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January 12, 2012 by
Upcoming changes to Milwaukee bus service
On January 29, 2012 there will be several changes to how us bus riders get around in Milwaukee.
Riders of Routes 11, 15, 18, 23 and 62 will have to make some adjustments to how they get around. New color coded express routes are being introduced as part of a complicated move by MCTS to stave off service cuts by replacing busy local service with new express bus routes funded with federal money.
Why is this happening?
In his 2011-2013 budget, Governor Scott Walker slashed the amount of money that the Milwaukee County Transit System gets each year from the State of Wisconsin. As a result of this cut and limitations on how communities can raise more money, the bus system was planning on cutting about 20% of service. This is why we were pushing for a Vehicle Registration Fee to fund transit; it would have raised enough money to keep the system intact and it does not require any approval from the State legislature or Governor.
Ultimately, County Executive Chris Abele applied for a Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) grant to fill the hole in MCTS’s budget. The catch: CMAQ funds can only be used for brand new service. CMAQ funds can not be used to keep current routes running. The solution? Create express routes out of the busiest routes in the system. Eliminate most or all of the current local service along the current routes 11, 15, 18 & 23 and use the money saved (or ‘freed up’) to keep the other routes running.
What is changing?
MCTS has released a special issue of BusLines with the maps of the new routes included. The route changes are as follows:
Route 11 Holton-Greenfield/Howell
- ELIMINATED
- Holton branch becomes part of Route 15
- Greenfield branch becomes part of a new Route 56
- Howell branch becomes part of the limited stop GreenLine MetroEXpress
- Service to Centennial Plaza (43rd/Lincoln) and the Bolivar-Pine-Layton loop is eliminated
Route 15 Oakland-Kinnickinnic
- RENAMED: 15 Holton-Kinnickinnic
- Current 15 service north of 1st/Pittsburgh becomes part of the limited stop GreenLine MetroEXpress
- Will operate via the current Holton branch of Rt. 11 to Bayshore
- Clement-Pennsylvania-15th Av branch becomes Route 52 (evening and night service is eliminated)
- All trips will operate via 5th Av-Columbia to Chicago/Drexel
Route 18 National-Greenfield
- ELIMINATED
- Service east of 70th/Greenfield becomes part of Route 23
- 124th via Greenfield branch becomes part of the new Route 56
- National branch becomes part of Rt. 54. Service on S. 92nd is eliminated
Route 23 Fond du Lac Avenue
- RENAMED: 23 Fond du Lac-National
- Mill via 64th branch becomes part of BlueLine MetroEXpress
- Service east of 2nd on Wisconsin is eliminated
- Takes on current Route 18 between Wisconsin and 70th/Greenfield
Route 62 Capitol Drive
- Service east of Humboldt becomes part of RedLine MetroEXpress
- Service west of 76th becomes part of RedLine MetroEXpress
Route 63 Silver Spring Drive
- RENAMED: 63 Silver Spring-Port Washington
- Takes on the part of the current Route 68 between Bayshore and Glencoe (Green Tree-Lake Drive-Brown Deer segment is eliminated)
Route 68 Port Washington Road
- ELIMINATED
- Current segment between Bayshore and Glencoe becomes part of Rt. 63
- Current segment between Bayshore and Capitol becomes part of Rt. 15
- Service on Port Washington between Keefe and Capitol is eliminated
- Service on the Green Tree-Lake Drive-Brown Deer loop is eliminated
New routes
- GreenLine MetroEXpress – Limited stop route comprised of the current Rt. 15 north of Pittsburgh and current Rt. 11 south of Pittsburgh with an extension to the Airport
- BlueLine MetroEXpress – Limited stop route comprised of the current Route 23 Mill Road – 64th Street and current Route 18 east of 70th
- RedLine MetroEXpress – Limited stop route comprised of the current Route 62
- Route 52 Clement-15th Avenue – Limited service route comprised of the current Route 15 Clement-Pennsylvania-15th Av branch. Set to operate seven days a week, mornings, mid-days and afternoons. Service after approximately 6:00pm is eliminated
- Route 56 Greenfield Avenue – Regular route running between 1st/Michell and 124th/Greenfield via 1st-Greenfield-43rd-Burnham-60th-Greenfield
Will this improve service?
It depends on where you are. These routes were designed with the purpose of saving money and riders had no ability to weigh in on the designs. Some residential areas will have no local bus service and bus riders will have to walk several blocks to catch a bus. On the other hand, the limited stop service may benefit commuters traveling from the central city to outlying areas by decreasing their travel time. Time will tell whether or not the MetroEXpress service is successful in shortening trip times, however bus riders should take note that the money funding this service is temporary and will expire in two years.
