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Waukesha transit panel approves reduced Route 1 service citing efficiency and cost savings
Summary
The Waukesha City Transit Commission on March 6 approved a plan to cut Route 1 hours starting June 2, reducing service by 92 hours per week (about 15%) to raise efficiency; staff estimated at least $60,000 in 2025 city savings and annual savings over $100,000.
Waukesha City’s Transit Commission voted March 6 to reduce weekday and Saturday service on Route 1 effective June 2, a change staff said will improve passengers-per-hour efficiency while trimming roughly 92 service hours per week.
Staff presenter Bridal told the commission the route averages “just under 700 rides per day on Route 1,” and that passengers per hour last year averaged 7.2 compared with a Metro system average of 7.9. The plan would remove one bus from weekday operations (changing daytime headways from about 19 minutes to 23 minutes) and one bus from Saturdays (daytime headways from 21 to 27 minutes and Saturday evenings from 28 to 36 minutes).
Bridal said the reduction represents a 15% cut in total Route 1 hours and that Waukesha’s share of the reduction would be about 29% (roughly 27 hours per week). Staff estimated the city would see at least $60,000 in cost reduction for the 2025 portion of the year and more than $100,000 annually thereafter, and that the change would allow the agency to drop one vehicle from its fixed roster and postpone a bus replacement to 2035.
Commissioners asked staff to confirm alignment and transfer points; Bridal said the extended Route 1 runs direct to Froedtert Hospital and does not include a transfer at Brookfield Square. Commissioners also raised whether a future bus-rapid-transit (BRT) buildout was still under consideration; staff said prior studies suggested elements of BRT could be added but that current ridership and funding do not justify a full BRT route.
Piper moved to approve the service-level changes as presented; the motion was seconded and passed by recorded voice vote.
The commission’s action directs staff to implement the revised schedule beginning June 2; no amendment or follow-up task was recorded on the motion. Riders and stakeholders who want more detail on schedule changes were not recorded as speaking at the meeting. The commission’s approval came amid broader planning to consolidate lower-ridership routes in June to improve overall system efficiency.
