Madison Metro

Madison Metro Transit operates a bus service throughout the City of Madison, Wisconsin, United States and most of its immediate suburbs, including the City of Middleton, Fitchburg, Maple Bluff, Shorewood Hills, Sun Prairie, Verona, and a small portion of McFarland.[1] System-wide, fixed route ridership was 13,385,628 in 2018.[2] Metro Transit also provides supplemental transit services to some Madison middle and high schools. Several schools have switched to yellow buses in 2019. These routes are open to the general public, but have been designed to provide additional services during peak school times.[3] Metro also serves the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus, Eagle Heights University apartments, and some off-campus residential areas, via routes 80, 81, 82, and 84. The "80 routes" are free of charge.[4]

Metro Transit
ParentCity of Madison
Headquarters1245 E. Washington Ave.
LocaleMadison, Wisconsin
Service area72 square miles
Service typeBus service, Paratransit
Routes70
Stops2,345 bus stops
DestinationsFitchburg, Maple Bluff, Middleton, Shorewood Hills, Verona, McFarland, Sun Prairie
Hubs
  • North Transfer Point
  • South Transfer Point
  • East Transfer Point
  • West Transfer Point
  • Capitol Square
  • Memorial Union
  • East Towne Mall
  • Dutch Mill Park and Ride
Fleet215 fixed-route buses, 20 paratransit vehicles
Annual ridership12,856,541 (2019)
4,693,090 (2020)
Fuel typeLow Sulfur diesel, Hybrid diesel-electric, and some battery-operated electric buses (active 2020)
OperatorCity of Madison
Websitewww.cityofmadison.com/metro

Metro also connects with suburban mass transit services, such as the Monona Lift/Monona Express and Sun Prairie Shared Taxi Shuttle.[5]

Route network

The route network focuses on hubs at the Capitol Square in downtown Madison and four major transfer points in outer parts of Madison. Core all day routes "pulse" at the transfer points every 30 to 60 minutes and are supplemented by an overlay of commuter service. Many routes serve downtown Madison and the University of Wisconsin Madison where transit use is high.[6]

Several service updates reflected in this article went into effect in August 2013. Significant changes include the restructuring of Routes 9 and 10, significant changes to Route 18, the introduction of two new routes in east Madison - Routes 31 and 35, and the expansion of Route 33 in east Madison. Route 85 was consolidated into Route 80 in August 2012 due to a UW budget shortfall.[7]

Routes

In the table below, "Via(s)" refer to different patterns the same route may take. For example, "Route 6 via Hayes" means that the bus will travel on the Hayes loop before reaching the West Transfer Point or East Towne Mall - other Route 6 trips may travel "via MATC".

Regular routes
Route To/ From Via(s) Notes
2
 West Transfer Pt North Transfer Pt Fordem / Sherman
4
 South Transfer Pt North Transfer Pt

Hourly After 6 pm

5
 East Transfer Pt South Transfer Pt

Hourly After 6 pm

6
 West Transfer Pt East Towne Mall Tokay / Mineral Point,

MATC / Hayes
7 West Transfer Pt East Transfer Pt Monroe
8 Capitol Square Spring Harbor Hourly After 6 pm
13
 South Transfer Pt UW Campus

Hourly

15
 Junction Ridge East Transfer Pt Capitol Square / Old Middleton / High Point
16
 South Transfer Pt East Transfer Pt Broadway Hourly after 6 pm

No Stops in Monona

17
 North Transfer Pt East Transfer Pt Shopko
18
 West Transfer Pt South Transfer Pt Midvale / Hammersley / Coho
20
 North Transfer Pt East Towne Mall Airport
21
 North Transfer Pt Lakeview
22
 North Transfer Pt Mendota
26
 East Towne Mall American Center City View
30
 East Transfer Pt East Towne Mall Nakoosa / Swanton
31
 East Transfer Pt Marsh Rd Dutch Mill

Hourly

32
 East Transfer Pt Thompson Dr - Acewood Blvd

Hourly

36 East Towne Mall East Springs Hourly
40
 South Transfer Pt Arbor Hills Grandview and Hatchery Hill /

Todd and Greenway
50
 West Transfer Pt Raymond Rd - Schroeder Rd
51
 West Transfer Pt Muir Field Rd

