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Eau Claire plans microtransit pilot on North Side; council reviews service-area, vehicles and branding
Summary
City transit staff said the microtransit pilot — a VIA-powered curb-to-curb service in the North Side service area — will start after branding is finalized and will operate 12 hours a weekday using wheelchair-accessible vans; staff and stakeholders discussed potential expansion and fare parity with fixed-route service.
Eau Claire transit staff outlined a planned microtransit pilot at a May 13 stakeholder session and council work time, describing a VIA-operated, app-enabled demand-response service intended to augment fixed-route bus service on the city’s North Side.
Staff said the pilot will use up to three vans (two of them wheelchair-accessible), operate roughly 12 hours on weekdays, and charge the same fare as fixed-route buses ($1.75). The service will be integrated into the city’s existing transit app so riders can compare microtransit and fixed-route options; staff said the service is intended as a complement to fixed routes, not a replacement.
The tentative service area includes the airport, Costco and several neighborhoods the city said are underserved by fixed routes; staff also proposed adding River Prairie in Altoona if Altoona opts to participate. Paratransit riders who use mobility devices will be able to flag that designation in their accounts and be matched with accessible vehicles, staff said. The pilot’s launch timing depends on finalizing a service name and related marketing materials — staff said they hoped to complete that work in the weeks after the May meeting and aimed for a late-July launch.
Council members and stakeholders offered naming ideas and gave early informal input on branding; staff said they would solicit additional feedback, publish the chosen name in an outreach newsletter and proceed with final operational preparations. If the pilot succeeds, staff said the city could consider service expansion and options for integrating microtransit more broadly with paratransit operations.
The council did not vote on the pilot at the May 13 session; staff said they will present launch materials and a final plan to the council once branding and contract details are complete.
