[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6481649,"mediaKeyId","5615218-31d0ca995738482e492e3eda8d493320","parentId",5615218,"title","Commission accepts VW settlement grant to buy 10 buses; staff warned of potential cost risks during 18‑month build","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",996000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5615218-31d0ca995738482e492e3eda8d493320&start=996&end=996","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5615218-31d0ca995738482e492e3eda8d493320/thumbnail_996000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6481649/Wausau/Marathon-County/Wisconsin/Commission-accepts-VW-settlement-grant-to-buy-10-buses-staff-warned-of-potential-cost-risks-during-18month-build","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6481649-d2f73b3811496faf025941478c02e194/orig.mp4?Expires=1775408916&Signature=oCg3Clqb7wrbB55DjfhF5bgjHdcyF7ZgmO2hGQMpcs5p5lR8gUmhRFGnIZqdBu7tPzt9NcLlElMZxM3zHpNr-Bskpe8Uy6cJfujA-Am4nUCjguSAMM8hAl-2nOaAbYHp4rF2sqZsWWPpwoWLbPOHhmmt-lzIHNNsDOoGd~X0OEi6YujmRQM2bZk6VwuQkUky2WSoOJTx9NTay5jd8s6fcthbFtUsJ0P8AY22hn-NyrAFebnv9LQIX-mL0te2H7qU0DUtFxdsbO4Iwi7c5d6zDT8FHzqhiRmQ6Rk4w9JY2CK4~XHcI9-lgm1GWFHs8AdZdB5lx-mp8kt6iaTLiINu~g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Wausau, WI","date","2025-08-21T22:12:22.433Z","article","The Wausau Transit Commission voted to accept a Volkswagen settlement grant from the state of Wisconsin and authorize purchase of 10 buses, with the transit staff presenting cost estimates and fleet-need context.

Ron, transit department staff, said the vendor quote he received listed a baseline price of $601,700 per bus and that the grant provides up to $640,000 per bus, leaving a $38,000 cushion per vehicle. He told commissioners the bus build would begin roughly 18 months after order and said tariffs or supply changes could change final costs. \"I panicked a bit because it said, you know, this could change and most likely will change with tariffs, because we're looking at okaying this today, and then the build starts, what, 18 months down the road,\" one commissioner said in the discussion; staff responded that the order could be adjusted later to reduce the number of buses if costs rose.

Staff described the agency's fleet as aging: two buses at 17 years old (one with more than 700,000 miles), eight buses at roughly 16 years with about 400,000 miles, six buses at about 14 years with roughly 300,000 miles, and seven buses from 2022 that are out of warranty and over 100,000 miles. Ron told the commission the fleet condition made the grant a timely opportunity and that there may not be another similar VW grant.

Commissioners asked whether other local funding could offset costs. Kathy, a transportation coordinating committee member, asked whether a county fund (noted in the meeting as $85.21 remaining in a particular account) could be used; staff said they would check with county contacts. Becky, a staff member, flagged the risk of going over grant limits and asked what the agency would do if vendor price increases exceeded the grant cap; staff said the order could be reduced if necessary.

The motion to accept the grant and proceed with purchase of 10 buses was moved and seconded on the floor and approved by voice vote. The transcript records the motion as \"I make a motion to accept the grant for the 10 buses with the VW settlement\" and records an \"Aye\" vote with no numeric tally recorded. The commission directed staff to bring required documents to the city's finance committee and common council for final approval.

Staff also noted Buy America requirements would apply to the procurement. The commission recorded no numeric vote counts in the transcript; the motion is recorded as approved by voice vote.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Wausau Transit Commission Meeting - 8/21/25","oneSentenceSummary","The Wausau Transit Commission voted to accept a Volkswagen settlement grant and purchase 10 buses. Staff said the Gillig quote is $601,700 per bus and the grant covers up to $640,000 per bus; commissioners noted fleet age and the possibility of price changes during the 18-month build.","taxTitle","Wausau, Marathon County, Wisconsin","taxId",4562,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6481654,"Transit commission approves pilot shuttle to Northern Valley Industries, to be reviewed in December",927,309000,1236000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5615218-31d0ca995738482e492e3eda8d493320&start=309&end=1236","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5615218-31d0ca995738482e492e3eda8d493320/thumbnail_309000.jpg","/articles/6481654/Wausau/Marathon-County/Wisconsin/Transit-commission-approves-pilot-shuttle-to-Northern-Valley-Industries-to-be-reviewed-in-December","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6481654-d6d245c1a24c9bffc0ec677c88e1bd04/orig.mp4?Expires=1775408916&Signature=HYunCuVgQWyUHlveF7DnLZ89BcUwaSaJlnj-r~~Y36yg1P0DbLcALodwDkipxB7mK1cmWT3xW5rLc62NGRAvuW5zkOg7cd-gqsdXYMbSM4gdtbyhO875sXc~cVcD0TYDQnUpSNrrr0FLNB51sXm0pS1N1xBzYrn-m75-SOrtUP7rZ1etqw1h9Ainh8Sk1Gi2YhiMV5u2AXTBLjHgx0je6kuQWYCeGD1cD-rth9LVO1D-vnQaRzkBn0CF7-4cXeTQ9Akaq5JGY7kLV4Ydz9GGcvBejuBmalvIDFd6jLfjWqWmtMPVA2KLcOFwZzphlO-AKBJ-y6ZmjuxBcyZ~lgb3uw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Wausau Transit Commission voted to begin a limited pilot shuttle to serve Northern Valley Industries' workshop, with two runs per day and a commitment to revisit the program in December. Commissioners debated duration and data collection before passing the motion unanimously.

