels will actually be worse for many riders,” Mertzig said.

Who benefits

The analysis also found:

Minorities will benefit as much or more than white residents. Neighborhoods with more minorities will see a 30% increase in service compared with 26% for white people; 45% of Black and white people, 56% of Asians, and 52% of Hispanics will have many more places they can travel by bus.
Low-income residents will benefit as much or more than other residents. Low-income residents will have 20% more service and other neighborhoods 32% more, but the latter number is high because the current transfer point system counts trips twice. Sixty-seven percent of low-income residents will have many more places they can travel by bus compared with 40% of other residents.
Older adults will benefit, but not as much as others. Thirty-six percent of older adults will have many more places they can travel to by bus, but 4% will have fewer places. But that’s partly because older adults are more likely to live in single-family homes and areas where housing is more spread out and less likely to be near main streets where more bus trips are planned.
People with disabilities may benefit less, but limited data makes it somewhat unclear. Available data shows 41% of those with disabilities will have many more places they can travel to by bus and that 4% will have fewer places.

“The analysis shows it will allow more people to get to more places at more times,” Lynch said.

“The analysis shows that the plan will work as is,” he said. “However, there are some minor adjustments to the ends of a few routes. They will be presented Nov. 9. When we do the soft roll out, scheduled for May, it may give additional information to make refinements that can help everyone.”

Overall, the city’s community engagement was flawed because it relied heavily on online meetings while many transit riders lack sufficient access to online media, De Vos said. Further, the system is under resourced, critics said.

“The network probably could be OK if actually funded to be a high-frequency system for more of the city, but the current budget fails to actually deliver that result,” Mertzig said.

The biggest concern, Lynch said, is that a lot of detailed work remains to make sure the system is ready for such a substantial overhaul. “But Metro is confident that we can make that schedule with adjustments being made as needed,” he said.

https://madison.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/metro-transit-redesign-will-benefit-minorities-low-income-areas-study-says/article_32fd31b2-e28b-5163-ba41-b939e9a3a192.html

City of Monona considering handing off transit service to Madison

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 19:51:08 GMT

The City of Monona is considering handing off transit responsibilities to the City to Madison.

Monona currently has two forms of public transportation, the Monona Express and the Monona Lift. The Express is a bus service that runs between the city and Capitol Square, the UW campus and all three Madison hospitals. The Lift gives door-to-door service to seniors and people with special needs.

Under a new proposal, Monona would phase out its own service and Madison Metro Transit would take over. Madison Metro would service Monona Drive through two routes, and the rest of the city through a newly proposed Monona Route.

The new route would circle the city every hour, clockwise down Stoughton Road, then running past City Hall and Monona Grove High School to connect with the rest of the Madison Transit Network at Cottage Grove Road.

The Monona Express only runs from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., and only on weekdays. That is compared to Madison Metro, which runs every day from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. City officials said that Monona’s service is prone to interruptions due to limited staffing, compared to Madison which is more consistent.

The fare for Madison Metro is cheaper. Monona charges a $3 fare, and $2 for seniors and students. Madison only charges a $2 fare, with discounts for seniors, students and employers. Additionally, Madison does not accept transfers from Monona Transit but Madison tickets are transferrable to connected routes in the city.

Similar to the Express service, the Monona Lift only offers service during weekdays while the Metro Paratransit operates every day from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. However, Monona’s current service allows riders to call ahead when a ride is needed, and riders can use the service without any special requirements or applications.

Metro Paratransit requires riders to fill out an application, and riders must qualify to ride. Paratransit rides are available anywhere in the Metro service area, but Lift service is limited to a one-mile radius around Monona.

Monona’s current transit service foots a $105,000 bill to the city’s property taxpayers each year, with other costs being subsidized by local, state and federal sources. The number is tied to a five-year contract, and services and prices can change every five years. Should the city switch over to Madison Metro service, taxpayers would face a bill between $78,000 and $86,000 with a 3% year-on-year increase.

The city will hold two public meetings this month to discuss the proposal, one on October 20 and another on October 25. Both meetings will be held at the Monona Public Library Municipal Room at 6 p.m.

https://www.channel3000.com/city-of-monona-considering-handing-off-transit-service-to-madison/

It’s Electric!

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 13:43:25 GMT

Enjoy the Ryde Racine’s promotional video about their use of electric buses!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTR8rdrLcIc

Bus rides in La Crosse are free on World Car-Free Day today

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 26 Sep 2022 14:16:47 GMT

Thursday was designated World Car-Free Day, aimed at getting people to walk for one day, or use mass transit. The MTU in La Crosse is promoting the car-free idea with free bus rides all day long.

Another plan for saving money while taking the bus is scheduled to be introduced in October.

Adam Lorentz, the head of the MTU, says Genfare will make it easier to pay for bus rides, and plan your mass transit trips.

“This new Genfare system will be a mobile app, where you can actually download the app on your phone,” says Lorentz. “You can pay by your phone, and it allows us to give more options for different riderships, so we could offer one-day rides, three-day rides, or instead of just for the month of let’s say, October, you just buy a 30-day pass and it’s good for the day that you activate it.”

The Genfare system for La Crosse has been in the works for over a year.

“One of the things we heard from a lot of riders and people coming from out-of-town or visitors or students is that…they don’t like how you have to purchase a pass with cash only or check only at certain locations,” Lorentz says, and “that it only goes for the month and doesn’t go by the days.”

Sources say World Car-Free Day has been observed on September 22nd since 2000.

https://www.wizmnews.com/2022/09/23/state-funding-grants-go-to-several-ems-systems-in-la-crosse-region/

Milwaukee County electric bus charging station installed

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 22 Sep 2022 16:27:58 GMT

The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) announced on Wednesday, Sept. 21 the installation of the first electric bus charging station at the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center in Wauwatosa. It is installed along Milwaukee County’s East-West Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line.

The MCTS planned 9-mile, regional, modern transit line is scheduled to begin service in June 2023. A news release says it will connect to major employment, education and recreation destinations through downtown Milwaukee, Milwaukee’s Near West Side, Marquette University, Wauwatosa and the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center.

The new BRT route will come with two battery-electric bus (BEB) charging stations – one at each end of the line. The first is operating at Watertown Plank at the end of the route – while the second will be built at the BRT’s starting point at the Couture in downtown Milwaukee.

BRT Charging Station Facts

The charging pole at Watertown Plank Road stands 15 feet tall and weighs 3,000 pounds.
ABB, a world leader in electric vehicle infrastructure, manufactured the 450-Kilowatt charger, part of the E-mobility HVC-PD charging system.
The charging arm, called a pantograph, lowers and connects to the rooftop of the bus and charges the electric bus in as little as three to six minutes.
The battery-electric buses can operate up to 247 miles on a single charge.

https://www.fox6now.com/news/milwaukee-county-electric-bus-charging-station

Wausau to hold public information sessions on transit plans

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 20:03:08 GMT

The Wausau Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), in partnership with Metro Ride, invites the public to provide feedback on the draft five year Transit Development Plan (TDP) during two upcoming public informational meetings.

Public informational meetings will be held on Tuesday, September 20, 2022, from 5 – 6:30 pm and Wednesday, September 21, 2022, from 10 – 11:30 am in the Aquarium Room of the Marathon County Public Library, 300 First St., Wausau.

During the information sessions, RLS and Associates will present information regarding the planning process and introduce the draft TDP for the area. The plan was prompted by the decline in transit ridership, changes in demand from within Wausau and its surrounding communities, and the potential for applying new service modes and transit technologies in the area.

Comments collected regarding the plan will help finalize the plan. The draft plan can be found online at WausauMPO.org. Printed copies will be available at the Marathon County Public Library. To provide comments send an email to MPO@co.marathon.wi.us or call Dave Mack, MPO Director at 715-261-6043. Comments will be accepted until October 15, 2022.

The plan contains the evaluation of current transit services for developing efficiency and future opportunities. Additionally, options for service outside the City of Wausau are identified and explored in the Plan.

The MPO serves the communities of: Cities of Mosinee, Schofield, and Wausau; Villages of Kronenwetter, Maine, Rothschild, and Weston; and the Towns of Mosinee, Rib Mountain, Stettin, Wausau, and Weston. The Transit Plan is an important part of developing transportation strategies that support these communities in the Wausau metropolitan area.

https://wausaupilotandreview.com/2022/09/19/wausau-to-hold-public-information-sessions-for-transit-plan/

Milwaukee County committee backs free bus ride to polling places on Nov. 8 Election Day

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 15 Sep 2022 19:07:48 GMT

In an effort to encourage Election Day turnout and reduce obstacles to residents exercising their right to vote on Nov. 8, a Milwaukee County committee approved a resolution Tuesday to offer free transport for passengers heading to polling places.

If passed by the County Board, the measure would pull an estimated one-time $63,000 from the county's contingency account to cover the cost of providing free bus rides and paratransit service to the public.

"Of all of our duties as Americans, the most sacred is our duty and right to vote," said Milwaukee County Board Supervisor Steven Shea, who is co-sponsoring the resolution.

Supervisor Patti Logsdon voted against the resolution, calling it fiscally irresponsible.

"They have this privilege already," she said, noting that if a rider is unable to pay for their fare, they would not be kicked off the bus.

"We are in dire straits here in Milwaukee County — we can't keep spending money," Logsdon said.

Supervisor Peter Burgelis, who authored the resolution, noted there is also a possibility of securing outside funding, stating that some nonprofit groups had voiced their interest in making offers.

A similar effort drew opposition in Louisiana, where free bus service was offered in 2018 in Lafayette City. Attorney General Jeff Landry said free election day bus rides were not legal and that state law prohibited the government from giving away something of value, according to a report from the Daily Advertiser.

Wisconsin state law states that it does "not prohibit any person from using his or her own vehicle to transport electors to or from the polls without charge."

Nationwide efforts to boost voter turnout

During the 2020 general election, Milwaukee County fell behind its peers in voter turnout with 83.7% of eligible registered voters heading to the polls, while Dane County, Ozaukee County and Washington County, reached 89.3%, 92.6% and 94.7%, respectively.

With similarly lagging turnout in areas across the country, there has been a surge in efforts nationwide to get voters to the polls in recent years.

During the 2020 general election, Green Bay Metro offered free transit to voters, including paratransit, to the city's 16 polling places.

Some of the country's largest transit systems also provided free rides on the 2020 election day, including: the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System, Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Utah Transit Authority, Austin's Capital Metro, the Charlotte Area Transit System, and the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority.

During the 2018 midterm elections, popular ride-share services, Uber and Lyft, offered discounted and free rides to the polls. They both slashed their prices two years later during the November 2020 general elections as well.

Multiple agencies and organizations in the Milwaukee area have previously provided free transportation during election seasons.

Wisconsin-based Souls to the Polls — a non-profit that has focused on increasing voter turnout in the state's Black communities — has routinely offered free transport through ride-shares from their homes to their local polling location on election days. In 2020, Ex-incarcerated People Organizing (EXPO), WISDOM and Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied for Hope (MICAH) also provided free rides to the polls during the early voting period and on Election Day.

In March 2021, President Joe Biden signed an Executive Order directing each agency of the federal government to evaluate ways to encourage voter registration and turnout.

The Milwaukee County Board is set the meet on Sept. 22.

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2022/09/06/milwaukee-county-considering-free-transit-polls-election-day/8001969001/

Eau Claire Transit plans to boost UW-EC's bus service

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 14:48:13 GMT

Bus service provided to UW-Eau Claire by the city's public transit is slated to increase on evenings and Saturdays.

Eau Claire Transit will hold a public hearing on the proposed service increases at 7 p.m. on Wednesday in the Woodland Theatre inside the Davies Student Center, 77 Roosevelt Ave., on the university's campus.

According to a proposed schedule for weekday evenings, the frequency of buses will double what they currently are. Instead of a bus appearing at a stop every hour, they will arrive every 30 minutes. And the route will end one hour later at 11:41 p.m. with the final stop at Karlgaard Towers Hall, based on the proposed schedule.

On Saturdays, there options being considered to expand service into the night. Currently the UW-Eau Claire route runs from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturdays, but that is proposed to extend to 11 p.m.

People unable to attend the public hearing may submit written comments via mail to Transit Manager, Eau Claire Transit, 910 Forest St., Eau Claire, WI 54703. Verbal comments can also be made by calling 715-839-5111. Email comments can be sent to tom.wagener@eauclairewi.gov.

Online comments will also be accepted through the website ecbus.org until Sept. 20.

https://www.leadertelegram.com/news/daily-updates/eau-claire-transit-plans-to-boost-uw-ecs-bus-service/article_7efb6016-c616-541a-94c9-d7feabc7089f.html

Milwaukee County Board supervisor wants to provide free bus service to voters Election Day

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 15:15:42 GMT

Ahead of the November election, Milwaukee County is working on making polls more accessible.

The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors' Transportation and Transit Committee is meeting Tuesday night to discuss a resolution to fund free bus rides to polling places on Nov. 8.

A news release from the board of supervisors says that, compared to other communities in Wisconsin, Milwaukee County has lagged behind in turnout of eligible and registered voters, as evidenced by the 2020 turnout of registered voters: Dane County: 89.3%; Milwaukee County: 83.67%; Ozaukee County: 92.55%; Washington County: 94.66%.

"Milwaukee County Transit Service has the capacity to get more than 40,000 riders to their official polls on Election Day," said MCTS Interim Managing Director Denise Wandke. "With 40-plus bus routes and thousands of bus stops, we can be sure that voting is accessible to everyone in every corner of the county on Election Day."

There would be no cost to voters.

MCTS and the bus drivers union, ATU 998, support the plan.

https://www.wisn.com/article/taking-toddler-disney-sleepy-video/41100323

Milwaukee County Transit System to replace 73 buses with new clean diesel buses by fall

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 13:59:58 GMT

The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) says it will retire 73 buses federally recognized as past their useful life and will replace each with an updated clean diesel bus by fall.

The new buses are the result of federal and local funding sources. The new 6100 and 6200 series buses joining the MCTS fleet meet all federal emission standards.

According to MCTS, the buses will be equipped with a filter designed to remove soot from diesel emissions, have improved fuel economy, lower emissions, better driver visibility, anti-slip flooring, easier-to-read digital display signs, a new stainless steel understructure to reduce salt corrosion and heated side mirrors which will help melt snow and ice during the winter months.

“This is the work of our regional FTA office, Congresswoman Gwen Moore and U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors and the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SEWRPC) in supporting Milwaukee County’s applications for funding,” said Denise Wandke, interim managing director of MCTS. “Our riders and the entire community will benefit from more environmentally-friendly transit.”

According to Wandke, below are the formula grants for the funding appropriated for the purchases:

$3.9M of federal funds and $3.2M of local funds were used to purchase 14 clean diesel buses in 2021
59 clean diesel buses were purchased with $25.4M of federal funds and $6.3M of local funds in 2022

Milwaukee County Executive David Crawley said Black residents face the largest disparity to clean air and are exposed to about 41 percent more particulate pollution than the average resident.
“Clean air is a key component to giving residents’ every opportunity to enjoy good health. If simply walking outside your front door puts you at risk of breathing harmful toxins, it makes it much more difficult to manage your individual health,” said Milwaukee County Executive David Crawley. "Elevated exposure to particulate matter air pollution shortens lives, increases cancer risks, and contributes to heart attacks, respiratory problems, and strokes. By replacing aging buses with new, more efficient ones we’ll improve air quality on our neighborhood blocks for all our residents.”

All 334 buses in MCTS’s fleet are now clean diesel. For more information visit here.

https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/milwaukee-county-transit-system-to-replace-73-buses-with-new-clean-diesel-buses-by-fall

Eau Claire Transit ridership is on the rise

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 25 Aug 2022 13:48:46 GMT

The Eau Claire Transit Commission is reporting that ridership on city buses is up, and getting closer to rebounding from the affect of the pandemic.

Ridership is up 11.7% from this time last year. Transit manager Tom Wagener said the biggest jump in ridership has been UW-Eau Claire students, with most classes being in person again.

Wagener added that even with a rise in ridership they are still not where they were before the pandemic. Before 2020, about a million rides were taken on Eau claire buses a year. This year it is expected to be around 750,000.

In other public transit news, you will soon be able to pay for your bus rides with a smartphone app. Wagener said paying with cash will still be an option, and that besides the app they will also begin offering cards you can add continually add funds to and swipe to ride.

The transit commission meets on Wednesday night at 6 p.m. at city hall. The commission is advisory to the city council, with Wagener saying their meetings are an opportunity for the public to voice what they want to see in their public transportation.

https://www.wqow.com/eye_on_eau_claire/eau-claire-transit-ridership-is-on-the-rise/article_ad2febc8-1da3-11ed-921d-57ae8956b2d9.html

Electric bus fleet grows in City of Racine with $3.8 million grant

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 14:01:28 GMT

The City of Racine has been awarded nearly $3.8 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Low or No Emission Vehicle Program to add four more electric buses to its fleet.

The grant, announced Wednesday, means that Racine Transit (RYDE Racine) will have 13 all-electric, battery-powered buses making nearly 40 percent of its fixed-route fleet zero emission. Racine was one of only 150 transit systems nationwide (and the only transit system in Wisconsin) to receive funding from the federal program. The city’s award totaled $3,796,872.

FTA’s Low or No Emission (Low-No) Grant Program makes funding available to help transit agencies purchase or lease U.S.-built low or no emission vehicles that use advanced technologies for transit operations. The bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides $5.5 billion over five years for the Low-No Program. That’s more than 10 times greater than the previous five years of funding.

“The City of Racine continues to lead the way in the transition to a cleaner and more efficient mass transit system,” Mayor Cory Mason said in a news release. “It is the role of local government to provide essential quality-of-life services to our residents while being innovative and good stewards of taxpayer dollars as well as the environment. I am proud to have partners in the federal government who recognize our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint and who are willing to invest resources into our city to help us achieve our shared climate goals.”

The city’s Transit & Mobility Director Trevor Jung also weighed in on what this means for the city and its efforts to improve its environmental impact.

“Once all 13 zero-emission transit buses have replaced their diesel counterparts, The City of Racine will reduce its carbon footprint by approximately 922 tons annually, and that’s a pretty big deal,” added Jung.

Wisconsin’s largest electric bus fleet

RYDE officially put its nine battery-electric buses into service in late April. Those vehicles, plus related charging infrastructure and workforce development, were funded by a $6.19 million grant

from the Volkswagen Transit Capital Assistance Grant Program and $3.18 million from the FTA Low-No Program. The Volkswagen funding was part of a legal settlement that company made with the federal government over air-emissions rules violations.

The April send-off for the new buses gave Racine the distinction of having the largest electric bus fleet in the state. The buses, manufactured by Proterra, are expected to dramatically reduce local air pollution levels and save RYDE Racine about 60,000 gallons of diesel fuel annually.

Madison, Milwaukee electric fleets stalled

Meanwhile, Madison Metro Transit, which received a $1.3 million grant from the FTA Low-No Program, is waiting to put its three battery-electric buses into service more than two years after they were delivered.

The Capital Times newspaper recently reported that the lengthy delay was mostly caused by a 10-month retrofitting process to make the bus design accessible for wheelchair access. The electric bus rollout for Madison Metro Transit is now expected for late August or early September. That transit agency already uses hybrid-electric buses in addition to its fleet of standard diesel buses.

In Milwaukee County, global supply chain issues affecting the production of battery electric buses and charging facilities have delayed the launch of the county’s East-West Bus Rapid Transit system from October to the spring of 2023, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

The Racine County Eye, which includes the Kenosha Lens, is your source for local news that serves our diverse communities. Subscribe today to stay up-to-date with local news.

https://racinecountyeye.com/electric-bus-city-of-racine-3-8-million-grant/

Milwaukee County Bus Rapid Transit Project Updates

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 13:32:16 GMT

The existing MCTS stop at 12th Street and Wisconsin Avenue will be converted to a state-of-the-art BRT platform stop.

Construction will continue on campus at least through the end of August for the east- and westbound bus stops at 12th and 16th streets and Wisconsin Avenue for the Milwaukee County Transit System’s new East-West Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service.

There will continue to be lane and pedestrian crosswalk closures as the work progresses — please pay attention to construction signage and plan for extra time if you travel these routes. A pedestrian route map is available online available online.

MCTS has provided the following updates:

Pedestrian access at the westbound stop at 12th Street is expected to be restored by Aug. 12.
The eastern crosswalk across Wisconsin Avenue at 12th Street will remain closed until construction on the eastbound stop is complete.
Construction on the eastbound stop at 10th Street and Wisconsin Avenue will be paused from Aug. 20 – 28 to accommodate Straz Tower move-in activity.

MCTS is fully funding and managing the project that will connect downtown Milwaukee to the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center in Wauwatosa. The two MCTS stops on campus will be converted to new state-of-the-art platform stops, which will help improve pedestrian rights-of-way and campus aesthetics. Additionally, the stops will feature lane bump-outs that will improve pedestrian safety by helping to mitigate speeding on Wisconsin Avenue. Additional bump-outs will be installed on Wisconsin Avenue at 14th and 15th streets.

https://today.marquette.edu/2022/08/milwaukee-county-bus-rapid-transit-project-updates-please-continue-to-obey-traffic-pedestrian-signs/

MCTS: New Fare Collection System Update

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 15 Aug 2022 16:01:54 GMT

Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) has been working over the past year to modernize its fare collection system. MCTS announced Monday, Aug. 8 the three phases of the transition to the new system.

According to a press release, this phased approach includes estimated timeframes provided there are no further supply chain delays. The new system is expected to launch in mid-2023, alongside Milwaukee County’s first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service, introducing a new era of transit in Wisconsin.

"Metropolitan Milwaukee is transforming into a world-class city, with more conventions, cruise lines to our port, internationally recognized sports teams, additional airline services, leading hospital systems and institutions of higher learning. That's why modern transit is a necessity—to meet the changing needs of employers and residents alike—and MCTS is ready to deliver it," said Kristina Hoffman, spokesperson for MCTS.

Phase I
During Phase I, after an extensive review of requirements and completing the proposal process, MCTS chose Cubic’s Umo Mobility Platform for its innovative and flexible back office, user-friendly mobile application, hardware compatibility and widest solution for a retail network. MCTS switched to a new mobile app to accommodate the account-based system and is set to begin installation of validators on buses throughout the winter.

The rider experience will include the full benefits of the new fare collection system via the Umo app once the system is available in 2023. Until the full WisGo system launches, MCTS encourages riders to continue downloading the Umo app in the Google Play and Apple Store. By creating an account via the app, riders will be able to transition to the new system more smoothly. To date, more than 34,000 riders have downloaded the app to plan their trip, track their bus and pay their fare.

MCTS reminds riders that until the new fare collection system launches, payment options through the app are still currently limited to credit, debit cards, and coming this month: Apple Pay and Google Pay. There is no stored value option enabled yet which means all fares activate immediately so riders should not purchase their fare via the app until they are ready to board the bus. Riders can purchase single fares and a Day Pass via the app. Group fares are possible via the M-Card only. M-Cards will be valid until mid-2023. Cash will remain an option.

Phase II
Phase II kicks off the pilot, slated for spring of 2023. Select social service agencies, Commuter Value Pass customers, U-Pass university participants, and MCTS employees will test the new system and provide feedback. MCTS will make adjustments and then roll out the live system in Phase III.

Phase III
The full WisGo system and Bus Rapid Transit line (BRT) are expected to go live by Phase III, mid-2023. Through the Umo mobile app and contactless smart cards, riders will be able to create accounts that will automatically track rides, deduct the amounts from their online accounts, and cap total costs at the lowest daily, weekly and monthly rates. This "fare capping" provides equitable pricing for everyone, as costs are adjusted based on rider frequency. The more passengers ride, the more they save.

The launch will coincide with the start of MCTS’s new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service. The BRT E-W line will reimagine travel to and from downtown, change the entire pedestrian environment, foster cleaner air, and connect thousands of employees to jobs through high-frequency electric bus service. Federal, state, city, and county government officials have embraced the shared goal to bring about these changes through enhanced public transit.

https://www.fox6now.com/news/mcts-new-fare-collection-system-update

Milwaukee Crime Stoppers, MCTS campaign seeks tips

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 13:31:22 GMT

Milwaukee Crime Stoppers is teaming up with the Milwaukee County Transit System with two giant ads on two buses and 50 in bus shelters. The campaign is aimed at drumming up tips to solve crimes in Milwaukee.

Medera Smith and her granddaughter get around by taking the bus. On their routes, they see a lot. One new ad for Milwaukee Crime Stoppers caught Smith's eye.

"I think it’s very great because that’s another avenue to the means of what we trying to do," said Smith.

Two MCTS buses feature 40-foot billboards with information on how to submit tips.

"I think it’s very great because that’s another avenue to the means of what we trying to do," said Smith.

Two MCTS buses feature 40-foot billboards with information on how to submit tips.

"These moving, 40-foot billboards reach incredibly diverse audiences," said Kristina Hoffman, MCTS.

"These are going to be mobile reminders of how easy it really is to reach out to Crime Stoppers," said David Crowley, Milwaukee County executive.

"We are only one part of the puzzle the community must do their part," said Jeffrey Norman, Milwaukee police chief.

Milwaukee Crime Stoppers has been around for more than two years. In that time, they have solved 47 cases and three unsolved homicides.

"Partnerships plus community engagement equals trust and results," said Norman.

Some people might be afraid to share information, but Crime Stoppers officials stressed that you will remain anonymous.

"It makes sense that people would be scared, right, because retaliation is real," said Bria Grant, MCTS board member.

"They will never have to go trial to be a witness," said Michael Hupy, Milwaukee Crime Stoppers president. "We don’t know who they are, so we work totally anonymously."

"If you remain anonymous, it can help," said Smith.

You can report crime anonymously from anywhere using the p3 tips app or by calling 414-224-TIPS.

https://www.fox6now.com/news/milwaukee-crime-stoppers-mcts-campaign-seeks-tips

Polk County Seeks Public Feedback on Public Transportation

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 08 Aug 2022 14:40:17 GMT

In order to learn about the County’s public transit priorities, Polk County encourages its residents to share their opinions on potential transit options in the form of a survey. The survey will be available from July 25th until August 26th and can be found here.

This survey is part of the data collection effort for a Transit Feasibility Study underway in Polk County. Earlier this year, Polk County teamed up with the West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (WCWRPC) to investigate the demand for public transit in Polk County, and to develop proposals and identify potential funding sources for implementing solutions to meet those needs. WCWRPC has been assisting in solving issues that cross municipal boundaries for over forty years.

The County is pursuing this study because they have heard that investigating the feasibility of transit options is desirable and needed. The major identified issues are residents getting to and from work, patients getting to and from medical care and to pick up prescriptions, and to get to and from the store for getting necessities, for those who don’t have access to their own means of transportation. This study will gather data on the demand from public and businesses for a transit-style system, estimate user rates, understand where this service is most needed in the County, and identify funding sources for possible implementation if proven feasible.

Over the course of the next year, there will be additional ways for residents to engage with Polk County and WCWRPC to share their voice about public transit options in the county. Comments and participation will aid the Transit Feasibility Study determine what options are most important for the area, how it will impact citizens, and what the community needs. Please visit here for more information on these engagement opportunities and general information about the study.

Contact:

Mr. Tim Anderson
Polk County Planner
715-485-9225
tim.anderson@polkcountywi.gov

https://drydenwire.com/news/polk-county-seeks-public-feedback-on-public-transportation/

Combating Driver Shortage, Valley Transit Offers Sign-on Bonuses

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 04 Aug 2022 13:06:08 GMT

To combat driver shortage, Valley Transit is announcing hiring bonuses of up to $5,000.

The public transportation service in the Fox Cities says its offering the sign-on bonus for applicants who already possess a commercial driver's license.

“We need customer service-oriented drivers to continue providing the essential services that are connecting our community to jobs, resources, entertainment and, especially as we approach back-to-school season, educational institutions,” said Valley Transit general manager Ron McDonald. “We’ve are hoping this hiring bonus will help us quickly attract candidates that can hit the ground running as soon as possible.”

Those interested in becoming bus drivers are not required to have their CDL to apply but will need to be able to possess and maintain a Wisconsin Class B Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) with the passenger endorsement and a Federal Medical Card as a condition of employment.

https://fox11online.com/news/local/combatting-driver-shortage-valley-transit-offers-sign-on-bonuses

Trevor Jung Brings Electric Buses to Racine

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 13:52:47 GMT

ExpanPHOTO VIA RACINE COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORP.

Alternative forms of transportations such as electric cars and trains have been on Americans’ minds for many years. Increases in gas prices and continuing alarming news about global warming have added to the discourse.

The scene in Racine, however, is reflective of hope that we can do better. The city received $9 million in grant money from the federal and state government to purchase nine electric buses. The largest fleet in Wisconsin, these buses will cut back on 2.3 million tons of carbon dioxide per year. The man responsible for leading this new project is Trevor Jung, Racine’s current transit and mobility director. He is also responsible for the popular electric scooters around the city. This interview discusses how mass transport links to inequality, why Racine is a good candidate for alternative transportation, and plans for handling the climate crisis.

How did you come to the transportation sector?

I was born in Russia and adopted when I was two years old. Growing up in Racine, Wisconsin, I developed a sense of gratitude for my hometown; anything I could do to give back and make it a better place, that’s what I wanted to do. After thinking about what the needs of my community are and what would make Racine the strongest place it could be, I thought that mass transit really is about access to opportunity. I went off to university for a degree in urban studies and came home to serve my community. I served on the common council for two terms as the chair of the transit commission and now I’m the transit mobility director of the city.

Has your degree in urban studies aided your new position?

It’s been valuable. Urban studies is a holistic field that is interdisciplinary and highlights such subjects as public administration, sociology and economics. The field shows that the health of a community involves all these different disciplines. For me, transportation is one piece of a very large puzzle, but it’s great insight because I understand the importance of land use and I’m connecting with other departments that have different charges but are just as connected to the wellbeing of Racine.

Explain how public transportation can aid in the fight against inequality.

Public transportation is critical in making sure we have equity in our community. It is the great equalizer: people take the bus to work, school or the grocery store. It provides a way of getting from point A to point B for those who can’t afford a car or choose to not own a personal vehicle. It is a tool for providing access to opportunity.

What’s been the strategy for promoting this system to those who may have reservations (i.e. those worried about budgets or public transport not reaching rural areas)?

We’ve got to market the transit system as a modernizing force. We can’t only talk about it as a way to get from place to place, we have to talk about it in terms of sustainability. We’re electrifying 25% of our fleet and exploring opportunities to power those buses through solar. It has started a conversation around mass transit in Racine which Is beneficial to marketing the system. Secondly, it’s about partnering with institutions such as Racine Unified School District and Gateway Technical College to get the students engaged with the system. Third, it’s about relationships with our neighborhood municipalities. We have intergovernmental agreements with Yorkville, Mount Pleasant and Caledonia to connect their residents and employers to our city. It’s bridging the urban and suburban divide that you imply in your question.

Why do you think Racine is an ideal place for experimenting with alternative public transportation projects?

Racine has a tradition of being innovative. At one point, we had more patents per capita than anywhere else in the country, so the spirit of innovation lives strong. We also have a built-in environment conducive to public transport with a dense urban center where there’s a population that needs public transportation. Due to that, there are multiple modes whether it’s the fixed route transit system or an on-demand system for the disabled and elderly or the scooter share, a partnership between the city and Bird Scooters. Whether you’re on a bus or on a scooter, we want to make sure you can get where you’re going safely and comfortably.

Where do you see this project heading in the future?

I think we need to have a “Multi Model Mindset,” viewing Racine as an opportunity for economic growth with public transportation as a tool for that. Transit oriented development is a way to spur economic growth using the built-in environment around transportation to encourage private investment. The city of Racine is exploring opportunities for projects like extending commuter rail from Kenosha to Racine and Milwaukee. The long-term benefits of that have been seen across the country where there’s fixed rail transit creates density and commercial development. Additionally, thinking about the future, we’ve launched an app for transit riders so they can see in real time on the phone where their bus is and which route to jump on. The word I’d use to describe the work we’re doing is “modernization, modernization modernization.” Excited days are ahead for transit in Racine.

https://shepherdexpress.com/news/community-news/trevor-jung-brings-electric-buses-to-racine/

Wisconsin Department of Transportation seeks input on electric vehicle plan

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 13:33:21 GMT

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is seeking the public's input on a plan for the future of electric vehicles in the state.

According to a news release from WisDOT, the plan outlines an effort to build and place electric vehicle charging stations across Wisconsin. Those would be implemented under a program funded by the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

WisDOT will be receiving around $78.65 million over the next five years as part of the National Electric Vehicle program.

The entire plan can be found online here, where you can also submit a comment.

https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/wisconsin-department-of-transportation-seeks-input-on-electric-vehicle-plan

Bus shelter murals, the Office of Early Childhood Initiatives' latest project, encourage parents to the their child's 'first teacher'

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 13:22:17 GMT

Say goodbye to restless, squirming youngsters at the bus stop.

Milwaukee children and families now have something fun and educational to do while waiting for the bus.

Twenty-four Milwaukee County Public Transit bus shelters around city will soon be adorned with colorful, interactive murals as part of the city's Office of Early Childhood Initiatives' "Pop Spots" mural program.

The murals are the latest of OECI's many efforts to promote early childhood learning and literacy in Milwaukee's public spaces through its Mighty Small Moments campaign.

The campaign encourages parents to prepare their young children for success in school by incorporating simple, educational activities into their daily routines.

The murals will direct parents to engage their children in a variety of activities including counting, reading, storytelling, physical activity, and identifying shapes, colors and food.

The collection of murals includes designs in both English and Spanish, and some even feature cultural elements significant to the bus shelter's location, said Gary Mueller, creative director of Serve Marketing, the nonprofit advertising agency that helped design the murals.

The first mural was unveiled last week at a bus shelter on the city's northwest side at the intersection of West Silver Spring Drive and North 64th Street. It depicts a young boy and his father preparing to ride the bus. The illustration is accompanied by a short story.

According to Milwaukee Public Schools senior director of curriculum and instruction Felicia Saffold, this first mural promotes language development by encouraging children to engage with a story. Reading a story with your child also strengthens the parent-child bond, Saffold said.

Ultimately, the goal of the mural project is to create accessible learning spaces, especially for children ages 5 and under.

Saffold said this age group represents a "critical window for development" and is an important time to prepare children for success in kindergarten and beyond.

Four of the murals will be near MPS schools.

According to the 2018-2019 MPS District Report Card, more than 57% of economically disadvantaged MPS students achieved below basic proficiency in English language arts.

Statistics like these are why, when Office of Early Childhood Initiatives director Dea Wright began working with MCTS to decide on locations for the murals, she prioritized under-resourced ZIP codes where she said children are more likely to have a smaller vocabulary and fewer reading skills when entering kindergarten.

Ultimately, the goal of the mural project is to create accessible learning spaces, especially for children ages 5 and under.

Saffold said this age group represents a "critical window for development" and is an important time to prepare children for success in kindergarten and beyond.

Four of the murals will be near MPS schools.

According to the 2018-2019 MPS District Report Card, more than 57% of economically disadvantaged MPS students achieved below basic proficiency in English language arts.

Wright cited the work of Nobel Prize-winning economist James Heckman, who found that for every dollar invested in quality early childhood education programs, taxpayers save up to $16.

Heckman's research showed that children who receive early childhood education opportunities are more likely to graduate from high school and less likely to become involved in the juvenile justice system or need special education services.

However, children do not need to be enrolled in a top-notch daycare program to reap these benefits. Simple activities like singing, talking and reading with a young child can make a big difference, Wright said.

Creating 'Mighty Small Moments'

OECI opened with Wright as director in 2018. Soon after, she started the Mighty Small Moment campaign, which includes the mural project.

Mighty Small Moments advocates for the importance of talking, reading, singing and playing with children ages three and under.

Studies show these activities increase a child's vocabulary which in turn makes learning to read easier when they enter school. The better a student reads early on in school, the more likely they are to graduate from high school.

According to the OECI website, "even short bursts of brain-boosting interactions can make a big difference."

This is why Mighty Small Moments urges parents to take advantage of small, everyday moments — like waiting in line, doing laundry or walking to the bus stop — and turn them into opportunities to engage with their children.

"We have to imagine our city splattered with things where parents can be their child's first teacher," Wright said.

In September 2019, OECI opened Milwaukee's first "Read, Play and Learn" public early learning space at Riverworks Coin Laundry on Holton Street.

The space offers various levels of books and literacy materials, allowing parents and caregivers to read with their children while doing laundry. It was created in partnership with the LaundryCares Foundation — a nonprofit dedicated to promoting early learning at laundromats — and Too Small to Fail, the early childhood initiative of the Clinton Foundation.

Tratavia Hardmon, a mother of four and a member of the OECI Family Advisory Board, said in a Common Council meeting last week that she appreciates that her children are able to play and learn while she does laundry.

“A lot of families are busy like myself, so we don’t get a lot of one-on-one time where we can sit down and talk (to our children) and interact with them," Hardmon said. "I think Mighty Small Moments creates those moments for families like mine.”

Following the success of the laundromat space, OECI introduced similar educational waiting spaces to the Keenan Health Center, the Marcia Coggs Center, the Vel R. Phillips Youth and Family Justice Center, and other WIC clinics and community spaces.

Wright said patrons and employees of many of these locations report that children have been better behaved and less disruptive since the introduction of the educational spaces.

"(Without the educational spaces), I've seen children at the DMV literally crawling under chairs and playing chase. Other people get annoyed, and it's not safe," Wright said. "If children are going to be in these spaces ... you have to have something to engage them."

Although some of the educational spaces are still being reassembled after being removed to comply with pandemic restrictions, Mueller — the creative director of the mural project — said, including the bus shelter murals, there are now 33 interactive public learning spaces located throughout the city.

Of course, Wright thinks there can never be enough of these spaces.

"I think parents have to see these until they're like 'Ugh, everywhere I go someone's telling me to talk, read, share, love,'" she said. "Then, they won't have to think twice, it just becomes second nature."

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2022/07/07/milwaukee-bus-shelter-murals-promote-literacy-and-parental-involvement/7756846001/

Wisconsin Counties Association Magazine

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 17:32:27 GMT

The recent issue of the Wisconsin Counties Association Magazine highlights public transit; as Chair of the Wisconsin Public Transportation Association, Transit Director Rebecca Smith was asked to contribute an article. Rebecca worked with HWZ to prepare the article, found on page 23, for submission.

Read the magazine here: https://indd.adobe.com/view/93c6c83d-6ae8-4887-be70-6e503c092a65

City of Beloit utilizing federal funds to purchase hybrid bus

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 13:38:22 GMT

In support of the city’s environmental, economic and social sustainability framework, the City of Beloit is using federal funds to purchase a hybrid electric-diesel bus, the city announced Monday.

The Beloit City Council accepted a Surface Transportation Program-Urban grant earlier this month, which will cover 80% of the the cost of the $629,960 bus. The other $154,490 is coming from the city’s Capital Improvement budget.

