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Metro Transit proposes steady service but seeks larger general‑fund support; paratransit and federal funding cited as pressure points
Summary
Metro Transit presented a mostly cost-to-continue 2026 budget with continued service hours, ongoing paratransit costs and a proposed increase in general‑fund support to about $24.97 million; federal operating support is down compared with prior years, officials said.
Metro Transit leaders told the Madison Common Council on Oct. 13 that the 2026 executive budget is largely a continuation of 2025 service levels while reflecting inflationary pressures and contract cost changes.
Eric (Metro Transit spokesperson/leader) said personnel costs make up more than 70% of Metro’s budget, with more than 500 FTEs in the agency. Purchased services — notably paratransit — and rising utility costs are significant contributors to nonpersonnel spending, he said.
“Paratransit drives a significant component of the $12,000,000 to purchase services,” Eric said, noting that fleet and operating costs continue to rise. He also told the committee that federal grant support available for operations has declined: federal resources and what can be allocated under federal guidelines to operations have fallen compared with prior years.
Vehicle registration revenues (local levy source) and partner revenues from neighboring municipalities and institutions help offset costs, the presenters said, but Metro’s requested general‑fund support in the executive budget is $24,970,000 — about $6.5 million higher than the 2025 budgeted levy contribution.
Metro officials described ridership monitoring improvements and said ridership trends show growth on the BRT and many local routes. Committee members asked about evaluation of the network redesign and whether ridership gains on high‑frequency and BRT routes offset service losses on other local routes. Transportation Director Christoph Spieller said the city plans a major transit planning effort in the coming year to evaluate the whole network and identify remaining gaps.
The Metro briefing was followed by questions on broader transportation issues including traffic engineering, parking reserves and departmental planning; Metro officials and the Department of Transportation said those agency budgets are cost-to-continue with some technical adjustments.
