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Transit Commission approves federal grant filing, adopts Title VI plan and hears ridership gains
Summary
The Waukesha City Transit Commission voted to file for 2025 federal transit grants, adopted a Title VI civil rights plan required for grant eligibility, and received a report that fixed-route ridership rose 16% in 2024.
At its March 6 meeting the Waukesha City Transit Commission approved a resolution to file for 2025 federal transit grants, adopted a Title VI civil rights plan for 2025–2027 and heard staff reports showing ridership gains and a favorable WisDOT management review.
Staff told the commission the federal grant filing would support capital projects in the 2025 capital improvement plan, provide some operating funds and help finance future buses. Presenter Bridal said federal capital grants typically cover 80% of eligible costs and that the city’s 20% share would be paid from transit operating funds and later reimbursed with leftover federal COVID relief funds. Commissioners confirmed that the 5307 operating formula (referred to in the meeting as 5,307 funds) comprises the federal operating dollars used by the system.
The commission also considered and approved a Title VI plan required by federal regulation to document services for people with limited English proficiency; staff said the plan must be filed by April 1 in the transit grant management system. Bridal noted a recent presidential executive order may affect the requirement, but at the time of the meeting the Federal Transit Administration had not implemented any change.
In a separate report, staff summarized 2024 system performance: fixed-route ridership rose 16% year over year, passengers per revenue hour improved (reported to have moved from 7.3 to 7.9), overall ridership was up 36% since 2020, and Metrolift ridership increased by 7%. A WisDOT five-year management review was described as largely positive; staff said most earlier recommendations were completed and that on five-year trends Waukesha generally performed at or better than peers while single-year comparisons showed higher-than-peer operating cost per trip and subsidy per trip due to differences in peer systems.
Motions to approve the federal grant filing and the Title VI plan passed by recorded voice votes. The meeting concluded after the two reports and routine items.