Sherry Wade, a representative of Northern Valley Industries, told the commission that the organization historically used buses to bring employees to the workshop and that roughly 16 people per day used their transportation in summer, with six to 10 others who bike in. Wade said her group currently buys passes for riders and would coordinate bringing participants to the transit center rather than being the pickup point. She said Inclusa previously shared some of the cost for rides but had shifted to taxi service.

Ron, transit department staff, presented a low-cost plan to run the service using existing shift coverage and said the principal incremental expenses would be fuel and the additional miles put on buses. He said that in some shift windows (school-time and other shifts) drivers already receive minimum hours and could add the trip without extra labor; he offered to track miles and fuel to estimate the true incremental cost and to confirm whether overtime would be required.

A motion was made on the floor to \"use this as a 5 month trial to offer bus to Northern Valley Workshop 2 times a day.\" The proposal described a morning pickup at 7:30 a.m. at the transit center and a return trip with a driver arriving at 2:30 p.m. to bring riders back to the transit center; the motion included no stops en route unless later agreed. The mover and seconder were not named in the transcript. Commissioners asked staff to collect specific data points — mileage, fuel cost and ridership counts — and to ensure the pilot did not interrupt routine service for other riders.

Commissioners discussed the pilot's length and agreed to reassess service at the commission's December meeting; one speaker suggested a longer trial to capture seasonal changes in ridership. The motion was seconded and \"passes unanimously,\" according to the record. The commission did not attach a fixed end date in the motion; staff were directed to implement the runs and report back.

The commission recorded no estimated vote tallies in the meeting transcript; the motion was recorded as approved by unanimous voice vote.","The Wausau Transit Commission approved a trial shuttle service to Northern Valley Industries' workshop, scheduled for morning and afternoon runs; staff will track mileage, fuel and ridership and the commission will revisit the pilot at its December meeting.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6481659,"Transit staff reports $4,702.15 cost to run Hmong Festival shuttle; Title VI cited as reason to continue service",66,188000,254000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5615218-31d0ca995738482e492e3eda8d493320&start=188&end=254","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5615218-31d0ca995738482e492e3eda8d493320/thumbnail_188000.jpg","/articles/6481659/Wausau/Marathon-County/Wisconsin/Transit-staff-reports-470215-cost-to-run-Hmong-Festival-shuttle-Title-VI-cited-as-reason-to-continue-service","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6481659-5b8b6606bae441b4ff26ad0ac70b66b0/orig.mp4?Expires=1775408916&Signature=U9rF-PjUkYtqUgY-JGxNubcHn5xrE-ce6n0mvhwt3F9LUkTrz5VJdLPxRMq~EDwX-HfF49b-j-w3iAQPftO8Z0k3-tUVj6bQ4c8X4vMj~LptBKOi6eY6h7WW6yb7eYEcZ5YsebHs-HyBuBkCZS74oODen3B8sMp5DkxHt9A94Fhl62OUlBC27VKrb-QeV4ubOKRIInWVvtVPJw4Lpe7scqFDYhTha7rneruMaS4ZODUmBHx6OYv8-~Cgcz68nZHVG5lyhSxcMbF-QGuGSOtb9GMXlVn1J-olrWfi0bUlrTsUQ9zKDnlW-EUK3hr0oc2E9BBxdNXPC7g0TOlXW8~~vg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Ron, a transit staff member, told the Wausau Transit Commission the city provided shuttle service for the 2025 Hmong Festival and that the direct operating expense for the two-day event totaled $4,702.15. He said, \"So we had 404,289 passengers that we hold over those 2 days, but I didn't know what the cost. I just wanted to make sure everybody was aware what it cost us to provide that for the Hmong festival. And that's just basic, cost $4,702.15 with the overtime and everything, that we provide, which is a pretty big expense.\"

Ron said he reviewed the commission's Title VI policy and concluded the service helped the city meet obligations related to serving the Hmong population. He told commissioners that, on one hand, the cost raised questions about continuing the shuttle; on the other hand, Title VI considerations \"might be our best interest to keep going.\"

Another commissioner said the transit department should have brought the decision about Metro Ride providing the shuttle to the commission for approval before the event. Transit staff acknowledged that the decision had not been presented in advance and apologized for the oversight. The staff account also said the Hmong Association did not receive timely notice to arrange service through Metro Ride.

No motion or formal vote was recorded on the festival service. Commissioners did not adopt a directive or set a follow-up at the meeting; the item was handled as an informational update.

The discussion included two points commissioners said they wanted clarified for future events: documentation of the full cost to the transit system (including overtime) and whether Title VI obligations create a continuing requirement to offer similar event service. Transit staff did not provide a definitive legal interpretation at the meeting and said further review of policy would be needed.

The commission moved on to other agenda items without taking formal action on the Hmong Festival shuttle.","City transit staff told the Wausau Transit Commission the department spent $4,702.15 on overtime and operations to provide shuttle service for the 2025 Hmong Festival and said Title VI obligations may support continuing the service, though commissioners took no formal action.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commission accepts VW settlement grant to buy 10 buses; staff warned of potential cost risks during 18‑month build

Transit commission approves pilot shuttle to Northern Valley Industries, to be reviewed in December

Transit staff reports $4,702.15 cost to run Hmong Festival shuttle; Title VI cited as reason to continue service