Getting dedicated funding for the transit system is as important now as ever
The CMAQ grants that funded his service are meant as start-up assistance for new routes. These particular grants run out in two years, at which point the County will be expected to fund the service. If we do not get the transit system off of the property tax, we face the loss of this service once this money runs out, or even the loss of other routes before that time due to rising fuel prices and declining home values in Milwaukee County.
This year, the Milwaukee Transit Riders Union will be renewing it’s push for dedicated funding wih more energy than before. As bus riders, it is essential that we be heard on policy and funding matters for the transit system. We need to be part of this, as we know the bus system, we ride the bus system and we are the most affected when services are cut.
On Saturday January 28, 2012 at 12:00pm we will be hitting the streets of Downtown Milwaukee to inform bus riders of the changes, listen to their concerns and pass out information. If you would like to join us, let us know.
December 8, 2011 by
We condemn attacks on Bus Drivers
The Milwaukee Transit Riders Union is an organization comprised of, and dedicated to being the voice of fare-paying bus riders in Milwaukee; advocating for better service and lower fares in the region.
Recently, a small percentage of Milwaukee bus riders who choose to evade paying the same bus fare everyone else pays, who contribute to disorder on the bus and even go to the extent of physically assaulting bus drivers have garnered a lot of attention in the local media.
Yesterday around 5:30pm, during a busy time on the extremely busy Route 12 an individual got on the bus headed Downtown. When asked for the fare this individual physically attacked the driver. The driver continued his run and was again victimized by this individual who damaged the bus window and threatened this same driver’s life. This is on top of another incident involving another driver just last week.
We condemn this violence against bus drivers. Bus drivers bear no responsibility for high bus fares; bus fares are determined in the budget. Bus drivers serve riders firsthand and fight hard to keep fares from going higher.
We stand with the drivers who have been the victims of these vicious attacks.
UPDATE: The transit system has suspended the driver victimized in yesterday’s assault.
February 13, 2011 by
Fact-checking Abele on transit
Milwaukee County Executive Candidate Chris Abele has largely avoided making definite statements on what he would like to do if Milwaukee County voters give him the opportunity to serve as County Executive, but he has emerged as hostile towards fixing Milwaukee County Transit System funding.
Abele has said “Tax increases are the first instinct of career politicians.”, although this solution did not come from a career politician. The transit sales tax was passed in 2008 by a grassroots effort known as the Quality of Life Alliance. The Milwaukee Transit Riders Union was a member of the Alliance, which pooled the resources of member groups to publicize and educate the public about the referendum and how it would save vital services (transit, parks, emergency medical services) while cutting property taxes. The referendum was to shift these services from being funded from the property tax to being funded by a sales tax. The property tax levy was to be cut by the same amount, so this wasn’t a tax increase either. The referendum was passed by Milwaukee County voters.
Abele wen further to say that instead of a dedicated funding source, the Milwaukee County Transit System needed to be run more efficiently. We believe firmly in an efficiently run transit system, but as long as the funding mechanism is broken the bus system will not be able to be run effecively. Milwaukee has the last major transit system in America still funded by property taxes. Other cities stop using property taxes to fund public transit decades ago.
Abele’s claims that increased efficiency are a substitute for a stable funding source are disingenuous. The 2011 transit budget is $150 million. Any cuts from MCTS management and clerical services and staffing would be minimal. In fact, the Milwaukee County Transit System has the lowest percentage of administration employees of all of it’s peer transit systems. MCTS also has one of the nation’s highest farebox return ratios in the country, meaning that fares fund a larger share of the budget than most other transit systems. The Public Policy Forum has the following to say about the efficiency of the Milwaukee County Transit System:
The cost effectiveness of MCTS buses was best among peer systems in 2006 based on data
from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and the Federal Transit Administration,
indicating that further cost savings due to efficiency improvements may be limited.
The Milwaukee County Transit System is a vital service to the community and we need real solutions to it’s funding problems rather than such blatant political posturing.
Reminder:
There will be a primary election for Milwaukee County Executive on Tuesday February 15, 2011. For any additional information call the Milwaukee Election Commission at (414) 286-VOTE.
February 2, 2011 by
February 2, 2011 meeting cancelled
Due to the blizzard, the February 2 meeting has been cancelled. At the time of writing this the bus system is not operating and many streets are impassable.
UPDATE: MCTS bus service has been suspended for the remainder of today. Bus service will resume tomorrow February 3. More info at the News section of the RideMCTS website.
There will be a special informal meeting on Saturday February 5, 2011 instead of this meeting. See this bulletin for more details. Stay safe!