According to the city, Beloit Transit is utilizing the bus, the city’s first hybrid bus, to replace an aging diesel bus in their transit fleet.

“Beloit Transit is actively seeking ways to lower emissions while being fiscally responsible,” Teri Downing, Deputy Community Development Director who oversees the Transit Division, said. “With fuel prices rapidly increasing, bringing a hybrid bus into our fleet helps reduce operating expenses while providing for a cleaner future for our community.”

Manufacturing lead time for buses in around 12-18 months, according to the city. The new bus is expected to be placed into service during the second half of 2023.

https://www.nbc15.com/2022/06/21/city-beloit-utilizing-federal-funds-purchase-hybrid-bus/

City of Madison Sponsors Free Bus Passes for MMSD Youth Again this Summer

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 14:14:25 GMT

As part of Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway’s MetroForward >> initiative, the City of Madison has teamed up for the second year with the Madison Metropolitan School District to distribute a summer Metro Transit pass to ALL middle and high school students, providing a safe and easily accessible way to navigate our community this summer.

“In its first year this initiative distributed 2,375 passes to young people who took 37,989 bus rides over just one summer. It’s clear that these passes make a real difference for Madison youth and their families,” said Mayor Rhodes Conway. “We are working hard to improve transit access, and we want young people to benefit from that. Partnering with MMSD is the best way we can help Madison youth get to jobs, school, City parks, pools and more this summer, all while advancing our climate, equity and economic goals.”

Empowering youth to be public transit riders now prepares them to access Madison’s transit network, improved through the Transit Network Redesign process, as well as the coming Bus Rapid Transit system that will connect all sides of the City like never before.

Free passes were distributed to middle and high school students 6th grade and up via their schools and are now available for pickup from school summer semester sites . Students that live in Madison but attend other school districts, or who did not receive a summer pass from their school, are eligible for the free pass and can pick them up at Metro Transit (1245 E. Washington Ave., Ste. 201). Passes are valid for the summer, through September 6.

For more information, contact Metro Transit at (608) 266-4466. Complete information is also available here.

https://www.cityofmadison.com/news/city-of-madison-sponsors-free-bus-passes-for-mmsd-youth-again-this-summer

MCTS, MPS and city of Milwaukee team up to create interactive bus stops for kids

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 05 Jul 2022 13:40:50 GMT

Milwaukee County Transit System bus stops around the city are getting a lot more colorful and interactive as a part of a new initiative between MCTS, Milwaukee's Office of Early Childhood Initiatives, Milwaukee Public Schools and BVK.

"We're sharing a very important message today, and that message is getting young people engaged and heading in the right direction early on in their lives is essential," said Mayor Cavalier Johnson during a Tuesday morning press conference. "I want young people in Milwaukee to be curious. I want young people in Milwaukee to be inquisitive. I want young people to learn about the world that's around them."

Children will be able to do just that with the now Pop Stop murals that will decorate 24 bus shelters around the city. Part of the MCTS Bus Shelter Art Project, the murals will feature interactive games and other activities for children to enjoy while waiting with their parent or guardian for the bus.

"We designed each shelter with several criteria in mind," said Gary Mueller, founder and creative director of BVK and SERVE. "The activities include counting, identifying shapes, objects, colors, foods. Some are designed around reading stories or scavenger hunts. Some even include physical activity."

Dea Wright is the director for the city of Milwaukee's Office of Childhood Initiatives. She says the idea for the Pop Spots has been in the works for years. She's happy to see it finally come to fruition.

"It's going to be really special when I'm driving down the street and I see someone standing there and looking at it," Wright said. "I believe that it is possible for Milwaukee to be covered with opportunities for children to be able to engage with their families. Talk, read, sing, love, learn together wherever they are."

Wright says the bus stops are just one stop on her and her office's mission to keep kids engaged and educated.

"I am sick and tired of the achievement gap, the opportunity gap; everything I hear about children of color," Wright said. "Every single child, regardless of race or income, should have access to spaces that promote healthy development."

Dr. Felicia Saffold works for Milwaukee Public Schools as senior director of curriculum and instruction. She echoed the importance of keeping kids engaged when not in the classroom.

"Pop Stops are an exciting, interactive learning opportunity for families and children," Dr. Saffold said. "We think about early literacy and promoting literacy and oral language, and capitalizing on every moment that you can do that, so this is awesome."

All 24 shelters where Pop Stops will be located are set to be finished within the next two weeks. The goal is to have the murals up for years to come.

https://www.cbs58.com/news/mcts-mps-and-city-of-milwaukee-team-up-to-create-interactive-bus-stops-for-kids

Transit Budget Difficulties: Milwaukee County Further Streamlines Bus Routes From Covid Impact on Ridership

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 30 Jun 2022 12:18:24 GMT

Milwaukee County had plans to overhaul its transit system before the pandemic. But the declines in ridership brought on by a shift to working from home and ongoing worries about virus transmission has made it even more urgent for the transit agency to bring in new riders and retain existing ones.

The county transit system is nearly a year into its MCTS Next redesign, which includes making 60 percent of buses arrive at least every 15 minutes during service hours, up from 40 percent. The system removed some stops that were close together, shortening some routes while extending others. It’s been in the works for years, but wasn’t fully implemented until last summer.

“With COVID hitting in 2020, we had to adjust some of our plans in terms of outreach and such,” said Tom Winter, director of scheduling and planning for MCTS. “But the basic tenets of providing more frequent service in neighborhoods where there’s more people and more jobs were valid regardless of the pandemic.”

Transit agencies around the country were seeing declining ridership even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Shelter-in-place policies created even steeper drops. The federal pandemic relief packages set aside money for the states to spend on transportation, but those efforts have been criticized for directing funds into highways rather than transit. In Milwaukee, for example, millions are going toward the controversial expansion of the I-94 interstate. At the same time, the Wisconsin legislature is cutting funding to Madison and Milwaukee by 50 percent over the next two years.

The Milwaukee County Transit System is expecting a $32.8 million budget deficit by 2025. Those state cuts, budget difficulties and a bus driver shortage prompted the suspension of specialty routes like its Freeway Flyers and shuttles to Summerfest, the state fair, Brewers games and the city’s ethnic festivals.

Winter said the agency has seen about a 15 percent increase in ridership since it rolled out all three phases of MCTS Next last summer. But it’s still only got about 60 percent of the ridership it had pre-pandemic.

“We’re trying to get back to that original number, but given that the pandemic is still in play, it’s going to be kind of a big hill to climb going forward,” he said. “This is kind of a big question across the country, of what is that new normal for transit ridership, given all the larger structural changes that are going on in our economy.”

A recent report from the Wisconsin Policy Forum found that Madison saw the steepest drop in transit ridership — it has been down 65 percent or more since the first month of the pandemic. There were also declines in Eau Claire, Green Bay, Oshkosh and other transit systems.

Winter said Milwaukee is continuing to tweak its routes in response to rider and driver feedback — it’s made sure all the bus drivers’ routes have bathrooms they can access, for example. And it worked with the organization Beyond Vision to have one of the bus routes in West Allis stop at the organization’s new facility, which opened last fall.

“We’re always looking to continue to improve transit in the community, and we rely on the feedback from the riders, from the drivers, from other stakeholders to make that happen,” Winter said.

https://www.milwaukeeindependent.com/syndicated/transit-budget-difficulties-milwaukee-county-streamlines-bus-routes-covid-impact-ridership/

MCTS ridership increases as new route changes are set to be implemented later this year

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 27 Jun 2022 13:46:35 GMT

The Milwaukee County Transit System will be implementing new route changes later this year, and officials say last year's changes increased ridership and racial equity.

MCTS hosted public hearings in recent days where officials shared plans and allowed for public input. As part of the hearings, MCTS also shared quarterly results.

Last year, MCTS implemented a three-phase change to routes, a process they have called MCTS Next. Statistics provided by MCTS show that the implementation was an overall success.

Generally speaking, ridership declined during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019, MCTS averaged more than 79,000 rides a day. However, in 2020, that number dropped to less than 43,000 and declined even more in 2021.

Statistics on ridership from the first quarter of 2022 compared to the first quarter of 2021 shows an increase in ridership for the first time since the pandemic.

From 2021 to 2022, system ridership increased 15% or roughly 6,000 rides a day, while ridership increased 10% on high frequency routes, according to MCTS.

MCTS last year increased the number of high-frequency routes, which are routes that run more buses so that travel times and wait times decrease.

MCTS also found that ridership on routes that primarily serve people of color increased 17%, or roughly 5,000 rides a day from 2021 to 2022.

An annual survey administered by MCTS found that 75% of riders reported MCTS exceeds or meets their needs, while nearly 70% of riders reported they feel the frequency of service developed during MCTS Next exceeded or met their needs.

The last phase of MCTS Next was implemented in August of last year and MCTS is now making adjustments to routes based on public input.

"Our goal is to really either expand the frequency or make them easier to understand," said Jesus Ochoa, planning manager at MCTS.

Here are the nine routes set to be adjusted starting August 28:

Route 18 —National-Greenfield

High-frequency service will be extended west along Greenfield Avenue from 84th Street to Highway 100 along route 18.

A new service will be provided to Beyond Vision's new VisAbility Center at 108th and Lapham Streets. The 130,000 square-foot facility, currently under construction, will provide jobs to the vision impaired and, potentially, new or existing bus riders. "We are really stoked about that," said Ochoa.

Route 18 service on National Avenue will be replaced with an extension of Route 54 from Mitchell and Burnham Streets.

Buses will continue to run from 5 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. (no change).

Route 54 — Mitchell-Burnham

Service will be extended further west for Route 54 along National Avenue to 112th Street. Currently, it ends around 70th Street.

The new service will replace Route 18 buses that are being moved from National Avenue to Greenfield Avenue.

"This proposed change was actually something that our customers actually asked for, they wanted that one bus ride further," Ochoa said.

Frequency will be increased on the weekend from a 45-minute wait to a 35-minute wait. Weekday buses will continue to run every 30 minutes.

Buses will continue to run from 5 a.m. to 12 a.m. (no change).

Route 60 — 60th Street

The one-way loop service between 60th Street and Layton Avenue near Southridge Mall will be eliminated due to low ridership. Riders still have access to Southridge via Route 14 at Forest Home Avenue, MCTS said.

There will be shorter wait times — every 30 minutes instead of 45 minutes and buses will continue to operate from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. (no change).

Route 28 — 108th Street

This route will be modified at the southern end (near Grange Avenue and Forest Home Avenue) to provide restroom access for bus drivers. Public Allies AmeriCorps Ambassador to MCTS Leean Le said this is a "critical improvement, as (drivers) are the front lines of our service."

Le said a part of the route that confuses riders will also be simplified between Janesville Road and the Hales Corners park ride lot.

There will be no changes to wait times, and buses will start earlier and end later from 5:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.

Route 80 — 6th Street

Service on Route 80 will be extended north via Green Bay Avenue and Good Hope Road to Teutonia Avenue. Route 80 service from MATC South to Oak Creek will be replaced by an extension of Route 19.

All buses will go to Mitchell International Airport. During the school year, every other bus will go to College Avenue / MATC South.

Travel times to Oak Creek will be shorter on Route 19 buses compared to Route 80, because Route 19 will travel more directly than Route 80, which travels to both the airport and MATC.

Buses will continue to operate from 4:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. (no change).

Route 19 — Dr. MLK Drive-S. 13th

Route 19 will be extended to Howell Avenue and Centennial Drive in Oak Creek, which replaced Route 80 service.

Route 19 will maintain service to Drexel Town Square and Oak Creek business park and will provide restroom access for bus drivers on the southern end.

Buses will continue to run from 4:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. (no change).

Route 35 — 35th Street

MCTS is eliminating a part of Route 35, which runs to Green Bay Avenue and Good Hope Road. Instead, Route 80 will now travel those roads.

Buses will continue to run from 4:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. (no change).

PurpleLine — 27th Street

PurpleLine one-way only service on Ramsey Avenue, 35th Street, and College Avenue will be eliminated due to low ridership, MCTS said.

The change will allow for a longer layover for drivers at IKEA.

Buses along the remainder of the PurpleLine will continue to run from 4 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. (no change).

Route 66 — Burleigh Street

Route 66 has high demand and therefore frequency will be increased along the route. Wait times will now be around 20 minutes compared to 30 minutes.

Buses will continue to run from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. (no change).

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2022/06/17/milwaukee-county-transit-system-implements-new-route-changes-year/7614589001/

With rising gas prices, city of Appleton highlights 'Dump the Pump' Day

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 14:40:28 GMT

As Northeast Wisconsin and the country continue to contend with high gas prices, the city of Appleton is promoting public transportation with "Dump the Pump" Day.

The mayor of Appleton signed a formal declaration to recognize Dump the Pump Day, which was presented Friday during a public event.

According to the mayor's declaration, National Dump the Pump Day was created in 2006 by the American Public Transportation Association to encourage people to use local and national transit and railway systems.

City officials promoted Appleton's public transit during a morning event Friday, highlighting the economic value of taking a bus rather than driving. The Valley Transit general manager called public transportation a cost-effective way to travel.

More information about Appleton's public transit can be found here.

https://www.nbc26.com/news/local-news/with-rising-gas-prices-city-of-appleton-highlights-dump-the-pump-day

WI: Electric buses will hit the road Monday in La Crosse

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 14:47:56 GMT

An earlier version of this story stated that La Crosse's electric buses were the first in the state. Racine had already launched electric buses.

Two new electric buses will hit the streets of La Crosse Monday, in what officials and project leaders are calling a major step forward in creating a more sustainable city and state.

Mayor Mitch Reynolds, elected officials and leadership from the La Crosse Municipal Transport Utility (MTU) gathered Wednesday at the La Crosse Center to celebrate the launch. With the two green electric buses parked in the background, officials spoke of the journey toward achieving this milestone.

Since development began in 2018, the road to launching the electric buses has not been straightforward. From responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, securing funding and getting approvals from the City Council, officially launching the buses felt like "proof" that La Crosse was backing up its commitment to sustainability, said Adam Lorentz, MTU director of transit.

"It's easy to talk about sustainability and it's easy to talk about plans for the future," Lorentz said. "But when you bring in two vehicles, it's hard to say that we're not doing what we promised to do. I look at this as just not only for today, but also for the future."

Powered completely by electricity, the buses will operate full time in the city's fleet of public transport vehicles. With gas prices continuing to rise across the country, the number of riders is expected to increase after the launch of the electric buses, Lorentz said.

Lorentz said the city wanted to give people another option for getting to work and dealing with rough road and parking conditions. The almost silent buses will also create a better experience for riders and people commuting around La Crosse, he said.

City and project leaders discussed how this launch will impact people outside of La Crosse, and Reynolds said it will "set the bar for sustainability in communities across the country."

"That's a model that other communities really should be looking at and seeing if they can follow because that says everything about how we can improve our future," Reynolds said.

Support from state and federal representatives was instrumental to getting the buses on the roads, Reynolds said. Elected officials that helped advocate for and promote the electric buses include state Rep. Jill Billings, Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Rep. Ron Kind.

To help build and launch the buses, La Crosse MTU also partnered with Xcel Energy for funding and budgeting expertise and with Proterra to develop the bus design.

Given the environmental and economic benefits, leaders are already looking to launch additional electric buses in the future to improve the rider experience. Eventually, La Crosse hopes to have a completely electric fleet of public transport vehicles, Reynolds said.

"For those who come here, for those who live here, for our current riders, for future riders, they're just going to have a better experience," Reynolds said.

https://www.masstransitmag.com/bus/vehicles/hybrid-hydrogen-electric-vehicles/news/21270593/wi-electric-buses-will-hit-the-road-monday-in-la-crosse

Milwaukee County buses filling up amid gas price spike

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 16 Jun 2022 14:34:26 GMT

With gas prices hitting record highs some are already turning to mass transit to save money.

"They're kind of rediscovering it in the moment," said Kristina Hoffman, the communications manager for the Milwaukee County transit system. "And reconsidering their lifestyle."

It isn't hard to see why. With gas prices topping $5 per gallon, the Milwaukee County Transit System is seeing its highest ridership of the year.

"This time of year, ridership normally starts to take a drop because we're coming into summer, schools not in session, colleges aren't in session, so it's a natural drop for us," Hoffman said. "But we're seeing a big increase."

So far it's a 14% increase since the fall and it's not done rising.

"You cannot sustain," said Justin Biddle, a Milwaukee County commuter. "Keep driving to work, paying $80 a week with gas prices like they currently are. It's unheard of."

Amtrak is now offering itself as a way to beat high gas prices, especially for commuters between Chicago and Milwaukee.

But for most, mass transit means the bus. The surge is even rekindling the possibility of reviving perhaps the most advantageous routes for commuters, the Freeway Flyers. The service was suspended in January for a lack of staffing.

"I think that's another thing we can look at," said Hoffman. "If more people are returning to transit, if they're looking at changing their lifestyle, and saying 'hey, the bus is a better choice,' then absolutely we'll look at that."

So exactly how much are you saving with mass transit? Right now a $5 pass gets 24 hours of rides on county buses.

https://www.wisn.com/article/milwaukee-county-buses-filling-up-amid-gas-price-spike/40244724

Madison Metro Transit redesign moves forward, approved at Transportation Policy and Planning Board meeting

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 14:04:35 GMT

Madison's Transportation Policy and Planning Board approved the redesign of the city’s bus network during a meeting Monday night.

The plan was approved with a 7 to 1 vote and will now head to the Common Council.

The Metro Transit redesign is meant to increase access and frequency, decrease travel times and improve the experience of riders.

It has been a controversial topic because some people think it will lead to longer walks to the new bus stops.

After 25 years with the current design, many believe it's time to make a change.

"Most of the problems we've heard really come down to just we need more transit, and more transit funding, and that's always going to be the case, but we can't let that hold us back from laying a new groundwork that we can move from going forward,” said Chris McCahill, an expert in transportation engineering and urban planning.

"Certainly it (the plan) has weaknesses. It has strengths, but I'm not going to let the perfect be the enemy of the good here. We need to move forward,” said Margaret Bergamini, Greater Madison MPO Policy Board member.

Officials say they will also continue to look into any other possible changes as they move into the next phase of planning and funding.

"I think the sooner we hit the ground running with a dry run, the sooner we can learn some of those tweaks we need to make," said McCahill.

The Common Council is scheduled to vote on the redesign at its meeting Tuesday, June 7. If it's approved at that level, changes could be in place by 2023.

https://www.wkow.com/news/madison-metro-transit-redesign-moves-forward-approved-at-transportation-policy-and-planning-board-meeting/article_fa5ec104-e63e-11ec-a227-cf4f02ffd563.html

Fed up with gas prices? Transit companies welcome you aboard

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 13:38:11 GMT

The national average price for a gallon of gas reached a new all-time high of $4.76 Friday, with Wisconsin drivers paying an average of $4.68, according to AAA. Prices in Milwaukee have soared near or above $5 per gallon, and the frustration could lead more drivers to leave their car at home for the weekday commute this summer.

Since the start of the year, bus ridership in Milwaukee County has been up 14%. While it may be difficult to attribute the increase to fuel costs, the Milwaukee County Transit System said it expects more people to catch a ride on the bus, with no imminent signs of relief at the pump.

“People are noticing the bus,” MCTS marketing director Kristina Hoffman said. “They’re looking at it as an alternative to their current lifestyle, an alternative to their car, paying high gas prices, high parking prices. They’re stressed out. Let us do the driving.”

For many drivers, the switch would be a big change to their daily routine, but some, like frequent rider Brian Ambers, find the savings worth the shakeup.

“If you put five bucks in your tank, it’s not going to get you anywhere,” said Brian Ambers, who takes a bus from South Milwaukee to work an early shift in Bay View. “I’m saving a lot of money. I mean, I wish the prices would go down, but I don’t know when that’s going to happen.”

Each ride on an MCTS bus costs $2, and an all-day bus costs $5 in the service’s new Umo mobile app. Ambers said beyond the money he saves, his mind gets a break while he would otherwise be dealing with weekday traffic.

“If there’s a bus stop available, get on there,” Ambers said. ”Saves you a lot of money; you can enjoy your ride, listen to music, watch videos on your phone. That’s the way I do it.”

For Ambers, $2 each way is an easy tradeoff to the 40-minute round trip to work. He may be joined by more Wisconsinites as gas prices continue to soar.

https://spectrumnews1.com/wi/milwaukee/news/2022/06/03/fed-up-with-gas-prices--transit-companies-welcome-you-aboard-

Madison plans to buy 46 new electric buses using federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law dollars

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 13:03:52 GMT

When President Biden visited Superior in March, he touted how billions of dollars will be dedicated to improving infrastructure in Wisconsin.

Tuesday morning, Madison Mayor Sayta Rhodes-Conway discussed how some of the funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will be spent.

“This is a once-in-a-generation federal investment in critical infrastructure that will make a huge difference in Madison,” Rhodes-Conway told reporters during the kickoff of Opportunity Wisconsin's 'Paving the Way' statewide tour. The event highlighted how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will impact the Badger State.

President Biden's spending package puts $89.9 billion toward public transit over the next five years. The City of Madison will use those funds to pursue an all-electric fleet of buses.

The city expects to buy 46 brand new electric buses without contributing any additional local funding. However, that wasn't always the plan.

“We had been planning to do a mixed fleet,” Rhodes-Conway explained. “Some electric buses and some conventional diesel buses, but with the advent of the funding for electric vehicles in the infrastructure act, we're able to switch our fleet to fully electric so that we won't be buying diesel buses and locking in that pollution for years.”

The mayor also hopes the switch can lock in years of savings. She expects the shift to an all-electric fleet will:

Cut back on nearly a quarter-million gallons of diesel fuel every year
Save the city up to $125,000 in maintenance costs per vehicle over its lifetime
Reduce up to 135 metric tons of greenhouse gases for each bus every year

“Each of these projects represents good, family-supporting jobs for Madisonians, and each of these projects represents an opportunity to advance our city's goals around climate, equity and economic development,” Rhodes-Conway said.

The mayor said bus rapid transit routes will start operating as soon as next year, with everything fully operational by 2024.

https://spectrumnews1.com/wi/madison/politics/2022/05/17/why-madison-is-using-federal-funds-to-buy-46-new-buses

Independence Day: New Technology Allows Bus Riders with Mobility Devices to be Completely Self-Sufficient

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 15:16:16 GMT

Adam Bellcorelli said the new technology added to GO Transit buses is a win for him and a win for the bus drivers in the city.

And Bellcorelli loves a win-win as much as anybody.

“Being able to ride the bus and not to have to have the driver jump out and get on the floor and do the ratchet straps, or when it’s wintertime, the floor gets a little slushy or dirty, so I feel better for them,’’ said Bellcorelli, a 17-year Oshkosh resident. “And I just tell them where I’m going to stop, then jump on and hit the button, and it secures me right in. It’s independence, and it’s a lot of fun to use.’’

The independence Bellcorelli speaks of comes in what is called Quantum securement technology, a device that allows riders in wheelchairs and mobility devices to have complete independence while riding city buses.

GO Transit, the public transportation service to the Greater Oshkosh area, unveiled the new technology Wednesday as part of Global Accessibility Awareness Day.

“It gives independence and safety, really the two main issues, for people using the bus with mobility devices,’’ said Steve Tomasik, operations manager for GO Transit. “They can get on the bus by themselves and the device actually secures the wheelchair for them.’’

Tomasik said the devices were installed to fill a need, as both riders and drivers became concerned during the COVID pandemic.
“Everyone was scared of how all of this was going to transpire,’’ he said. “You can’t keep six feet of safe distancing if you have someone reaching over you to help you secure your device.”

GO Transit retrofitted 12 of their buses at a cost of $180,000, Tomasik said. Four new buses, which will be delivered later this year, will already have the technology installed.

Tomasik said new air purification systems were also added to all GO Transit buses. They also added a cashless payment system, whereby riders download an app to their cellphone, purchase tickets online, then show their phone to the driver when they get on.

“And the nice things about this system is, let’s say you go over a bump or (the bus) takes a turn or whatever, this will, throughout the course of the ride, readjust itself to make sure you’re still clamped in,” Tomasik said.

Tomasik said the option will remain for riders with mobility devices to be strapped in the old way, as the new system requires the rider to face the back of the bus.

“I really like this,’’ said Bellcorelli of facing the opposite way. “I didn’t think I would at first because normally I do ride, when I was in the old system, I’d ride the other way. But because you put your back against the pad, it feels so much more secure. So, yeah, I do like it. I’ve found it more comfortable riding this way," he said.

Bellcorelli said based on talking with other riders with mobility devices, the new technology is a hit.

“People love it,’’ he said. “The more you can do this on your own, the less you feel like you have to rely on someone else to do things for you.

“It makes all the buses much more accessible and much more fun to use.’’

https://spectrumnews1.com/wi/green-bay/news/2022/05/19/bus-riders-with-mobility-devices-dain-independence

Metro Transit Public Art Project Finalists

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 31 May 2022 13:12:41 GMT

The Madison Arts Commission (MAC) has selected four (4) finalists to provide proposals for a public art project for the Metro Transit Maintenance Facility near the corner of East Washington Avenue and South Ingersoll Street. The finalists are: Actual Size Artworks (Gail Simpson and Aristotle Georgiades), Deborah Aschheim, Vito DiBari, and Jenie Gao.

This is the first public art project funded by Madison’s Percent for Art Ordinance established in 2019 to ensure that the City’s major public work projects have a designated funding source for the inclusion of public art and design.

MAC recognizes that the Metro Transit Maintenance Facility occupies a highly visible location passed by thousands of daily commuters and residents as well as visitors to Wisconsin’s State Capitol and therefore they would like to involve the public to participate in the process.

Each finalist has provided a 15-minute artist talk with information about past projects and their approach to public art. These brief artist talks give residents the chance to learn more about the artists and how they might approach the Metro Transit location on East Washington. Please review their artist talks at the links below:
Actual Size Artworks
Deborah Aschheim
Vito DiBari
Jenie Gao

After you watch all the artist presentations, please share your thoughts in feedback form here: https://airtable.com/shrngRkqAkZMUdrvq . Feedback must be submitted by 12 PM (noon) on July 12, 2022 in order to influence the selection and design process.

This is your opportunity to offer your initial response on the candidates, and share what is important to you about the Metro Transit location on East Washington, the neighborhood Metro Transit is part of, and public art in the City as a whole. Your comments will be provided to the artist finalists, City staff, and members of the Madison Arts Commission and will become part of the permanent public record.

During the next phase of the review process, each applicant will design a proposal for a site-specific artwork for this site. Your input will help inform their proposal. Site proposals will be submitted to the City of Madison in late August. We will seek additional community input on the design proposals at that time.

The public is invited to attend the meeting of the Madison Arts Commission at 5:30pm on September 7, 2022, where we anticipate commissioners will discuss proposals and may determine which artist to recommend for this opportunity.

The Madison Arts Commission (MAC), an 11-member citizen commission appointed by the Mayor to advise the City about matters of arts and culture. MAC’s mission is to foster arts appreciation by initiating partnerships, developing new audiences, and sponsoring diverse artistic activities by emerging and established artists and arts organizations while preserving Madison’s rich artistic tradition. To support a full creative life for all, The Madison Arts Commission commits to championing policies and practices of cultural equity that empower a just, inclusive, equitable city.

https://www.cityofmadison.com/news/metro-transit-public-art-project-finalists

Madison Mayor Joins Wisconsin Groups to Highlight Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 23 May 2022 13:39:55 GMT

Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes Conway joined a Wisconsin coalition Tuesday as part of a statewide tour highlighting how the bipartisan infrastructure law is benefitting Wisconsin.

Rhodes Conway met with members of Opportunity Wisconsin and For Our Future Wisconsin to discuss how the legislation will provide a better economy, more jobs and lower costs for Wisconsinites as part of the Paving the Way tour.

“We had been planning to do a mixed-fleet, some electric buses and some conventional diesel buses, but with the advent of the funding for electric vehicles in the infrastructure act, we’re able to switch our fleet to fully electric,” Rhodes Conway said. “So that we won’t be buying diesel buses, and locking in that pollution for years.”

Opportunity Wisconsin program director Meghan Roh explained that the groups are excited to begin traveling around the state as the weather gets warmer.

“This once-in-a-generation investment from the Biden-Harris administration will mean repaired roads and bridges, increased access to broadband, cleaner drinking water, and so much more,” Roh said.

Opportunity Wisconsin will travel to cities including Milwaukee, Eau Claire and La Crosse, and meeting with elected officials while there.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides $5.2 billion to Wisconsin for highways and $225 million for bridges over five years. The agency noted there are 979 bridges and nearly 2,000 miles of highway in Wisconsin that are considered to be in poor condition. The plan also provides internet access to Wisconsinites who need it, $592 million to improve public transportation and $841 million to improve water infrastructure.

https://www.nbc15.com/2022/05/17/madison-mayor-joins-wisconsin-groups-highlight-bipartisan-infrastructure-law/

Go Transit: Improves Bus Riding Experience for Riders with Disabilities on Global Accessibility Awareness Day

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 19 May 2022 13:31:08 GMT

GO Transit, the public transportation service in the Greater Oshkosh area, is excited to unveil the new Quantum securement technology on its buses on Thursday, May 19 at 11 a.m. at the Oshkosh Seniors Center, located at 200 N. Campbell Rd. (map). This convenient, automatic device allows riders in wheelchairs and mobility devices to have complete independence while riding the bus.

May 19 is also Global Accessibility Awareness Day, part of why GO Transit is unveiling this technology on this day. Quantum technology is fitted onto 12 of GO Transit’s buses, providing riders with the ability to secure themselves into place in only 25 seconds with the push of a button and no assistance from the driver. This saves a significant amount of time for both the rider and the driver, allowing buses to run on schedule while limiting the need for close contact.

“We’re excited to provide this service to our riders,” explained GO Transit operations manager, Steve Tomasik. “Nobody likes to feel like they need another person to help them with simple tasks such as riding the bus. This Quantum technology will allow our wheelchair and scooter-bound riders to secure themselves and regain their independence.”

In addition to unveiling the Quantum securement technology at the Oshkosh Seniors Center, there will be free resources and travel training on-site for any community member interested in learning the basics of how to ride the GO Transit system. Light refreshments will also be available.

To learn more about GO Transit’s services, visit oshkoshtransit.com.

https://www.wisbusiness.com/2022/go-transit-improves-bus-riding-experience-for-riders-with-disabilities-on-global-accessibility-awareness-day/

WI: RYDE Racine Unveils Automatic Car Locator Transit Smartphone App for Passengers

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 16 May 2022 13:17:45 GMT

The phone app will save users time waiting for buses and allow them to swiftly check up transfers and plan excursions. Source The Journal Times, Racine, Wisconsin (TNS) — In addition to electrifying 25% of RYDE Racine’s bus fleet, the Racine area’s transit system announced Monday the formal debut of a new automated vehicle finder smartphone application, which gives users with real-time data on bus position, as well as arrival and departure timings.

“The City of Racine is utilizing smart technology to improve municipal services and enhance quality of life for our residents,” stated Mayor Cory Mason. “This is an excellent example of the major strides that several City departments have made to integrate technological solutions to better meet our community’s needs.” Residents and visitors alike can download the free application by searching “RYDE Racine Transit” in the app stores on Android and Apple devices.

The phone application will save riders on wait times for buses and provide the capability to quickly look up transfers and plan trips. An additional feature of the app designed to help visually impaired people will make an audible announcement when passengers are nearing their stop while riding. The application’s system map can be updated in real time if routes or schedules change based on construction or rerouting. “The launch of this app is an important part of an overall effort to modernize our transit system,” stated Trevor Jung, Racine transit manager. “Improvements like this will enhance the customer experience for our passengers and make utilizing public transit a more viable transportation option.”

https://www.bollyinside.com/news/wi-ryde-racine-unveils-automatic-car-locator-transit-smartphone-app-for-passengers

Milwaukee County Buses Transfer to New Far Collection App - Patch

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 12 May 2022 14:42:32 GMT

Friday was the last day to use Milwaukee County Transit System's old fare collection app, Ride MCTS, according to a news release from the agency.

The transit system is now using a new app called WisGo, which is powered by Umo Mobility. The app brings a host of new features and differences from the old app. Riders will be able to purchase a 105-minute fare for $2 or a 24-hour fare for $5, according to the news release.

Once you buy a ticket, unlike the former app, your fare will become immediately active, so MCTS advises people to only purchase fares when they're ready to board the bus. It's a temporary system until new fare validators are installed on buses, the release said.

The new app is part of a wider part of MCTS's new fare collection system, which is expected to be fully up and running by the fall. The app introduces new ways to pay, and the news release touts that bus tracking will be improved.

To use the new app, look up the Umo App and enter Milwaukee as your location. While the old app is now defunct, riders will still be able to use MCards and cash to pay fares.

https://patch.com/wisconsin/milwaukee/milwaukee-county-buses-transfer-new-fare-collection-app

Madison to Create Transit-Oriented Zoning

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 09 May 2022 13:34:29 GMT

A press release from the City of Madison announces an effort to create a “Transit-Oriented Development overlay zoning district” that would support denser development near transit hubs and help the city reduce vehicle miles driven. “As recommended by the 2018 Comprehensive Plan, this ‘TOD overlay’ would potentially create development intensity minimums, reduce parking requirements, and support transit use, among other possible tweaks to underlying zoning regulations.”

According to District 2 Alder and Plan Commissioner Patrick Heck, “Paired with the City’s use of our Affordable Housing Fund to support projects close to transit, the TOD changes will not only make it easier to build housing, but easier to build affordable and workforce housing with transit-supported access to jobs.”

District 15 Alder and Transportation and Policy Planning Board member Grant Foster said the goal is to accommodate regional growth while boosting housing affordability, “without the devastating impacts of increasing traffic.”

https://www.planetizen.com/news/2022/05/117033-madison-create-transit-oriented-zoning

WI: Eau Claire to approve final $5.6 million package of transfer center bids

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 05 May 2022 15:35:12 GMT

City leaders are poised to approve $5.59 million in bids from contractors to finish construction of Eau Claire's new downtown transit transfer center.

The third set of bids in the project is up for a vote by the City Council during its Tuesday afternoon meeting.

"This is the final one for the city," Tom Wagener, manager of Eau Claire Transit, said of the bid package.

There are 21 different companies slated to do a portion of the work needed to complete the center, which has been under construction since fall.

Market & Johnson, the Eau Claire firm also serving as construction manager for the project, is set to get $1.9 million to do the masonry, carpentry and providing gypsum board.

The contractor poised to get the second-highest amount from the latest package is Design Point Exteriors of Stevens Point, which bid $971,000 to provide the metal clad walls for the building.

Other contracts for plumbing, structural steel, weatherproofing, doors, glass, tiling, flooring, painting, fire sprinklers and elevator work are also among items in the bid package.

These final bids are coming just a month after the City Council gave its approval to increase the construction project's budget, in part due to materials price inflation.

"It was the last bid package so we wanted to get them out as soon as we could because prices keep going up," Wagener said.

The project's first bid package was approved in July for $6.76 million in site work, utilities, paving and concrete, with the majority going to Market & Johnson.

The second bid package, which was for $1.33 million in electrical work, went to NEI Electric of Eau Claire in February.

Higher prices and increasing the city's share of the public-private project led the council to unanimously vote March 22 to increase spending on it.

The public portion of the center was previously estimated to cost $8.9 million to build, but the council's vote grew that to $17.2 million as costs rose.

The six-story project will have a bus transfer center on the ground floor, two levels of parking above it and then a three-level apartment building with "workforce housing" on top. As originally conceived in 2017, city and federal funds were supposed to pay for the ground floor and a level of parking with a private developer covering the rest.

However, difficulty getting a housing developer to sign on under that arrangement led the city to expand the public share of the project last month to include the second level of parking, a large concrete slab above that for the apartments to stand on and more of the structure's infrastructure.

After another developer had previously walked away, the city has been in talks since late last year with Rice Lake-based Impact Seven to build the workforce housing.

Including the housing is seen as critical to the city holding onto a $5 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery it was awarded in 2018 to kick-start the transit transfer center.

https://www.masstransitmag.com/technology/facilities/news/21265361/wi-eau-claire-to-approve-final-56-million-package-of-transfer-center-bids

This is a step in the right direction: Racine rolls out 9 new electric buses

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 02 May 2022 16:48:47 GMT

The City of Racine rolled out its new fleet of electric buses on Wednesday. The city now has nine new electric buses, making it the largest electric fleet in Wisconsin.

According to the city's transit department, 25% of Racine's bus fleet is now electrified. The City of Racine received $6,190,906 from the Wisconsin Department of Administration's Volkswagen Transit Capital Assistance Grant Program to fund the purchase of six electric buses and related infrastructure.

Additionally, the city was awarded $3,183,723 from the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Authority (FTA) Low or No Emission Vehicle Program (“Low-No Program”) to buy three additional electric buses, bringing the total to nine.

Racine was the only city in the state to receive this allocation, and one of only 41 other transit jurisdictions nationwide to receive this funding.

Gov. Tony Evers and residents were some of the first to ride on the bus. Gov. Evers said he sees this as the future of public transportation across the state.

“The more we can electrify our fleets and buses and individual cars, the more we will be able to say gasoline is not the be-all-end-all from us to get from point A to point B," Gov. Evers said. "This is a step in the right direction."

Kiran Vedak has worked in Racine for nine years. He said he prefers the electric buses over diesel, because they are more quiet and better for the environment.

“It’s a great move, good for the environment and next generations,” said Vedak.

https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/this-is-a-step-in-the-right-direction-racine-rolls-out-9-new-electric-buses

Wisconsin Clean Cities: Transportation & Innovation Expo 2022 set for Madison

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 14:25:50 GMT

Alliant Energy, the City of Madison Fleet Service, Madison Gas and Electric and Wisconsin Clean Cities are again partnering to co-host the state’s largest sustainable transportation conference and expo.

“We’re excited to again co-host the Transportation & Innovation Expo with our partners,” Wisconsin Clean Cities Executive Director Lorrie Lisek said. “Helping fleets reduce emissions and improve their bottom line is what Wisconsin Clean Cities is all about. Whether you are just considering making a change toward low-carbon options or want to add to your sustainable fleet, our conference and expo will provide you with the tools needed to move your plans into action.”

The Transportation & Innovation Expo will take place on April 28 at the Exhibition Hall at the Alliant Energy Center, 1919 Alliant Energy Center Way in Madison.

“Alliant Energy strives to be a leader in electrification initiatives and embraces collaborative opportunities, like the Transportation & Innovation Expo,” said Michelle Yun, senior manager of strategy and electrification for Alliant Energy. “Collaborations such as these enhance our purpose-driven strategy to serve customers and build stronger communities. Whether we’re working on our own fleet electrification or electrifying our major corridors as part of the National Electric Highway Coalition, it’s just one more way we are driving toward a more sustainable future that benefits everyone. In the long-run, the customers and the communities we serve all benefit from a cleaner energy future.”

