Oshkosh transportation committee pauses decision on 24/7 paratransit after large public turnout

The Oshkosh Transportation Committee on an extended public hearing on paratransit service hours voted to table a staff proposal that would reduce after‑hours service and remove Sunday service, directing staff to collect additional data and consult the county before reporting back.

The committee, an advisory body to Oshkosh City, postponed a decision after more than a dozen riders and family members described how they rely on the city’s cab‑style paratransit (branded in the meeting as “Cabulance”) for church, medical appointments and social activities outside standard hours. Committee members said they want more information about Sunday usage and potential county partnerships before changing the schedule.

Steve Thomasacker, operations manager for Oshkosh transit, told the committee the current paratransit contract runs through the end of the year with two optional one‑year extensions and said the city is “the only municipality in Wisconsin that offers 24/7 paratransit service.” He said staff and a recent study by East Central MPO found overnight service discourages bidders and made the program hard to sustain: “the program as it currently operates is not sustainable,” Thomasacker said. Staff reported the system averages about 10 after‑hour rides per day across overnight windows and that some vendor bids were substantially higher when full 24/7 service was required.

Several riders described practical and emotional reliance on after‑hours and Sunday service. June Wickman, a rider, told the committee, “Please do not make any changes for the Oshkosh paratransit system,” citing trips to church and medical visits. Another speaker, Carrie Strolls, said private alternatives would be unaffordable: “Guess how much one way is? $50,” she said, adding for many riders the cost would be prohibitive.

Committee members acknowledged the tension between keeping broad access and sustaining vendor interest. A motion to table the staff recommendation and direct staff to compile Sunday‑usage data, consult the county Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) and report back in early March carried unanimously. The motion was made by Mister Armstrong and seconded by Mister Lynch. Roll call on the motion recorded votes of Staple: yes; Armstrong: yes; Hartman: yes; Eslinger: yes; Lynch: yes; Martin: yes.

Staff said the incumbent vendor has signaled willingness to continue for another year, and that any change would not be immediate; service remains unchanged while staff gathers additional input. The committee also discussed related options — including expanding an “access to jobs” program to reduce evening work trips on the paratransit system and exploring micro‑transit as an alternative for nonfixed‑route hours — and asked staff to return with practical alternatives aimed at preserving service for high‑need riders while improving vendor competition.

The committee plans to present the Sunday‑use data and stakeholder outreach results at a future meeting and to coordinate with the ADRC and Options for Independent Living on possible mitigations.