Hourly

52
 West Transfer Pt Orchard Pointe Hourly,

Weekday Only

59 West Transfer Pt Fitchburg Orchard Pointe Hourly,

Weekend Only

63 West Transfer Pt Prairie Town Center West Towne Mall Hourly,

Weekend Only

67
 West Transfer Pt West Towne Mall
68 West Transfer Pt Prairie Town Center Hourly,

Weekend Only

70
 Capitol Square Middleton

South Ridge, Discovery

 Hourly,

Weekday Only

73
 Middleton West Transfer Point Hourly,

Weekday Only

78 West Transfer Pt Middleton South Ridge,

Terrace

 Hourly,

Limited stops

Weekend Only

Weekday peak-only routes
Route To/ From Via(s) Notes
11
 Dutch Mill Park & Ride West Transfer Pt

UW Campus

East in Morning Peak, West in Night Peak

12
 West Transfer Pt Dutch Mill Park & Ride

UW Campus

West in Morning Peak, East in Night Peak

23
 Sun Prairie Capitol Square Limited Stops
28
 West Transfer Pt North Transfer Pt

UW Campus

33
 East Transfer Pt Wyalusing Dr
38
 University Row Pflaum Rd Capitol Square
39
 East Transfer Pt World Dairy Dempsey Hourly,

Morning Peak and Midday Only

44
 UW Campus South Transfer Point

North in Morning Peak, South in Night Peak

Weekday Only

48
 South Transfer Point UW Campus North in Morning Peak, South in Night Peak,

Limited Stops

Weekday Only

49
 South Transfer Pt Fitchburg Hatchery Hill

Lacy

Hatchery Hill Loop in Morning Peak, Lacy Loop in Night Peak

Limited Stops

Weekday Only

55
 West Transfer Pt Epic Campus Verona Hourly,

Limited stops

Weekday Only

72
 Capitol Square Middleton

Allen, Pleasant

 Limited stops
75
 Capitol Square Epic Campus Verona Limited stops

UW–Madison Campus Buses

All routes in this section are fare free. Operating costs are paid by Associated Students of Madison, UW Transportation Services, and University Housing. When UW–Madison is out of session, route 80 and 84 service is reduced and routes 81 and 82 do not run.[8]

  • 80 Memorial Union - Eagle Heights (weekday, weekends, and late night)
  • 81 Park, Broom, Johnson/Gorham Loop(s) (evening and late night)
  • 82 Observatory, Breese Loop(s) (evening and late night)
  • 84 Eagle Heights Express (limited stops) weekdays only

Supplemental Schoolday Service

Discontinued Bus Routes
Route To/ From Via(s) Notes
1
 Capitol Square Old University Ave & Highland Ave
3
 West Transfer Pt East Transfer Pt Division / Winnebago
10
 University Row Union Corners Johnson or Gorham /

Jenifer

UW Hospital / Campus

 Weekday only
14
 Wexford Ridge Capitol Square Gammon/ Westfield/ Colony
19
 Chalet Gardens Capitol Square Red Arrow / Mohawk
25
 American Center Capitol Square Limited stops
27
 North Transfer Pt Capitol Square - UW Campus
29
 Breese Terrace School Rd
34
 East Transfer Pt MATC-Truax
35
 East Transfer Pt Richmond Hill - Acewood Blvd
37
 Pflaum Rd UW Campus - Sheboygan Ave
47
 Capitol Square Arbor Hills
56
 North Transfer Pt West Transfer Pt - McKee Rd
57
 North Transfer Pt West Transfer Pt - McKee Rd
58
 Capitol Square Greentree
71
 Capitol Square Middleton
Hybrid bus on University Ave.
Standard paint scheme for conventional buses
Inside a conventional bus at night
A hybrid bus with its wheel chair ramp extended
Metro's Route 2 at Hilldale Mall

Summer 2023 redesign

In summer 2023, the route network will be redesigned to one with fewer routes and more frequent service.[9] The change has had a mixed reception; some have praised the redesign for more frequent service with less transfers, while others have criticized the redesign for eliminating service where the elderly, disabled, and low-income populations used to be able to ride the bus.[10][11]

Bus Rapid Transit

Madison is also creating a Bus Rapid Transit system slated to open in late 2024.[12] Buses will arrive on BRT lines every 5-15 minutes on weekdays.[13]

Bus fleet

Future fleet
  • 46 New Flyer Xcelsior 60-foot battery electric buses; will be used on a new Bus Rapid Transit line in 2024[16]