The event will offer multiple breakout sessions featuring the industry’s top leaders presenting on sustainable transportation choices. Topics range from incorporating electric vehicle and alternative fuel options into fleets, to state and federal programs and policies, vehicle outlooks for 2022 and beyond, sustainable choices for non-road equipment, sustainable options for bus fleets, electric vehicle and alternative fuel infrastructure and the roadway to municipal, business and industry fleet sustainability.

A luncheon panel discussion will feature leaders from state and federal agencies sharing insight into the availability of funding to support sustainable transportation options in 2022 and beyond through a variety of programs and legislation. Agencies scheduled to participate include the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Wisconsin Office of Energy Innovation, Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Wisconsin Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

The 70,000-square-foot exhibit hall will feature a variety of exhibitors and indoor vehicle and equipment displays. Attendees will also have the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a variety of alternative fuel and electric vehicles during the ride and drive outside the exhibit hall.

“Madison Gas and Electric is pleased to partner and co-sponsor the Transportation and Innovation Expo,” said Debbie Branson, manager of electrification for Madison Gas and Electric. “More organizations are turning to electric vehicles to move people and products. Madison Gas and Electric can help businesses transition their fleets, which can reduce costs and enhance sustainability. The Expo is an opportunity to learn more about the benefits of going electric.”

Among the vehicles and equipment scheduled to be on hand are an electric recycling and refuse truck, a compressed natural gas shuttle bus, compressed natural gas snow plows, a hybrid street sweeper, a clean energy electric vehicle charging station, a propane F-150, an electric transit bus, a biodiesel plow truck and a variety of electric passenger vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles and much more.

“The Transportation & Innovation Expo will be a celebration of the emerging global leadership displayed by South Central Wisconsin in the sustainable fleet industrial complex involving government agencies, private companies, utilities, educational institutions and nonprofits working together to turbocharge carbon dioxide reduction,” said Mahanth Joishy, superintendent of the City of Madison Fleet Service. “We are just at the beginning of this exciting revolution and the City of Madison is proud to work with our partners to host guests from down the road to across oceans and borders, in what I expect will be the best and most unique sustainable transportation gathering ever held in the United States.”

Access to the expo hall and the ride and drive is free and open to the public throughout the day. Paid registration includes breakout sessions, continental breakfast, lunch, refreshments, access to exhibit booths and vehicle/equipment displays and the ride and drive as well as a networking reception in the Expo Hall the evening of April 27. Fleet managers receive all the benefits of paid registration free of charge, but pre-registration is required.

Registration and more information is available online at www.wicleancities.org.

https://www.wispolitics.com/2022/wisconsin-clean-cities-transportation-innovation-expo-2022-set-for-madison/

MTU La Crosse Unveils First Pair of Electric Buses

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 15:25:46 GMT

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan completed his three day Wisconsin tour visiting West Salem and La Crosse Wednesday morning to talk about President Biden's 'Bipartisan Infrastructure Law'.

Joined by Wisconsin elected officials, the meeting in La Crosse focused on public transportation, as the infrastructure law granted 5.6 billion dollars to the federal transit administration to fund grants for no emission public transportation.

The City of La Crosse unveiled its first pair of electric busses that produce no emissions.

Congressman Ron Kind said with the recent actions Russia has taken toward Ukraine, the United States should move away from foreign oil and move to an emission free solution.

"As long as we have major countries producing these fossil fuel we will be held hostage by their bad actions. We are living and seeing that each day right now with price going up at the pump, it is all the more reason why we need to be stepping down on that accelerator and accelerating the conversion to a cleaner more sustainable energy future."

EPA Administrator Michael Regan said that these busses not only help the environment, but provide health benefits as well.

"This is a significant investment opportunity for the health and well-being of the members of the La Crosse community and it is just exciting to be a part of it." Regan continued, "And the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will provide billions of dollars for towns and cities all across the country to invest in similar opportunities."

The MTU busses were manufactured in the United States.

In addition to reducing green house gas emissions and pollution, Regan is also excited that these will bring manufacturing jobs to the United States as well.

And said he hopes that zero emission transportation will become the American standard.

https://www.wxow.com/news/mtu-la-crosse-unveils-first-pair-of-electric-busses/article_10bb42f0-c106-11ec-92ef-232e86f24625.html

Baldwin, Rhodes-Conway tout federal funding to fund Metro Transit maintenance facility improvements

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 13:16:06 GMT

Sen. Tammy Baldwin joined Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway on Friday to highlight the millions of dollars in federal money the city is getting to help fund improvements at Metro Transit’s maintenance site.

The funding from the Federal Transit Administration will help cover the costs of installing new maintenance bays and lifts, upgrading electrical systems as Metro Transit looks to move toward electric buses and building new facilities for drivers, among other updates, the city said.

Last month, the FTA announced Madison will get $6.4 million in funding as part of a federal push to improve bus systems’ reliability and safety.

“By investing in electric buses for our (bus rapid transit) system, we will save the city up to $125,000 in maintenance costs per vehicle during the lifetime of each bus,” Rhodes-Conway said during Friday’s event at the Metro Transit garage on East Washington Avenue. “We’ll also save up to 135 metric tons of greenhouse gases each year.”

Baldwin called the money an investment not just in infrastructure but also in people.

“This investment supports transit workers and improves their workplace,” she said. “It will help provide better service to Madison residents, including underserved communities of color, and by upgrading electrical infrastructure to support all-electric vehicles, we are paving the way to a cleaner Madison Metro Transit that serves the people of this community with lower energy costs and a better environment.”

In late March, Rhodes-Conway and nine city alders introduced a resolution authorizing a contract to buy between 27 and 46 electric buses as the city looks to implement bus rapid transit.

https://www.channel3000.com/baldwin-rhodes-conway-tout-federal-funding-to-fund-metro-transit-maintenance-facility-improvements/

Wisconsin getting about $116 million in federal transit funding

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 13:02:56 GMT

Federal officials have announced more than $20 billion in transit funding for fiscal year 2022, including about $116 million for Wisconsin.

In a media briefing, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the national figure represents 58 percent more funding than was provided in fiscal year 2021.

“It also represents the largest transit funding allocation in American history,” he said yesterday. “These dollars will build, maintain and expand transit opportunities across the nation.”

According to a funding breakdown from the White House, the Milwaukee area is getting over $32 million, while Madison is getting over $12 million, Appleton is getting just under $4 million, Green Bay is getting over $3 million and Kenosha is getting about $123,000.

Meanwhile, the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, which includes part of Wisconsin, is getting over $116 million, the fact sheet shows. And the Round Lake Beach-McHenry-Grayslake area, covering parts of Illinois and Wisconsin, is getting nearly $17 million.

A release from the U.S. Department of Transportation says the funding increases authorized under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will support transit agencies purchasing new buses and railcars, addressing repair backlogs, transitioning to new transportation technologies to “address the climate crisis” and modernizing their fleets.

“With this new funding, we can reduce congestion, we can decrease wait times for commuters ready to get home and see their kids, and of course also reduce pollution and create good-paying jobs,” Buttigieg said.

See the allocations for states here: https://www.wisbusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/FTA-FY22-State-Allocations.pdf

See the allocations by urbanized area here: https://www.wisbusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/FTA-FY22-UZA-Apportionments.pdf

https://www.wisbusiness.com/2022/wisconsin-getting-about-116-million-in-federal-transit-funding/

Racine has the most electric buses in the state. But it won't for long

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 13:06:58 GMT

Right now, Racine has the most electric buses of any fleet in the state with nine. But Belle City won’t be in the lead for long.

Madison will use $41.6 million in federal funding to buy 27 electric buses for the coming first phase of the city’s bus rapid transit system, pushing the city’s goal of an all-electric BRT (Bus Rapid Transit system) closer to reality.

Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and nine City Council members on Tuesday introduced a resolution to authorize a contract with New Flyer of Winnipeg, Manitoba, to purchase the initial 27 zero-emission buses and approving the next steps for the 15.5-mile first phase of the BRT project that will run roughly from East Towne Mall to West Towne Mall. A future route will run from north to south.

The resolution calls for a base order of 27 60-foot all-electric articulated buses, which is more than half of the 46 vehicles needed to operate the upcoming BRT system. It also includes an option to add 19 more vehicles if more funding becomes available through the federal Infrastructure and Jobs Act and Small Starts grant programs.

The contract with New Flyer includes options of either 14 additional diesel BRT buses, at a cost of $14 million, or the 19 additional electric BRT buses at a cost of $28.9 million. Either option must be selected no later than Dec. 31.

“I am grateful to President (Joe) Biden and Secretary (Pete) Buttigieg for helping Madison move quickly to implement a fully electric BRT system,” Rhodes-Conway said in a statement. “I also want to thank Alds. Furman and Foster for being early champions of this resolution, and all alders who signed onto this important investment for the future of our transportation network, the future of our dynamic economy and the sustainability of our environment for generations to come.”

BRT, a high-frequency, high-capacity, limited-stop service that would run on city streets and dedicated lanes with special stations, is also the backbone of the coming Metro Transit network redesign, a new vision of the entire bus system.

With each of Metro’s current buses using approximately 5,658 gallons of diesel each year, electric buses are expected to conserve nearly a quarter-million gallons of fuel yearly, according to the mayor’s statement. With no engines, transmissions, intakes or exhaust systems, electric vehicles can also save up to $125,000 in maintenance costs per vehicle during the lifetime of the bus.

Converting Metro’s fleet to electric is one of the most important things the city can do to address climate change. Electric buses take cars off the street and release zero emissions back into the atmosphere, with each one saving an estimated 135 metric tons of greenhouse gas annually, according to the mayor’s office.

https://journaltimes.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/racine-has-the-most-electric-buses-in-the-state-but-it-wont-for-long/article_1a71eda6-868e-5fb4-bce1-eaca1a8bf9ef.html

Oneida public transit system's 1.5 million pandemic relief funding will support service through 2029

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 15:32:49 GMT

The Oneida Nation is receiving a $1.47 million grant to support its public transit system.

“The Oneida Public Transit system is a valuable asset for the Oneida Nation because it provides transportation services to a variety of tribal members and the general public,” said Carol J. Moore, transit manager for the tribe. “It connects rural community members to jobs, medical care, recreation opportunities and into a regional shopping and services area in Green Bay.”

The tribe’s transit service area extends just beyond the borders of its 65,000-acre reservation. Its eastern border roughly follows Taylor Street in Green Bay and the western border extends to Seymour, encompassing more rural portions of the reservation.

In 2018, the transit system completed more than 34,000 trips, Moore said. That was cut in half in 2021 because of a reduction of services and limited seating resulting from COVID-19 pandemic health guidelines.

The nearly $1.5 million federal grant from the American Rescue Plan will assist with the operational costs of the Oneida Public Transit Program through 2029.

“In general, operating expenses are those costs necessary to operate, maintain and manage a public transportation system,” Moore said.

These operating costs include driver salaries, fuel, maintenance, and personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies.

The transit system was established as a department of the Oneida Nation in 1982 and runs on a “demand response” system that provides curb-to-curb pickup service. It requires advanced scheduling by customers, which can include private individuals, public entities and nonprofits.

Its fleet of three shuttle buses, five vans and two minivans, all of which are wheelchair accessible, can pick up passengers from their homes, medical facilities, such as the Oneida Health Center, recreational facilities and shopping areas on the reservation, such as the Walmart and Festival Foods, that lease from the tribe.

The fare is $1.50 for adults one way and $1 for elders, children and people with disabilities. The system also includes a program of free rides for elders who need dialysis treatments three times a week.

The grant is part of $8.3 million in funding for the state of Wisconsin and $2.2 billion in grants nationwide for transit services.

“Essential public transit workers have been on the front lines of the pandemic for two years, keeping our economy moving and helping Americans get where they need to go,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a statement. “This additional funding from the American Rescue Plan is helping communities across the country keep transit workers on the job and keep their trains and buses running.”

https://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/news/native-american-issues/2022/03/24/oneida-nation-public-transit-wisconsin-nets-federal-arpa-funds/7126796001/

Madison leaders make move to buy electric buses for upcoming rapid transit program

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 13:10:37 GMT

Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and nine members of the city’s Common Council have introduced a resolution authorizing a contract to buy dozens of all-electric buses for the upcoming bus rapid transit program.

The non-competitive contract with New Flyer industries includes a base order of 27 bus rapid transit buses costing up to $41.6 million. Also included are options to buy an additional 14 diesel buses for $14 million or 19 more electric buses for $28.9 million by the end of the year.

A non-competitive selection request form included with the legislation said New Flyer is the only vendor able to provide the buses the city needs due to federal rules.

In a news release, Rhodes-Conway’s office said money from the federal Infrastructure and Jobs Act is allowing Madison to change the bus purchase to include as many as 46 electric buses without more local funding.

“I am grateful to President Biden and Secretary Buttigieg for helping Madison move quickly to implement a fully electric BRT system,” Rhodes-Conway said in the release. “I also want to thank Alders Furman and Foster for being early champions of this resolution, and all Alders who signed onto this important investment for the future of our transportation network, the future of our dynamic economy and the sustainability of our environment for generations to come.”

The release estimates the switch to electric buses could save nearly 250,000 gallons of diesel gasoline every year and $125,000 in maintenance costs over the lifetime of each bus.

https://www.channel3000.com/madison-leaders-make-move-to-buy-electric-buses-for-upcoming-bus-rapid-transit-program/

ONLINE: Connect Greater Madison Regional Transportation Plan 2050

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 13:13:15 GMT

The Greater Madison MPO is finishing up work on the Connect Greater Madison: Regional Transportation Plan 2050 (RTP) update, and is announcing opportunities to comment on draft plan recommendations through the plan website and upcoming virtual public meetings. The public is invited to provide comments on the draft future roadway, transit, and bicycle networks included in the plan through a new interactive comment map on the plan website that will be available until April 12^th. The draft plan recommendations and supporting maps have also been posted on the website. The public is also invited to join us for the third and final round of virtual public meetings on April 7^th at 5:30 P.M. or April 12^th at noon to provide feedback on the draft plan goals, recommendations, and performance measures to be used to assess progress in achieving plan goals. The meetings will be recorded and will be available on our YouTube channel.

The regional transportation system plays a significant role in quality of life in Dane County, the fastest growing county in Wisconsin. To accommodate future growth successfully, the region must have an integrated, multimodal transportation network that supports regional land use development, environmental, economic, and social equity goals.

“The Regional Transportation Plan provides the necessary framework to ensure we make smart choices about transportation investments and policies that help us achieve our shared regional goals,” said MPO Planning Manager, Bill Schaefer. “Implementing agencies, including WisDOT and local governments, will be encouraged to use the plan goals and recommendations when undertaking planning efforts and prioritizing and implementing transportation projects to achieve the future transportation vision laid out in the plan and support the Capital Area Regional Planning Commission’s Regional Development Framework.” In addition to projects, the plan also recommends studies to develop specific improvements needed to address identified needs and issues. This includes the currently ongoing major WisDOT studies on Beltline, Interstate, and Stoughton Road.

The RTP is updated every five years and establishes the framework for transportation in the Madison region. The planning time horizon is a minimum of twenty years, in this case 28 years out to the year 2050. The RTP defines regional goals and performance measures, and specifies the policies, strategies, and projects that will help achieve these goals. Transportation projects must be included in or consistent with the RTP to be eligible for federal funding.

Now available for comment are the draft RTP recommendations and an interactive comment map including the draft future transit, bicycle, and roadway networks to be included in the RTP. The complete draft plan report will be available in early April.

Join us on April 7^th at 5:30 P.M. or April 12^th at noon to learn more about this important regional transportation planning process and provide your feedback on the draft plan goals, recommendations, and performance measures. Staff will share additional information about the draft future planned transportation networks included in the interactive comment map.

To date, the MPO has completed an extensive analysis of the existing transportation network; future transportation needs based on forecasted future travel and other local and regional transportation and land use planning efforts; and input received from the public. The recommendations featured in the plan include supporting actions for the different modes of transportation, managing travel demand and the transportation system, and recommendations for land use and transportation integration in coordination with the Capital Area Regional Planning Commission’s 2050 Regional Development Framework.

https://isthmus.com/events/connect-greater-madison-regional-transportation-plan-/

Madison BCycle Re-Launches Community Pass Program

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 13:17:52 GMT

Madison BCycle and Madison Public Library have relaunched the Community Pass Program in conjunction with the return of BCycles to stations around Madison on March 15, 2022.

The program, in partnership with the Madison Public Library Foundation , enables riders to use their Madison Public Library card to access one of over 350 electric bikes.

“Making bike share more accessible in our community is a top priority for us,” said Madison BCycle General Manager Helen Bradley. “Providing the Community Pass Program is one way we can ensure that everyone in our community has access to bike share as a transportation option.”

While e-bike checkouts from a BCycle station or mobile app typically require a credit card or smartphone to unlock, the Madison BCycle Community Pass Program is an alternative checkout method for riders who might have previously been unable to access bike share.

Library card holders can check out one of the available Madison BCycle passes from any Madison Public Library location. The passes can be checked out for up to a week at a time and provide access to over 350 electric-assist bikes at more than 50 BCycle stations. Riders also have the option to check out a helmet as needed.

As part of the partnership, Madison Public Library Foundation has helped make the program a reality by funding the available Madison BCycle passes.

“This partnership with BCycle was very popular last fall,” said Executive Director of the Madison Public Library Foundation Jenni Jeffress. “Making electric bikes accessible to library card holders is another way to help provide equitable bike share access for all riders and expand library services.”

Each of the nine Madison Public Library locations have two Community Passes available for checkout. Madison BCycle currently has stations outside of the Central Library location on West Mifflin Street and the Pinney Library on Cottage Grove Road.

Riders can learn more about the Community Pass Program at madison.bcycle.com .

About Madison BCycle
Since its launch in 2011, Madison BCycle has grown to include over 350 electric-assist bikes and 50 BCycle stations in and around Madison. Madison BCycle is owned and operated by BCycle LLC, delivering best-in-class bike share as a sustainable and accessible transportation alternative for cities. BCycle believes that bike share is the bicycle’s role in public transit and is on a mission to change the world by getting more people on bikes.

Contacts

Macy O’Malley, 920-478-2191 x 13031, macy_omalley@bcycle.com
Helen Bradley, 920-478-2191 x 12953, helen.bradley@madisonbcycle.com

https://www.cityofmadison.com/news/madison-bcycle-re-launches-community-pass-program

City of Madison receives $6.4 million for Madison Metro project

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 13:02:20 GMT

The City of Madison will receive $6.4 million to restore Madison Metro’s maintenance and administrative facility, The U.S. Department of Transportation announced Monday.

The funds are part of more than $409 million awarded to 39 states with the passing of President Joe Biden’s infrastructure law, the DOT explained.

The City of Madison, which is the only Wisconsin city that was awarded money, will use the funds to continue to provide reliable transportation for its citizens.

The grants provide funds to projects to modernize and improve transit, as well as buy green technology or electric buses, explained U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

“These grants will help people in communities large and small get to work, get to school, and access the services they need,” Buttigieg said. “Everyone deserves access to safe, reliable, clean public transportation – and thanks to the President’s historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are bringing modern buses to communities across America.”

The department’s Federal Transit Administration received more than $2.5 billion in funding requests, which it noted where over five times the amount of funding available under the previous law.

The Texas Department of Transportation received the highest grant award, with more than $22 million set aside for the purchase of new buses, a new transit maintenance facility and support charging infrastructure for rural transit fleets.

https://www.nbc15.com/2022/03/14/city-madison-receives-64-million-madison-metro-project/

City wants public opinion in public transit survey

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 13:22:40 GMT

WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) - Metro Ride and the Wausau Area Metropolitan Planning Organization are seeking input about the future of public transit in the Wausau metropolitan area.

The survey is part of a five-year transit plan to develop transportation strategies in the area.

“It’s very important to get the public’s opinion. Especially for a service as important as transit is,” said Andrew Lynch, transportation planner for Marathon County and the Wausau Metropolitan Planning Organization.

The survey is a way to figure out the wants and needs of public transportation.

“The consultants we hired have put together a survey that’s going to kind of take the temperature and find out some of the attitudes, some of the desires of people in the metro area in regards to transit service,” said Lynch.

The information will be used to determine the future of public transit in the area.

“It will all be put together and help direct some recommendations, some options for either enhancing the current service or potentially expansion into other communities,” said Lynch.

The transportation planners said the survey is a way to make your voice heard.

“Well I can guarantee you won’t have a say in the process unless you fill out the survey,” said Lynch.

The survey can be completed online by clicking here. Printed copies are also available at the Marathon County Public Library branches in Wausau, Rothschild, and Mosinee.

https://www.wsaw.com/2022/03/15/city-wants-public-opinion-public-transit-survey/

Public Transit Could Get a Boost from High Gas Prices

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 13:00:25 GMT

One sector that could benefit from the rising price of gasoline is public transit. City buses and trains have seen big dips in ridership during the pandemic. Even with some folks back in their offices, the American Public Transit Association said demand is still 62% of what it was before the pandemic, but high gas prices could help turn that around.

The main thing that got Peter Robison out of his car was the hundreds of dollars he spent on parking in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. Now he takes the bus. “So last year was when I really made the full switch over,” Robison said.

With gas prices so high, he’s feeling pretty good about that decision. “I don’t want to say the word ‘smug,’ but I’m very much insulated from the rise in prices,” he said.

Public transit could soon see more riders like Robison, according to Chandra Bhat, who studies travel behavior at the University of Texas at Austin school of engineering.

“When we want to try to move people from driving alone to transit use, car use disincentives tend to work better,” Bhat said. For instance, a disincentive like $4-a-gallon gas.

A few big-city transit systems, including Washington’s Metro and San Francisco’s BART, have seen slight increases in ridership since the beginning of March.

Bobby Sisneros, with Albuquerque, New Mexico’s, Transit Department, said this is an opportunity to entice riders who got used to driving more during the pandemic.

“In the current situation that we’re in with gas prices rising, we get out and we want to remind folks that there’s ways to save money. One of those ways is to jump on our bus,” Sisneros said.

He said the city has a fuel-purchasing contract through June, so for now, at least, it’s not paying through the nose to fuel up its buses.

But not everyone has the option of turning to public transit, said Yonah Freemark of the Urban Institute. “The majority of Americans live in places where transit access is really poor,” Freemark said.

These high fuel prices won’t last forever, he said, but the issues they raise will keep coming up, “so we need to give people reliable public transportation options,” he said.

Freemark said low-income Americans and folks living outside feel it most when transportation costs are high.

https://www.marketplace.org/2022/03/10/public-transit-could-get-a-boost-from-high-gas-prices/

Public transit gets $3.7 B to woo riders, adopt green fleets

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 10 Mar 2022 16:32:46 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Public transit systems straining to win back riders after being crushed by the COVID-19 pandemic are getting a $3.7 billion boost to stay afloat and invest in new fleets of electric buses.

With mask restrictions fading and workers beginning to return to offices, the Biden administration said Monday it was awarding $2.2 billion in coronavirus relief funding to 35 financially strapped transit agencies in 18 states. The money would be used to prop up day-to-day operations, including staffing and payroll as well as cleaning and sanitization to limit the spread of illness in public transportation. A federal mask mandate for public transit remains in effect until at least March 18.

Another $1.5 billion in grants will be available under President Joe Biden’s infrastructure law — a total of $7.5 billion over five years — for transit agencies to purchase low- or no-emission buses and build bus facilities. That’s more than double the combined amount from the previous year.

Transit agencies will have until May to apply for the Transportation Department's infrastructure grants, which will be awarded by fall. About 5% of the money must be used for workforce training to help transit workers prepare for the technological change.

“We’re making the largest ever investment in this program for buses and bus facilities, helping to deliver better commutes and cleaner air to American communities,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said.

Buttigieg was joining Vice President Kamala Harris, who has pushed the need for electric school buses, along with EPA Administrator Michael Regan and other officials at the White House on Monday. They were unveiling efforts to promote green-friendly transit and announcing a proposed rule aimed at reducing emissions from dirty diesel trucks. Transportation is the biggest U.S. contributor to global warming.

Several transit systems already are moving in the direction of electric buses. California has committed to all-electric bus fleets by 2040, as well as New York City and Boston. Washington, D.C., has set a target of 2045.

The effort comes at a challenging time for public transit.

Only about 55% of transit riders nationwide have returned compared with pre-pandemic times, according to the American Public Transportation Association. The biggest losses have been in commuter rail systems serving white-collar suburbanites traveling to downtown workplaces.

As COVID-19 cases decline, Biden has urged Americans to shed remote work, describing a return to offices as necessary to boost economic growth. Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said about 90% of the U.S. population lives in counties where the risk of the coronavirus is posing a low or medium threat, meaning residents don’t need to wear masks in most indoor settings.

“It’s time for America to get back to work and fill our great downtowns again with people,” Biden said in his State of the Union address.

Among the recipients of COVID-19 relief funds Monday were big-city transit systems that had been hit hard from revenue losses due to decreased ridership. New York City’s transit system, the nation's largest, garnered $769 million to steady its operations, while San Francisco’s Bay Area Rapid Transit got $270 million to bolster service and safety protocols.

Others receiving grants were the Washington, D.C., metro system at $120 million as it anticipates a return of federal employees to offices and Houston’s public transit at $137 million, which has significantly added rapid transit bus lines.

“These funds are crucial to avoid drastic service cuts and layoffs that would damage the economy and public health," said Nuria Fernandez, head of the Federal Transit Administration, which oversees the grants.

At the start of the pandemic, transit agencies cut payroll and slashed services. That came even as essential workers, who are disproportionately nonwhite and lower income, continued to rely on public transportation to get to work. But three rounds totaling nearly $70 billion in federal COVID-19 emergency assistance, including $30.5 billion that Biden signed into law last year, pulled transit agencies from the brink of financial collapse.

“The COVID funds will be vital to keeping workers connected to their offices, but, even more importantly, the long-term funds in the bipartisan infrastructure bill will provide generational change,” said Paul P. Skoutelas, president of the American Public Transportation Association. He said the money will allow transit systems "to re-evaluate routes and service plans, address equity issues and place more alternative fuels vehicles on the road to help address our global climate crisis.”

https://www.manufacturing.net/operations/news/22105722/public-transit-gets-37b-to-woo-riders-adopt-green-fleets

Fact Sheet: Vice President Harris Announces Actions to Accelerate Clean Buses

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 10 Mar 2022 14:33:50 GMT

New Actions Will Deliver Cleaner Air, Healthier Neighborhoods, and Better Transportation

Today, Vice President Kamala Harris is announcing major federal actions that will expand clean public transit and school buses, reduce emissions from dirty diesel trucks, and create good-paying jobs. The Biden-Harris Administration will modernize public transit that connects people to their jobs, school, health care, and loved ones, freight trucks and ports that move goods through the American economy, and the iconic American yellow buses that bring children safely to school leveraging investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and American Rescue Plan investments, as well as a new proposed rule that would set heavy-duty vehicle emissions standards. Together, these actions will deliver better transportation for the American people while reducing air pollution that has long overburdened low-income communities and communities of color. They also boost American leadership on the zero-emissions transit, trucking, and port technologies of the future—to create good-paying, union jobs, improve public health, and confront climate change.

Heavy-duty vehicles, like buses and trucks, make up nearly one-quarter of all U.S. transportation greenhouse gas emissions, and heavy-duty vehicles are the largest contributor of nitrogen oxides (NOx)—air pollution that is known to cause asthma, heart and lung disease, and other serious respiratory issues. Neighborhoods near highways, ports, and other congested areas are especially impacted by health problems and premature deaths associated with dirty diesel exhaust. These burdens disproportionately impact people of color and low-income households.

To seize new economic opportunities and address these environmental injustices and climate concerns, while expanding public transit and ensuring efficient delivery of goods, the Administration is announcing a fleet of new and expanded actions to advance clean heavy-duty vehicles, as part of our electric, zero-emissions transportation future:

Cleaner , More Convenient Public Transit: The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law represents the single largest investment in public transit in history. As part of the historic $5.5 billion expansion of the Low- and No-Emission Transit Vehicle Program, the Department of Transportation (DOT) is announcing $1.1 billion in funding for 2022 and an additional $372 million under the Bus and Bus Facilities program. The Low-No Program helps state and local governments purchase U.S.-built electric transit buses and other cleaner models, to improve local air quality and expand affordable, accessible, transportation options in communities across the country. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law increased Low-No program funding by ten times, compared to the prior five years. Also, as a result of changes enacted in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the grants will dedicate funding to workforce training that helps protect and upskill transit workers – ensuring that those who work on transit vehicles today are ready to do so in the future. To keep transit workers on the job and transit services running, DOT is also announcing $2.2 billion in funding to 35 transit agencies across 18 states through the American Rescue Plan.
Saving Lives, Reducing Emissions: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing a proposed rule that would, if finalized, dramatically reduce harmful nitrogen oxides (NOx) emission from heavy- duty vehicles and set stronger greenhouse gas emissions standards for certain heavy-duty vehicle categories. This proposed rule would ensure heavy-duty vehicles and engines are as clean as possible while helping jump-start the transition to zero-emission vehicles in the heavy-duty fleet. When fully implemented, this rule will save roughly 2,000 lives annually, eliminate 18,000 cases of childhood asthma, and lead to 1.1 million fewer missed days of school.
Electrifying School Buses: The Environmental Protection Agency is awarding $17 million to fund electric zero-emission and low-emission buses. Through the American Rescue Plan, $7 million is being awarded to replace old diesel school buses in underserved communities with new, zero-emission buses. In addition, $10 million is being awarded to replace old diesel school buses with new cleaner buses through the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) School Bus Rebate Program. This funding compliments the $5 billion in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for clean school buses, the first tranche of which will become available in the coming months.
Lower Emissions from Ports: The Department of Transportation is using new project eligibilities in the Port Infrastructure Development Program - which is now funded at the highest levels ever through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law - to advance clean port equipment like electric vehicle charging infrastructure for drayage trucks, cargo equipment, and harbor craft. Grant applicants are encouraged to submit projects that reduce emissions, strengthen resilience, improve air quality in fenceline communities, and plan for zero-emission ports of the future. munities, and plan for the zero-emission ports of the future.
Innovation on Clean Trucks of the Future: The Department of Energy is partnering with industry to expand zero-emission truck technology through SuperTruck 3 Program, with the latest round of $127 million in funding focused for the first time on reducing costs and improving durability in hydrogen and battery electric trucks.
Leading by Example: The General Services Administration is doubling the amount of zero-emission medium and heavy-duty vehicle models available to federal agencies, changing towards 100% zero emission vehicle acquisition by 2035.

These steps build upon President Biden’s Executive Order on Strengthening American Leadership in Clean Cars and Trucks, which he signed in August 2021 alongside American automakers and autoworkers, launching development of smart fuel efficiency and emissions standards across all vehicles. President Biden and Vice President Harris also secured historic investments in clean transportation through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and American Rescue Plan. The announcement today of $1.1 billion for clean transit buses through the $5 billion Lo-No Program expansion, $17 million for clean school buses, and the ongoing buildout of a national EV charging network will transform bus transit from city centers to rural towns – improving connectivity and quality of life – while contributing to President Biden’s goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50-52% compared to 2005 levels by 2030.

Together, today’s actions will:

Electrify Our Buses
To accelerate our transition to clean public transit, over $5.5 billion is being infused into the Department of Transportation’s popular Low- and No-Emission Transit Vehicle Program through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – by far the largest ever investment in this program, and ten times larger than the last five years of funding. The Low-No Program helps state and local governments purchase or lease zero-emission and low-emission transit buses and other vehicles and expand or retrofit supporting facilities. These include vehicles that use technologies such as battery electric and fuel-cell power to provide clean, quieter, and more efficient transit service in communities across the country. In 2022, $1.1 billion will be granted to clean and electrify transit buses – representing almost a billion dollars in new investment compared to last year. This comes on top of nearly $2 billion over five years, and $372 million in 2022, provided in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Program to be used in part for low or no emissions bus projects. The clean buses purchased by these grants will be made here in the United States, creating manufacturing jobs in places like Minnesota, Alabama, South Carolina, and California.

Also, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides the first-ever dedicated investment in our transit workforce to support the transition to new clean technologies like battery electric buses. Five percent of grants under the program – up to $280 million over five years – will be used to fund workforce development training, including registered apprenticeships and other labor-management training programs, to train and upskill transit workers to maintain and operate zero emission vehicles and related charging infrastructure.

To keep all of these buses running – along with our country’s trains, ferries and other transit services – the Department of Transportation is also announcing $2.2 billion in grants to 35 transit agencies across 18 states. These funds are made available through President Biden’s American Rescue Plan and will help public transit agencies pay for day-to-day operations, keep tens of thousands of employees on the payroll, and provide essential transportation services to workers across America.

The EPA is also moving to deploy more clean school buses – awarding $17 million in rebates to fund electric zero-emission and low-emission school buses. Through the American Rescue Plan, $7 million is being awarded to replace old diesel school buses with new, zero-emission electric buses. These funds are reserved exclusively for school districts in underserved communities, tribal schools, and the private fleets serving those schools. In addition, the EPA awarded $10 million to replace old diesel school buses with new electric, diesel, gasoline, propane, or compressed natural gas buses through longstanding Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) School Bus Rebates. Later this year, major new investments funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s new $5 billion clean school bus program will allow EPA to greatly expand the impacts of clean school bus deployment.

Reduce Truck Emissions, Save Lives
Today, the EPA announced a proposed rule that would reduce NOx emissions from new trucks by up to 90% by 2031 compared to today’s standards. The current regulations set under the Clean Air Act for trucks were last updated over 20 years ago. However, trucks meeting this standard are still major sources of NOx and other harmful pollutants.

All traditional truck engines combust fuel which leads to creation of NOx – a harmful pollutant and precursor to the formation of smog and particulates. This pollution makes it difficult to breathe, triggers asthma and other lung diseases and is associated with premature death. These harmful conditions disproportionately impact low-income communities and communities of color. Without the actions taken today and the resulting shift to low- and zero-emission vehicles, these communities will continue to bear the brunt of these emissions.

When this rule is fully implemented, there will be numerous benefits to communities around the country, including:

Lives Saved: Roughly 2,000 premature deaths avoided and 6,700 fewer hospital and ER visits each year;
Healthy School Kids: 18,000 fewer cases of childhood asthma and 1.1 million fewer missed days of school each year;
Productive Communities: 78,000 fewer missed days of work each year.

In addition to strengthening NOx regulations, EPA and DOT are preparing to redouble the Administration’s commitment to zero-emissions trucks by using the upcoming Heavy-Duty GHG Phase 3 Program to set ambitious greenhouse gas and efficiency standards beginning in 2030. Because costs have fallen and state and local policy will drive deployment, zero-emission trucks and buses are entering the market much faster than anticipated when rules were previously set. To account for this, EPA is considering technical updates to its standards for model years 2027 to 2029 to better reflect new levels of market penetration in segments with expected zero-emission vehicle deployment.

Clean Our Port Operations
The ports on our coasts, rivers, and Great Lakes will need to be transformed to eliminate pollution affecting neighboring communities, address climate change, and strengthen supply chain resilience. This includes a focus on reducing emissions from heavy-duty road vehicles and rail that play key roles in port operations.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides the largest investment ever in the DOT’s Port Infrastructure Development Program – with the expansion designed to advance the Administration’s climate and environmental justice goals. Grant applicants are encouraged to submit projects that reduce emissions, strengthen resilience, and improve air quality in fenceline communities. These investments will touch all points of port operations – cleaning cargo handling equipment, harbor craft, and building out needed charging infrastructure for drayage trucks. The program also encourages master planning for port electrification and grid upgrades. In addition, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funded DOT to issue new grants to reduce truck idling and emissions at ports, including through the advancement of port electrification, which will complement other port investments.

Catalyze Zero Emission Truck Infrastructure
Through the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Departments of Energy and Transportation are making significant investments in updating the nation’s trucking fleets and freight infrastructure to be cleaner and more efficient.

To spur investment in zero emission trucks, the Federal Transit Administration, in conjunction with the Federal Highway Administration, is helping states purchase medium and heavy-duty vehicles through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program. DOE’s Loan Program Office has been given expanded authority for manufacturing of clean medium and heavy-duty on-road vehicles as well as vehicles and components in the aviation, maritime, and rail sectors, pending future appropriations.

To advance the build-out of our nation’s network of 500,000 EV chargers, DOT’s recent EV charging guidance to states includes eligibility to support charging infrastructure for trucks. Given the unique needs of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, DOE’s Sustainable Transportation offices are studying how to advance clean, affordable hydrogen and electrification corridor solutions to connect ports, highways, and end users, and provide clean freight solutions to move goods and materials from first mile to the last.

Accelerate Path Towards Zero-Emission Trucks
Through major advances in zero-emissions technology, clean trucks are becoming cheaper and more readily available. Today, the National Renewable Energy Lab published a study showing that zero emission electric medium and heavy-duty trucks can reach total-cost-of-driving parity with diesel counterparts for many vehicle types this decade and for all trucks by 2035. As technology continues to improve, and more infrastructure is deployed, more and more clean trucks will become cost-effective. That’s good for business and good for the planet.

In order to continue to drive down costs, the Department of Energy is investing in trucking innovation and next generation clean technologies. In 2009, DOE launched its SuperTruck Initiative to partner with industry to improve heavy-duty truck freight efficiency by 50%. This year, SuperTruck 3 is off to the races with a combined $127 million in funding to industry focused on reducing costs and improving durability in zero-emission hydrogen and battery electric trucks. In addition, its SuperTruck 2 Program is set to conclude this year having developed cost-effective technology that doubles the fuel economy for 18-wheeler trucks.

Multiple other research projects across government and industry are targeting progress in fuel cell electric trucks, batteries, and freight efficiency, including:

Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems (ARIES) – providing a real world environment for testing large battery and fuel cell electric trucks.
Million Mile Fuel Cell Truck consortium – developing cost-effective technology with industry for next generation fuel cells.
21^st Century Truck Partnership – launching a new electrification tech team focused on removing barriers to wide-scale truck electrification and deploying technology to improve freight efficiency.

Transform the Federal Truck Fleet
This Administration is leading by example – acting as an early adopter by transforming its federal fleet of over 110,000 medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. [1] Today, federal agencies are able to acquire 38 different models of medium and heavy duty zero emissions vehicles through the General Services Administration – more than double the offerings in fiscal year 2021. The President’s Federal Sustainability Plan, outlined in Executive Order 14057, also calls for 100% of all annual medium and heavy-duty vehicle acquisitions to be zero emissions by 2035.

The federal government will work with American vehicle, battery, and charging equipment manufacturers and installers to transform its truck fleet. This will accelerate the advancement of America’s industrial capacity to supply zero-emission trucks and electric batteries – creating and sustaining good-paying, union jobs in manufacturing, engineering, and skilled trades. This federal truck transformation complements the Administration’s commitment to 100% zero-emission light-duty vehicle acquisitions by 2027.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/03/07/fact-sheet-vice-president-harris-announces-actions-to-accelerate-clean-transit-buses-school-buses-and-trucks/

Transit, partnerships are among community needs voiced at Waukesha roundtable

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 20:24:12 GMT

Expanding public transit options could bring more students from around southeastern Wisconsin to UWM at Waukesha while connecting those already on campus to more work opportunities, some regional business and educational leaders told UW System President Tommy Thompson.

