Milwaukee County may soon see an absence of buses on its streets come Christmas Day, as Supervisor Sheldon A. Wasserman champions a new initiative aimed at slashing costs and boosting transit worker morale. The proposed resolution, which seeks to give Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) workers the day off, is currently up for co-sponsorship and will head to the County Board's Committee on Finance for deliberation.
Wasserman argues that halting bus services on a day that "consistently has the lowest ridership of the year," is a "responsible step toward long-term financial stability for MCTS," according to a statement obtained by Milwaukee County. He highlights that with schools, government, and most businesses closed, it makes sense to realign service levels with actual demand.
Beyond budgetary benefits, the measure is perceived to have humane impulses at its core. "Our hard-working bus drivers deserve the chance to be home with their families," Wasserman stated. He also encouraged community solidarity, saying, "This is also a day when families, faith leaders, and neighbors should step up to help with transit needs." Citing the festivals' spirit, he added, "No one should be alone on Christmas—and that includes a transit operator alone on a bus."
The financial justification for this potential change is backed by hard numbers. Data from the Milwaukee County Department of Transportation projects a $10.9 million shortfall in the MCTS departmental budget. This squeeze is attributed to factors like passenger revenue not meeting expectations and climbing wage and benefit costs. Further supporting the resolution, 2024 ridership tallies exhibited a stark contrast between the 13,931 boardings on Christmas Day and the 38,362 boardings the day after. Cutting service on December 25th could pocket MCTS as much as $133,000 in savings, suggesting that a day off might be as pragmatic as it is considerate.
