Go to home page

Milwaukee County and Kenosha
To Enact More Transit Service Cuts in 2011

December 2011

Milwaukee County to see 3 bus routes cut and reduced service on 13 routes starting January 2nd 2011. Kenosha to lose 2 routes and face fare increases.

• Three Milwaukee County Freeway Flyers were eliminated: routes 45, 47, and 39.
• Saturday service on thirteen routes will be reduced to Sunday level of service. Those routes are 10, 11, 12, 14, 31, 33, 35, 51, 53, 54 ,57, 67 and 80.

In addition, the proposed Bus Rapid Transit project was eliminated.

See press release

• In Kenosha, 1 bus route will be completely eliminated and one partial route eliminated; and fares will be increased beginning January 1, 2011.

This last round of service cuts is the result of the continued failure of the legislature to allow communities to provide dedicated funding and efficient regional coordination of transit in SE Wisconsin. Strong transit systems are crucial to the well being of the metro area economy. Without an adequate dedicated source of funding, as most every other peer metro area employs, transit systems in SE Wisconsin will continue on this destructive path.

In the past 8 years, transit systems have cut more than on fifth of their transit services. These cuts take a toll on families, businesses and our economy as people are cut off from access to work, school, healthcare, shoppping, entertainment, and other services.

A study by UW Milwaukee found that over the past 8 years transit service cuts have made over 40,000 jobs inaccessible by transit in Milwaukee and Waukesha. That number will increase to 100,000 due to more service cuts in the coming few years if no action is taken.

Nearly half of the 140,000 daily weekday trips taken on Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) are for work purposes.

According to the American Public Transit Association, MCTS is one of the most efficiently operated systems within their peers in the Unites States.Background on Transit Funding Crisis:

Previous post

Bus funding remains critical focus in Milwaukee

May 18, 2010

Operating budget gap becomes clear and service cuts, fare increases are projected

Earlier this year a strong and diverse coalition worked to advance legislation which would allow communities to create regional transit authorities (RTAs) which would provide urgently needed dedicated funding and a regional framework for efficient and effective public transportation.The lack of action by the legislature leaves Milwaukee County with a very challenging dilemma.Neither service cuts nor fare increases are an accepable option for Milwaukee. See more about the Milwaukee County finances: County finances: No Easy Options, by Rob Henken

See more about why Milwaukee County Transit is at a financial crossroads .

Previously at May 2010, SERTA meeting:

At yesterday's Southeast Regional Transit Authority (SERTA) meeting, the preliminary Milwaukee County Transit System budget outlook sparked renewed commitment by business leaders and others to work toward dedicated funding for buses.

It was clear that transit issues have not gone away since the RTA bill ran out of time in the final day of the state legislative session in April. There was overwhelming commitment stated throughout the SERTA meeting for continued focus on gaining dedicated funding for buses. Julia Taylor, Greater Miwalukee Committee president stated, "People's lives and quality of life are at stake...Business is commited to getting funding for an overall balanced transit system."

 

Board members learned about the extent of Milwaukee County Transit System’s (MCTS) funding gap for 2011 and 2012.

• See MCTS preliminary budget details and description of significant cost cutting measures taken.