Southeastern Wisconsin lacks a transportation system that connects people across municipal lines, especially the population hubs of Milwaukee and Waukesha. Robyn Ludtke, vice president of talent development at the Waukesha County Business Alliance, said at a roundtable discussion led by Thompson that transportation is one of the biggest barriers of growth for the county.

It was the latest in a series of listening sessions that Thompson is holding at UW System campuses across the state as he winds down a nearly two-year-long tenure as interim president.

“What I really want to hear is ‘What is the need? How can the university solve problems?’” Thompson said Tuesday at the UWM at Waukesha gathering.

Ludtke and a few others among the roughly 30 attendees cited transportation as one of the biggest needs.

“We know that once (the students) are here in Waukesha County, our employers are ready to serve them. Our communities are ready to welcome them,” Ludtke said. “How do we get them here?”

While UWM and other system institutions may not have oversight or capacity to create regional transportation networks, universities can help by way of research and forging partnerships.

One example is the FlexRide Milwaukee transit project, led in part by UWM, that is funded by a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation. FlexRide is testing a new way to connect workers from Milwaukee, including three segregated neighborhoods on the north or northwest sides of the city, to places of employment in Butler and Menomonee Falls.

Other roundtable attendees included company executives and school district superintendents, some of whom talked about finding ways to increase awareness of higher education to students in high school and even earlier in the K-12 system.

While virtual outreach and mailings help, some school officials talked about the importance of opportunities to bring K-12 students to college campuses for programming.

“I do think we need to reimagine that transition in a kid’s life from 10th grade through college,” said Corey Golla, superintendent of the Menomonee Falls School District. “We’ve got kids who are seniors in high school who are probably ready to be freshmen at UW-Milwaukee.”

Golla applauded UWM for its partnership programs and said his district was talking to the university about more potential dual enrollment opportunities in which students earn college credit while still attending high school.

UWM Chancellor Mark Mone said he hoped to organize a meeting between university leaders and superintendents in Waukesha and Washington counties to talk more about partnership opportunities. One of the higher-profile educational partnerships at UWM is the M³ initiative in which the university works with Milwaukee Public Schools and Milwaukee Area Technical College.

Other needs brought up by attendees included making it easier for students at two-year colleges to transfer credits to four-year institutions, and for UWM to offer more options for “badges” or credentialing programs that allow students, including those in mid-career, to earn educational certificates.

Mone noted how the university was currently looking at curricular realignment through the 2030 initiative, which is intended to guide UWM into the next decade and beyond. Participation in partnerships like M³ and the Higher Education Regional Alliance also are helping to address issues like making it easier for students to transfer credits.

Another UWM program, TechEd Frontiers, is an example of an offering for mid-career professionals to learn new skills online and on demand. UWM has also helped to address a regional need with the College of Nursing expanding its program to the Waukesha campus in fall 2021.

Higher education overall has come under scrutiny in recent years over rising costs and the weight of student debt. Estimated enrollment declines caused by shifting demographics, as well as a steady decrease in state support, also are among worrisome issues.

Thompson pointed to the importance of community feedback to help address concerns.

“It seems to me this whole afternoon has been about how we can do things better working together – more information, more collaboration and more partnerships,” Thompson said in closing the session.

“I think the university has to take the lead on this,” he added. “We have to be student-centric. We have to make sure our universities are what students need and want. We have to get them on our campus. We have to go to them. We have to create partnerships.”

https://uwm.edu/news/transit-partnerships-are-among-community-needs-voiced-at-waukesha-roundtable/

How Racine is pursuing 'equity' in its public transportation system

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 20:13:00 GMT

All Ryde buses on Friday, Feb. 4, had a seat reserved for Rosa Parks. She was born Feb. 4, 1913, and died in 2005.

City of Racine

RACINE — On Feb. 4, every RYDE bus had a seat reserved for Rosa Parks, honoring the Civil Rights icon on her birthday, which also is National Transit Equity Day.

Every seat had a flyer that honored Parks and a red rose.

Willie McDonald, RYDE Racine general manager, said he was concerned that someone might come along and ruin the memorial, but his concerns did not materialize and the riders showed respect.

“We got great feedback from that, from the bus operators and from the community, our riders were saying to the bus operators how much they loved it,” McDonald said.

Trevor Jung, the city’s transit manager, said that Feb. 4 has become the day to celebrate transit as a civil right.

Equity in transit was the topic of conversation at a virtual panel discussion hosted by the African American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Racine on Feb. 22.

Nikki Payne of the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission moderated the discussion and was joined by McDonald and Jung for a discussion that encompassed many topics related to the challenges in transit, transit equity, and planning for future transit needs.

Challenges

McDonald has been a RYDE employee for 32 years, starting when it was still called the Belle Urban System. He started off as a part-time operator and worked his way up to general manager. He said he has seen a lot of changes along the way.

He explained when he started, “the system was flourishing” in the city. There might be five buses on route during peak-use times, so no one had to wait long for a bus, maybe just 20 minutes.

However, there was no service to the outlying communities.

Now there is some service to the outlying communities — Sturtevant, Caledonia, etc. — but fewer buses on individual routes due to a shifting of resources.

The challenge for city transit is to provide the services the community needs within their budget, which is frequently a balancing act.

Jobs in outlying areas

McDonald explained the service to the outlying communities is important because there are job opportunities for Racine folks there.

For example, night service was added to the Grandview Business Park to get third-shift workers to their jobs and second-shift workers home. “That’s doing pretty good,” he said of that line.

The challenge, of course, is funding and “all the municipalities play a role in that,” he said. He pointed to Foxconn as an example of an issue that has to be addressed so that those in the city without vehicles could take advantage of any potential jobs should the property be developed.

McDonald said there is a good relationship between transit and the outlying communities, which was one of the improvements that occurred over the years.

Jung has been on the job as the city’s transit manager for about six months. Prior to that, he was a City of Racine alderman and chairman of the Transit Committee.

He pointed out before the pandemic, RYDE transported “well over a million riders a year.” The system is now building back after taking a serious hit due to the pandemic.

Jung said the city’s bus system has to do more than just wait for old customers to return. Instead, they will have to take action to attract new customers.

One of the actions is eliminating the aspect that makes taking the bus unattractive: waiting at the bus stop, which is even more cumbersome in the winter.

RYDE is currently in the process of incorporating automatic vehicle locator technology on the buses, which would allow people with the app to see exactly where their bus is in order to eliminate time spent waiting at the stop.

“Instead of waiting on your bus and not necessarily knowing when it’s going to show up at the stop, you’re going to be able to look at your phone and see when that bus is going to arrive so you can plan your trips according,” Jung said.

Vision 2050

What will transportation look like in 2050? The transit system? Even the population? How will today’s toddlers commute to work or recreation when they are grown-ups?

SEWRPC is asking these questions as part of what it is calling Vision 2050.

Payne explained the far-reaching exercise is a requirement of the federal government that has gathered data from nine advisory committees, thousands of participants, and community partners.

There were also contributions from people with disabilities, communities of color, and poor/working class communities to “make sure we got their feedback as we pull this altogether.”

SEWRPC is a regional office serving seven counties with more than 2 million people within the service area.

That is approximately 35% of the state, Payne noted, so it is an important project.

As part of the project, SEWRPC looked at other regions similar to southeast Wisconsin to determine if their challenges were similar. The challenges included racial disparities, slow job growth, and slow population growth.

While the region does have bus service, there are other public transportation systems it does not have, including rapid transit and a commuter rail, that are found in other major cities.

High rates of poverty result in populations that require public transportation to get to jobs, school, medical appoints, etc.

Payne presented data from the study that showed the disparities that exist between minority and non-minority populations:

People of color are 4.5 times less likely to have a high school diploma than their white peers
People of color are 2 times less likely to have a bachelor’s degree
People of color are 4.1 times more likely than whites to have incomes at or below the poverty line

These disparities will require broad-based, equitable solutions, especially in transit that is so necessary for both people and businesses if the workforce is going to be strong.

Payne displayed a visual representation to highlight the difference between equality and equity to underscore what would be needed.

Three people of various heights were shown standing on blocks that were equal in size in order to see over a fence. However, the one block was insufficient for the short person and barely sufficient the medium-sized person.

In the equitable representation, the tall person was given just one block while the short person was given three blocks so all could see over the fence.

Jung explained it was important to talk about transportation with the context of equity because transportation is about providing access to opportunities, such as employment, health care, places of recreation, and generally about expanding the experiences that are available to people.

“So regardless of what ZIP code you live in, what neighborhood you live in, transit — in many respects — is a way for you to access the rest of your community,” he said. “And because of that everybody deserves a right to a fully funded and operational transit system so they can live the life they hope to live.”

Alternatives

The issue of public transit went beyond serving those who cannot afford personal vehicles.

As was noted several times, the young people of today are looking for transit alternatives and are not necessarily tied to personal vehicles like generations past.

In the region, Payne explained, the population is leaning more toward the senior side and, according to the U.S. Census data, 44% of the region SEWRPC was examining was 65 years old and older.

“So one of the identified challenges is attracting young people to remain in the region to work and live,” she said. “We have to make sure that we’re providing opportunities for those that are here and making sure to keep them here.”

Jung later added that the bus not only takes people where they want to go, but “it’s the environmentally friendly choice of getting from point A to point B, and many of today’s youth will be looking for that option when choosing a place to live and work.”

The city is in the process of replacing 25% of its diesel buses with electric buses, a $9 million investment in the transit system. The investment was made possible through a grant from the state, paid in part by Volkswagen as part of compensation for U.S. emissions guidelines it both ignored and lied about ignoring.

https://journaltimes.com/news/local/how-racine-is-pursuing-equity-in-its-public-transportation-system/article_109d74c1-fa0f-5426-9869-4651360faf22.html

JTS Fare Program Partners with Non-Profits to Provide Transit Services to Those in Need

WIPTA Admin — Wed, 23 Feb 2022 19:17:22 GMT

Post Date:02/17/2022 3:38 pm

As part of its response to the pandemic, the federal government apportioned transit agencies throughout the country with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to assist with daily operations and capital projects.

During the City’s 2022 Budget Process, the Janesville Transit System (JTS) proposed using a small portion of its ARPA funds to implement a fare program. The purpose of this program was to offer local non-profit agencies that routinely purchase reduced fare tokens the opportunity to receive complimentary tokens. Agencies then distribute the complimentary tokens to their clients or students to provide transit services to those in need. In turn, the program helps JTS bolster ridership as it responds to the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Following the approval of the City Council, the JTS Fare Program extended $600 worth of complimentary tokens each to six partner agencies, ECHO, GIFTS, House of Mercy, Salvation Army, Tokens for Teens, and the YWCA. Partner non-profits noted that the donation helped provide vital transit services to clients, allowing them to maintain access to employment, appointments, and community resources.

“We appreciate the donation as it allows us to provide homeless participants in our motel voucher program transportation that helps them complete their action plans to look for employment and housing,” stated Jessica Locher, Executive Director of ECHO, Inc. “It also helps us assist our general population by providing them transportation to employment.”

“These organizations serve numerous Janesville residents, many of which are also JTS riders; their support and ongoing patronage of JTS is much appreciated. I was delighted to implement this program to serve those in need of transportation”, said JTS Transit Director Rebecca Smith.

For questions, contact the Janesville Transit System at (608) 755-3150.

https://www.janesvillewi.gov/Home/Components/News/News/14754/29

CUSH marks Kenosha Public Transportation Awareness Month with Ride-Along Initiative

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 21:30:32 GMT

Shown are members of the CUSH Transportation Task Force and community leaders, from left: Marty Hutchings, Dick Christiansen, Rich Mich, Alderman Anthony Kennedy, Ray Cameron, Mobility Manager Lauren Coffman, Judy Malek, Director of Transportation and Parking Nelson Ogbuagu and Kris Delfrate.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

February is Public Transportation Awareness Month in Kenosha.

This designation was made official by a recent resolution sponsored by Kenosha Transit Commission Chairperson and Alderman Anthony Kennedy with a proclamation by Mayor John Antaramian.

The initiative is particularly significant for Congregations United to Serve Humanity, which is concerned with the welfare of Kenosha’s residents who rely on public transportation.

To highlight its concern, CUSH is sponsoring a month-long “Public Transit Ride Along” initiative. During the month of February CUSH is encouraging community members to invite their elected officials, including Kenosha alderpersons and County Board supervisors, to ride the bus with them for part of their day.

“The CUSH Transportation Task Force is largely made up of community members who depend upon public transit, and they feel it important for elected officials to experience Kenosha’s transit system first-hand to better understand the limitations and length of time needed for someone who uses the bus as a primary mode of transportation,” according to Lori Hawkins, CUSH community organizer.

This is not the first time that CUSH has organized events to raise awareness about transportation concerns, Hawkins said.

“The CUSH Transportation Task Force has sponsored successful ridership events in the past and has helped to prompt the expansion of some routes, thanks to willing collaboration by local government,” she said.

Among the current issues identified by CUSH is the possibility of moving the bus transfer center from Downtown to a more central location to save time and the number of transfers needed to get to various destinations.

Community members wanting to find the names of their elected officials to invite on a “Ride-Along” can visit www.myvote.wi.gov. under “My Voter Info” and “My Elected Officials.”

https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/cush-marks-kenosha-public-transportation-awareness-month-with-ride-along-initiative/article_bb06a974-e6fa-5981-affe-a6096df32b1c.html

40% of Oshkosh residents don’t drive, according to new state estimates

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 21:22:14 GMT

City buses converge at the Downtown Transit Center before starting their routes.

By Miles Maguire

At least 40% of the Oshkosh population consists of people who do not drive, according to new estimates from the state Department of Transportation, a situation that creates challenges for individuals as well as the community as a whole.

Among the 10 largest cities in Wisconsin, only Milwaukee and Racine have such a large percentage of residents who do not drive. No other part of Winnebago County has so many nondrivers. In fact in some nearby areas, like the the Town of Oshkosh, the portion of nondrivers is calculated at 0 to 10%.

These figures are contained in an online mapping tool that DOT released late last month. The app is intended to help elected officials, planners and policymakers identify places where there are concentrations of residents who do not drive and then to look for ways to improve public transportation options.

The presence in Oshkosh of a large university campus and the largest prison in the state may make the local situation look more alarming than it actually is, DOT officials acknowledge. But they and public transportation advocates also say the reality is that more than a million Wisconsin residents do not drive.

Comparing large Wisconsin cities

Milwaukee, 40% or more nondrivers

Madison, 30-40% nondrivers

Green Bay, 30-40% nondrivers

Kenosha, 30-40% nondrivers

Racine, 40% or more nondrivers

Appleton, 30-40% nondrivers

Waukesha, 30-40% nondrivers

Eau Claire, 30-40% nondrivers

Oshkosh, 40% or more nondrivers

Janesville, 20-30% nondrivers

_{^{Source: Wisconsin DOT}}

In Oshkosh the DOT analysis indicates that almost 27,000 residents do not drive, including 17,000 who are 15 years of age or older. Even subtracting the 2,000 inmates at Oshkosh Correctional Institution, the city still has about 15,000 residents who are old enough to drive but do not.

Ridership on city buses fluctuates from quarter to quarter and was hit hard by the pandemic. But in the first quarter of 2020, before the full effects of COVID were felt, the total number of riders was 168,178, or about 1,800 per day.

“We know that people who are transportation-dependent have poor health and economic outcomes,” says Denise Jess, executive director for the Wisconsin Council of the Blind & Visually Impaired. “That has implications for a community, but it’s also an economic development issue, especially in the age when we need work forces so badly.”

Jess has been legally blind since birth and says she knows “the world of being a nondriver quite intimately.” She served as co-chair of the Wisconsin Non-Driver Advisory Committee (WinDAC), a panel that was set up to make recommendations to DOT and that was responsible for making the new online app available.

Every aspect of her life, she says, has been affected by her inability to drive, including where she went to school, what kind of job she could take, where she lives and how much time it takes for her to accomplish routine chores that drivers would never have to think twice about.

But she believes that the problem is bigger than most people realize and is misunderstood because too many think that “[public] transportation is a charity case” that only affects people with disabilities or low incomes.

Comparing nearby communities

Algoma, 20-30% nondrivers

Appleton, 30-40% nondrivers

Black Wolf, 10-20% nondrivers

Fond du Lac, 30-40% nondrivers

Fox Crossing, 20-30% nondrivers

Menasha, 20-30% nondrivers

Neenah, 20-30% nondrivers

Omro (city), 20-30% nondrivers

Omro (town), 10-20% nondrivers

Oshkosh, 40% or more nondrivers

Oshkosh (town), 0-10%

Winneconne (village), 20-30% nondrivers

_{^{Source: Wisconsin DOT}}

A large part of the nondriver population includes children who are not old enough to drive, “But even if you factor out the 15 and under crowd, we’re still at 22%” of the population not driving, Jess says.

Young people “have transportation needs, too, pretty demanding ones that parents and caregivers have to get them to.”

“To better meet the needs of nondrivers, we have to understand where they live and what mobility resources they can access, and that’s what this tool will help policy makers do,” he says.

Thompson hopes that local planners will use the mapping tool and “really factor in” options like bus routes and pedestrian pathways as they make land use decisions.

Brooke Berrens works at UW Oshkosh’s Sustainability Institute for Regional Transformations and considers herself a nondriver. She is a new member of the city’s Transit Advisory Board.

She uses the local bus system, GO Transit, a few times a month and says she is personally satisfied with the service it provides. But in speaking with other riders, she has learned how the lack of access to a car can set off a chain reaction of negative experiences.

She described one woman who had hoped to attend a free meal event but “could not get there in time through waiting for the bus and transferring because of the limited time window.”

“The city has a robust transit system,” says Transportation Director Jim Collins. “GO Transit provides safe, reliable, accessible, affordable bus service throughout the city.”

About 86% of the city’s housing units are within a quarter mile of a bus route. That’s a “pretty decent number,” says Jess. But it’s also a figure that hasn’t changed since 2018.

One of the features of the new mapping tool is that it allows other kinds of indicators, such as poverty levels, to be loaded in to test whether public transportation is serving low income populations. In Oshkosh there does not appear to be any disparity by income.

“We always have work to do to make sure that the transportation options we have in the city, whether it’s GO Transit, paratransit, rideshare, or the accessibility of bike and pedestrian options, are actually meeting the needs and circumstances of people in our community,” says Lynnsey Erickson, a member of the Common Council who serves as its liaison with the transit board.

“There are gaps for people who work second and third shifts, have language or cultural barriers, and those who do not have the means for bus passes,” she says.

“We have also seen how reducing barriers shows the demand for various transportation options, like the 87,000 free rides GO Transit provided to students in Oshkosh in 2021 through funding from the city, school district and private funders.”

Citizens who have ideas for improving public transportation will get a chance in the relatively near future to make suggestions. “We will be updating our Transit Development Plan within the next couple of years, and I’m hopeful we can hear from even more people in the city to make sure we’re meeting the needs we have,” Erickson says.

One issue in the Fox Valley is that public transportation systems don’t reflect the way that individual communities are economically connected. Oshkosh has a link to Neenah and from there to the Valley Transit system that is based in Appleton. But some transportation leaders think that the region needs to do a better job of coordinating service across jurisdictional boundaries.

Thanks to last year’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, there will soon be money available to improve the alternatives for nondrivers. For transit, “we’re looking at about a 30% increase,” Thompson says.

https://oshkoshexaminer.com/40-of-oshkosh-residents-dont-drive-according-to-new-state-estimates/

Wisconsin Buses Save a Seat for Rosa Parks

WIPTA Admin — Wed, 16 Feb 2022 18:29:42 GMT

An Eau Claire bus seat "reserved" for Rosa Parks in honor of Transit Equity Day. (Photo by Julian Emerson)

Wisconsin transit agencies commemorate the civil rights icon on Transit Equity Day.

Bus riders in some cities across Wisconsin on Friday might notice something new on their trip: a seat adorned with a rose and reserved for Rosa Parks, the civil rights legend known for her role in desegregating buses.

Officials in Neenah, Menasha, Oshkosh, Appleton, Eau Claire, Madison, La Crosse, and Racine are commemorating Parks’ birthday for Transit Equity Day, and Gov. Tony Evers has made a statewide declaration for the occasion. At a Friday morning press conference, transit advocates and local officials said the day will help draw attention to the importance of improving public transportation to ensure all people, especially disadvantaged individuals, are able to fully participate in their communities.

“There’s a lot of red roses riding around our community this morning with below-zero temperatures, but, by God, I think it’s a good deal and a good way to recognize Rosa Parks and to recognize equity in our community,” said Paul Swanhorst, president emeritus of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1310 in Eau Claire.

Parks, a Black woman, was best known for refusing to give up her seat for a white passenger on a Montgomery, Alabama bus at a time when people of color were forced to sit in the back of buses. She was arrested for her resistance, but her story set off a chain of events that led to federal courts ruling that racially segregating public buses was unconstitutional.

‘More and More Important’

While buses are no longer segregated, decreased funding, overlong routes, and poor planning have made public transportation unworkable for many people, said Cathy Van Maren, a transit advocate in La Crosse, which has been celebrating transit equity all week.

“We have areas including parks, polling places, elders housing, and workplaces where there is no bus service,” Van Maren said. “This is not the fault of the transit providers. It results in part from not prioritizing transportation and transit equity in planning, zoning, policies, and budgeting. But the good news is that that all can change.”

While Park’s refusal on Dec. 1, 1955, to vacate her seat on a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama so a white person could sit there provided a vital spark to the Civil Rights movement, today her action lives on as a symbol of the importance of public transit in highlighting socioeconomic and other societal inequities, people gathered to celebrate Transit Equity Day in Eau Claire said.

Today, Park’s action “recognizes seniors, people who rely upon mobility devices, and others who are visually, physically, or hearing impaired,” Eau Claire Community Services Director Renee Tyler said. “We are committed to supporting the independent movement and accessibility for all.”

Racine Mayor Cory Mason also paid respects to Corrine Reid-Owens, a Black woman and local civil rights leader dubbed “Racine’s Rosa Parks.” The city’s transit center is named after her.

“Corinne Reid-Owens, who is memorialized by the name of our historic Transit Center, was a leading figure in the civil rights movement, championing issues like fair housing and education locally,” Mason said in a statement. “Racine is a stronger community today because of leaders like Parks and Reid-Owens who had the bravery and determination to create change.”

Those commemorating Transit Equity Day also said improving public transportation is a major factor in fighting the climate crisis because mass transit produces less pollution than a fleet of cars transporting the same number of people.

“It’s becoming more and more important as we address climate change, and we are once again turning our attention to how public transit is going to be the movement of the future,” said Sen. Jeff Smith (D-Eau Claire), who introduced a Transit Equity Day resolution in the Legislature.

Gregg May, transit policy director with 1,000 Friends of Wisconsin, said improved public transit is needed now more than ever—and not just in urban areas. He pointed to recent findings from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation that rural areas are just as much impacted by poor public transit and that a third of Wisconsin’s population is considered “non-drivers.”

Jackie Pavelski, a former Eau Claire City Council member and a transit advocate, said rural areas around Eau Claire would benefit economically from a regional transit system. Those areas often struggle to attract jobs and people because of transportation challenges, she said.

“Providing transit access is not only important in places like Eau Claire, but in some of our smaller and rural communities as well,” Pavelski said. “Hopefully we can move in that direction going forward.”

https://upnorthnewswi.com/2022/02/04/wisconsin-buses-save-a-seat-for-rosa-parks/

FTA Provides Almost $5 Billion of Public Transit Formula Funds

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 19:00:00 GMT

FTA Provides Almost $5 Billion of Public Transit Formula Funds

Today, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) provided almost $5 billion to public transit agencies, states, and Tribal governments to support public transportation across the country. These funds represent partial public transit formula funding apportionments for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022. FTA will issue final FY 2022 formula apportionments after Congress completes action on the annual Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations bill.

To view FTA’s formula funding apportionment tables, please click here.

APTA Launches Smart Guide to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) (P.L. 117-58), commonly referred to as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, provides more than $108 billion for public transit and $102 billion for commuter rail, Amtrak, other high-performance passenger rail, and freight rail over the next five years. These bold investments in public transportation will help our communities and nation tackle climate change, advance equity, meet growing and evolving mobility demands, and create jobs. With enactment of the IIJA, the public transportation industry is uniquely positioned to address these challenges head on.

APTA’s Smart Guide to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides information and resources to aid members in navigating the many aspects of this new law. It includes APTA’s summaries, funding and formula apportionment tables, and detailed section-by-section analyses of the public transit, passenger rail, Buy America, and other important titles of the IIJA. It also includes U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) formula apportionments, guidance, memoranda, regulations, and competitive grant opportunities.

The Smart Guide includes more than 50 documents and related links, and we continuously update it as more information about the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and DOT grant opportunities becomes available.

To view APTA’s Smart Guide to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, please click here.

https://www.apta.com/advocacy-legislation-policy/legislative-updates-alerts/updates/fta-provides-almost-5-billion-of-public-transit-formula-funds/

Milwaukee County Transit System: To modernize fare collection system

WIPTA Admin — Fri, 11 Feb 2022 18:01:13 GMT

Milwaukee County Transit System Logo

Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) announced today that it has chosen the Umo Mobility Platform by Cubic Transportation Systems as its new fare collection system following a competitive process that began last May. Umo (pronounced YOU-mo) is a national fare collection system that will connect MCTS riders to not only its bus services but to other forms of transit across the region as well. The new fare collection system is expected to launch in fall of 2022.

The communities MCTS serves will benefit from improved transportation equity. The new fare collection system is made to fit the needs of all transit riders, including those without smartphones or who don’t have a bank account. Riders can choose to pay for their transit trips whichever way they prefer, including via contactless credit cards, mobile phones using the new app, a new smart card reloadable online or at retail outlets, or cash on board the buses. More plentiful retail locations based in a larger number of neighborhoods, multi-lingual capabilities, and options for the visually impaired further boost access to transit. With fare capping, riders will pay the lowest price, no matter how many times they ride.

“Making public transit more accessible is key to achieving racial equity in Milwaukee County. To create more connected communities, we must reduce the barriers that keep our neighborhoods, and their residents, separated today,” said Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. “MCTS is working to reduce barriers to accessing public transit by introducing flexibility in transit fare collection to accommodate the needs of all potential riders.”

MCTS Managing Director Dan Boehm said, “The ability to fare cap means riders can purchase as much or as little as they can afford, and still get the discount of a weekly or monthly pass. The new system recognizes when riders reach the equivalent of a pass, and automatically rewards them with free rides for the remainder of the period. Now, everyone can access a faster, more convenient way to pay and travel to jobs, education, entertainment and other destinations.”

New System Connects Riders to Other Modes of Transportation Across the Region
The fare collection system has the potential to support seamless regional connectivity for commuters traveling to and from Milwaukee County and eventually throughout the southeastern Wisconsin region.

“We are excited to partner with Milwaukee Country Transit System,” said Bonnie Crawford, VP and General Manager, Umo. “MCTS sees the future of transit and the potential to connect its community to all mobility options using one app, whether they are riding the bus, grabbing a scooter or booking a ride-share, just like other major cities.”

Because the platform is cloud-based, it works faster than the current fare collection system, offering immediate on-board payment validation via mobile app or smart card. The mobile app will also provide real-time bus tracking and trip planning. To use Umo, passengers create an account via the app and then add funds to their account using their credit or debit card or with cash at more than 200 retail locations.

Community Education to Begin in Spring
In the coming months, MCTS will begin educating its rider base how the account-based system works and introduce them to the comprehensive features and benefits found on the Umo mobile app and fare card. On-bus validators are expected to be installed later this fall. This new system will eventually replace the current M-Card and mobile app. The education campaign will include a timeline of when the old system will be phased out and the new one begins. There will be an introductory period allowing riders time to transition to the new system.

For more information about the Milwaukee County Transit System, visit RideMCTS.com.

https://www.wispolitics.com/2022/milwaukee-county-transit-system-to-modernize-fare-collection-system/

Peter Gorski: Public transportation merits support at all levels

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 21:27:16 GMT

Public transportation is a staple for a functioning, healthy society. Access to affordable public transit options are a lifeline for everyone in the community.

Owning a car is estimated to cost over $10,000 annually, per AAA. Many people simply can't afford it. In addition, driving is a task that people of differing ability levels can struggle to complete easily, if at all. We are all a serious injury or illness away from losing our ability to drive. Comprehensive public transit systems are needed to ensure that everyone has equitable access to our community.

Not only is public transport essential in lifting up community members; it offers a great return on investment. A dollar invested in public transportation brings $4 of economic development back. Robust public transportation systems provide workers with the ability to get to employment, stimulating the local economy and connecting businesses to the labor supply that makes their businesses succeed.

We need stronger investment and support from the federal, state, and local levels. Public transportation is funded across multiple levels of government, and citizens across the country need to push for strong federal and state support along with robust local planning. That planning needs to center the voices of those most in need, along with those that have been systematically ignored and left out of the process.

Last, but certainly not least, is the fact that public transit reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Public transportation is essential to stop and reverse the devastating effects of climate change.

https://lacrossetribune.com/opinion/letters/peter-gorski-public-transportation-merits-support-at-all-levels/article_78dfa384-1cc6-5080-b82d-52f7aaf222d5.html

Commentary from AARP: Communities must assure all residents have access to transportation options

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 20:56:20 GMT

Darrin Wasniewski is associate state director of community outreach for AARP Wisconsin.

With the price of used cars soaring and Transit Equity Day coming up this Friday, Feb. 4, this is the perfect time for communities across Wisconsin and the entire country to re-examine their public transportation offerings to make sure all their residents have access to safe, efficient, clean, and affordable transportation options.

Transit Equity Day is a collaboration of several organizations to promote public transit as a civil right and a strategy to combat climate change.

One of our top priorities at AARP is working closely with local communities to help them become as livable and age-friendly as possible. Creating more transportation options for residents of all ages to feel comfortable traveling within their own communities is a huge component of that collaboration.

Many people take transportation for granted. But stop to consider that approximately one-third of Americans do not drive, including 1 in 5 people age 65-plus, many people with disabilities, others who cannot afford the purchase and upkeep of a vehicle, children too young to drive, and others by choice. This statistic alone should make us stop, think, and take another look at what our community has to offer.

Couple that with a recent Associated Press article pointing out that the average price of a used vehicle in the United States in November (according to Edmunds.com) was $29,011 – a dizzying 39% more than just 12 months earlier. And for the first time that anyone can recall, more than half of America’s households have less income than is considered necessary to buy the average-priced used vehicle.

“The days when just about anyone with a steady income could wander onto an auto lot and snag a reliable late-model car or buy their kid’s first vehicle for a few thousand dollars have essentially vanished,” the article said.

Yet we still largely design our transportation system around drivers. To achieve greater transportation equity, we need to pay more attention to the needs of these nondrivers.

Community leaders and residents owe it themselves to examine their current transportation options and consider possible solutions, such as dial-a-ride services, particularly in rural and suburban areas not well-served by regular public transportation. The main objective of dial-a-ride is to provide streamlined transportation solutions that match supply with demand efficiently.

We can also invest more in safe streets initiatives. Crossing the street shouldn’t have to mean crossing your fingers and hoping for the best. While unsafe streets disproportionately affect older people, safe streets are for everyone. It is critically important to adopt policies that ensure our streets are designed for all who use them – pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and public transportation users of all ages. All of us need safe and efficient streets. That won’t happen without change.

Another area to examine is called “mobility management,” which is a concept that aims to to improve specialized transportation, particularly for veterans, older adults, people with disabilities, and individuals with lower incomes through a range of activities.

It begins with a community vision in which the entire transportation network – public transit, private operators, cycling and walking, volunteer drivers, and others – works together with customers, planners, and stakeholders to deliver transportation options that best meet the community’s needs.

Autonomous vehicles (self-driving cars) are often considered a panacea for an aging America, but much more attention is needed to design these for the hardest-to-serve groups.

In short, no options should be off the table for consideration when it comes to improving, expanding and creating community transportation options. We hope all your readers will join us in recognizing Transit Equity Day and seeing the importance of this issue for all of us as we age.

https://www.kenoshanews.com/opinion/columnists/commentary-from-aarp-communities-must-assure-all-residents-have-access-to-transportation-options/article_587ab1c5-bc94-5cb1-89dc-e189e74d4ec0.html

FlexRide Milwaukee: MCTS begins on-demand transit service to connect workers with distant jobs

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 27 Jan 2022 21:10:52 GMT

City of Milwaukee residents have a new way to get to jobs in the northwest suburbs, and employers have a new way to attract and retain workers, with FlexRide Milwaukee.

FlexRide Milwaukee launches in early February, with riders picked up from one of five stops served by the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) in and around Milwaukee’s north and northwest sides and dropped off at any employer within the Menomonee Falls and Butler service areas.

Riders, who must be at least 18 years old, City of Milwaukee residents, and working or willing to work within the service areas, can request pickups using a smartphone app or by phone. Riders must register to use the FlexRide service. To do so, they can fill out this form to determine eligibility.

While registration is not required for employers, businesses and organizations with more than 10 employees in Menomonee Falls and Butler that employ or intend to employ City of Milwaukee residents are also encouraged to sign up for FlexRide. Those interested in participating in the pilot should contact Eric Lynde at elynde@sewrpc.org.

“We are excited to be collaborating with our partners on a technology-driven solution to a longstanding problem for our region – access to jobs,” Kevin Muhs, executive director of the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, said. “Lack of transportation is too often a barrier for workers wanting to get to jobs and employers wanting to attract new employees, made worse during the pandemic. This is one step toward closing that gap and making us stronger as a region.”

FlexRide’s goal is to use technology to close Milwaukee’s first-mile and last-mile transit gaps, the distance between an existing bus stop and one’s ultimate destination. Closing transit gaps can expand access to transportation for local workers, ultimately fostering opportunities for economic mobility.

The service is a pilot funded by a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, received in the fall of 2021. Via, the global leader in TransitTech and a provider of on-demand mobility solutions, will power the service using its highly efficient technology platform. Via’s intelligent algorithms create quick and efficient shared trips that provide more flexibility for riders than traditional transport options, which have fixed routes and schedules.

The service will operate through the fall of 2022. The project team aims to leverage the pilot to identify funding to continue the service beyond this time. Employ Milwaukee is leading efforts to sign up riders.

“We encourage anyone who currently works in one of the service areas – or is hoping to – to consider signing up for FlexRide,” said Chytania Brown, president and CEO of Employ Milwaukee. “As Milwaukee County’s workforce development board, we work every day to develop workforce solutions that promote regional economic growth and employment opportunity for all job seekers. FlexRide Milwaukee does just that.”

The Waukesha County Business Alliance is partnering with the Waukesha County Center for Growth and Waukesha-Ozaukee-Washington Workforce Development Board, MobiliSE and the FlexRide team to recruit employers.

“We are inviting all eligible employers to take part in this service,” said Amanda Payne, senior vice president of public policy for the Alliance. “We regularly hear from our members about the challenges they are facing in attracting and retaining workers – and the barrier a lack of transportation can be. FlexRide Milwaukee will help solve that problem.”

Employee and employer participants will be asked to take part in surveys throughout the pilot to evaluate the program and to help shape potential long-term transportation investments. Leading the UWM research team are Lingqian (Ivy) Hu and Robert Schneider, urban planning faculty members at the School of Architecture and Urban Planning, and Yaidi Cancel Martinez, associate scientist at the Center for Economic Development.

““The NSF award recognizes the potential impact that our teamwork can have in connecting research with real-world solutions.” said Hu. “Successful implementation of the pilot will address transit and other obstacles that deter marginalized population groups from accessing jobs in the Milwaukee region.”

MobiliSE Executive Director Dave Steele said FlexRide was a welcome addition to a suite of services planned to address concerns with worker mobility and shortages. They include Milwaukee County’s East-West Bus Rapid Transit between downtown Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center coming in late 2022 and last-mile service being studied for Oak Creek/Franklin and Brookfield/New Berlin. Milwaukee County and SEWRPC are also studying a North-South BRT route along 27th Street. These transit initiatives are well-aligned with Milwaukee County and MCTS goals to advance racial equity.

“There is historic energy behind multimodal transit in Southeastern Wisconsin, and we are proud to be a part of it,” Steele said. “MobiliSE is the region’s voice and platform for projects like this – connecting workers with jobs and companies with employees through stronger transportation options. All of these initiatives go right to our mission of building a stronger Southeastern Wisconsin through better connectivity.”

The FlexRide Milwaukee pilot is funded by one of 17 Civic Innovation Challenge grants sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Departments of Energy and Homeland Security. Six of the grants were awarded to projects that sought to deliver community-based solutions to close gaps in transportation equity.

UWM and SEWRPC also received a $50,000 Stage 1 grant in 2021 to design the pilot with communities and potential users of the pilot service. The Stage 2 grant is meant to fund implementation of this pilot.

The service will operate weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., with highly flexible scheduling based on demand. Fixed stops will be at the several locations, from which riders can connect directly to jobs or job interviews in Menomonee Falls and Butler. These points include Sherman Phoenix, 3536 W. Fond du Lac Avenue; Midtown Center, 5700 W. Capitol Drive; Silver Spring Neighborhood Center, 5460 N. 64th Street; Silver Spring Drive/Lovers Lane; and Woodman’s/Sam’s Club, Highway 145 in Menomonee Falls;

Rides from and to the Woodman’s/Sam’s Club and Silver Spring/Lovers Lane stops will be free. Riders from and to the other stops pay $1.50 for a one-way ride, increasing to $3 later in the pilot. After applying for the service, eligible riders will be able to download the FlexRide Milwaukee app and create an account. To book a ride, the rider will simply enter the pickup and dropoff locations and then check the app to find out where to meet the vehicle and when it will arrive.

The service will be accessible to all riders, including residents with disabilities, those without a smartphone, and those without a credit or debit card.

Recently, MCTS temporarily suspended Freeway Flyer Routes 40, 43, 44, 46, 48, 49, 79, and 143 through March 6, 2022, due to a shortage of bus drivers. Additionally, under the Federal mandate, masks are still required on board all buses, regardless of an individual’s vaccination status.

https://www.milwaukeeindependent.com/articles/flexride-milwaukee-mcts-begins-demand-transit-service-connect-workers-distant-jobs/

WisDOT introduces new online tool to help identify areas of public transportation need for non-drivers

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 27 Jan 2022 21:08:13 GMT

https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/about-wisdot/newsroom/news-rel/012022arcgis.aspx

GIS mapping tool assists in aligning mobility options with underserved populations

Release date: January 20, 2022

A new GIS mapping tool launched today by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation will help policy makers, transportation planners and mobility providers align transportation resources with underserved populations throughout the state.

More than one million people in Wisconsin are non-drivers—many of whom are seniors, individuals with disabilities, young people and low-income individuals. The Non-Driver ArcGIS Online Application, available on the WisDOT website, enables state and local decision makers to locate non-driver populations in their area and begin to plan or expand public transportation options.

