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 maintenance and repair costs were “front-end loaded” because annual contracts and several significant repairs—serpentine pulleys, brake jobs and one-off brake-leak fixes—were billed early in the year. Fuel spending through the first quarter is roughly 20% of the annual budget and described as on track; liability insurance was paid mostly at the start of the year and staff reported the program is at about 73% of the first-quarter budget line, a level they said is slightly under the target pacing for the quarter.

Staff warned driver availability is thin in coming weeks around semester and holiday schedules, and said the operations supervisor, John (operations supervisor), has spent more time driving than in maintenance oversight recently.

On rural service, staff proposed a four-quadrant dial-a-ride pilot for Dunn County, splitting the county into four service quadrants and offering one day each month when a county vehicle will make a round of door-to-door calls in that quadrant. Under the proposal, residents would call the day before; the route would be assembled from pickup addresses and operate roughly between mid-morning and early afternoon (examples given: 9–11 a.m. for inbound, 1–2 p.m. for return). Staff said the pilot aims for a June 1 start, with a $15 fare for the one-day trips and vouchers available through the county’s ADRC (Aging and Disability Resource Center). Austin said ADRC already distributes about $6,000 per year in ride vouchers and that those funds could be used to offset fares for eligible riders.

Committee members and staff discussed labeling the quadrants (clockwise numbering was favored for consistency) and agreed the one-day-per-month cadence should run on a fixed weekday—staff suggested Tuesdays as typically slower—so riders know the regular schedule. Staff said the pilot is designed to use a second bus during otherwise slow times to keep costs low and avoid the low-demand fixed routes tried in earlier years.

On chartering and special-event runs, Austin said county-operated public transit may run limited-duration fixed routes open to the general public—using the standard fare—so long as the service is not exclusive, not a premium fare, and is not paid for or scheduled by a third party. He cited examples the county has done already: extended hours for election night and community events. “Public transit agencies are only allowed to provide charter service in limited circumstances,” Austin said, summarizing the constraints staff reviewed.

Procurement for an electric bus remains stalled. Staff said Bay Area Transit (the vendor identified in the procurement) requested updates in February and March but had not received a response; the purchase order has been pending for an extended period and staff warned it could be declared null and void if there is no movement. If that happens, staff said they would consider using the 20% down-payment money on a hybrid-electric bus or another option with similar pricing. Jim (staff, referenced) was identified as a county contact for procurement questions.

Other operational notes: a newer bus (vehicle 501) was returned to service after several repairs, including a replaced harness for a stowed-lift indicator; staff are working to update vehicle signage and passenger information displays. Staff also said they will bring a proposed route modification back next month that would bypass City Hall after Dick’s Fresh Market to serve Stepping Stones, CBTC and the library instead of the Clock Tower stop.

No formal board votes on the pilot, procurement or service changes were recorded in the meeting transcript; staff asked the committee for feedback and said they plan further outreach to ADRC and local municipalities ahead of any June launch. The committee adjourned at the end of the regularly scheduled meeting; staff said the next meeting will be the same place and time.

Next steps noted by staff included finalizing advertising and outreach (staff said transit advertising and Google traction have been effective), confirming ADRC voucher availability, ironing out quadrant labeling and a fixed weekday schedule, and returning to the committee with a final implementation plan and any recommended route changes.