Ridership
RidershipChange over previous year
2013[17] 15,001,760n/a
2014[18] 15,492,317Increase03.27%
2015[19] 14,632,229Decrease05.55%
2016[20] 13,584,517Decrease07.16%
2017[21] 13,108,095Decrease03.51%
2018[22] 13,385,628Increase02.12%
2019[23] 12,969,815Decrease03.11%
2020[24] 4,755,375Decrease063.34%
2021[25] 5,458,011Increase014.7%
  • Metro bus on State Street
    Metro bus on State Street
  • A Madison Metro bus stop sign
    A Madison Metro bus stop sign
  • The front of a Metro Gillig BRT hybrid bus
    The front of a Metro Gillig BRT hybrid bus
  • Inside a hybrid bus at night
    Inside a hybrid bus at night
  • Madison Metro bus
    Madison Metro bus
  • Metro Transit Maintenance Facility
    Metro Transit Maintenance Facility

See also

References
  1. Madison Metro Transit (2018). "Madison Metro System Maps". City of Madison. Archived from the original on 19 January 2019. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  2. Staff (2018). "2018 Annual Report" (PDF). Metro Transit. City of Madison, WI. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 March 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  3. "Supplemental School Service". Metro Transit - City of Madison, Wisconsin. Archived from the original on 2012-07-19. Retrieved 2012-08-07.
  4. "Bus Routes". wisc.edu. Archived from the original on 2012-03-27. Retrieved 2012-09-04.
  5. "Sun Prairie Taxi Service - Routes & Schedules". Metro Transit - City of Madison, Wisconsin. Archived from the original on 2012-09-26.
  6. "2013-2017 Transit Development Plan for the Madison Urban Area" (PDF), greatermadisonmpo.org, archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-03-29, retrieved 2022-04-13
  7. Savidge, Nico (Mar 11, 2022). "UW announces changes to campus bus routes". madison.com. Archived from the original on April 13, 2022. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
  8. "UW Service Calendar". Metro Transit. Archived from the original on 19 December 2019. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  9. Kowles, Naomi (30 March 2022). "Fewer routes, more rides: Madison's bus route redesign has some elderly, disabled concerned". Channel3000.com. Archived from the original on 19 February 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  10. Kowles, Naomi (26 April 2022). "Madison fields thousands of suggestions, complaints, input on Metro Transit redesign". WMSN. Archived from the original on 27 April 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  11. Kowles, Naomi. "ACLU Wisconsin to Madison Metro: Concerns about transit redesign's compliance with federal law". Channel3000.com. Archived from the original on 19 February 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  12. Lehr, Sarah (15 December 2022). "Madison promises fewer stops, shorter commutes as plans for bus rapid transit roll ahead". Wisconsin Public Radio. Archived from the original on 21 December 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  13. Degnan, Maggie (29 September 2021). "City of Madison surges forward with Bus Rapid Transit plans despite some local businesses' opposition". The Badger Herald. Archived from the original on 29 May 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  14. Staff (2010). "METRO HYBRID BUSES". Metro Transit. City of Madison, WI. Archived from the original on 14 May 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  15. Garfield, Allison (15 August 2022). "The bumpy road to electric buses in Madison". The Cap Times. Archived from the original on 13 October 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  16. "New Flyer will deliver 46 e-buses to Metro Transit for the city of Madison". Sustainable Bus. 10 January 2023. Archived from the original on 13 January 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  17. "2013 Metro Transit System profile" (PDF), transit.dot.gov, archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-04-02, retrieved 2022-04-02
  18. "2014 Metro Transit System profile" (PDF), transit.dot.gov, archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-04-02, retrieved 2022-04-02
  19. "2015 Metro Transit System profile" (PDF), transit.dot.gov, archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-02-19, retrieved 2022-04-02
  20. "2016 Metro Transit System profile" (PDF), transit.dot.gov, archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-04-02, retrieved 2022-04-02
  21. "2017 Metro Transit System profile" (PDF), transit.dot.gov, archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-04-02, retrieved 2022-04-02
  22. "2018 Metro Transit System profile" (PDF), transit.dot.gov, archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-04-02, retrieved 2022-04-02
  23. "2019 Metro Transit System profile" (PDF), transit.dot.gov, archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-02-04, retrieved 2022-04-02
  24. "2020 Metro Transit System profile" (PDF), transit.dot.gov, archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-04-02, retrieved 2022-04-02
  25. "2021 Metro Transit System profile" (PDF), transit.dot.gov, archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-02-05, retrieved 2023-02-05
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