“Because our transportation system has historically been designed around private automobiles, not having access to a car can make it very challenging to get to work and school, to get medical care and meet the other needs of daily life,” WisDOT Secretary Craig Thompson said. “To better meet the needs of non-drivers, we have to understand where they live and what mobility resources they can access, and that’s what this tool will help policy makers do.”

The Non-Driver ArcGIS Online Application allows users to access census data and WisDMV data on a state map. Users can view estimates of how many non-drivers live in a given county, municipality, or census area. By comparing non-driver location data with transportation service mapping, users can identify ‘hotspots’ of underserved and unserved Wisconsin non-drivers.

“Making sure the large and growing population of non-drivers can get where they need to go on their schedule is a national challenge, and we are proud of WisDOT’s strong leadership on this critical issue,” Legislative Liaison for the Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities and Wisconsin Non-Driver Advisory Committee (WiNDAC) Co-Chair Tami Jackson said. “Today’s launch of the ArcGIS tool is an important step towards better understanding Wisconsin’s non-drivers and making sure where people live can be connected to what they need to do. WisDOT’s can-do spirit and problem-solving has created a tool that has real value for planners, local governments, transit systems, and others concerned about workforce mobility, economic development, and people being able to thrive in the places they live.”

“As a WiNDAC co-chair, I am very grateful for WisDOT's recognition of the need for a tool that allows us to better address the needs of Wisconsin's non-driver population,” Denise Jess, Executive Director for the Wisconsin Council of the Blind & Visually Impaired, said. “The ArcGIS tool has great potential for building a more comprehensive and connected transportation system to better guide our budgeting, policy and planning decisions to meet the needs of Wisconsin's diverse non-driver population.”

The Non-Driver ArcGIS Online Application can be accessed from the Non-Driver page on the WisDOT website.

For more information, contact:

WisDOT Office of Public Affairs
(608) 266-3581, opa.exec@dot.wi.gov

https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/about-wisdot/newsroom/news-rel/012022arcgis.aspx

Here’s Where Subway Riders Have Returned. And Where They Haven’t.

WIPTA Admin — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 18:21:57 GMT

By Michael Gold, Ana Ley and James Thomas

Photographs and Video by Benjamin Norman

Jan. 17, 2022

The sun rises on a weekday in New York City, and at a Queens subway station the daily grind resembles its old self: Thousands of people pile onto an open-air platform above a bustling neighborhood, waiting in the cold to crowd onto rush-hour trains toward work, school and other essential appointments.

Hours later, as darkness falls, another rush hour begins. But this one, at a formerly hectic subway station in Lower Manhattan, feels jarringly different. In a neighborhood lined with office buildings, a once-reliable stream of white-collar commuters has thinned to a trickle. As trains arrive, finding a seat is not hard.

Nearly two years after the coronavirus engulfed New York, causing a virtual abandonment of the country’s largest transportation network, riders have slowly returned to the subway in an uneven pattern that underscores the economic divide at the heart of the city’s fitful recovery.

Stations in lower-income areas in Brooklyn, Queens and Upper Manhattan, where residents are less likely to be able to work from home and typically depend more on public transit, have rebounded far faster than stations in office-heavy sections of Manhattan, including some that were once the busiest in the system, where many workers are still able to work remotely.

The problems hobbling the subway have gotten worse since the arrival of the fast-spreading Omicron variant, which has reversed a recovery that had been progressing for months. The system is also contending with fears about crime and public safety that were amplified after a woman was shoved to her death in front of a train on Saturday by a man at the Times Square station.

After cratering by 90 percent in the spring of 2020, weekday subway ridership in November had reached about 56 percent of prepandemic levels, with 3.1 million riders on an average day, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which operates the system.

But with the Omicron variant sickening so many workers, transit officials suspended service on some lines and reduced it on others. As virus cases surged, passengers who could avoid public transit did so, and ridership levels fell at the start of this year to about 40 percent.

The dip in ridership reflects a central challenge facing the subway, a vital lifeline linked to New York’s economy. Without the wholesale return of daily commuters — whose money is the lifeblood of public transit and of a vast network of businesses inside and outside stations — the city’s subway system finds itself suspended in an unsettling limbo.

In a financial plan released last month, the authority projected that even by 2025, the subway would have 223 million fewer riders than it did in 2019, a drop of about 13 percent, as many workers shift to hybrid work schedules. A significant drop in ridership will reduce fares the system is dependent on and could lead to fare hikes and service cuts.

The agency’s acting chair and chief executive, Janno Lieber, said he remained hopeful that the subway’s recovery would resume after concern around the Omicron variant subsided, though how quickly is unclear.

“The trajectory of that return has been impacted, and we don’t know exactly where it’s headed,” he said. “But for us, the key is that when people have somewhere to go, they take transit.”

At the same time, Mr. Lieber acknowledged that most riders who had not yet returned were unlikely to do so until they had a compelling need — which for many, he said, would require “work in an office.”

Still, despite the steep decline in ridership, millions of people have gone back to the subway, in most cases out of necessity. But how the subway feels and functions can vary wildly from station to station, and the experiences of those currently riding hint at the barriers to drawing back those who are not.

Through the pandemic’s throes, work never stopped

Junction Boulevard Station, Queens

The daily commute never stopped for many blue-collar workers who rely on the No. 7 train in central Queens — an epicenter of the coronavirus where in the spring of 2020 thousands fell ill and hundreds died.

Luis Rocano, a construction worker from the Corona neighborhood, waited at the Junction Boulevard station just before dawn to head to a job in Manhattan.

As Corona, a predominantly Latino neighborhood served by the station, filled with the wail of ambulances, Mr. Rocano’s fears grew. Yet even as the number of people he knew killed by Covid-19 ticked up, Mr. Rocano, 33, had to work.

“It was total chaos,” he said in Spanish. “We saw so much death in such a short amount of time.”

At its lowest point, in April 2020, ridership at the Junction Boulevard station fell to about 10 percent of prepandemic levels. But eventually people in this nexus of working-class immigrant neighborhoods piled back on the trains. By November 2020, ridership rose to 55.3 percent of prepandemic levels; one year later, it had climbed to 74.2 percent.

On this frigid December morning, Junction Boulevard’s open-air platform was nearly shoulder to shoulder. Commuters rushed onto Manhattan-bound trains, some wearing paint-stained jeans and hoisting construction tools as the sun pierced the horizon.

Mr. Rocano tried to take precautions. Still, he ended up contracting the virus.

“After I got sick, I was less afraid that I would get it again,” Mr. Rocano said. “I just got used to wearing a mask everywhere.”

Virus-related health concerns remain top of mind. According to a customer survey the transportation authority conducted last fall, 79 percent of subway customers who had not returned to the trains said that social-distancing concerns were among the top factors keeping them off trains.

But in neighborhoods like Corona, home to a high concentration of undocumented immigrants who have largely been ineligible for federal pandemic aid, the overriding worry is the need to make ends meet. About 47 percent of Queens residents were born outside the United States — 10 percentage points higher than the city as a whole — according to Census Bureau figures.

“The street workers have to go out in the heat and the cold,’’ said Raquel Chasi, an undocumented immigrant from Ecuador who sells fruit juice from a stand below the elevated station. “We have to keep fighting to bring bread to our homes.”

Although foot traffic is up, Ms. Chasi, 36, said many people were spending less. Some struggle with higher costs triggered by the pandemic-rattled supply chain. She complained about having to pay twice as much for the plastic cups she serves to clients.

“It has hit us very hard,” she shouted in Spanish over the roar of trains. Before 2020, Ms. Chasi could make up to $600 on a good day at the stand she has run seven days a week for the last seven years. Now, she is lucky to reach $200.

Riders reflect on a changed system

59th Street Station, Brooklyn

Ten miles southwest and below ground, the crowds at the 59th Street station in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park neighborhood had been about half that of higher-traffic hubs like Junction Blvd. But the rise in passengers here has been accelerating: On November weekdays, ridership averaged about 74 percent of prepandemic levels.

Blocks away from 8th Avenue, the heart of Brooklyn’s Chinatown, the N and R trains stop at the 59th Street station and serve a multicultural population that includes one of the largest enclaves of Chinese immigrants in New York. About 40 percent of people in the surrounding area identify as Hispanic and roughly the same as Asian, according to the most recent U.S. census.

On a recent Tuesday morning, a mix of people traveled to jobs across the economic spectrum, trudging down the stairs in coveralls, scrubs, collars and hoodies, headed for auto shops, medical laboratories, patients’ homes and office cubicles.

“We have to be in the office,” said Demetri Perry, 29, a 311 phone operator returning home to Flatbush. Hired in the spring of 2020, he recalled 59th Street’s then strangely empty platforms: “It was like the zombie apocalypse.”

Cristian Cruz, a 44-year-old cancer research technician, has used this station for 25 years, including during the pandemic’s early days. While waiting for an N train to his lab on the Upper East Side, he said fears of Covid transmission and a desire for space changed what had once been among the most fraught of subway interactions: negotiating a sliver of seating between two riders.

“Before, people would fight, jump in and try to get in that space,” Mr. Cruz said. “People now, they don’t go as hard to get into every seat. They’ll stay standing.”

The loss of riders has ripple effects for the neighborhood businesses. Annie Li, the manager of the Koong Wing Chinese restaurant, can see riders entering and leaving the subway through her storefront window.

Before the pandemic, Ms. Li said in Mandarin, the rumble of the train below would signal an immediate crush of business. “All of a sudden, the subway comes and then you’re swarmed.”

“Now, I don’t see that phenomenon anymore,” she said. “Only until it gets to the point that we can be without masks, maybe, will we go back to normal.”

Money still flows but riders don’t

Wall Street Station, Manhattan

For decades, people used to pour through the marble-and-tile atrium at 60 Wall Street, which houses an entrance to the Wall Street subway station. In early 2020, four businesses greeted them: a convenience store, a cafe, a restaurant and a shoe-repair shop.

But on a recent Tuesday, the atrium was hushed, and most of the stores were shuttered.

Only the shoe-repair store, Cobbler Express, had reopened, and the owner, Eduard Shimonov, said it had passed for a busy day. Instead of the one or two shoe shines that marked business these days, the store had done three.

“You just don’t have the same foot traffic,” Mr. Shimonov, 41, said, sitting on a shoe shine booth.

The picture is much the same inside the subway station that used to provide all four businesses with a steady parade of white-collar workers.

On an average weekday before the pandemic, more than 24,000 riders passed through the turnstiles of the Wall Street station. In November, the number was down to about 9,000 riders, about 37.5 percent of its 2019 level and far below the system as a whole.

Instead of a massive nightly exodus from high-rise office buildings to a narrow underground platform, the ritual is smaller. From 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., the Wall Street station was muted.

“There’s still some movement,” said Claude LaRoche, a lawyer heading to Pennsylvania Station, where he’d take the Long Island Rail Road to his home in Lake Grove, N.Y. “But it’s eerie. And nowhere near as crowded.”

Transit officials blame much of the drop on the seismic shift to remote work, an upheaval to the rhythms of the city with no clear end.

Before the pandemic, about 80 percent of Manhattan office workers were in their offices on a given weekday, said Kathryn Wylde, the president of the Partnership for New York City, an influential business advocacy organization.

Even before the Omicron variant, the Partnership had projected that only 49 percent of workers would be in offices by the end of this month, with just 13 percent returning full time.

Ms. Wylde said the recent surge appears to have pushed that projection out of reach. Many employers again delayed when they expect workers to come back to the office, and some now acknowledge that remote work has moved from a temporary disruption to a longer-term norm.

“I don’t think most employers believe that there will be a moment where everyone goes back,” Ms. Wylde said.

Mr. LaRoche exemplifies the shift: He works from the office three times a week, choosing days when he feels trains are emptier.

Even those who have embraced returning to daily commuting said they were anxious. Risa Kantor, who never fully stopped traveling from the Upper West Side to her office, said that she would feel more at ease if other riders strictly adhered to the subway’s mask requirement.

Ms. Kantor, who works for a nonprofit that helps people with disabilities, also said that she would not ride the train alone outside commuting hours out of concern over crime and violence.

Subway crime last year was at its lowest total in decades, according to the police and the M.T.A., but though the total number of major felonies on the subway is down from 2019, so is ridership, and the rate of crimes per million weekday passengers has actually increased. Many crimes were high-profile attacks that generated significant news coverage and fed a perception that the system was perilous.

In the authority’s customer survey, fear over crime and harassment was the top factor cited by former riders who have left the subways; 90 percent of them said it was important to their decision whether to return.

The mayor and Police Department recently announced more frequent and visible patrols on platforms and trains. The transit authority has also been on a marketing blitz, promoting the benefits of the subway — ease, climate, cost — in a bid to bring riders back.

But the immediate future remains dreary, for the system and for business owners like Mr. Shimonov. Many of his former customers do not live in the city and no longer travel to their offices. The stragglers he used to get from the subway station have also disappeared.

“I just hope this gets better soon. Otherwise, I’ll have to do something serious,” Mr. Shimonov said. “If this keeps up, people are going to lose a good cobbler, and that’s a pity for the city.”

Jeffrey E. Singer contributed reporting.

Michael Gold is a general assignment reporter on the Metro desk covering news in the New York City region. @migold

James Thomas is a software engineer on the Interactive News team. He often works on media-rich projects that involve reader-generated content. @nerdishtendency

A version of this article appears in print on Jan. 19, 2022, Section A, Page 1 of the New York edition with the headline: Riders Flowing To the Subway, Or Trickling In.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/17/nyregion/nyc-subway-ridership.html?unlocked_article_code=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACEIPuonUktbfqYhkSVUaBCbTTMIqoRyBg7_J0bd5nWL0MyGEDCxDw-kPGIiB4wHNea9nLZMV7giseeVgYvUpVeAgiahWJVBsQA2l5cWPxcQOKilv7InrBD1zgpnDA_Vo_GK0K2XhIrp2n7Gz5RmLb3L4G_CKiQ1XLw5kpJdvc1yh2mVZhfuWV74ohaQtmKspFZt4RjwfZSGVv_iOCB12OdmObRC0-RBhEqgCGmmVxYjAnupGJAZCClvGT2d94nI-6L5cONAVOKX_Jn0wabaIcB0x5i3_CZGjAAZAxfc&smid=url-share

City of Racine might take over management of bus system

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 13 Jan 2022 21:52:27 GMT

https://journaltimes.com/news/local/city-of-racine-might-take-over-management-of-bus-system/article_65d5e9b1-d7c0-5b01-81d0-c249783b180b.html

RACINE — The city’s bus service has long been under the management of a private firm, but that may change in the near future as the city considers folding the organization into its governmental operations.

The Finance and Personnel Committee voted on Monday to recommend the City Council transition the transit system from private management to a standalone department within the city. The City Council will take up the matter on Jan. 18 and may take a final vote then.

The city’s contract with First Transit, which has managed the RYDE Racine system since 2010, was about to expire. The company signaled last year it would not be renewing. Further, no company responded to the city’s request for bids.

Trevor Jung, the city’s transit manager, said the proposal to move the transit system to the management of the city would keep the buses running.

“It is critical to the social health and the economic well-being of our community that we continue to provide reliable, sustainable, safe and affordable public transportation to our residents,” Jung said. “This proposal does just that.”

RYDE Racine is a public system, operated by the city, and as such was already included in the budget. That included $200,000 the city paid to have a private firm manage the system.

Folding the operation into the city’s operation is expected to be budget neutral and could represent some savings for the taxpayers.

Jung told the Committee of the Whole on Monday that having an outside management firm made Racine something of an outlier as most of the public transit systems in the state are managed by the municipalities where they operate, with the exception of Waukesha.

The RYDE system runs through the City of Racine as well as in Sturtevant, Caledonia, North Bay and Mount Pleasant.

Employees unionized

RYDE Racine, formerly The Belle Urban System, has 59 full-time employees, 32 part-time employees and a general manager. If the proposal is adopted, Human Resources would begin the process of transitioning the transit employees into the city system.

That includes the general manager, Willie McDonald, who has indicated he would be leaving First Transit and joining the City of Racine.

As with the Racine Police Department and Fire Department, RYDE Racine employees are unionized.

The city will recognize both the current union-negotiated contract and the rights of the employees of the transit system to continue with union representation if they so choose.

Alderman John Tate, president of the city council, said he sometimes sees in the news resistance to union organizing, but that would not be the case with the transit employees.

“What we have before us is the opportunity to say there is a unit before us that wants to collectively bargain,” he said. “As an employer, we’re not going to stand in the way of that process.”

He continued, “Instead, we’re going to invite and embrace that process and say yes if that’s what you want to do. We’re not going to stand in the way.”

Tom Bennett, who is on the executive board of the Teamsters Local 200 which represents the RYDE Racine employees, praised the efforts of the city to keep the buses running and the many employees who make that possible.

“Transit workers are good people, hard-working people,” he said.

Bennett continued and noted that the transit system employees were a diverse group, local citizens, who know the city, and its citizens.

He concluded by saying the union looked forward to the future relationship with the city.

Contract

The contract with First Transit is due to expire Jan. 31.

According to Jung, the parent company of First Transit, which was located in the United Kingdom, was sold and the new company did not want to purchase some of its contracts.

Racine was one of those contracts, which the city was aware of as early as last summer.

The city both published a request for bids and reached out to management firms, to no avail.

Jung said one of the primary issues was the concern about secondary pension liabilities.

He noted the city held the first position of responsibility for pension liability.

The market forces, Jung explained, dissuaded private sector firms from assuming the arrangement long practiced in Racine.

In actuality, for the city to assume the responsibility of managing the transit system would really bring it in line with the other public transit systems in Wisconsin, such as Green Bay and Sheboygan.

“We have the wherewithal and capacity to operate a transit system by hiring the RYDE Racine staff — including the general manager,” Jung said.

The proposal “keeps the buses running,” he later added.

He said there may also be some savings to taxpayers over time due to the lower insurance costs for municipalities, which have caps in place that limit the amount of damages an entity could be subject to if there was an accident.

https://journaltimes.com/news/local/city-of-racine-might-take-over-management-of-bus-system/article_65d5e9b1-d7c0-5b01-81d0-c249783b180b.html

Fewer routes with more riders, or wider reach? Fitchburg and Middleton weigh bus changes

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 13 Jan 2022 21:34:54 GMT

A rider runs to catch a bus at the South Transfer Point in Madison. A comin redesign of Metro Transit's routes would do away with the transfer hubs.

Kayla Wolf, State Journal

A redesign of Madison’s Metro Transit bus system is prompting officials in Fitchburg and Middleton to weigh major changes to their bus service, including providing supplemental transit services to fill in possible gaps caused by the redesign.

The dilemma posed by the redesign, which is coming in 2023, is whether those burgeoning suburbs south and west of Madison should gear their bus routes toward “ridership,” which stresses running buses on fewer routes but more often, or “coverage,” which delivers service to as wide an area as possible. Metro Transit provides the buses, but the cities pick the routes.

Madison’s Transportation Department is currently drafting a redesign for the city that leans toward ridership. The redesign is meant to dovetail with bus rapid transit, or BRT, a transit makeover that will focus service in high-density areas and eliminate transfer points.

While BRT won’t extend to Fitchburg and Middleton, the redesign does, and how it will fall between ridership and coverage is at the discretion of their respective city councils.

Mike Cechvala, a transportation planner for Madison, said the redesign aims to help remove redundancies and “systemic challenges” in Middleton and Fitchburg’s bus routes.

“For example, some of the one-way loops and deviations in the route aren’t sustainable long term,” Cechvala said. “They don’t accommodate future growth in those cities. They’re also harder for people to use.”

At a recent meeting of Middleton’s transportation committee, Cechvala laid out hypothetical maps of what a ridership approach would look like compared to a coverage approach, in addition to options in between.

A “pure ridership” redesign could have buses doing continual loops around the city every 30 minutes during the day. At peak times, another route could extend to low-income housing and other apartment buildings along Highway M in the city’s northeast corner, then loop back into the southern part of the city via Gammon Road.

A hypothetical “pure coverage” redesign, on the other hand, could have routes every hour during non-peak times that split into two and serve a larger swath of the city all day, including the apartment buildings along Highway M.

The city council has the final say on the new routes, but some committee members balked at reducing service to Highway M, currently served by routes 70 and 72.

Ald. Susan West, 6th District, who sits on committee, said in a later interview she is frustrated with the ridership-versus-coverage choice Metro has laid out. Metro is trying to force a boost in ridership rather than bring quick transit to as many people as possible, West argued.

“What I could actually see is one or two buses circling parts of Middleton fairly continuously and having a transfer point somewhere in two spots,” West said.

That approach would go against Madison’s ridership-focused plan, which seeks to eliminate transfer points altogether.

“I’m trying to look at it as efficient bus service for our customers, and that means good coverage,” West remarked.

Yet Robert Burck, an alderman for Middleton’s 2nd District, said a ridership-focused approach aspires to be more efficient and popular. The city’s long, circuitous routes dissuade people from using the bus, he argued.

“If we are sending buses around empty, that’s not serving anybody’s interests,” Burck said. “For it to be efficient, help pay for itself and be valuable to our residents, it needs to be well utilized.”

‘Priority areas’

Planning for the redesign is slightly further along in Fitchburg. The city’s transportation and transit commission recently designated “transit priority areas,” sites of high transit use and prominent destinations that include Fish Hatchery Road, Rimrock Road and Verona Road.

Through the redesign, the city hopes to offer more direct service to UW and Downtown Madison, the destination of 50% of Fitchburg’s riders, said Andrew McFadden, the city’s transportation engineer.

“I think the ridership model is helping those users get to attractions or jobs or other things faster,” McFadden said. “The question will be how do we also get between places in the city as well. We haven’t figured that out yet, but I don’t know if that’s necessarily part of the redesign.”

The need to maintain intra-city coverage has led Fitchburg and Middleton officials to not rule out supplementing their transit services in the coming years. A micro-transit service could be on the table in Fitchburg, McFadden said, and in Middleton, officials think a secondary bus system might be needed.

“That might be where we need to go,” West said. “I know cities our size have bus services. So it’s doable. We just haven’t looked into it.”

Maps to come

Initial maps of the new bus routes will be made available to the public next year, officials said. From there, Fitchburg and Middleton plan to arrange opportunities for the public to give their input on any new routes.

“We’re planning a series of public outreach events as soon as the preferred network is released,” McFadden said. “In early 2022, there will be multiple public meetings to get an understanding from users of how these changes will affect them.”

In Middleton, West said the city has had previous success surveying the community on the master planning process for Middleton Municipal Airport.

“A survey done that way I think would be good, where we send it to select people randomly throughout the city. Then we open it up to everyone,” she said.

https://madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/fewer-routes-with-more-riders-or-wider-reach-fitchburg-and-middleton-weigh-bus-changes/article_0eb14f3a-afb5-51f6-8ac2-a7c3be16d2c5.html

New public transit option coming to Bayfield County

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 06 Jan 2022 19:15:41 GMT

By Heidi Stang

Published: Jan. 5, 2022 at 6:14 PM CST|Updated: 19 hours ago

Bayfield, WI-- Residents in Bayfield County will soon have a new on-demand transit option.

BayCo Door2Door will be a van service offered by Bay Area Rural Transit, BART, that can transport riders anywhere within Bayfield County, to Ashland or Hayward.

Transportation will be open to all residents. Organizers hope to begin the program by the end of the month but are currently in the process of hiring drivers.

According to Carrie Linder, Aging & Disability Services Manager for Bayfield County Department of Human Services, Bayfield County is the second-largest county in Wisconsin and one of the states least populated, making public transportation routes hard to establish.

“This idea of doing a door-to-door demand service to try to meet people’s needs that way seems to be much more appropriate,” Linder said.

Transit Manager Patrick Daoust agrees, saying their old route through the south shore area was canceled as it wasn’t utilized enough.

He hopes with this new program can meet people where they are and “get the people of Bayfield County where they need to be.”

The cost has not been determined yet but Daoust says they are doing everything they can, including applying for grants, to keep it affordable “because at the bottom line this is going to be public transportation.”

BART currently offers permanent weekly routes but hopes these routes to Ashland and Hayward can connect residents to other transportation options.

Linder hopes people are aware of the other transportation opportunities available, saying that transportation is “the foundation of everything.”

For more information on BART’s current routes and services, click here.

https://www.kbjr6.com/2022/01/06/new-public-transit-option-coming-bayfield-county/

APTA's December Newsletter is here!

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 30 Dec 2021 17:40:54 GMT

An APTA Publication

Senate Passes Public Transit Provisions as Part of National Defense Authorization Act

The Senate passed S. 1605, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2022, on Dec. 15. The NDAA includes several important public transportation provisions, including ones related to cybersecurity, transit security grants, and disposition of transit property for affordable housing. The bill now will go to President Biden, who is expected to sign it. For details, please read APTA’s Legislative Alert.

Buttigieg Visits New Hampshire to Talk About Infrastructure

US DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg was in New Hampshire this week promoting the benefits of the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package President Biden signed into law last month. He has been traveling around the country to talk about the infrastructure package.

At a news conference, he said the law “represents a once in a generation investment in infrastructure and in jobs.” He said there has not been enough investment as a country in infrastructure. “This law changes that. It's a bipartisan law led by the President to properly fund everything from roads and bridges to trains and transit, and New Hampshire's a great place to discuss the impact that it is going to have."

The new funding includes $126 million for public transit formula funds in New Hampshire. The state would also be eligible for significant additional public transit and passenger rail competitive grants. The state’s proposed passenger rail project would connect cities such as Manchester and Nashua to Boston.
Buttigieg met with the state's congressional delegation, Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig and Nashua Mayor Jim Donchess.

To read the full Newsletter click the link:

APTA December Newsletter

Nearly $4 million awarded to local transit services for seniors, those with disabilities

WIPTA Admin — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 19:28:17 GMT

https://www.nbc15.com/2021/12/06/nearly-4-million-awarded-local-transit-services-seniors-those-with-disabilities/

(WBAY)

By Shaina Nijhawan

Published: Dec. 6, 2021 at 4:09 PM CST

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - Local transit services for seniors and those with disabilities will receive almost $4 million in state and federal funds, Governor Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) announced Monday.

The $3,990,284, which will be administered by WisDOT through the Federal Transit Administration’s Section 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Program, will be distributed to 50 Wisconsin agencies. According to WisDOT, the cities of Madison, Milwaukee, Appleton and Green Bay will administer the program for their areas.

“We are pleased to support organizations that provide basic mobility all across Wisconsin,” WisDOT Secretary Craig Thompson said. “Through this program, we are helping to get people, wherever they live in our state, to medical appointments, work, school and family.”

The grants are intended to assist local public bodies and private, non-profit agencies with providing transportation for seniors and those with disabilities. Mobility management, operating assistance and vehicle purchases are among the listed services.

According to WisDOT, approved projects for 2022 include funding for 14 mobility management projects to help coordinate transportation services, increase transportation capacity and connect individuals with transportation services in their geographic service area.

“Fixing our roads and ensuring everyone has access to safe, reliable transportation is an essential part of our economic recovery efforts from this pandemic,” Governor Tony Evers said. “The grants announced today build on our efforts to ensure transportation opportunities across our state.”

https://www.nbc15.com/2021/12/06/nearly-4-million-awarded-local-transit-services-seniors-those-with-disabilities/

With Ridership Still Down, Transit Agencies Rethink Priorities

WIPTA Admin — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 18:56:44 GMT

Pittsburgh light rail. The metro area saw transit ridership drop by over 80 percent at the beginning of the pandemic and it remains depressed. In late October, bus ridership was 50 percent of pre-pandemic levels and light rail remains down a whopping 73 percent.

(gary lederman/Flickr)

Transit systems across America are facing an existential moment. Ridership remains dramatically down from its 2019 levels and budgets are only kept afloat by federal subsidies that will not continue indefinitely.

But this moment of peril for public transportation is also an opportunity to break old routines.

“Transit agencies get stuck in their service patterns, without considering the fact that those service patterns may not be reflective of what people want,” says Yonah Freemark, senior research associate at the Urban Institute. “They have bus routes, in some cases, that they’ve had literally since they were running streetcars.”

Freemark and his co-authors — Jorge González-Hermoso and Jorge Morales-Burnett — wrote a lengthy report for the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) on how an array of transit agencies are planning for the post-pandemic future.

None of the institutions featured are from the handful of robust legacy systems in old, cold cities that tend to dominate the transit conversation. Instead, the report focuses on Denver, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Richmond, Virginia, and Spokane, Wash.

A common theme is that transit officials were spurred to think differently as a result of the protests over George Floyd’s murder. This forcible reckoning with questions of racial justice, and the realities of who kept riding transit before the availability of vaccines, broke agencies of at least some old habits.

“It cannot be overemphasized how the political movements of last year changed perspectives within transit agencies and helped them prioritize equity in their pandemic response,” says Morales-Burnett, research assistant at the Urban Institute.

Historically, transit agencies have seen a tradeoff between equity concerns and efficient services, according to Morales-Burnett. Policymakers felt they had to choose between a system that goes everywhere, but not very frequently, and a more effective option that serves fewer parts of a region.

During the pandemic, however, some officials reoriented their service patterns to better serve lower-income areas, increasing frequency in neighborhoods that saw higher ridership in 2020. Wealthier and often more suburban communities where remote work was most prevalent were more likely to see service declines.

It’s not by coincidence that the Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC) is the only transportation system in the study that has largely recouped its ridership, Freemark and Morales-Burnett argue.

Virginia’s capital city redesigned its bus system with an eye towards racial equity before 2020. That resulted in higher frequencies through denser neighborhoods with lower median household incomes. During the pandemic, they then cut service to suburban-focused commuter routes while preserving those higher inner-city services.

“The other agencies had not done that kind of change in advance of the pandemic, which may explain why they experienced such significant declines,” says Freemark.

In an analysis posted on the Urban Institute’s website, the researchers showed that Pittsburgh increased bus and rail service in 37 percent of the neighborhoods the transit system covers, principally in areas home to more people of color and those living below the poverty line.

This is in the context of larger ridership decline. The Port Authority of Allegheny County, which operates transit in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area, saw ridership drop by over 80 percent at the beginning of the pandemic and remains massively depressed. In late October, bus ridership was 50 percent of pre-pandemic levels and light rail remains down a whopping 73 percent.

“The ridership world we had on March 13, 2020, is not coming back,” said Katharine Eagan Kelleman, CEO of the Port Authority, in an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “Ridership may continue to grow somewhat, but it will look different. We don’t even know what that might look like yet.”

Freemark and his co-authors also examined fare-free policies during the pandemic. All of the agencies eliminated fares for at least part of the COVID-19 period, largely to limit potentially dangerous interactions between riders and transit workers. This happened to coincide with a longer term push for fare-free transit from left-wing politicians, like Boston’s new Mayor Michelle Wu (who championed the idea when she was a city councilmember).

Smaller cities like Raleigh, N.C., and Richmond, Va., are extending these experiments into the post-vaccine period. In these cities, ridership is largely concentrated among lower income people and fares comprise a smaller share of the budget than they do in places like New York or Boston. Across the cities studied in the APTA report, fares made up 16 to 25 percent of 2019 transit budgets.

“If I can find a way to fill that [$5 million hole] and still expand service, then we might be able to do this permanently,” Julie Timm, CEO of GRTC, told Governing in August. “We’re going to test it out and do a proof of concept for a couple of years. But if we can’t find the money to fill it, if there is no appetite for finding the funds to preserve this, then fares will come back.”

Fare-free policies haven’t always brought the boons that advocates claim they will. In Los Angeles the period of free transit did not induce higher ridership. That seems to indicate that Richmond’s fare-free experiment was successful in combination with higher frequencies in denser neighborhoods.

Some policymakers Freemark and Morales-Burnett interviewed also feared that their services might see vastly increased usage by the unhoused population under a free-fare regime. Many transportation officials made moves to restrict access to their systems by homeless residents during the pandemic, sealing entrances or shuttering whole stations. (It’s worth noting that this was often done under pressure from transit workers, who feared for their own health and safety.)

Even as Mayor Wu has announced a series of additional free bus services during her first weeks in office, the question of fiscal impact remains. Freemark says that transit systems like the MTA in New York or Metro in Washington, D.C., which get 30 to 50 percent of their operating costs from fares, will have a tougher time adopting such policies.

“The argument that having free fares will make it so transit agencies can’t expand service is more salient in cities with a very large share of revenues coming from fares,” says Freemark. “But most American transit systems collect relatively little from fares. We should be open to the idea that fares are not a top priority if your goal is to ensure access to as many as possible.”

https://www.governing.com/now/with-ridership-still-down-transit-agencies-rethink-priorities

DeFazio, influential legislator on transportation issues, to retire

WIPTA Admin — Fri, 03 Dec 2021 18:58:08 GMT

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/defazio-influential-legislator-on-transportation-issues-to-retire/

Rep. Peter DeFazio

WASHINGTON — Peter DeFazio, the Oregon Democrat who chairs the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, has announced he will retire after serving 18 terms in Congress.

Oregon Public Radio notes the 74-year-old DeFazio’s committee chairmanship allowed him to play a major role in shaping the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill passed last month.

DeFazio’s announcement prompted tributes from public transportation officials.

Amtrak President Stephen Gardner, a former U.S. Senate staffer, issued a statement saying, “As a champion for transportation, and in particular for Amtrak and passenger rail, we’d like to thank Chair DeFazio for his unwavering support throughout his many years of service. With a passion for sustainably expanding our nation’s transportation infrastructure, his work will benefit rail passengers for decades to come.”

Paul P. Skoutelas, CEO of the American Public Transportation Association, said in a statement that DeFazio “has played an indispensable role in advocating for public transit, passenger rail, and all American infrastructure over a remarkable 36-year career. He has been an indefatigable advocate for access to affordable and reliable public transportation for all … APTA has had no better friend in Congress than Peter DeFazio and we wish him all the best in the future. He truly represents the best of Congress and is the model of a true citizen statesman. The industry would not be where it is today without his tremendous efforts.”

DeFazio has served on the Transportation and Infrastructure committee since arriving in Washington, and at various times served as the top Democrat on four of the committee’s six subcomittees. His focus on transportation and infrastructure was a defining characteristic, colleagues said.

“He’s one of the most influential members of Congress on infrastructure, and I think I know a little something about that,” U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) told Oregon Public Radio. “It will be a tremendous loss to lose the longest-serving member of Congress in Oregon’s history.”

Rep. Richard Neal (D-Mass.), chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, told Politico that DeFazio was “one of those here who wisely decided to master the details of transportation and his guidance time and again has been essential on these big transportation issues.”

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/defazio-influential-legislator-on-transportation-issues-to-retire/

On the Horizon: Planning for Post-Pandemic Travel

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 18 Nov 2021 16:25:59 GMT

Transit agencies played an essential role in ensuring the mobility of Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic. Faced with a challenging environment, agencies operated buses and trains day in, day out, moving millions of people, especially essential workers who kept society going even at the height of the health crisis. Even though agencies experienced a dramatic loss of riders during the pandemic, they were resilient and creative in moving forward.

As the industry and nation begin to look to the future, we examined how demographic, employment, and travel trends may change in the coming decades. Based on the data, four overarching recommendations were developed for agencies:

Institutionalize Best Practices from the COVID-19 Period
Plan and Operate More Effectively in Prioritizing Social Equity
Leverage Opportunities to Expand Ridership
Keep Abreast of Changing Trends

To evaluate transit agencies’ responses to the pandemic and their future plans, we collected data from operators, deployed a nationwide survey of staff, and conducted detailed case studies of five agencies. We amassed information on how demographic, employment, and travel trends may change in the coming decades. Finally, we developed recommendations for agencies to leverage best practices to ensure their ability to provide equitable access to mobility in the coming decades.

Executive Summary Here

Read the Full Study

https://www.apta.com/research-technical-resources/research-reports/on-the-horizon-planning-for-post-pandemic-travel/

Public Transportation Serving Crucial Role in Nation's Recovery

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 11 Nov 2021 20:55:20 GMT

By American Public Transportation Association

Nov 8, 2021 Updated Nov 9, 2021

ORLANDO, FLa., Nov. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- This week in Orlando, leaders from all areas of the public transportation industry converged at the American Public Transportation Association's (APTA) TRANSform & EXPO Conference to explore the technologies and trends that will shape the future of the industry. After four long years, members of the public transportation industry are eager to gather and share lessons learned as well as learn about technological progress made from the more than 700 attending exhibitors. Public transportation is an $80 billion industry at the forefront of many exciting innovations including zero emissions vehicles, autonomous vehicles, contactless information and fare collection, as well as surveillance and safety improvements.

"COVID-19 didn't just bring with it new challenges - it accelerated trends that were already underway. The good news is that the innovations we saw emerging before COVID-19 helped us prepare for this past year – and what is still to come," said APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas. "The nation needs to move, and we need to act. Many major challenges facing our nation have a mobility component. Public transportation is the essential element for progress on all these issues."

As the nation recovers from the global pandemic, the industry continues to respond to the needs of its passengers and the value of this industry has never been more evident. With 87 percent of trips directly benefiting local economies, public transit builds communities and directly employs more than 448,000 people. As such, long-term dedicated federal investment in public transportation is critical to our nation's future global competitiveness, and with each $1 billion invested supporting 50,000 jobs.

"Our industry is extensive and complex, bringing together innovation and new technologies in ways that lead to advancing public transportation for the betterment of our nation," said Jeff Nelson, APTA Chair and CEO/Managing Director, Rock Island County Metropolitan Mass Transit District (MetroLINK), Moline, IL. "Public transportation moves people and shapes the future of our communities."

The improvement of public transportation is one of the most important actions a nation can do to meet the climate and mobility demands of its cities and communities. In the United States, transportation represents 29% of greenhouse gas emissions. However, public transportation saves 63 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) annually to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality. Public transportation is leading the way in the use of alternative-powered vehicles to improve fuel economy incorporating dual-powered, electric and hybrid vehicles into fleets. In fact, existing and future fleet electrification commitments by transit agencies could lead to 75% of transit buses being zero-emission by 2040.

Technology is also rapidly advancing the way public transit agencies operate and support passenger needs, including swift and continuous exchanges of information, safety innovations and increased operational efficiencies. For example, the rise of contactless technology has opened new options in fare collection, proximity readers and counters as well. In terms of increasing safety and security, advances in air filtration technology to software-enhanced surveillance systems with predictive analytics, technology in public transportation works hard even out of view as public transportation provides a vital link between residents and their communities.

APTA's TRANSform & EXPO, hosted in Orlando, offers the diverse public transportation industry the opportunity to showcase these and a wide array of other technologies and practices that can greatly enhance the passenger experience, streamline system management, improve safety, and increase sustainability. For manufacturers and suppliers, the event is a one-stop shop to interact with transit agencies, policy makers, and regulators to preview and explore the future innovations, and for the world it is a sneak peek at possibilities in public transit.

