Dunn County Transit reports mixed ridership, plans rural dial-a-ride pilot and weighs electric-bus alternatives

Dunn County Transit staff reported mixed ridership figures for March and outlined a new rural dial-a-ride pilot and contingency plans for a delayed electric-bus purchase during the committee’s April 9 meeting.

Staff said overall monthly ridership dipped slightly from February to March while some services—most notably community Saturday runs—showed strong gains. The operations report also said 2025 costs are front-loaded because annual contracts and several one-off vehicle repairs were paid early in the year, and staffing shortages have left supervisors driving routes at times.

The ridership and finance update matters because it shapes near-term scheduling, staffing and budget decisions for the county transit program and affects service to rural residents who rely on subsidized rides.

In the staff report, Austin (staff member) summarized month-to-month ridership: February averaged about 27 riders per service day versus roughly 25 riders per day in March, a modest decline. Staff said March’s numbers were near the historical median for the month, with two outlier years (2019 and 2020) pushing the long-term trend. The Stout route saw a larger month-to-month decline that staff attributed in part to a week-long spring break affecting service in March. By contrast, community Saturday ridership nearly doubled compared with the second-best March on record.

On finances, staff reported 2025…