ABOUT APTA'S TRANSform Conference

The 2021 TRANSform Conference, formerly known as APTA's Annual Meeting, is a premier public transportation industry event, which includes educational sessions, technical tours, and forums on a wide range of topics including federal funding, public-private partnerships, technology, sustainability, safety, workforce development, and mobility.

https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_stocks/public-transportation-serving-crucial-role-in-nations-recovery/article_8aab1fbf-8941-5e4c-b3a6-1fd813fea647.html

Milwaukee Transit Announces Second Rosa Parks Scholarship

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 20:47:56 GMT

The scholarship is offered to high school seniors in Milwaukee County who plan to attend a trade school, college or university in fall 2022. (Matt Sliker/Milwaukee County Transit System)

MILWAUKEE, WI — The Milwaukee County Transit System will offer the Rosa Parks Tribute Scholarship to high school seniors in Milwaukee County for a second year.

The $1,000 scholarship is for high school seniors to attend a trade school, college or university in fall 2022, the system said in a statement.

Students must apply online and send a letter of recommendation from a trusted adult before Jan. 7. They must also submit a short essay based on Parks' quote, "Each person must live their life as a model for others." Three winners will be announced on Parks' birthday, Feb. 4, 2022.

The transit system will keep one seat open on every one of its buses from Dec. 1 to 3 in tribute to Parks, the system said. The seats will have a red rose and a placard with Parks' photo and a note about her refusal to give up a bus seat in 1955, which led to a Supreme Court ruling that outlawed segregation on public transportation.

Interested students can apply for the scholarship online.

The Milwaukee County Transit System announced it will offer the Rosa Parks Tribute Scholarship to high school seniors for a second year.

Ethan Duran,Patch Staff

Posted Tue, Nov 2, 2021 at 10:10 am CT

https://patch.com/wisconsin/milwaukee/milwaukee-transit-announces-second-rosa-parks-scholarship

MCTS driver who rescued young boy to be recognized by state Assembly as 'Hometown Hero'

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 18:02:21 GMT

MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) bus driver will be recognized by the Wisconsin State Assembly as a "Hometown Hero" at the upcoming Assembly session Wednesday, Oct. 27.

While on her bus route, Cecilia Nation, who was nominated by her state representative, LaKeshia Myers (D-Milwaukee), rescued a 6-year-old boy from a busy intersection back in 2019.

“Cecilia’s quick thinking and selflessness saved a boy’s life,” said Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke (R-Kaukauna) who selected her for the award. “It is great that we have people like Cecilia looking out for and serving our communities.”

According to a news release, when Nation pulled up to what she thought was going to be a normal stop, she noticed a young boy wandering alone through a busy intersection. The little boy, who has a disability, had left his school and was walking down the center of the street. Nation, sensing danger, quickly ran from her bus and led the boy to safety. The boy was the tenth lost or missing child recovered by the MCTS in recent years.

The news release says, Wisconsinites have a long, prominent history of community service and selflessness. In keeping with this tradition, the Wisconsin State Assembly created the Hometown Heroes program to identify and recognize individuals from around the state who are working to make their communities a better place. Award winners are invited to the State Capitol and given an opportunity to speak on the Assembly floor as a special guest.

Congratulations!

https://www.cbs58.com/news/mcts-driver-who-rescued-young-boy-to-be-recognized-by-state-assembly-as-hometown-hero

Funds available in APTA's Local Coalition Grant Program

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 20:10:34 GMT

APTA provides grants to help the fight for public transportation.

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) has announced the availability of funding for local public transit alliances focused on grassroots advocacy efforts that can help achieve equitable local public transportation goals.

APTA will award grants ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 to organizations that:

Prioritize equitable transportation projects that improve access and mobility for underserved populations;
Incorporate methods to increase citizen participation in the public engagement process, especially low-income and communities of color; and
Promote safe and sustainably equitable transit policies that lessen the effects of climate change on disadvantaged communities.

Additional activities could include projects in partnership with local chambers of commerce or other prominent business organizations that support public transportation and community mobility and efforts to educate decision makers about policies favorable to public transportation.

Any local public transportation coalition is eligible, provided it has the support of the local APTA public transit member(s) and is a member of the National Alliance of Public Transportation Advocates (NAPTA). Membership in NAPTA is free. For this grant program, a coalition is defined as a collection of groups or individuals joined together for the common purpose of promoting public transit.

Applications are accepted through Nov. 3, 2021, and can be found on APTA’s website.

https://www.masstransitmag.com/management/press-release/21241044/american-public-transportation-association-funds-available-in-aptas-local-coalition-grant-program

Madison mayor sets stage for potential Amtrak station

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 22:17:26 GMT

By Michelle Baik

Published: Sep. 23, 2021 at 9:18 PM CDT|Updated: Sep. 23, 2021 at 10:22 PM CDT

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said she has recently spoken with “very enthusiastic” Amtrak officials as part of their 2035 vision to extend an existing route to Wisconsin’s capital.

As NBC15 reported in April, Amtrak released a map proposing the extension of the Hiawatha route, which would connect Madison to cities like Milwaukee, Chicago and Minneapolis.

The project’s funding hinges on President Joe Biden’s infrastructure bill, which has been approved by the U.S. Senate but remains stuck in the House.

In her 2022 budget released last month, Rhodes-Conway set aside $120,000 to help plan for train service.

She said this week, “I will say that my capital budget includes funding for us to start to update some of the studies on station location and routing. We want to be ready, assuming the infrastructure bill does pass.”

Madison is no first-time contender. After the 2010 election, then-Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker spiked Amtrak’s project in the capital city.

This time around, Rhodes-Conway assured, the conductor is different.

“I am hopeful that this time we have a governor who is actually enthusiastic about rail transit and, perhaps more importantly, a president that is enthusiastic about rail transit,” she said. “Madison has been on board the whole time, and so we really do need, particularly, the federal government but also the state government to join us in the efforts to bring a train here to Madison.”

“You’re not going to go anywhere unless you have buy-in it at the legislative level within Wisconsin,” Sean Jeans-Gail, vice president of policy and government affairs at the Rail Passengers Association, said. The D.C.-based nonprofit “acts as a voice for Amtrak, commuter and transit passengers,” according to its website.

Jeans-Gail added, “Certainly Amtrak needs to play an active role. They want new customers for their service, and so they need to be a good, transparent and constructive partner in this process.”

Since 1971 Amtrak has been operating a station in Columbus, Wis., approximately 40 minutes outside Madison.

Based on discussions with Amtrak representatives, Matthew Schreiber, the city’s director of planning and development, said he does not expect the Columbus station to be impacted.

NBC15 also reached out to Amtrak for an interview Thursday, but a regional spokesperson declined.

https://www.nbc15.com/2021/09/24/madison-mayor-sets-stage-potential-amtrak-station/

APTA Releases Annual Fact Book

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 16 Sep 2021 20:28:18 GMT

American Public Transportation Association logo.

Washington, D.C. (September 9, 2021) – Released today, the American Public Transportation Association’s annual Public Transportation Fact Book contains national aggregate statistical data covering all aspects of the public transit industry in the United States and Canada. Major sections in the new report include an overview of U.S. transit facts, transit finances and operating statistics by modes of travel, transit vehicle characteristics and deliveries, federal grants and the Federal Transit Act, and statistical trends of Canadian transit operations.

Highlights from this year’s Fact Book include:

Long-term investment in public transit supports 50,000 jobs and $382 million in tax revenue per $1 billion invested
87% of trips on transit directly benefit the local economy
6.0 billion gallons of gas saved each year by using public transportation
84% less CO2 emissions by using the subway rather than a car
The public transportation industry is a leader in clean technology, with the share of hybrid electric buses jumping from 7.0% in 2010 to 18.8% in 2020
Cities with more than 40 annual public transit trips per person have one-half the traffic fatality rate of those with fewer than 20 trips per person

“As the information in our annual Fact Book shows, investing in public transit will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality and public health, and help transform our nation’s transportation network for a sustainable future. Public transportation creates access to opportunities, including jobs, health care, and education, which can help our communities address the equity challenges that they face,” said APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas. “The entire industry will continue working with Congress and the Administration to capitalize on this opportunity to provide the public transportation investments necessary to address our nation’s climate and equity challenges and build back better.”

To view the full document and related resources, please visit APTA’s Public Transportation Fact Book page.

###

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is a nonprofit international association of 1,500 public- and private-sector organizations which represent a $80 billion industry that directly employs 448,000 people and supports millions of private sector jobs. APTA members are engaged in the areas of bus, paratransit, light rail, commuter rail, subways, waterborne services, and intercity and high-speed passenger rail. This includes: transit systems; planning, design, construction, and finance firms; product and service providers; academic institutions; transit associations and state departments of transportation. APTA is the only association in North America that represents all modes of public transportation. APTA members serve the public interest by providing safe, efficient and economical transit services and products.

https://www.apta.com/news-publications/press-releases/releases/american-public-transportation-association-releases-annual-fact-book/

Oshkosh's GO Transit eyes upgrades to Downtown Transit Center using CARES Act funding

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 19:02:48 GMT

The Oshkosh Plan Commission approved building plans for GO Transit to make updates to its downtown transit center, 110 . Pearl Ave., shown here on Tuesday. WM. Glasheen/USA Today Network - Wisconsin

OSHKOSH – GO Transit's downtown facility has needed major upgrades for awhile; the COVID-19 pandemic made that obvious, but it also provided a silver lining, officials said.

"The pandemic made it more apparent that we needed to do it (make upgrades) sooner rather than later," said Jim Collins, the city's transportation director. "It also provided the funding to do it."

With Plan Commission's 9-0 approval Tuesday of the facility's building plan review and funding from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Recovery and Economic Security Act, the transit system can begin to move forward with basic updates.

For the general public, the updates may not seem like much. But for transit staff, including drivers, Collins thinks the changes to the existing facility will be welcome. The pandemic highlighted the need for swift communication, which Collins said will improve though the addition of a supervisor's office on-site instead of at the transit office at 926 Dempsey Trail.

"It's much easier to get those messages out when we have a presence downtown," Collins said.

The office will be an addition to the facility's current mechanical building, Collins said. That area will also see a new break room for bus drivers in the employees' "comfort station," which is currently just two single-stall restrooms.

Lighting and video surveillance upgrades will increase safety, and updated and repainted pavement, along with improved landscaping and signs, also will improve accessibility, Collins said.

"We'll be taking care of cracked pavement, less tripping hazards," he said. "We're going to clean it up, make it look better."

Plans also call for a small customer service window where riders could also purchase transport passes. However, Collins said that will only be staffed limited hours. Riders also may buy bus passes at the Dempsey Trail office, various "pass outlets," including the Oshkosh Public Library and Festival Foods, or on the GO Transit mobile app.

In response to a question about public restrooms not being included, Collins said public safety officials recommended not having them unless in an open space that could be staffed whenever the center is open. He said that was not possible at this time.

However, he hopes this is the beginning of transit upgrades. Staff conducted a feasibility study for a new transit center in 2019 and determined expanding the current facility is the most viable option.

The city does not have the money for more upgrades, and Collins said it would also have to acquire more property. He said the department will continue applying for federal grants for that project.

Plans for the transit center upgrades now move to the full city council, which meets Tuesday.

Contact Katy Macek at kmacek@thenorthwestern.com or 920-426-6658. Follow her on Twitter @KatherineMacek.

https://www.thenorthwestern.com/story/news/local/oshkosh/2021/09/08/oshkoshs-go-transit-eyes-upgrades-downtown-center-using-cares-act-funds/5718268001/

Dane County, Wis., Wants Feedback With Public Transit Map

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 26 Aug 2021 17:38:52 GMT

Greater Madison Metropolitan Planning Organization

A screenshot of the interactive map of the Transportation Improvement Program.

Dane County is growing faster than any other county in Wisconsin, so its transportation network has to change to accommodate demands. Transportation planners have released a map for residents to provide input.

(TNS) — Madison-area planners are looking for input on the region's transportation network.

As part of an update to the long-term transportation plan, the Greater Madison Metropolitan Planning Organization has created an interactive map where users can comment on the existing system or suggest potential improvements.

The MPO is responsible for coordinating transportation planning in Dane County, Wisconsin's fastest-growing county. Updated every five years, the regional transportation plan provides a framework for prioritizing transportation investments to handle current demands as well as future growth.

Planners are also grappling with how to account for social and technological shifts, such as telecommuting and autonomous vehicles, as well as ways to accommodate the county's climate action plan, which calls for a 15% reduction in vehicle-miles even as the population grows.

Dane County gained about 117,000 residents over the past two decades. That's more than the population of Green Bay, or the equivalent of adding La Crosse and Oshkosh. By 2050, the MPO expects the county to add another 196,000 residents.

The plan is advisory, but projects must be included in the plan to qualify for federal funding. The MPO also receives about $7 million a year in federal funds that it awards to local projects identified in the plan.

In a public survey conducted earlier this summer, the most important issues identified were maintaining and improving existing infrastructure, expanding and improving public transit and reducing the impacts of climate change.

Respondents overwhelmingly said they had easy access to work and other destinations by car, but more than a third rated public transit access as poor.

The map is an opportunity to provide more granular feedback, said MPO director Bill Schaefer.

Comments can identify gaps in the system — such as missing sidewalks — or problem areas as well as features people would like to see more of.

Schaefer said feedback too detailed for a regional plan — such as a comment on speed limits or the need for a traffic control signal at a particular intersection — will be passed on to the local municipality, but is still valuable information.

The map allows users to view the existing system by mode — bus, bike, pedestrian, transit and auto — and to insert comments where appropriate. Users can also draw on the map to indicate where they would like to see new features, such as bike paths.

The map is open for comment through Oct. 3, and results will be presented this fall. A draft of the transportation plan update is expected to be released for comment in early 2022.

©2021 The Wisconsin State Journal, Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

https://www.govtech.com/fs/dane-county-wis-wants-feedback-with-public-transit-map

Greendale Bus Routes To See Changes At End Of August

WIPTA Admin — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 15:26:51 GMT

Here's how Greendale bus routes will be affected by upcoming Milwaukee County Transit System changes. The changes will take effect Aug. 29. (Shutterstock)

GREENDALE, WI — There will be some changes to how Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) services the Greendale area with its buses at the end of August. Route 64 will be retired and service from route 60 will take over, among other notable changes.

The bus route shake-ups come as part of the MCTS NEXT project. Phase two happened in June. Phase three will become effective Aug. 29, according to the project's website.

Phase three will mainly effect these bus routes in the Greendale area. Click each route for a video from MCTS further detailing the route changes:

Route 55

"Service to Southridge via S. 76th Street will be removed due to low ridership. Passengers can continue to make this connection by transferring from Route 55 to the new high frequency Route 76 at S. 74th Street & Layton.," the project website said.
Some bus stops along this route are being removed. View the full list here.

Route 60

Route 60 will replace route 64.
Route 60 "will provide new high frequency service from Brown Deer to National Avenue and a similar level of service from National Avenue to Southridge. Current Route 60 service on Burleigh Street will be renamed Route 66," the project's website said.
"The new Route 60 will replace current Route 76 service on the North end (N. 60th – S. 70th) and will replace Route 64 service on the South end (S. 60th Street)."
View all of the new route 60 bus stops here.

Route 76

Route 67 will be retired with this new route.
"New Route 76 will replace current Route 67 service on N. 76th Street," the project website said. "Service on S. 76th south of Edgerton will now be served by the new Route 60."

"The new Route 76 (76th Street) is named for the street that it operates on (i.e. N. and S. 76th Street). It will provide new high frequency service from Brown Deer Road to Southridge. The route will also travel via a segment of 68th – 70th Street," the project website said.
View a list of this routes stops here.

https://patch.com/wisconsin/greendale/greendale-bus-routes-see-changes-end-august

Trevor Jung: City of Racine's new transit manager is a familiar face

WIPTA Admin — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 15:23:52 GMT

Racine 9th District Alderman Trevor Jung speaks during the Racine Memorial Day Program at Graceland Cemetery, May 27, 2019.

Andrew Rosenthal

RACINE — Alderman Trevor Jung of the 9th District is stepping down from his role on the City Council, but is also stepping up to a new role in the city.

On Tuesday, it was announced that Jung, 25, will be the city’s next transit manager; he will begin at his new position on Monday, Aug. 30.

Current Transit Manager Michael Maierle is due to retire before the end of the year. Jung plans to step down as alderman, a role he considered “the honor of my life,” and the City Council will have the opportunity to

Since being elected in 2019 as the city’s youngest alderman since 1862 and later chairing the city’s transit commission, Jung has repeatedly advocated for transit-related projects. He’s been a cheerleader of the Biden administration’s ambitious and massive infrastructure spending plans.

An energetic, perpetually smiling 2014 Case High School graduate, Jung was adopted from an orphanage in Russia and arrived in the United States at the age of 2, raised by a single father. Jung holds a degree in urban studies from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

He said that as transit manager, one of his goals will be to bring federal and state dollars into Racine to improve the area’s viability by expanding transit options for residents to nearby economic engines like Milwaukee and Chicago.

Among the projects he’s backed were the purchase of nine electric buses for the RYDE mass-transit system, the painting of the “Black Humanity Now” mural on Wisconsin Avenue, reviving the Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee commuter train and bringing Bird electric scooters to Racine.

“It’s all about regional connectivity,” he said in a phone interview Tuesday.

He has repeatedly described as Racine being “on an island” regarding how the nearest interstate to the city’s borders (Interstate 94) is four miles away.

Jung has been a vocal member of the local Democratic Party. In April 2019, he drove from Racine to Philadelphia to witness the kickoff of Joe Biden’s presidential campaign. He was scheduled to be a delegate at the 2020 Democratic National Convention before it was derailed by the pandemic.

In a statement, Jung said: “I look forward to continuing my public service as Transit Manager for the City of Racine. Modernizing our transportation assets and infrastructure is instrumental to the health and economic vitality of our community. Racine has the opportunity to better connect workers with jobs, reduce our carbon footprint, and attract the next generation of talent through a modernized transit system.”

According to a news release, Jung is a member of 1000 Friends of Wisconsin and All Aboard Wisconsin. He previously was a member of the Eastern Racine County Transportation Task Force and Visioning a Greater Racine.

In a statement, Mayor Cory Mason said: “I am excited to have Trevor become the new face of public transit in Racine. Trevor has always been an advocate for and passionate about transportation equity, sustainability, and community building. He has a proven record of improving systems and services through collaboration, public engagement, and research. And he understands that we need a modernized multimodal transportation system that is built through regional planning and with intergovernmental partnership.”

A news release from the mayor’s office said Jung was picked following a “competitive interview process” where he “demonstrated an understanding of the challenges public transit currently faces and a vision on how to create a robust system that benefits all residents regionally.”

https://journaltimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/trevor-jung-city-of-racines-new-transit-manager-is-a-familiar-face/article_28f86e4a-cc3c-58b9-ab52-b61f3f606cdc.html

How Did Richmond Rebuild Its Bus Ridership Numbers?

WIPTA Admin — Fri, 13 Aug 2021 20:52:52 GMT

The city has made impressive strides in retaining and growing riders on its bus transit system thanks to a free fare program during the pandemic. But sustaining the policy while expanding service could be tricky in the long run.

A queue of Richmond transit buses.

(Karl e Steinbrenner/(GRTC Transit System)

Like most bus riders in Richmond, Va., Joseph Danaher does not have a car.

For him, that’s a relatively recent phenomenon. A few months ago, a driver ran a red light and t-boned Danaher’s vehicle at an intersection. He was uninjured, but his car got totaled.

The commute to his job as server at the Jefferson Hotel in downtown Richmond suddenly became a pressing concern. The hotel is too far to walk, and he didn’t have the money for a new car, so Danaher became a regular bus rider. He picks up his ride from a stop in front of his home for the very affordable price of zero dollars. Due to a pandemic-era public health measure, the Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC) instituted a fare-free policy in 2020.

“For my use, it does everything I need it to do,” says Danaher. “I mean, it’s pretty good. But I do wish it had more access to the rest of the city. There are some spots where I have to walk 30 or 40 minutes after I take the bus to get to where I’m going. It’s good for getting to work, but not so good for other things.”

Richmond’s public transit service largely consists of the local bus routes that Danaher now relies on. While its express buses and other commuter-oriented services were swiftly hollowed out by the pandemic and the institution of mass telework, the bulk of its lines did not see the sharp decline in ridership that has challenged public transit’s fortunes in larger cities. Like many agencies, GRTC also scrapped fares in 2020 to enable better social distancing and prevent excess rider interaction with drivers.

The agency’s pandemic policy proved a success. As of this June, Richmond’s bus routes were almost back to their 2019 ridership levels. Now the GRTC, like many smaller city public transit agencies, is grappling with what the pandemic reveals about its ridership and how it can best be served.

“It is a real conversation: Is transit a public resource,” says Julie Timm, GRTC’s CEO. “Should it fundamentally be funded by the government? By the people who ride? By the businesses that are served by getting the workforce to their door? Ours won’t necessarily be the same answer as in other communities.”

For Timm, the debate in Richmond about how the agency can best serve its riders isn’t settled yet by a long shot. There is the question of more commuter-oriented services, which have been thrown into doubt again by the emergent delta variant. Then there’s the heart of the system: it’s local routes with booming ridership.

Timm sees the appeal of a permanent fare-free policy, especially considering the agency’s 2019 ridership study that showed where most of the fares were coming from. Rather than middle-income commuters, or company-paid monthly passes, most fares were from single trips or day passes paid by riders making under $25,000 a year.

Easing financial burdens on such a constituency is obviously appealing, and would even be good for the local economy, she says. Money not spent on fares will, in most cases, instead go towards much needed groceries, health care or utilities.

The possibility of eliminating fares is made more tempting by the fact that fare box revenue was a small part of GRTC’s budget. Pre-COVID, Timm says they operated the city’s bus network on about $55 million, with about $7 million coming from farebox recovery. Once expenses for fare collection were netted out, the actual take was closer to $5.5 million.

Many other cities, big and small, have been considering which aspects of pandemic policy should remain in place. Permanent free fares are being considered from large agencies like Los Angeles to those of comparable size to GRTC like Raleigh, N.C. For now, in many locales, the question is not immediately pressing: as federal supports remain in place and the Delta variant rages, a continued policy that allows social distancing is the order of the day.

Weighing the Free-Fare Tradeoffs

But in the medium to long term, the lost revenues from fare-free transit could in theory be put to better use enhancing frequency or adding new lines. Leaving an agency without fare revenue is a good way to freeze a system in its current footprint, critics say, which means that riders like Danaher will continue to be frustrated by the extent of service.

“The trade-offs are going to look different depending on how dependent the agency is on fare revenue,” says Steve Higashide, director of research for TransitCenter. “It is easier to have fare-free transit in a place where there’s not as much service to begin with. But if we’re really committed to expanding transit, and bringing it into many more places, then eventually the tradeoff becomes very real.”

For Timm, the debate is far from settled. For now, she wants to keep free fares in place, in part because GRTC will be receiving more funds to increase service from the Central Virginia Transportation Authority. (This new agency is raising funds from new regional sales and gasoline taxes that were earmarked specifically for transit expansion in the area.)

Advocates are speaking strongly in favor of continued fare-free service too.

“I think that was a major help to [riders], when it came to keeping money in their pocket, I think that was the best thing that our regional transit system has done [during the pandemic,]” says Faith Walker, director of community engagement for RVA Rapid Transit, the state’s leading transit advocacy group.

Timm also says the debate around a fare-free future has been softened because there is currently a ceiling on how much they can expand service anyway. The GRTC is suffering a serious bus operator shortage. But the agency is hoping to raise starting pay from $14-$15 an hour to $19 an hour to attract more drivers, so that won’t last too much longer (she hopes).

GRTC is taking this time to explore options for how to come up with over $5 million annually to pay for fare-free rides in the future. Virginia’s state grant TRIP program, which is meant to boost transit ridership, is an option Timm is exploring, as are partnerships with big local employers.

Timm believes that big businesses and philanthropies may be willing to contribute to keep transit free after seeing how important it was to essential workers — many of whom belong to historically marginalized demographics. (This would be one way to help ease some of the social ills that big institutions have been seeking to redress in the wake of 2020’s wave of Black Lives Matter protests.)

“If I can find a way to fill that [$5 million hole] and still expand service, then we might be able to do this permanently,” says Timm. “We’re going to test it out and do a proof of concept for a couple of years. But if we can’t find the money to fill it, if there is no appetite for finding the funds to preserve this, then fares will come back.”

For Danaher, the fare-free policy is a blessing. Unless he’s in a rush, he no longer uses Lyft or Uber to get around. The price differential is too great. But that doesn’t mean GRTC has converted a rider for life.

“It’s very nice when it’s free, so I can just hoard my money to buy a new car,” says Danaher. But maybe this experience will convince him to ride the bus more often even after that happens, but only if the bus is more frequent and faster.

“For stuff like work, I can see myself doing that,” says Danaher. “But my main issue is time. The bus takes me 30 minutes to get to work while with the car, it takes me five.”

https://www.governing.com/now/how-did-richmond-rebuild-its-bus-ridership-numbers

Norman P. Siler to be honored at Arbor Day program on Monday at Kenosha park

WIPTA Admin — Fri, 13 Aug 2021 19:32:17 GMT

Siler

The City of Kenosha is planning an Arbor Day commemoration for the late Norman P. Siler.

A sugar maple tree will be planted in his honor on Monday at 10:30 a.m. at Pennoyer Park.

Siler died on March 22, 2019, at the age of 74. He served in the United States Air Force as a weather observer in the Air Defense Command from 1965-1968. Following his service, he attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He then worked from 1970 to 1987 in a variety of positions at Chicago & Northwestern Transportation Company, including brakeman, conductor, ultrasonic rail inspector and chief operator of a track geometry measuring system.

Siler later worked as a Kenosha Area Transit service attendant and he served on the Transit Commission from August 2017 until the time of his death.

Siler’s Arbor Day program was delayed so his family members could travel to Wisconsin to attend the program. The public also is welcome to attend the program.

Earlier this year, the city honored four community leaders who died in 2020 and two others who died in 2019 during Arbor Day Commemoration programs. Those honored included: Robert R. Bonn, Cynthia G. Fredericksen, Ray Forgianni, Ralph J. Tenuta, Bea Lundren and Sen. John Maurer.

Arbor Day has been celebrated in the United States since 1872. In Wisconsin it is traditionally celebrated on the last Friday in April.

It marks the 39th consecutive year that Kenosha has been recognized as a member of Tree City USA, through its progressive forestry policies and programs. The National Arbor Day Foundation sponsors the Tree City USA program.

https://www.kenoshanews.com/norman-p-siler-to-be-honored-at-arbor-day-program-on-monday-at-kenosha-park/article_f81b3a59-b81e-5beb-bec1-bae35c3e7662.html

Moving to electric, La Crosse’s MTU pushing to get back to 1 million rides a year

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 05 Aug 2021 17:24:31 GMT

Photo sourced from original article

A million rides a year.

That’s about the average for La Crosse busses, under normal circumstances — pre-pandemic, and such.

Municipal Transit Utility (MTU) manager, Adam Lorentz said last week on La Crosse Talk PM if everything is running smoothly, busses get about 1 million rides — not riders — per year. Meaning a million times someone gets on and off the bus.

Lorentz didn’t really answer what the ideal number would be for the city, reverting to that 1 million number being a good one. Asked what would be too many, Lorentz also didn’t have an answer — but in sort of a good way.

“There’s never too many,” Lorentz said. “If people ride the bus, I will figure it out. That’s why I’m here. That’s what my job is. If we continue to grow, the fleet will continue to grow, as well.”

Along with increasing and accommodating whatever the number is for those who want to ride the busses, Lorentz added he’s also trying to change the mindset of those who want to get around in the city.

“Numbers are great, and I’ll say I have to go by the numbers,” Lorentz said. “But our mission for the future is to try to get those riders that are there because they want to ride the bus, not because they need to.”

La Crosse has received 14 new busses in the past year and a half, Lorentz said, including two electric busses and 10 diesel busses. Two more hybrid busses are coming next year. The city has 23 total busses.

Those two electric busses run a “full day’s service” Lorentz said and charge overnight.

And it’s those electric busses that have local climate activists calling on leadership to do more.

A group called the Wisconsin Health Professionals for Climate Action and local leaders discussed the importance of moving to electric vehicles.

The group specifically called on US Congressman Ron Kind (D-La Crosse) to support the expansion of electric vehicle use.

Lorentz joined the campaign, discussing the difficulties in changing over.

“EV vehicles take time to get there,” Lorentz said. “They take training to operate the vehicles. But they also take equipment to charge them. And that infrastructure is such a huge piece. I think it’s really a large hurdle that some communities our size face.”

The campaign argues electric vehicles will cut down on pollution, causing illnesses and deaths, and help reduce climate changes leading to warmer and wetter weather.

La Crosse city council member Mark Neumann, a retired physician, said increased pollution might be responsible for disasters like the Coon Valley area floods of 2018.

“If you have more carbon dioxide in your atmosphere you’re going to have more infrared absorbed there, you’re going to have more heat,” Newman said. “If you have more heat, you have bigger clouds, more water in those clouds and that rain just falls on our country.

“So the source of the problem is getting away from our independence on sources of energy that increase the carbon dioxide in our atmosphere.”

La Crosse County board chair Monica Kruse also took part in a news conference last week, calling for quick federal action.

Ridership in the city is back to about 70% of what it was before COVID. During the pandemic, it was down to 30% — but that was somewhat by design.

Lorentz said they only wanted people who absolutely needed to use the busses to do so, and everyone else to stay home.

“It’s probably the only time you’ll ever quote a transit guy encouraging less ridership,” Lorentz said.

— WIZM’s Brad Williams contributed to this story.

https://www.wizmnews.com/2021/08/03/moving-to-electric-la-crosses-mtu-pushing-to-get-back-to-1-million-rides-a-year/

Suspended Freeway Flyers Will Return In August: MCTS

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 05 Aug 2021 17:19:41 GMT

Routes 40, 43, 44, 46, 48, 49, 79 and 143 will resume service with adjusted schedules Aug. 30, the Milwaukee County Transit System said. (Courtesy of Milwaukee County Transit System)

MILWAUKEE, WI — The Milwaukee County Transit System announced Monday that its Freeway Flyer routes would return Aug. 30 with adjusted schedules.

Routes 40, 43, 44, 46, 48, 49, 79 and 143 were suspended in March 2020 when demand dropped because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the transit system said in a statement.

Freeway Flyers will make fewer trips because demand isn't as high as it was pre-pandemic, the transit system said. The routes will return as businesses start to reopen in downtown Milwaukee, it added.

Commuters were encouraged to check current online bus schedules, the transit system said.

Federal regulations still require that passengers wear masks while riding public transportation regardless of their vaccination status, the transit system said. The Transportation Security Administration requirement supersedes any local or state mask policies, it added.

https://patch.com/wisconsin/milwaukee/suspended-freeway-flyers-will-return-august-mcts

Wisconsin Issues $160 Million in Transportation Aid to Local Agencies

WIPTA Admin — Fri, 23 Jul 2021 15:12:55 GMT

Wisconsin Issues $160 Million in Transportation Aid to Local Agencies

Gov. Tony Evers speaks at a past event. (Daniel Acker/Bloomberg News)

Wisconsin officials recently announced the distribution of $160.2 million in financial assistance for transportation purposes to municipalities across the state.

This funding round is the third quarterly transportation allocation local government agencies received from the state in 2021. Quarterly payments for Wisconsin cities, towns and villages are sent at the beginning of January, April, July and October.

In April, Gov. Tony Evers and transportation leaders announced the distribution of $99.1 million in transportation aid to municipalities.

“Support for local governments’ transportation projects keeps goods and services moving throughout Wisconsin,” said Wisconsin Department of Transportation Secretary-designee Craig Thompson. “We are committed to investing wisely and working cooperatively to build good transportation solutions that support safety, economic development and our quality of life.”

Payments include General Transportation Aids, Connecting Highway Aids and Expressway Policing Aids for Milwaukee County.

The General Transportation Aids program helps local governments receive state aid to offset the cost of county and municipal road construction, maintenance and traffic operations. These funds are generated by fuel taxes and vehicle registration fees collected by the state.

The Connecting Highway Aids program assists municipalities with costs related to maintenance on roads that connect segments of the state highway system. In particular, it compensates local governments for the incremental costs of through traffic that is routed over municipal streets. WisDOT defines “connecting highways” as local streets and roads that carry state highway travel through city and village settings.

Expressway Policing Aids help the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office with costs associated with patrolling expressways in the county.

The funds were distributed as $156.9 million in General Transportation Aids to all local units of government, $3 million in Connecting Highway Aids to 116 eligible cities and $255,975 to Milwaukee County for Expressway Policing Aids.

Local governments received more than $505 million in General Transportation Aids financial assistance for 2020, according to WisDOT. This figure marks a 10% increase over 2019 allocations.

The local assistance increase is part of $465 million in new funding for transportation projects that was included in the 2019-20 state budget. Besides the 10% increase in General Transportation Aids assistance, the budget included $320 million in new funding for the State Highway Rehabilitation program and $90 million in one-time funding for the Local Roads Improvement Program.

The State Highway Rehabilitation program funds “3R” improvements: resurfacing, reconditioning and reconstructing existing roadways and bridges. It also supports the addition of lanes and safety improvements as well as minor roadway realignments.

The Local Roads Improvement Program, established in 1991, helps local governments with improving deteriorating county highways, town roads, and city and village streets. As a reimbursement program, the Local Roads Improvement Program pays up to 50% of total eligible costs, with local government agencies supplying the balance.

Wisconsin Issues $160 Million in Transportation Aid to Local Agencies | Transport Topics (ttnews.com)

APTA urges USDOT to support transit applications for RAISE grants

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 15:27:04 GMT

The association says the percentage of awards from this highly competitive program to be awarded to transit projects has decreased significantly.

Graph illustrates an APTA analysis of the percentage of past TIGER/BUILD grants awarded to public transportation-related projects.

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is urging the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to refocus one of its most competitive grant programs back to its intended focus: Providing funding to critical multimodal capital investments.

In FY21, USDOT has $1 billion available in Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grants, which originated as TIGER grants under the Obama Administration before being rebranded as BUILD grants under the Trump Administration.

APTA has published a policy paper outlining the decline in transit-related projects awarded funds from this program and makes the case for why a greater percentage of public transit RAISE grant recipients can support the current administration’s transportation priorities.

APTA notes the previous iterations of the grants have been awarded to projects that “not only help enhance mobility but also can result in positive safety, environmental, equity and economic benefits.”

The policy paper states, “From FY 2009 to FY 2016, the percentage of BUILD grants awarded to public transportation-related projects was 33 percent. Conversely, over the past four years, the percentage of BUILD grants awarded to public transportation projects was less than 13 percent.”

APTA notes the shifting priorities of the program not only resulted in transit making up a lower percentage of awarded projects but delivered significant increases to other modes. The paper highlights highway projects, which historically received an average of 35 percent of annual grant funds, but in FY20 (the most recent grant cycle), highway projects received 73 percent of the awarded funding.

In concluding its policy paper, APTA connects the priorities of the evaluation criteria of the open round of grants with the measurable benefits of transit projects.

USDOT will evaluate projects based on safety, environmental sustainability, quality of life, economic competitiveness, state of good repair, innovation and partnership. Additionally, USDOT said it would prioritize projects that “demonstrate improvements to racial equity, reduce impacts of climate change and create good-paying jobs.”

In a letter to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, APTA President and CEO Paul Skoutelas pointed out the overlap in priorities as a strong reason why transit projects should see a higher percentage of RAISE grants awarded.

“We know that every $1 invested in public transportation generates $5 in economic returns and every $1 billion invested in public transportation creates and supports approximately 50,000 jobs. In addition, a typical trip on public transit emits 55 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than driving or ridehaling alone. Finally, public transportation provides access to opportunities, including jobs, health care and education,” wrote Skoutelas. “Given the synergy of these priorities and public transportation, we are confident that projects that support critical public transportation initiatives will rate very highly under RAISE grant criteria and we urge full consideration of those project applications.”

See Article Here

APTA's 2021 TRANSform Conference and EXPO registration opens

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 16:02:44 GMT

The conference and exposition promises to be one of the largest in-person industry events to be held in more than a year.

Registration is open for the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) TRANSform Conference and EXPO to be held in Orlando, Fla., Nov. 7-10, 2021.

The last iteration of the show took place in Atlanta in 2017. The triennial event has been delayed one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The uncertainty caused by the pandemic saw the show rescheduled twice and the host city change, but APTA is embracing the adage “the show must go on” as it prepares for the event at the Orange County Convention Center.

“We are thrilled to finally reconvene as a community, in person,” said APTA’s email notifying potential attendees of registration availability. “We can't wait to welcome you back!”

EXPO is free to attend, but registration is required. Rates to attend the TRANSform Conference are available through the show's link.

Bipartisan infrastructure deal: What does it mean for transit?

WIPTA Admin — Fri, 25 Jun 2021 15:56:57 GMT

The White House says the deal represents the largest federal investment in transit and the most in Amtrak since the passenger rail service’s inception.

The Biden Administration has given its blessing to an infrastructure deal reached by a bipartisan group of 10 U.S. senators. The deal represents a $973-billion investment over five years and $1.2 trillion over eight years in baseline and new spending.

President Joe Biden addresses the press on June 24 following the release of the bipartisan infrastructure deal framework.

Screenshot from White House live stream

The framework of the deal was released by the White House June 24 and includes $579 billion in new investments. Transportation spending accounts for $312 billion, plus an additional $266 billion in other infrastructure spending, such as water, broadband and resiliency investments.

During a press briefing to discuss the infrastructure deal, President Joe Biden noted its was a “huge day for one half of my economic agenda, the American Jobs Plan.” The plan, as outlined by the president earlier this year, originally called for transportation investments of $621 billion over eight years.

“We’ve devoted far too much energy to competing with one another and not nearly enough energy competing with the rest of the world…Investments that we will be making as a result of this deal are long overdue,” said President Biden. “Neither side got everything they want in this deal…that’s what it means to compromise.”

What is included in the deal is $49 billion in public transit investments, an additional $7.5 billion for school and transit fleets to transition to electric and $66 billion for passenger and freight rail investments.

A fact sheet on the bipartisan framework from the White House stated the deal represented “the largest federal investment in public transit in history and is the largest federal investment in passenger rail since the creation of Amtrak.”

Other highlights of the framework include $20 billion for infrastructure financing, which the White House says will “create a first of its kind Infrastructure Financing Authority that will leverage billions of dollars into clean transportation and clean energy.”

The framework also includes $47 billion for resilience investments that the White House notes will “prepare more of our infrastructure for the impacts of climate change, cyber attacks and extreme weather events.”

According to the White House, the following options are under consideration as ways to pay for the proposed infrastructure investment:

• Proposed Financing Sources for New Investment

• Reduce the IRS tax gap

• Unemployment insurance program integrity

• Redirect unused unemployment insurance relief funds

• Repurpose unused relief funds from 2020 emergency relief legislation

• State and local investment in broadband infrastructure

• Allow states to sell or purchase unused toll credits for infrastructure

• Extend expiring customs user fees

• Reinstate Superfund fees for chemicals

• 5G spectrum auction proceeds

• Extend mandatory sequester

• Strategic petroleum reserve sale

• Public-private partnerships, private activity bonds, direct pay bonds and asset recycling for infrastructure investment

• Macroeconomic impact of infrastructure investment

President Biden reiterated his pledge to pay for the infrastructure deal without raising taxes on earners making less than $400,000 per year.

During a press briefing on the infrastructure deal, President Biden noted there was “plenty of work ahead to bring this [deal] home” but added “the American people can be proud today.”

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) commended the effort to produce the deal and APTA President and CEO Paul Skoutelas issued the following statement:

“Our nation demands forward-looking infrastructure investment that modernizes public transit and passenger rail systems and meets the growing and evolving mobility demands of communities. We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to help our communities meet growing mobility demands, create family-wage jobs, expand U.S. manufacturing and supply chains, and grow the economy.

“While optimistic about the proposed bipartisan framework, APTA reiterates its strong support for H.R. 3684, the INVEST in America Act, which will put American infrastructure on a footing to compete with any country in the world. APTA strongly supports the bill and its critical investments for surface transportation infrastructure, including $109 billion for public transportation and $95 billion for commuter rail, Amtrak and other high-performance rail. The INVEST Act will put the country on a path to increase access to opportunities for all Americans and build more equitable communities, while also addressing the environmental and sustainability challenges facing our communities, nation, and the world.

“The time is now to make transformational investment in our national infrastructure that will provide staying power to drive our economy for years to come.”

MCTS breaks ground on Wisconsin’s first BRT line

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 20:35:45 GMT

The nine-mile corridor will connect employment and education centers and is expected to boost transit ridership by 17 percent when it opens in 2022.

Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) held a groundbreaking ceremony June 10 on the state’s first bus rapid transit line, the East-West Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project. When it opens in 2022, the line will connect employment, education and recreation centers along a nine-mile corridor.

The project is funded in part through the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program. In December, FTA and MCTS finalized a $40.9-million Small Starts Grant Agreement for the $55.05-million project.

“I often talk about connecting the dots and that’s exactly what this project is all about,” Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers told attendees at the groundbreaking ceremony. “The BRT will make it easier to get around while providing a more sustainable project for all of us and it’s going to boost the local economy and that’s the most important thing now – to bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic – strong infrastructure, robust transportation and transit systems are absolutely vital to that goal.”

MCTS says the BRT route will operate primarily along Wisconsin Avenue, Bluemound Road and a portion of 92nd Street. Ultra-modern battery-electric buses will serve 33 individual, state-of-the-art stations located between Milwaukee’s lakefront and the Watertown Plank Road Park & Ride lot.

In March, MCTS awarded a contract to Nova Bus to provide 15 LFSE+ buses. The first 11 of these vehicles will run exclusively on the East-West BRT line with four additional vehicles joining regular routes.

HNTB has been working on the project since 2015 and now provides construction management on the project.HNTBHNTB has been working on the project since 2015, first through the feasibility study, then through preliminary and final design. The firm will now provide the project with construction management.

“Breaking ground on the East-West BRT line is an important milestone in transit for Milwaukee County and the state of Wisconsin,” said Ashley Booth, PE, HNTB Wisconsin office leader. “The route will enhance transit access along the region’s most vital, most traveled and most congested east-west corridor, and will play a critical role in advancing the region’s multimodal transportation system in a cost-effective, inclusive and equitable manner that will support economic development and access to jobs.”

HNTB says the East-West BRT line will average more than 9,500 weekday riders by 2035 and increase overall transit ridership in the corridor by 17 percent.

Construction is expected to begin in June and last two seasons, with revenue service expected to begin in fall 2022.

https://www.masstransitmag.com/bus/infrastructure/article/21226759/mcts-breaks-ground-on-wisconsins-first-brt-line

It's Roadeo Time! July 9-10th

WIPTA Admin — Fri, 11 Jun 2021 12:34:04 GMT

Deadline for registration: June 18th

Don't miss this great opportunity to reconnect with friends and colleagues while supporting our bus operators.

This year's event will feature training for wheelchair securement, large and small bus competitions and an Awards Banquet.

After a tough year, we're looking forward to reconnecting and providing important safety training.

Come support our bus operators who have worked so hard this year!

Check out our web site for all the information you need.

If you have already registered, but have not filled out the needed forms, you can access them on the web site.

Forms for judges and drivers, as well as the schedule for the event and information on the hotel room block, are all available on the MPTA web site.

The Annual Bus Roadeo brings folks together to support bus operators and improve safety.

Thanks to the Office of Transit and Active Transportation at MnDOT for sponsoring the event along with our industry partners!

2021 Midwest Zero-Emissions Bus Working Group Meeting

WIPTA Admin — Fri, 11 Jun 2021 12:29:31 GMT

Thursday, June 24, 2021
2 pm – 3:30 pm ET

Join CALSTART and key transit industry stakeholders across transit for the next ZEB working group meeting of 2021 as we come together to discuss the following key topic areas:

Climate and Vehicle Efficiency: Does this affect my technology choices?
Extreme Climate Use Cases: Speakers from extreme climate areas discuss their lessons learned
On-Going Discussion: The Continued Pathway to Zero-Emission Buses

Why should I participate?

Be a part of the solution as we work together on your fleet sustainability planning for transit agencies of all sizes and regardless of where you are in the process. We are charging ahead together to make zero-emission transportation the answer and not the question. Come and join the conversation. You will not want to miss this!

https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcqc-ygqTosGtFjRY2KLLtPCRYqSXGAjB4m

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

This is an ongoing series. The next MW ZEB Working Group meeting is planned for August 5, 2021.

Please note this meeting is primarily for transit agencies, utilities and OEMs.

An activity of the Midwest Zero-Emissions Bus (ZEB) Working Group and part of a series of discussions designed to tackle the challenges and harness the benefits of transitioning to zero-emission buses in the Midwest. This event is open to all transit agencies and utilities as we work together to

transform transportation for good.

Brown County COVID-19 vaccine clinic hosted on a city bus

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 10 Jun 2021 17:32:56 GMT

By: Alice Reid

Posted at 10:03 AM, Jun 08, 2021

and last updated 10:03 AM, Jun 08, 2021

BROWN COUNTY (NBC 26) — Brown County officials have launched a mobile COVID-19 vaccine clinic that's hosted on a city bus.

Brown County Public Health announced Tuesday it's part of an effort to make COVID-19 vaccines more accessible for everyone in Brown County.

Health officials said the Wisconsin Humane Society-Green Bay Campus hosted the first mobile clinic event on Monday and Brown County Public Health was able to execute a soft launch of the clinic.

The mobile vaccine clinic is available to those wanting to host a COVID-19 vaccination event within Brown County Public Health’s jurisdiction. Learn how to register for a mobile vaccine clinic and find more information about the bus at www.stayhealthybc.com.

This comes through a coordinated effort by Brown County Public Health, Prevea Health, Bellin Health, N.E.W. Community Clinic, Aurora BayCare Medical Center and Green Bay Metro Public Transportation.

https://www.nbc26.com/news/coronavirus/brown-county-covid-19-vaccine-clinic-hosted-on-a-city-bus

Valley Transit now offering free rides to service-connected veterans

WIPTA Admin — Fri, 04 Jun 2021 20:16:12 GMT

APPLETON, Wis. (WBAY) - Veterans who have a disability related to military service are now able to get a free ride throughout the Fox Cities.

As of Tuesday, June 1, Valley Transit, which provides public transportation in the Fox Cities, is now offering free rides to service-connected veterans.

In order to get the free ride, service-connected veterans will need to display their Department of Veterans Affairs service-connected identification when boarding.

Valley Transit provides transportation to Appleton, Buchanan, Grand Chute, Kaukauna, Kimberly, Little Chute, Menasha, Neenah and Fox Crossing.

The service has 18 bus routes.

In addition, Valley Transit provides intercity bus transportation from Appleton to other major cities in Wisconsin. The Lamers Connect bus makes a stop at Valley Transit’s downtown Appleton Transit Center. The Transit Center also is a stop for the Amtrak thruway bus service, which makes a stop in Milwaukee, where riders can transfer to Amtrak’s rail service to Chicago.

CLICK HERE to learn more about the other various services offered by Valley Transit.

https://www.wbay.com/2021/06/03/valley-transit-now-offering-free-rides-to-service-connected-veterans/

Milwaukee County Public Transit Rolls Out New Air Filtration Treatment to Prevent Airborne Spread of Viruses on Public Buses

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 25 May 2021 14:31:44 GMT

MILWAUKEE, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) announced it is implementing a new air filtration system to help prevent the airborne spread of viruses – including COVID-19 – and make public buses safer. MCTS is using the Aeris Guard Bioactive Filter Treatment, a first-of-its-kind spray that coats each bus' regular HVAC filters with a special polymer that controls the host bacteria and pathogens, including those which harbors SARS-CoV-2. A single application helps control and capture bacteria for up to three months, keeping public transportation riders safe for longer periods of time.

"We're excited to partner with Milwaukee County on this first deployment of the Aeris COVID defense system on an American public transit system," said Aeris CEO, Peter Bush. "Milwaukeeans can ride with peace of mind knowing they now receive the same protection from COVID-19 that other parts of the world have on a daily basis after adopting this technology."

Many public transit officials are facing obstacles when looking to improve indoor ventilation, as most existing solutions are expensive, not scientifically proven, or incompatible with existing HVAC systems. The Aeris Guard Bioactive Filter Treatment, developed by Aeris Environmental, is affordable and increases filtration efficacy without decreasing airflow or placing extra strain on vehicle ventilation systems.

"Throughout the pandemic, MCTS has worked to ensure that buses continue to safely serve county residents," said Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. "The introduction of this innovative air filtration treatment system is just the latest tool we're using to keep our employees and riders safe."

Mass transit remains the most accessible and affordable option for many Americans getting to and from workplaces, hospitals, schools, grocery stores, etc. For the 28 million Americans who don't have access to cars, public transit is the only option. The CDC advises reducing indoor airborne transmission of the virus by improving ventilation and upgrading HVAC filtration, but buses, trains, and subway cars rely on heating and cooling systems which recirculate the air and can spread virus particles. Restoring trust among the public in America's public transit options through proper virus mitigation is critical to fully reopening our economy.

Aeris Environmental is a global leader in developing green cleaning products and employs over 50 researchers, chemists, microbiologists, and medical engineers across the United States and around the world. The Guard Bioactive Filter Treatment, part of Aeris' COVID Defense System, is manufactured in the U.S.

For more information on Aeris' Guard Bioactive Filter Treatment and the COVID Defense System, go to https://www.powertronglobal.com/covid-defense-faq/.

For more on MCTS's response to COVID-19, please visit RideMCTS.com/Coronavirus.

SOURCE Aeris USA

Eau Claire Transit Use Still Well Below Pre-Pandemic Levels

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 10 May 2021 14:13:40 GMT

Ridership dropped by 50 percent last year as stay-at-home orders and COVID-19 concerns kept many people off public transit. Even as the economy begins to reopen, ridership remains still down 45.5 percent.

May 07, 2021 •

Andrew Dowd, The Leader-Telegram

(TNS) — Between the pre-pandemic start of 2020, government safer-at-home orders issued when the coronavirus arrived in the state and then people adjusting to life during the COVID-19 era, ridership on Eau Claire city buses ended up being down by 50 percent last year.

Eau Claire Transit reports numbers have rebounded somewhat for the start of this year, but are still 45.5 percent below the amount of riders seen before the pandemic.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime situation for us in the industry," city Transit Manager Tom Wagener said about the large drop in passengers.

From January through March, 106,248 people boarded city buses compared to 194,835 during the first quarter of 2020, including the mid-March start of the pandemic.

It's a deep cut in ridership, but improved from last year when there were two months when the government urged people to stay home and only travel for essential purposes.

The 452,432 passengers on city buses last year was about half the 911,440 who rode in 2019, according to Eau Claire Transit's year-end report.

Buses have been running with seats blocked off as a precaution against spreading germs — allowing only 25 percent capacity at the start of the pandemic, later rising and staying at 50 percent. But Wagener said there haven't been reports of not enough seats for those who have been riding the bus.

From one-time riders to frequent bus users, every category of paying customers were down in 2020. The only group of passengers growing was those riding for free, which went up nearly 15-fold due to fares being suspended from mid-March until early October to reduce the chances of germs spreading when passengers give payments to drivers.

A major user of Eau Claire Transit, UW-Eau Claire, had times when classes were taught entirely online last year, greatly lowering use of city buses that ferried students between campus and their homes. Routes focused on UW-Eau Claire were even temporarily suspended last spring when the pandemic first hit and campus closed.

University student use of the bus system dropped 70 percent — falling from 368,793 rides in 2019 down to 109,468 last year.

And for the start of 2021, UW-Eau Claire student use of city buses has been about half of what it normally is, due in part to classes still being split between online instruction and classrooms.

During the current spring semester, only 37 percent of classes have been conducted entirely in the classroom while 33 percent are being taught entirely online, according to the university. The remaining 30 percent have been hybrid classes using a mix of virtual and classroom instruction.

Lower Fares, Budget Help Elsewhere

Fares make up a minority share of the transit system's budget — state and federal subsidies combined are the largest portion — but remain an important source of revenue.

Several months of not collecting bus fares last year and the dip in ridership did raise worries of a budget shortfall, Wagener said.

Largely due to taking in less in fares, Eau Claire Transit's revenues came in $1 million lower than the $6 million budgeted in 2020.

However, that was almost entirely offset by cost savings.

Use of paratransit — an on-demand service that provides subsidized rides in smaller vehicles to people with mobility problems — was way down last year.

Eau Claire Transit spent just under half of the $1.39 million budgeted for paratransit rides due to lower demand from riders.

And even though Eau Claire's fleet of buses stuck to their schedules throughout last year, the city saw lower diesel costs for them.

Though budgeted for $381,500, the city only spent about $174,000 on diesel fuel for buses. Wagener attributes the savings to the fleet continuing to use newer, more fuel-efficient vehicles as well as lower diesel costs.

While that brought 2020's budget into balance, there's still the ongoing worry that Eau Claire Transit and other bus services have about how long it will take riders to return to pre-pandemic numbers.

"The federal government has certainly stepped up to allay those fears by providing those additional monies," Wagener said.

The nonpartisan Wisconsin Policy Forum released reports last month about falling bus ridership during the COVID-19 pandemic and federal money that will fill holes left by lost fare revenue. The numerous federal coronavirus relief packages are providing more than $400 million in aid to transit systems throughout the state with Eau Claire's share being about $7.8 million, according to the report.

There's no deadline for using federal money so it can be spread out over multiple years to cover shortfalls, Wagener said. The aid issued for COVID-19 is restricted to be used only for operating costs, not for new buses or other capital spending.

However, Wagener noted that regular federal aid that Eau Claire Transit gets is more flexible, so that money could be redirected from operational costs to helping to pay for the new downtown transfer center building project.

Full Return Unknown

When full ridership will return to city buses in Eau Claire and elsewhere is yet to be seen.

"Transit systems across the country are not sure what it's going to take to get people back to using public transit," Wagner said.

The pandemic spurred more employees to work from home, reducing their use of the bus to get to work. Many service-sector employees — a key group of bus riders — had their work cut during the pandemic and businesses such as restaurants are still recovering, Wagener noted.

"It's going to certainly take time as businesses rebound and more hiring is done and those types of things happen," he said.

City Councilman Jeremy Gragert, who serves on Eau Claire's Transit Commission, said usual bus riders may have adopted other means of transportation — walking, biking or buying their own car — during the pandemic and could be slow to return to buses.

"Sometimes those habits stick," he said.

Mark Quam, president of local advocacy group Chippewa Valley Transit Alliance, expects it will likely take another year for riders to return to levels seen before.

"I still feel there are a lot of people that are not comfortable getting back on the bus," he said.

We're still in uncharted territory, Quam added, and factors such as progress in vaccinating the local population and variants of the virus that challenge the area's return to normal will factor into people's decisions to take public transit.

For those who are concerned about the safety of taking buses, Wagener and Gragert noted there have been no reports of COVID-19 outbreaks stemming from them here or elsewhere.

"Public transit — the way we've operated it in Eau Claire and across the country — is very safe," Gragert said.

(c)2021 the Leader-Telegram (Eau Claire, Wis.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

https://www.governing.com/now/eau-claire-transit-use-still-well-below-pre-pandemic-levels

WI: Madison could consider mostly cashless, account-based system for bus fares

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 06 May 2021 15:39:38 GMT

May 4—Metro Transit is considering major changes to the way it collects fares on Madison buses, including possibly moving toward a cashless system in which residents pay to ride the bus out of a prepaid account.

The city's Transportation Policy and Planning Board heard a presentation Monday from Metro Transit General Manager Justin Stuehrenberg on a study of several ways to update the city's bus fare collection ahead of implementing Bus Rapid Transit, a high-frequency, high-capacity, limited-stop service that the city hopes to have in place by 2024.

Under one plan, most riders would pay with either a tap card or their phones, and low-income residents would still have some options to use cash, though likely not on board the bus itself.

As the city works toward implementing Bus Rapid Transit, or BRT, Metro Transit will either need to implement a new payment system for just the BRT system or create a new fare system entirely.

The current payment method, a traditional farebox, won't work on BRT buses because the boarding process needs to be quick for the BRT system to pay off, Stuehrenberg said. Collecting cash on board slows the bus significantly, he added.

The goal of Bus Rapid Transit is to reduce vehicle traffic and connect the east and west sides of Madison. The system would use longer, articulated buses on city streets and some dedicated lanes.

Stuehrenberg presented three payment options instead of the traditional farebox: The account-based system, a "proof of payment" system in which people pay for the bus before they ride, or making buses free to ride in the city.

In the proof of payment system, riders would pay for a ticket at a station before boarding, and a fare inspector would randomly check tickets of passengers. The system would not work for the current buses, which would continue to use the farebox, Stuehrenberg said.

Although the ticket system would have the fastest boarding process, drawbacks include having two separate payment systems within Metro Transit, racial profiling concerns, incompatibility with bus passes and cost.

Ticketing stations, which would need to be installed at all stops, cost anywhere from $10,000 to $60,000 depending on their capabilities. Metro Transit would also need to hire and pay fare inspectors, another costly change, Stuehrenberg said.

Metro Transit staff also recommended against making riding the bus free in Madison. Stuehrenberg said the city relies on bus fares for revenue, and eliminating the fare could result in a budget gap of anywhere from $7.5 million to more than $17.4 million.

'Equity issue'

Another challenge is that while a fare-free bus system usually attracts more riders, they're usually people who would have biked or walked instead of those who are driving cars, according to cities that have implemented such a system. Stuehrenberg said Metro Transit would also have to add buses to meet capacity needs because the buses "have capacity issues already."

Security is another issue, Stuehrenberg said. When Madison implemented a fare-free period last summer, Metro Transit saw an increase in security complaints.

Staff ultimately recommended the account-based system but acknowledged that there would be a lot of work to do to make sure the system is equitable for low-income residents who rely on using cash.

"In many cases there are people who have no other option," Stuehrenberg said. "That's why this is a very critical equity issue that we need to address."

Stuehrenberg said options include a half-fare program for low-income users, allowing some people to have a negative account balance and pay it off after they ride, kiosks that allow residents to load accounts with cash and a retail network where people can buy bus fair gift cards.

Cash would continue on board for local routes but be phased out over five years as the equipment starts to fail. Stuehrenberg said the city's existing fareboxes have a limited lifespan, and the city will either have to replace them or come up with a new system anyway, even without BRT.

Any of the plans are a long way out from gaining city approval. Up next, Metro Transit plans to gather public feedback on the proposals, then seek guidance from the transportation board and the Transportation Commission on which direction to go.

The new system would be rolled out over the next few years with the goal of having it ready to go along with BRT in 2024.

___

https://www.masstransitmag.com/technology/fare-collection/news/21221377/wi-madison-could-consider-mostly-cashless-accountbased-system-for-bus-fares

State Budget Hearings

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 16:53:23 GMT

The Joint Finance Committee will be holding in-person public hearings on the 2021-23 state budget as well as one virtual hearing. The hearing schedule includes:

· Wednesday, April 21, 2021 The Hodag Dome, Rhinelander, WI

· Thursday, April 22, 2021 UW-Stout, Menomonie, WI

· Wednesday, April 28, 2021 Virtual

The public hearings will begin at 10 am and conclude at 5 pm. The format will be similar to past hearings. Management at each of the venues will monitor capacity. Those wishing to testify at the virtual hearing will be required to register in advance, details to come on the registration process. A portal is available for individuals to provide input: www.legis.wisconsin.gov/topics/budgetcomments as well as an email address budget.comments@legis.wisconsin.gov .

Midwest Zero-Emissions Bus Working Group Meeting

WIPTA Admin — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 14:59:24 GMT

2021

Midwest Zero-Emissions Bus

Working Group Meeting

Tuesday, April 20, 2021
2 pm – 3:30 pm ET

Join CALSTART and key transit industry stakeholders across transit for the second ZEB working group meeting of 2021 as we come together to discuss the following key topic areas:

Infrastructure Planning For Your ZEB Deployment: Utilities speak about the next steps
Microgrids – Resiliency and Ensuring Operations: Keeping transit moving everyday
Open Discussion: The continued pathway to zero-emission buses

Why should I participate?

Be a part of the solution as we work together on your fleet sustainability planning for transit agencies of all sizes and regardless of where you are in the process. We are charging forward together to make zero-emission transportation the answer and not the question. Come and join the conversation. You will not want to miss this!

https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwqdO-uqTMqG9wjfMZbR2iEAe7jaKW_cUv_

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

This is an ongoing series. The next MW ZEB Working Group meeting is planned for June 24, 2021.

Please note this meeting is primarily for transit agencies, utilities and OEMs.

Bus Coalition Online Meeting March 22nd

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 13:48:00 GMT

Dear Bus Coalition Members and Supporters,

On Monday, March 22 from 4:30-5:30 eastern, The Bus Coalition is planning an ONLINE All-Members and Supporters Meeting to discuss the several high-priority issues facing Bus Transit on Capitol Hill and in the Biden Administration this year.

Fast Act Reauthorization
Federal Infrastructure Package
FY22 Appropriations Plus-Ups
The Earmark Process

The decisions being made in DC over the next six months will have long lasting impacts on your transit system. It's more important than ever to get involved, so please join us on this important TBC ALL MEMBERS CALL!

Online Eventbrite Registration is now available here:

Looking forward to a great call next week. Have a great weekend.

Best,

The Bus Coalition Team

Milwaukee County Transit System selects Nova Bus to supply 15 electric LFSe+ buses -- a first LFSe+ order for Nova Bus in the U.S.

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 15 Mar 2021 12:42:10 GMT

NEWS PROVIDED BY
Nova Bus
Mar 11, 2021, 10:08 ET

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y., March 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Nova Bus, leading North American transit bus manufacturer, is pleased to announce it was selected to supply 15 LFSe+ buses, Nova Bus' long range electric buses, by the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS), the largest transit agency in Wisconsin and primary transit provider for Milwaukee County. This is Nova Bus' first order of electric LFSe+ buses in the United States.

"Nova Bus's state-of-the-art electric buses will transform public transportation in Milwaukee, improving reliability, service, safety, and capacity, while helping the environment at the same time," said Senator Schumer. "I'm especially proud that the electric buses will be built right here in New York, solidifying the state as a leader in manufacturing clean energy and transportation technologies. As we work to combat climate change, zero-emissions public transit and transportation infrastructure like Nova Bus's electric vehicles will be critical to achieving a cleaner future."

"Nova Bus is an important part of the North country manufacturing industry and economy, and their newly awarded contract with the Milwaukee County Transit System is a testament to skilled employees and operation. I will continue to strongly advocate for Nova Bus and our North Country manufacturing industry in Congress!" said Congresswoman Stefanik.

"We look forward to introducing the Nova Bus LFSe+ buses to the Milwaukee community," said Martin Larose, Vice President and General Manager at Nova Bus. "These electric buses, which represent the perfect pairing of our proven expertise with the latest innovations in clean and sustainable technologies, is the perfect choice for the MCTS' East-West Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, an innovative project, first-of its-kind in Wisconsin, that will efficiently connect commuters through downtown Milwaukee and expand the sustainable transit footprint in the state."

With a fleet of 370 clean-diesel buses and a dedicated team of 1,100 drivers, mechanics and administrative staff, the MCTS provides nearly 29 million rides each year and generates a massive economic impact for the region.

"Alternative fuel buses represent the future of public transportation," said Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. "These battery-electric buses from Nova Bus will help us transition towards greener, more sustainable, and more efficient transit for our community. Innovative technologies like this help strengthen the overall system and advance racial equity by increasing access to employment, education, healthcare, grocery stores, and other essential destinations."

Built on the proven Nova Bus LFS platform, whose safety track record of more than twenty years, this ground-breaking bus is designed to be just as reliable. In fact, the Nova Bus LFSe, on which the new LFSe+ is modeled, was the first electric bus in the industry to receive a passing score for a full test at Altoona in June 2018.

The new LFSe+ integrates traction motor and power electronics, which use advanced materials such as silicon carbide to improve heat management. The lower weight and increased power density of the technology also contributes to bus performance and durability. Powered by an integrated modular system, the electric motor significantly decreases maintenance costs and emits no greenhouse gas emissions.

Nova Bus is committed to always improving our product and processes to reduce pollution and waste in every aspect of our business, and the LFSe+ is our latest demonstration of that commitment.

About Nova Bus

Nova Bus is a leading provider of sustainable transportation solutions in North America. Its portfolio includes electric buses and hybrid buses, high-capacity vehicles and integrated intelligent transport systems. As part of its Electro Mobility strategy, Nova Bus is moving forward with the electrification of key vehicle components to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. Nova Bus is part of the Volvo Group.

For more information regarding Nova Bus products and services, please visit www.novabus.com

SOURCE Nova Bus

The Joint Finance Committee will hold in-person public hearings on the 2021-23 state budget as well as one virtual hearing. The hearing schedule includes:

WIPTA Admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2021 13:00:07 GMT

Friday, April 9, 2021 UW-Whitewater, Whitewater, WI
Wednesday, April 21, 2021 The Hodag Dome, Rhinelander, WI
Thursday, April 22, 2021 UW-Stout, Menomonie, WI
Wednesday, April 28, 2021 Virtual

Information about the hearings may be found at: https://legis.wisconsin.gov/topics/budgetcomments/public-hearings/

WI: Racine is Wisconsin's electric bus trendsetter. Here's why it is investing early in public transport's future

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 19:53:41 GMT

Racine is in the process of replacing a third of its buses with electric-powered; nine electric buses are expected to begin transporting locals around town in November, with a goal of having an all-electric fleet by 2030.

Adam Rogan
The Journal Times, Racine, Wisc. (TNS)
Mar 10th, 2021

Mar. 9—RACINE — Most people don't think public transportation is cool. Michael Maierle does. He's been Racine's transit and parking manager since June 2016, and he thinks Racine is finally getting a seat at "the cool kids" table of public transport.

"It's a privilege to be part of the cool kids," Maierle said during a recent Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group webinar.

Racine is in the process of replacing a third of its buses with electric-powered, as opposed to diesel-powered, vehicles. Nine electric buses are expected to begin transporting locals around town in November, with a goal of having an all-electric fleet by 2030.

"In 10 years, this industry is going to be electric buses. We're lucky to be among the early adopters ... we're on that wave," Maierle said.

At the end of this year, Racine will be Wisconsin's leader in the new age of public transportation. No community in the state will have more electric buses than Racine until at least 2022, when Milwaukee plans to expand its electric bus fleet to 11.

Likely the way of the future

Electric-powered vehicles, more and more, appear to be the public-transport vehicle of the future. General Motors is aiming to have 30 new electric vehicles by 2025 "on its way to an all-electric future," and Volvo announced last week it will be "fully electric" by 2030.

California has vowed to get its public bus fleet to be all-electric and zero emissions by 2040. Austin, Texas, is on the same track, vowing to never again buy another diesel bus.

"We're talking about air quality from reducing diesel fumes, reduced carbon dioxide emissions which helps the city attain our climate change goals, and also thinking about how public health can be incorporated into a transit plan," said Cara Pratt, Racine's first-ever sustainability and conservation coordinator, hired in May 2019.

Reducing those fumes doesn't just help the drivers and riders of buses, but also the neighborhoods those buses operate in by allowing for cleaner air and less visible pollutants that dirty roadways.

"The vast majority of buses in the United States run on diesel, which is a climate polluting fossil fuel that releases toxic fumes linked to life-threatening health problems such as asthma, bronchitis and cancer. Additionally, emitting over 5.3 million tons of greenhouse gases per year, not only are diesel buses really bad for our health, but they're also bad for our climate," said Susanna Cain, associate for WISPIRG's Transform Transportation Campaign.

That's why, Cain said, "electrifying our city and school buses is so important."

District 9 Alderman and Transit Commission Chair Trevor Jung put it like this: "If you're waiting at a bus stop, and the bus charges away and you get a cloud of diesel in your face, I would say that's not the best experience."

He asked listeners during WISPIRG's webinar to imagine a clean, nearly silent bus: "It sounds simple, but at the end of the day that type of experience builds up to a happier, healthier community."

Transit systems are alternately considered the heroes and villains of public health and the environment, Maierle said. They get more vehicles off the road, but they burn a lot of diesel fuel.

"5.3 million tons of greenhouse gases are released from diesel buses every year," Cain said. "This makes transportation a huge sector to make a big impact in climate change going forward."

Racine public transportation is "burning 200,000 gallons of diesel per year," Maierle said. Those gallons come from 7,000-gallon tanker trucks; Racine accepts 28 tanker truck deliveries a year, more than two a month. With nine electric buses added, "there will be eight less diesel trucks coming into our system a year," Maierle said. He sees that as $60,000 a year in savings.

There's talk of adding solar panels to the bus garage, thus negating some of the pollution that would've been created elsewhere in the hunt to become zero-emissions, but nothing is set in stone.

According to one study of Chicago's public transportation, the total cost savings over the lifetime of one electric bus compared to a diesel bus is $25,000.

"Public transit is a critical element of the state's economic development," Wisconsin Department of Administration Secretary Joel Brennan said in a January 2020 statement. "Investments in public transit translates into economic gains. According to the American Public Transportation Association, every dollar invested in public transit results in a four-dollar return."

On a single charge, the buses Racine is expecting to lease are from Proterra, a California-based electric vehicle technology manufacturer, would get about 141 miles worth of "fuel." Eleven of Racine's existing bus routes are shorter than that, so there shouldn't be any issues with running out of power mid-route or needing to recharge midday when the electric buses hit Racine's roads eight months from now. Because they would be recharging at night, power costs would also be lower due to decreased demand for electricity after dark, Maierle said.

Innovative excitement

Jung said that this effort is also good for Racine's brand and attractiveness.

In Racine, "We have a history of social justice and innovation," Jung said. "We are revolutionizing the way transportation is done in the State of Wisconsin ... If we're doing the same thing we did 10 years ago, and doing the same thing 10 years before that, we're not doing it right."

He continued: "We need to do our part to make sure folks have access to the economic engines in this region, and that means transportation. How do we do that effectively? How do we do that sustainably? That's the answer when it comes to electric buses," Jung said. "You're attracting a skilled workforce that says 'This is a forward-thinking community. This is a progressive community, and I want to make this my home.' So you're recruiting talent... Once you create that type of connection, you allow folks to be able to come into your community and spend their money."

Pratt added, "We hope that tourism in the City of Racine could grow as a result of this," adding that there is "excitement associated with innovation." As such, "we're hoping that more riders would be interested in riding" the RYDE transit system, which in turn could lead to economic growth, she said.

___

Visit The Journal Times, Racine, Wisc. at www.journaltimes.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

View Article

2021 Mobility Conference Virtual Event

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 17:27:50 GMT

2021 Mobility Conference Virtual Event

https://www.apta.com/conferences-events/mobility-conference/

GO Transit and Valley Transit Equip Fleets with Proactive Air and Surface Purification System from NFI Parts®

WIPTA Admin — Fri, 19 Feb 2021 15:58:50 GMT

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Feb. 18, 2021 /CNW/ - (TSX: NFI) GO Transit (in the city of Oshkosh, Wisconsin), and Valley Transit (serving the Fox Cities in Wisconsin) are keeping riders safe with the Proactive Air and Surface Purification ("PASP") system from NFI Parts®. NFI Parts is the parts subsidiary of NFI Group Inc. ("NFI"), one of the world's leading independent bus manufacturers.

The PASP units uses proprietary technology to create advanced purification by producing High Energy Clusters which are distributed throughout the interior of the vehicle safely sanitizing both air and surfaces, leaving behind substantially less harmful residue. It is mounted directly in passenger compartment allowing for deactivation of viruses as they are introduced into the vehicle. Virus deactivation at the source of introduction is one of the critical factors to increasing passenger and vehicle safety.

"Our PASP system disinfects without downtime or additional cleaning during service; once it has been installed and the vehicle is running, it continuously disinfects while the vehicle is on the road," said Brian Dewsnup, President at NFI Parts. "Unlike many other technologies implemented in response to the pandemic, operating this technology while the bus is in operation is not harmful to passengers and drivers. We are proud to offer this as part of our Clean and Protect product line."

Testing at the University of Florida confirmed the technology deactivates SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, as well as deactivating coronavirus 229E. The technology has also been tested in operation in a stationary mass transportation vehicle environment where surface bacteria levels were reduced to almost non-detectable levels and VOC (volatile organic compounds) air quality measurements were reduced by almost 96%.

"It not only deactivates the SARS-CoV-2 virus, it is also effective on other viruses, bacteria, mold, fungus, VOCs, mildew and odors, making the experience of public transportation more comfortable and appealing," continued Mr. Dewsnup. "The bar for cleanliness has been raised over the course of the last 11 months; equipping fleets with the latest technology will assist in maintaining this new standard and restoring rider confidence that the onboard air and surfaces are cleaner with this system installed."

Clean and Protect products each work to support the five principles of transportation safety: Distancing, Disinfecting, Air Quality, PPE and Communication. These areas can help improve the safety onboard motor coaches and are critical steps toward restoring the consumer confidence needed to restart the industry. More information on the five principles of transportation safety can be found here.

"The safety and security of our riders and staff is our top priority," said Jim Collins, Transportation Director at the City of Oshkosh. "After completing the installation of driver barriers and hand sanitizing stations, the PASP unit was a great solution to round out our safety strategy."

Both GO Transit and Valley Transit have maintained service schedules throughout the pandemic, providing an essential transportation option to keep their community moving. Riders can find the latest information about traveling safely on their respective social media pages: https://www.facebook.com/GOtransit/ and https://twitter.com/ValleyTransit.

"We're extremely happy to have something installed in our fleet that is able to disinfect air and surfaces throughout the day," said Ron McDonald, General Manager at Valley Transit. "Since joining the APTA Health and Safety Commitment Program, we have remained committed to following every precaution possible to ensure our buses are safe. The unit running while buses are on the road, paired with daily cleaning crews and new driver barriers, covers all bases."

GO Transit operates on a fixed route system in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, providing bus service to over one million passengers per year.

Valley Transit's vision is to get people where they want to go throughout the Fox Cities in Wisconsin. They provide safe customer-focused transportation options that connect communities to enhance their quality of life. In doing so, Valley Transit provides numerous transportation options throughout a Tri-County area that covers 117 square miles with a population greater than 200,000 residents. Click here to go to the article.

Evers recommends letting voters raise sales tax, responding to complaints that state aid hasn't kept up with expenses

Mon, 15 Feb 2021 16:06:00 GMT

MADISON - Democratic Gov. Tony Evers on Friday recommended increasing the sales tax to up to 6.5% in some areas if approved by voters — an idea Republicans who control the Legislature are unlikely to get behind.

Under the governor's plan, counties could increase the sales tax by 0.5% and municipalities with a population of more than 30,000 could do the same. Voters would have to approve any increase in a referendum.

Currently, Wisconsin imposes a 5% sales tax and almost all counties impose a 0.5% sales tax. That means the sales tax is 5.5% in most parts of the state — low compared to many parts of the country.

Evers would allow the rate to go up to 6.5% in places where voters approved the maximum increases at both the municipal and county levels. In a few spots, it could go even higher because existing law allows communities that are tourist attractions, such as Wisconsin Dells and Eagle River, to levy additional sales taxes.

Milwaukee officials and others in local government have long pushed for a chance to increase the sales tax, arguing state aid hasn't kept pace with their expenses. Republican lawmakers have resisted the idea, saying they want to limit the state's tax burden.

Evers announced Friday he would try to give local officials a path to raise the sales tax in their jurisdictions in the budget he will unveil on Tuesday.

Evers said voters should be the ones to decide whether they pay more in sales taxes.

"Our proposal puts the question back in the hands of the folks best positioned to make decisions for their community — local leaders and the people who live there," he said in a written statement.

Republican legislative leaders did not react to Evers' plan Friday. They will spend the coming months reviewing and rewriting Evers' budget and they could easily take out his sales tax proposal during that process.

Evers' plan received a critical response from former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, a Republican considering running against Evers in 2022. In a statement, she noted Evers at the tail end of his 2018 campaign said he wasn't planning to raise taxes.

“Tony Evers ran on no new taxes in 2018 and has completely failed on that promise every step of the way," she said in a statement. "Unfortunately Wisconsin businesses and hard-working families are the ones left to pick up the pieces in an already COVID-hit economy.”

In addition to allowing every county to increase its sales tax, Evers' plan would give perhaps two dozen municipalities the same option for the first time.

Local governments have faced difficulties for years because their costs have increased faster than the aid they receive from the state, said Rob Henken, president of the nonpartisan Wisconsin Policy Forum. Local officials have few options for raising money because of tight limits on property taxes.

"There comes a time where if you want to see service levels maintained, then something has to give," he said. "So then the key question becomes what should give?"

Officials could consider several options, he said, such as increasing state aid to local governments, having the state take over some functions of local government, consolidating local governments or — as Evers has proposed — letting local governments raise more taxes.

Evers’ proposal would help local governments with their budget problems and would diversify their funding base, Henken noted. It would also allow them to collect money from those who use their services but don’t live there, such as commuters and tourists, he said.

But the sales tax is more regressive than other taxes and there’s a danger that providing more tax revenue to local governments would hurt efforts to make them more efficient, Henken said.

Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, the state's largest business lobbying group, announced it would fight Evers' plan.

“Wisconsinites are still reeling from the worst economic downturn in a generation, and the governor’s response is to make it more expensive to purchase everyday items,” said a statement from Scott Manley, a WMC vice president. "Our state already has some of the highest tax rates in the country. Now is not the time to make our national reputation as a high-tax state even worse."

A Milwaukee County group made up of leaders in local government, business and the broader community for more than a year has been pushing the state to allow a binding referendum to raise the county’s sales tax by one percentage point, to 1.5%.

The revenue, which has been estimated at as much as $160 million in the first year, would be used to provide property tax relief and fund countywide priorities in the face of stagnant revenue from the state, the group says.

Leaders in the county point to an imbalance between the ever-growing amount of tax revenue sent to the state by Milwaukee County residents and businesses each year and the stagnant share of that money that is returned.

The effort, dubbed Move Forward MKE, was announced in September 2019 but has not gained traction in the Legislature.

The City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County both face increasingly challenging fiscal situations, with the city in the last two years cutting positions in the Police Department through attrition.

On Friday, members of the Move Forward coalition praised Evers’ proposal.

“Milwaukee County and its municipalities house 60 percent of the jobs in our metro area,” Tim Sheehy, president of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, said in a statement. "In order to provide property tax relief, maintain critical services and support our infrastructure, MMAC applauds Gov. Evers for including a local option sales tax in his budget proposal. With voters approval, this could lead to a new way to move Milwaukee forward with a more balanced fiscal structure and make the investments necessary to keep metro Milwaukee a region of choice."

County Executive David Crowley called Milwaukee County “the economic engine of the state,” saying the proposal takes a step toward ensuring that the region and state continue to grow. The investment will also help the county achieve its vision of racial equity, he said.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said he appreciated Evers’ recognition that change is needed in the relationship between the state and local governments.

“The inclusion of the proposal to increase a sales tax via referenda allows diversification in our revenue stream, at the desire of our citizens,” he said in a statement, adding that such a measure gives Milwaukee control of its own future.

City leaders are grappling with how to address a significant anticipated increase in its annual pension contribution in 2023, which could severely damage city services. Barrett has cited changing the fiscal relationship with the state as key to resolving the looming pension problem.

Barrett also said the sales tax would help reduce reliance on property taxes and allow local revenue to be generated from tourists and those who commute into Milwaukee for work but do not pay property taxes.

Evers' proposal also won the backing of the League of Wisconsin Municipalities.

“Wisconsin relies too heavily on property taxes to pay for schools, police, roads and other essential services,” said a statement from Jerry Deschane, the league's executive director. “Study after study has shown that the state needs to spread that load to a more balanced system of financing. We are grateful to Governor Evers for proposing an option for citizens to choose.”

Contact Patrick Marley at patrick.marley@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @patrickdmarley.

Startup Modeshift Grows to Offer Contactless Public Transit Systems in Six States, 10 Countries Worldwide Amid Pandemic

WIPTA Admin — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 14:24:39 GMT

Cities that have deployed Modeshift's contactless fare collection system have seen adoption rates increase by upwards of 110 percent as the pandemic drives demand for touchless options

Today, Modeshift, a leading contactless fare collection system provider, announced significant growth in 2020 that is only picking up speed in the new year following integrations in Lancaster and Reading Pennsylvania. Since 2017, the startup has grown to offer contactless fare collection systems for use on buses, railways, e-scooters and ride-sharing services in six states and 10 countries around the world.

The latest figures from the National Transit Database report that between February 2020 and November 2020, the number of public transit users in the United States fell by 62 percent, or 482 million rides. As a result of this, public transit agencies are facing an anticipated $23.8 billion shortfall through the end of 2021, even after the funding received through the CARES Act.

"The need to keep passengers and staff safe while providing reliable services has never been greater for public transit authorities," said Miroslav Katsarov, CEO of Modeshift. "We’re proud that 20 cities around the world have trusted us to implement contactless fare collection systems on their public transit networks, and we hope that riders feel safer using it."

In the first quarter of 2020, contactless transactions grew 40 percent globally, and according to American Express, 73 percent of US merchants prefer customers to use contactless payments instead of handling cash. With the demand and acceptance of contactless payments growing among consumers and merchants alike, public transit authorities have a unique opportunity to implement this technology widely, knowing it will be used and appreciated by users.

"Since the start of the pandemic, we’ve seen a large decline in the number of public transit users across Berks and Lancaster county." Dave Kilmer, Executive Director of the South Central Transit Authority in Pennsylvania stated. "Since implementing Modeshift’s contactless fare collection system we’ve seen the adoption rate increase week over week, and now, 99 percent of our public transit users have migrated to the new system and prefer contactless payments for fares."

With Modeshift’s technology, transit users can purchase tickets through a white label mobile application, which generates a unique QR code for each fare. Users can redeem this fare by scanning the QR code at a contactless terminal located on the public transit vehicle.

Features of Modeshift’s Fare-Collection System include:

Account-based automatic fare collection
Contactless fare redemption
Trip planning tools
Real time ridership reports
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/startup-modeshift-grows-offer-contactless-140000058.html

Visit https://modeshift.com/ for more information.

About Modeshift
Modeshift, Inc. is a technology company with the mission to enable small and middle size transit agencies to provide intelligent transportation services. Our core product is Account-based Fare Collection System, based on the Microsoft Azure cloud and delivered as a service (Software as a Service – SaaS).

Modeshift also provides other subsystems which complete the stack of hardware and software needed to operate a modern transit system such as Mobile ticketing, AVL/CAD and real-time passenger information.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210209005217/en/

WI: Metro Transit proposes moving almost 30% of buses off State Street

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 14:38:29 GMT

Feb. 6—Metro Transit is proposing route changes that would shift almost 30% of buses from State Street, but it's largely to accommodate the coming Bus Rapid Transit system, not a first step in transforming the city's most renowned street into a pedestrian mall, officials said.

There long has been a desire to reduce the number of buses on State Street, especially during peak hours, and the city needs to make room for BRT, city transportation director Tom Lynch said. The coming resurfacing of West Washington Avenue provides an opportunity to create a transit lane there that allows Metro to relocate bus routes off of State Street, he said.

Despite recently revived public conversation about taking all buses off State Street, the city is not now moving in that direction, Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said.

"We're in the process of reshaping Metro service to prepare for Bus Rapid Transit, and to best serve our entire community," the mayor said. "These changes are part of that, and I think are a good step. However, I don't support removing Metro from State Street or (Capitol) Square entirely. Transit is an important part of our community and should be at our front doors, where it can best serve employees, customers, visitors and residents."

Downtown Ald. Mike Verveer, 4th District, said the proposed changes will better serve residents and that he's been hearing "a widespread cry" for seriously considering making State Street a pedestrian mall.

"I have long supported reducing the amount of traffic on State Street and trying to move to a more pedestrian-friendly concept," he said. "Every bus, especially diesel buses, we remove from State Street is progress in that direction."

The proposed changes would affect routes 8, 12, 15, 70 and 72. The moves are part of a series of proposed route changes in several parts of the city to be considered at a Metro and city Transportation Commission online public hearing scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Already, current bus service on State Street is almost 30% less than before the COVID-19 pandemic, Lynch said. The proposed changes will reduce the number of buses by another 25-30% on a daily basis, and almost 40% during evening peaks, he said.

Both the route changes and the West Washington Avenue lane configuration changes must be approved by the Transportation Commission, Lynch said. The route changes and resurfacing are planned for this year, he said.

The State Street route changes were being contemplated before the recent discussions about removing all buses, he said. "This change will help implement Bus Rapid Transit and address some of the noise complaints during the evening rush hour."

"The recent discussion of buses on State Street has been incomplete," he said. "Fire lane requirements, challenges with State Street's four existing pedestrian-only spaces, and equitable access to the Downtown are all key factors," he said.

"Downtown, there are always complications," Verveer said. "There are a lot of issues that need to be addressed."

Still, even a limited reduction is finding support.

"Moving several key Metro Transit bus routes to West Washington Avenue will help create a more open and pedestrian-friendly State Street promenade, allowing visitors to better enjoy the shops, restaurants and cultural amenities on Wisconsin's main street," said Jason Ilstrup, president of Downtown Madison, Inc.

"The move will also help ensure buses move more quickly on the Isthmus, thereby getting workers and visitors into and through Downtown with more speed, efficiency and reliability," he said. "The new routes will also better connect a densely populated section of Downtown all while improving the pedestrian and bike infrastructure and safety."

DMI hasn't taken a formal position on removing buses from State Street, but will be starting a discussion soon, Ilstrup said, adding, "Certainly moving nearly 30% of the buses off is an important step in potentially turning State Street into a pedestrian mall."

Metro, Verveer noted, is conducting a comprehensive review of its current route structure in the hopes to reformat the system to better serve the community, improve ridership and complement the new BRT system. The possibility of removing more buses from State Street should be part of the review, he said.

___

https://www.masstransitmag.com/bus/news/21209155/wi-metro-transit-proposes-moving-almost-30-of-buses-off-state-street

Federal Mask Requirement for Surface Transportation Providers

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 14:47:10 GMT

Yesterday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an Order imposing a mask requirement applicable to public transportation systems, rail, and van, bus and motorcoach service providers to mitigate the risk of COVID-19. The CDC Order implements President Biden’s Executive Order 13998, Promoting COVID-19 Safety in Domestic and International Travel, “to save lives and allow all Americans, including the millions of people employed in the transportation industry, to travel and work safely.”

Science-based measures are critical to preventing the spread of COVID-19. Mask-wearing is one of several proven life-saving measures including physical distancing, appropriate ventilation and timely testing that can reduce the transmission of COVID-19. Requiring masks will protect America’s transportation workers and passengers, help control the transmission of COVID-19, and aid in re-opening America’s economy.

In addition to the CDC order, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) anticipates issuing additional information and guidance on this topic.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has posted Frequently Asked Questions online and will continue to add to this site with additional information in the coming days. The Department will be scheduling stakeholder calls beginning the week of February 1, 2021.

Please share the mask mandate information with colleagues and send questions to: TransitMaskUp@dot.gov

Links

US DOT Mask Requirement for Public Transportation FAQs

Executive Order on Promoting COVID-19 Safety in Domestic and International Travel
CDC Order: Requirement for Persons to Wear Masks While on Conveyances and at Transportation Hubs
CDC Federal Register Notice
TSA COVID-19 hub
TSA COVID-19 FAQs

Fox Valley Transit Riders are Asked to Provide Input

WIPTA Admin — Mon, 18 Jan 2021 17:09:48 GMT

MENASHA (WLUK) -- Two Northeast Wisconsin transit services are seeking input from riders who use Interstate 41 for travel.

Go Transit of Oshkosh and Valley Transit are teaming up with UW-Oshkosh and East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission to offer a survey for those who use the interstate to commute between Oshkosh and the Fox Cities.

The purpose of the survey is to better understand the needs of riders in the Fox Valley. Both transit systems are considering new services and expand amenities for a convenient ride, according to a news release.

“Many residents travel the I-41 corridor daily. These travelers need and want to travel between communities; therefore, it’s increasingly important we find transportation alternatives to personal automobiles,” said Jim Collins, Transportation Director for the City of Oshkosh, in the release. “There are also many residents who do not have access to or the means to procure a personal automobile. We are seeking public input in devising feasible transportation solutions that will be well received and used to help make these connections.”

The survey, which is available until next Friday, Jan. 22, can be completed online.

Midwest states collaborate on pandemic response, highway safety

WIPTA Admin — Fri, 08 Jan 2021 13:41:10 GMT

Midwestern states have been collaborating on a variety of transportation issues, from the future of vehicle technology to their response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These efforts, led by the Mid America Association of Transportation Officials (MAASTO), are the topic of a special three-part series of Transportation Connects Us, the official podcast of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT).

"While each of the 10 states in the Midwest have their own unique characteristics and challenges, at the same time there are a lot of similarities in some of the issues that we deal with," said Craig Thompson, MAASTO President and WisDOT Secretary-designee. "And for the public, transportation doesn't end at the state line. The more that we can collaborate and learn from our neighbors, the better we can serve the people of Wisconsin," he said. Read more..,

Gov. Evers awards $3.8M to Wisconsin specialized transit

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 14:40:58 GMT

MADISON, Wis. - Gov. Tony Evers announced on Wednesday, Dec. 23 that 57 public and non-profit transit agencies will receive $3,799,860 in federal and state funds.

The agencies that will receive funds provide specialized transit to seniors and individuals with disabilities. The funds will be administered by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT).

https://www.fox6now.com/news/gov-evers-awards-3-8m-to-wisconsin-specialized-transit

Consolidated Appropriations Act Includes Vital Emergency Funding for Public Transportation

Mon, 28 Dec 2020 18:51:22 GMT

WASHINGTON (December 21, 2020) – “The American Public Transportation Association (APTA), on behalf of the entire public transportation industry, urges immediate passage of the newly proposed H.R. 133, the ‘Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021’. This bill includes COVID-19 emergency relief, annual appropriations for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021, tax extenders, and many other important provisions. The bill provides $14 billion of COVID-19 emergency funding for public transit and $1 billion for Amtrak. In addition, the bill provides annual appropriations of almost $13 billion for public transit, a $47 million increase from FY 2020.

This $14 billion of desperately needed emergency transit funding is vital to the industry’s survival and is a much-needed immediate step in bolstering an industry ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic.

The proposed legislation is a critical step in supporting public transit agencies so that they can survive and help our communities and nation recover from the economic fallout of the pandemic. However, this legislation is just one important step. APTA and the public transportation industry will continue to advocate for additional emergency funding in the new year, with at least $32 billion needed to serve essential workers and help our communities recover.”

FTA awards CIG funding to Milwaukee County’s East-West BRT project

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 17 Dec 2020 16:29:08 GMT

Milwaukee County was awarded a $40.9-million grant from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), clearing the way for the East-West Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project to move forward.

"This $40.9 million federal grant will provide Milwaukee residents increased access to jobs, healthcare, educational opportunities and other community services," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

This Small Starts Grant Agreement (SSGA) is a significant milestone achievement in that it finalizes the federal government’s commitment to cover almost 80 percent of the $55.05-million project. Funding for the East-West BRT project is provided through FTA's Capital Investment Grants (CIG) Program, which provides funding for major transit infrastructure projects nationwide. For more information click here.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao Announces $40.9 Million Grant Award for East West Bus Rapid Transit Project in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Wed, 16 Dec 2020 16:05:48 GMT

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration (FTA) today announced a $40.9 million grant award to Milwaukee County for the East West Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The project will provide faster, more reliable transit service along the region’s busiest travel corridor from downtown Milwaukee to Marquette University and the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center.

"This $40.9 million federal grant will provide Milwaukee residents increased access to jobs, healthcare, educational opportunities, and other community services," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

The Milwaukee County project is a 9-mile BRT line from downtown Milwaukee to the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center, of which a four-mile segment will operate in exclusive bus lanes. The total cost of the project is $55.1 million with $40.9 million in funding provided through FTA’s Capital Investment Grants (CIG) Program.

"FTA is proud to join our partners in Wisconsin to improve public transportation in Milwaukee," said FTA Deputy Administrator K. Jane Williams. "The East West BRT project will provide fast and efficient service, improving mobility and travel times in this busy corridor."

Williams added "This federal investment is an economic boost for Milwaukee County as the project will create jobs and help communities continue to recover from the COVID-19 public health emergency."

Funding for the East West BRT project is provided through FTA's Capital Investment Grants (CIG) Program, which provides funding for major transit infrastructure projects nationwide. Projects accepted into the program must go through a multi-year, multi-step process according to requirements in law to be eligible for consideration to receive program funds.

With this announcement, FTA has advanced funding for 40 new CIG projects throughout the nation under the Trump administration since January 20, 2017, totaling approximately $10.7 billion in funding commitments.

WI: Uber meets public transit?

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 10 Dec 2020 14:25:47 GMT

Dec. 8—EAU CLAIRE — Instead of regular city buses on a route that gets few riders on weeknights and Saturdays, a new study says Eau Claire could instead consider starting an on-demand public vehicle service.

Among the many recommendations contained in a 295-page Transit Development Plan presented Monday night to the Eau Claire City Council is the idea of using a smartphone app and smaller vehicles to replace a bus currently serving part of the north side.

"The user experience would be a lot like Uber or Lyft," said Joseph Kapper, who served as project manager from consultant firm SRF on the transit study. Read more:

New rapid bus service connecting downtown to Wauwatosa hospitals, Medical College to begin running by October 2022

WIPTA Admin — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 16:01:36 GMT

A new rapid bus service connecting downtown Milwaukee to the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center in Wauwatosa should be operating by October 2022.

That's according to a report provided Wednesday to the County Board's Transportation, Public Works and Transit Committee.

Construction on the new service, known as the East-West Bus Rapid Transit, is to begin in 2021, said Mike Zabel, a project manager at HNTB Corp., which is overseeing the project for the Milwaukee County Transit System.

The $55 million project is being funded mainly with a $40.9 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration. The remaining funds are coming from Milwaukee County. Read more

With no COVID-19 relief in sight, the private bus industry could collapse — taking with it a vital US transport network

WIPTA Admin — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 15:58:36 GMT

Owosso, Michigan-based Indian Trails — now in its third generation of continuous family ownership — was founded in 1910 and grew over the past century to become one of the major private bus companies in the Midwest. Now with roughly 80 buses in its fleet, the firm transports close to 2 million passengers annually through its scheduled intercity service, private charters, contract shuttles, and Michigan Flyer airport shuttle.

But when the pandemic began to take hold in March, Indian Trails' 110 years of business was upended virtually overnight. Read more

More than $14 million approved for transportation alternatives

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 15 Oct 2020 13:28:24 GMT

Twenty-eight community transportation projects received more than $14 million in funding through the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP). These projects are designed to strengthen the intermodal transportation system. Awarded projects expand travel choice, strengthen the local economy, improve the quality of life, and protect the environment by supporting non-traditional projects linked to the transportation system.

“Thank you to a broad coalition of representatives from across Wisconsin for helping select projects that will create safer routes to school, stronger communities and more travel options,” Craig Thompson, WisDOT Secretary-designee said. “Trails and paths not only support many uses, they grow local economies and improve the quality of life.”

A Statewide Selection Committee reviews the applications and recommends projects for the WisDOT Secretary approval. The committee includes representatives from the Wisconsin State Senate and Assembly, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Bike Federation of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Counties Association, and WisDOT.

TAP is a reimbursement program and are generally funded 80 percent federally, with a 20 percent local match. Federal funds are capped at the award amount listed in the table below. Click here for more information.

APTA Urges U.S. House of Representatives to Provide $32 Billion of COVID-19 Emergency Transit Funding

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 15:21:53 GMT

In a private meeting today, House Democratic Leaders indicated that the House of Representatives may consider a new, approximately $2.4 trillion COVID-19 bill next week. This bill will provide $1 trillion less than the Heroes Act, which passed the House in May. (The Heroes Act included $15.75 billion of emergency transit funding.) This new legislation is an effort by House Democrats to offer a “compromise bill” and restart the COVID-19 negotiations with the White House and Senate Republicans.

We urge you to contact your Representatives today and urge them to include $32 billion of emergency transit funding in the new COVID-19 bill.

Although the $25 billion of CARES Act funding has served as a lifeline for public transit, more than 93 percent of these funds are obligated.

If Congress does not provide $32 billion of additional COVID-19 emergency transit funding, more than 6 in 10 public transit agencies will have to cut transit service or furlough staff. Eight in 10 large agencies are also considering delaying, deferring, or cancelling capital projects to close their budget gaps. Similarly, nearly one-half of transit businesses expect to be forced to lay off employees without additional emergency funding. In addition, one-third of transit businesses are concerned that they may go out of business due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Please click here to view APTA’s COVID-19 Pandemic Threatens Public Transit Jobs and Service Policy Brief.

Please click here to view APTA’s COVID-19 Pandemic Threatens Public Transit Businesses Policy Brief.

CALL TO ACTION

We encourage you to contact your Representative today and strongly urge the House of Representatives to provide at least $32 billion of emergency transit funding in the new COVID-19 legislation.

To contact your Representative, please call 202.224.3121.

Please click here for APTA’s Talking Points.

New APTA Survey Data Shows Public Transportation Systems and Business Supporting the Industry Face an Increasingly Dire Situation

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 16:29:16 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 15, 2020) – Six in 10 public transit systems will need to reduce service and furlough employees in the coming months without an additional $32 billion in emergency federal funding from Congress, according to new data released today by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). In addition, nearly one-half of public transit industry businesses (47 percent) expect to lay off employees, and nearly one-third of transit industry businesses (31 percent) are concerned that they may go out of business if additional federal funding is not provided.

APTA is urging Congressional leaders and the Administration to move swiftly and include at least $32 billion in emergency funding to keep systems running safely and to protect the jobs of more than 435,000 industry workers and several million private-sector jobs that support the industry every day.

“Congress and the Administration are disregarding the essential lifeline that public transit plays in our communities. Our request for $32 billion is necessary to avoid catastrophic decisions that will only hurt our riders, our communities, and the nation” said APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas. “The industry continues to serve essential employees every day, but without additional emergency funding, many transit agencies will soon need to cut transit services and routes and furlough transit workers, leaving our communities without service and jobs when they need them most.”

In the News Press Kit Social Media Representatives García, Moore, Nadler, Takano, and over 100 Members Highlight Urgent Need to Support Public Transportation Agencies

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 16:58:39 GMT

Washington, DC. - Representatives Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Jerrold Nadler (NY-10), and Mark Takano (CA-41) led 106 Members of Congress in urging Congressional leadership to support public transportation agencies, including their workers, in the next relief package addressing the COVID-19 public health emergency.

“Transit agencies have kept our economy running through these most uncertain times. Without the daily sacrifice and bravery of the many frontline, essential workers operating our transit systems, many working class families would lack access to health care, jobs, and essential services. Now, transit agencies like CTA, Pace Bus, and Metra in Chicago need our support,” said Rep. García. “Congress must support the ongoing operation of transit systems and keep our economy moving. For communities of color and working class families, public transit is a literal lifeline. We cannot afford to exclude them from the next relief package."

More information..

APTA Local Coalition Grant Program

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 16:56:36 GMT

Any local public transportation coalition is eligible, provided it has the support of the local APTA member(s) and makes a pledge to become a member in good standing of the National Alliance of Public Transportation Advocates (NAPTA) before receiving a grant. Membership in NAPTA is free. For this grant program, a coalition is defined as a collection of groups and/or individuals joined together for the common purpose of promoting transit. An APTA public transit system member may apply for the funds on behalf of a coalition or a coalition may apply directly for the funds. Grant applications will be solicited until August 21, 2020.

More here...

WisDOT wants to hear public's thoughts on the future of transportation

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 13:53:49 GMT

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) is in the process of developing its new 30-year transportation plan, called Connect 2050 and is seeking input to help shape the future of transportation in the state.

“Transportation impacts nearly every aspect of your life,” said WisDOT Secretary-designee Craig Thompson. “The time it takes you to travel to work, school or vacation, the cost of the products you buy, and your ability to get around without driving, all depend on a safe, effective transportation system. These factors affect your quality of life and we want you to be involved in planning Wisconsin’s transportation future.”

Link

Wisconsin cities with mask mandates

Fri, 24 Jul 2020 19:34:38 GMT

With cases of the coronavirus climbing in Wisconsin and the U.S., more than half of states have statewide mask mandates, including Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota — but not the Badger State.

Even as more local governments enact their own mask ordinances, creating a patchwork of mask requirements across the state, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has not issued a statewide mandate. The first-term Democrat said earlier this month he was unlikely to enact such a mandate because the conservative-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down his “safer at home” order in May. That did not include a mask requirement, but the court said Evers overstepped his authority by requiring most non-essential businesses to close during the start of the outbreak.

Some city and county governments are requiring masks in buildings and the UW System is requiring masks on campuses in the fall.

Here’s a breakdown of mask mandates in cities/counties near southeast Wisconsin

County health issues advisory to wear face coverings

Fri, 17 Jul 2020 15:32:57 GMT

The Washburn County public health officer issued an advisory on Thursday, July 16, declaring people should wear masks inside buildings where people other than one's household are and in certain other conditions.

“Due to continued community transmission of COVID-19 throughout our Region, the State, and across the Nation, the Health Department recognizes that prevention of COVID-19 in Washburn County is a shared responsibility between individuals, businesses, and community agents,” the department wrote in the advisory. “As such, Washburn County is now advising all residents wear face coverings when in public.”

WI: The pandemic response slashed traffic; what did it teach us about transportation planning?

Mon, 08 Jun 2020 17:36:43 GMT

For traffic engineers, the pandemic afforded a way to study changes in traffic patterns that are typically hypothetical, allowing them to better understand traffic flows, pinpoint potential trouble spots and rethink the future.

Chris Hubbuch

The Wisconsin State Journal (TNS)

Jun 8th, 2020

Jun. 7--In late March, the state's response to the coronavirus pandemic slammed the brakes on economic and social activity, cutting vehicle traffic nearly in half overnight.

For traffic engineers it presented a "real-life experiment" -- a way to study changes in traffic patterns that are typically hypothetical, allowing them to better understand traffic flows, pinpoint potential trouble spots and rethink the future of urban transportation.

"We need to learn from these tough situations and come out with a safer, more efficient, more sustainable and more resilient transportation system through better infrastructure design, system management and use of technology," said Yang Tao, traffic engineer for the city of Madison.

Data collected by the Department of Transportation through a variety of sensors provided the lab with near real-time snapshots of the number and speed of vehicles traveling on Wisconsin's major highways.

While outside events -- such as a big public gathering or road construction -- do sometimes create major changes in traffic, those shifts are usually localized and very temporary, said Jon Riehl, a traffic engineer and researcher with UW-Madison's Traffic Operations and Safety (TOPS) Laboratory.

The pandemic provided a long-term window to study a system-wide reduction and compare highway performance to computer models, Riehl said, "which ultimately leads to improvement in highway design and traffic engineering."

On Madison's Beltline, for example, rush hour can often mean bumper-to-bumper traffic jams despite hundreds of millions of dollars worth of new lanes and engineering tricks such as metered ramps.

"We're really at that tipping point where the Beltline is super congested," said TOPS lab director David Noyce. "There really is nothing that anyone has done across the country that could show a significant enough drop ... until we got into this."

The data show Weekday traffic fell about 40% statewide, and weekend traffic volumes were down 60% during the week of March 25.

Average speeds crept up, though Riehl said that was primarily a function of the elimination of rush-hour traffic.

"In general people are just returning to the speeds they normally would (drive)," Riehl said. "It goes with what we'd expect in traffic engineering.

At the same time as it slashed automobile traffic, the pandemic response led to a surge in bicycle and foot traffic on suddenly crowded paths and sidewalks, creating a chance for planners to try out new configurations.

"Reduced traffic volumes present an opportunity for cities to reevaluate how they're using their public right of way," said Keven Luecke, a transportation planner with Toole Design group in Madison.

Cities including Madison have repurposed parts of streets for bike and pedestrian traffic -- and even restaurant seating.

In a trial run of a planned redesign, the city used barrels to block off a lane of Atwood Avenue for bikes, which bicycle and pedestrian coordinator Renee Callaway said would likely remain in place through the fall.

"This is just a really great trial of that design," Callaway said. "This has been a need that's existed for a long time."

Tao said one of the biggest lessons of the pandemic is that transportation systems should be designed with more than just one scenario in mind, a system that can easily shift to accommodate walking and biking, loading zones, outdoor seating or surges in traffic when other roads are closed by flooding, as they were in 2018.

Decisions about how and where to build or expand roads are made decades in advance using models based on current trends and patterns.

"It turns out it's incredibly difficult to predict the future," said James Longhurst, a transportation historian at UW-La Crosse. "The underlying economics can change, the cost of fuel can change, technology can change -- a pandemic. This is not in anyone's traffic forecast anywhere."

Roads are designed to handle the traffic peaks that typically occur for just a couple of hours each day when everyone heads to work or back home.

Spreading that traffic out -- for example, by staggering work shifts -- or thinning it by having people work from home or conducting meetings over the internet is cheaper than expanding roads.

Businesses have traditionally resisted those types of changes, but the pandemic response showed it can be done.

"That might be more of a possibility now than people thought of in the past," Longhurst said. "It's impossible -- until you have to do it."

Encouraging these practices would reduce pressure on the transportation system and support the region's rapid growth "in a more sustainable and environmentally friendly way," Tao said.

Longhurst notes that modes of transportation have come and gone throughout human history in response to all kinds of factors, most of which could not have been predicted.

"Streets and transportation networks have always been shared between different users," he said. "The fact that we've gotten used to one mode ... doesn't mean that's going to be the future."

While traffic levels were already creeping up in May when the state Supreme Court tossed out the Evers administration's "safer at home" order, it's not clear when -- or if -- it will return to pre-pandemic levels.

There are questions about whether most people will be comfortable using mass transit, which could lead to more cars on the road. On the other hand, with large institutions like UW-Madison continuing to rely on remote instruction, Riehl thinks it may remain 5 to 10% below normal for the near future.

"It's not going to return to normal unless we know this thing is gone," Riehl said.

Luecke, whose firm specializes in multi-modal design, said lowering rush-hour volumes might mean roads don't need to be as wide -- or built with only one type of user in mind.

"If those peaks aren't going to be quite as busy as they were in the past, that means we can use that space for better walking facilities, better biking facilities," he said. "We need to build our transportation systems ... in such a way that they can be flexibly reused."

President Trump: $40.9M in federal funding committed to Milwaukee rapid transit project

Fri, 05 Jun 2020 00:36:05 GMT

MILWAUKEE — President Donald Trump on Thursday, May 28 tweeted that millions of dollars in funding is being committed to Milwaukee’s East-West Bus Rapid Transit project.

The project received approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation in 2016. The project has since been in research phases.

Officials in 2016 said the proposed nine-mile BRT route would provide an improved transit connection to major employment and activity centers through downtown Milwaukee, the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center, Milwaukee’s near west side, and Wauwatosa. With more frequent service and faster travel times, BRT will give riders more time to spend with their families, more time to study for a final exam, or simply more time to relax at home.

Justin Stuehrenberg named Metro Transit general manager

WIPTA Admin — Thu, 14 May 2020 14:44:30 GMT

MADISON, Wis. — Metro Transit named Justin Stuehrenberg its new general manager Wednesday morning.

According to a news release, Stuehrenberg recently served as Vice President of Planning and Capital Projects of the IndyGo system in Indianapolis.

The release said he was responsible for implementation of that city’s Bus Rapid Transit program and oversaw the establishment of one of the largest electric bus fleets in the country.

State seeing downward trend of positive coronavirus tests

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 12 May 2020 18:22:22 GMT

MADISON (WLUK) -- The 14-day trend of positive tests for coronavirus has reached the point where it meets the requirements to reopen Wisconsin.

The state Department of Health Services has turned the light green on its "Badger Bounce Back" dashboard, meaning that there is a statistically significant downward trend of the percentage of positive tests over the past two weeks.

Federal funding eyed to cover COVID-19 transit ridership drops

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 05 May 2020 21:14:03 GMT

The federal government’s $25 billion COVID-19 public transit aid could keep fuel flowing in the city’s shared-ride taxi and commuter bus services now struggling under the pandemic’s emergency orders.

Federal funding could also boost mass transit services to city residents needing help.

Wisconsin’s Safer at Home emergency order to curtail the spread of COVID-19 cut city public transportation ridership as businesses and schools shut down, and employees and others were encouraged to stay home.

Transit is essential': Milwaukee County buses still running during coronavirus, with riders and drivers taking precautions

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 05 May 2020 21:11:59 GMT

At 71, Marvin Garner is very worried about the coronavirus.

Before retiring, he spent 25 years as a certified nursing assistant. He knows what the damage could be, especially for someone like him who has heart trouble.

"I'm worried because of the fact that my condition makes me vulnerable," he said.

His health problems landed Garner in Aurora Sinai Medical Center for several days recently, where doctors also found fluid in his lungs. But despite his worries about the transit system, when it was time to return to his home at North 29th Street and West Highland Avenue, he waited for the bus — with a mask on.

"I do (feel safe)," he said of riding the bus. "So far, so good."

For those traveling on public transit, the potential to catch the coronavirus from other riders is real. Still, most people interviewed for this story said they've relied on the bus to get them around for years and won't stop now, despite fears of the pandemic.

But the county bus system is likely to take a sizable financial hit as a result of the pandemic, and concerns remain for both riders and drivers.

Lorena, a Milwaukee native who didn't want to give her last name, was waiting for a ride home one recent day after her work ended at Northwestern Mutual Insurance Co.

The 52-year-old said she is taking extra precautions — wearing a face mask and gloves — because she has diabetes. Still, she said she thinks the buses are fairly safe.

"I feel safe," she said. "As safe as I can be."

Wisconsin cities, towns to get $99 million in transportation aid

WIPTA Admin — Tue, 07 Apr 2020 15:05:18 GMT

MADISON, Wis. (WKBT) – Local governments throughout Wisconsin are receiving more than $99 million in transportation aid this week, including $565,501 for the city of La Crosse and $215,332 to the city of Onalaska.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s quarterly payments to 1,850 villages, towns and cities total $99,147,647 are for General Transportation Aids, Connecting Highway Aids and Expressway Policing Aids.
General Transportation Aids help cover the costs of constructing, maintaining and operating roads and streets under local jurisdiction. Connecting Highway Aids reimburse municipalities for maintenance and traffic control on certain state highways within municipalities.
“The importance of a sound transportation system is especially evident as we face the challenge of the COVID-19 public emergency,” Transportation Secretary-designee Craig Thompson said.
“The local system is the essential first and last miles, making sure that vital goods like food and medical supplies are getting to where they’re needed,” Thompson said.
For calendar year 2020, local governments will receive an estimated $521 million in financial assistance to support transportation related projects. The tally is a 10 percent increase over the previous biennial budget.
Quarterly payments for cities, towns and villages are sent the first Monday in January, April, July and October. County payments are made in three installments, with 25 percent of the total annual payment on the first Monday in January, 50 percent on the first Monday in July and 25 percent on the first Monday in October.
Other amounts in the area include the following:

City of Sparta, $139,999
City of Tomah, $157,060
City of Viroqua, $59,625
City of Westby, $24,028
Village of Holmen, $78,580
Village of West Salem, $35,846
Town of Shelby, $43,938
Town of Onalaska, $31,793.

The full list is available here:

State Highway Money

Thompson on right road at WisDOT

WIPTA Admin — Wed, 19 Feb 2020 21:11:25 GMT

If you’re looking for a sign of the need for more road money in Wisconsin, here it is: The Wisconsin Department of Transportation recently sought applications from local governments for one-time grants to improve infrastructure.

The DOT made a total of $75 million available. Individual grants are capped at $3.5 million a project.

So how many applications did WisDOT receive? A total of 1,600 eligible applications.

Governor Evers announces more than $132 million in transportation aid payments to local governments

WIPTA Admin — Fri, 07 Feb 2020 18:01:39 GMT

Local governments are seeing the first of the additional local road funding provided by the 2019-2021 budget. Last month Governor Tony Evers announced that local governments received quarterly payments totaling $132,198,446 for General Transportation Aids, Connecting Highway Aids and Expressway Policing Aids from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT).

How rural areas offer public transit

WIPTA Admin — Fri, 07 Feb 2020 17:58:30 GMT

It took two days for her car to get fixed. In the meantime, Williams discovered that Mauston offered a taxi service. For about $10, she was able to make it to work in the morning.

“I didn’t know what to do, I was stressed out,” Williams said. “I was outside the city, so I didn’t think they’d come get me, but they did and I was able to get a ride home after work with (a coworker).”

For many residents of rural communities, public transit like the Mauston taxi service is a necessity. Whether because of age, disability, or unexpected circumstance, those services allow residents to get to work, shop for groceries, or make it to their doctor appointments.

Wisconsin Public Transportation Association News

GO Transit to expand 'micro-transit' service between Oshkosh and Neenah

Amtrak Might Open a Station in Madison but not until 2032 or Later

WI: City of Eau Claire to look at future of microtransit with funding set to expire

Southeastern Wisconsin rail plan comes back as MARK

New Milwaukee County bus programs tackle fare evasion, safety concerns

The Brief

New programs launched

Sheriff’s Transit Security Pilot Program

Passengers react

Bus fare compliance

MCTS integrates WisGo fare collection system into Transit Plus paratransit program

Eau Claire Transit to Offer Free Rides for Children in 2026

MCTS to roll out two-phase service plan in 2026

MCTS to roll out two-phase service plan in 2026

MCTS Offers Free Rides and Extended Service on Some Routes on New Years Eve!

How to plan your MCTS route

Plans to save some MCTS bus routes from cuts win cautious praise

MCTS recommended keeping buses that would have been cut during peak hours, delaying route segment cuts and keeping a reduced same-day paratransit service

Valley Transit offers up to $5,000 hiring bonus to combat bus driver shortage

Pilot program proposed to combat MCTS fare evasion

New Madison Metro GM talks driver treatment, red lane upkeep and future of city transit

APTA Submits Priorities, recommendations for next Surface Transportation Authorization Act

APTA submits priorities, recommendations for next Surface Transportation Authorization Act

Racine to Vote on Forming Regional Passenger Rail Commission

A path to federal passenger rail investment

Why it matters

Structure and oversight

What’s next

Where will the Racine Common Council meeting be held?

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Milwaukee Bus Riders Brace for Biggest Changes in Years

USDOT Assistant Secretary for Tribal Affairs Sworn Into Office

USDOT assistant secretary for tribal affairs sworn into office

Introducing Northern Lite: Eau Claire's New On-Demand Ride Service

Introducing Northern Lite: Eau Claire’s New On-Demand Ride Service!

RYDE Racine Launches #WhyWeRYDE

Campaign features real RYDE Racine users

Why transit matters locally

Building a more connected future

WI: Racine bus route expands to service new Social Security office

City of Madison Announces New Transportation Director

MMSD Students Ride Metro Transit Free All Summer!

Free Summer Youth Passes

Already have an MMSD Fast Fare Pass?

Need a Pass?

How to Get Your Virtual Pass

Help the Environment!

Plan Your Trip!

Out-of-Town or Elementary Students

Gov. Evers: Evers, WisDOT, DWD announce over $4 million to expand access to transportation, help reduce barriers for joining the workforce

Oneida Nation Public Transit Celebrating Their New Home!

MCTS Launches Two Bus Apprenticeship Programs

About the coach/bus mechanic apprenticeship program

About the coach/bus operator apprenticeship program

Metro Transit ridership in April surpasses pre-pandemic numbers for first time

Need a Ride? MCTS and Summerfest Announce Transit Options for 2025 Festival

Dane County Residents Make Big Impact Choosing Sustainable Transportation this April

Special Report: State of North American Bus Fleets

Navigating a delicate supply chain

Industry continues to pursue the zero-emission transition

Green Bay Metro Transit reports record number of riders on Day 1 of NFL Draft

MCTS Open Applications for Summer Transit Teen Advocate Program!

APTA Awards Open for Nominations

Green Bay Introduces First Battery Electric Bus Ahead of the NFL Draft

Riders reflect on Bus Rapid Transit system after 6 months

What You Need To Know

Metro Transit partnering with city of Madison to enhance safety on buses

Citations for non-fare payment

Interagency safety group

Increased penalties for disorderly conduct toward drivers

Safety barriers

Public education regarding driver and passenger safety

Green Bay Metro will run free bus route from downtown to Titletown for 2025 NFL draft

From Titletown to downtown

From downtown to Titletown

Choose Green Transportation This April and Get Rewarded

RYDE Racine: 49% Surge in Ridership Signals Comeback for Public Transportation

Racine bus expands access to employment

The need for sustainable funding