MCTS Expands Same-Day Paratransit Service

Same-Day Transit Plus van. Photo courtesy MCTS.

The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) launched an expansion of its on-demand car service for persons with disabilities Monday.

The program, which operates similar to a private ride-share service, is part of the county’s paratransit operations, called Transit Plus, which provides transportation for people with disabilities.

The on-demand service was created to fill a gap in transportation needs, providing last minute rides for health emergencies or work. It’s called the Transit Plus Same-Day Pilot, because unlike traditional paratransit rides it does not need to be scheduled at least 24-hours in advance. A taxi program used to fill the need for on-demand rides, but it was shut down in 2023, having fallen out of compliance with Federal Transit Administration regulations.

The same-day service launched in August 2024. Initially, eligible rides were restricted to those needed for health care or employment, so as to keep demand in line with available ride capacity. But the demand never materialized and transit officials believe the restrictions may be keeping ridership down.

The service, which is contracted out to a New-York based transportation company, is provided by Via, and can provide between 50 and 100 rides a day. Since it launched, it has averaged 30 or fewer a month, Fran Musci, Transit Plus director, told Urban Milwaukee.

So the ride requirements are being relaxed. No longer will rides only be provided for unplanned health or work trips. Anything that is a last-minute necessity, including personal life events, and can’t be pre-scheduled is now eligible for the service.

“We’re now expanding to any trip that’s vital to a rider that couldn’t be scheduled the day before,” Musci said.

If the ride can be scheduled in advance, or isn’t a necessity, MCTS is asking riders to continue continue using the pre-prescheduled paratransit.

“It is kind of an honor system, but it is also coming on us to make sure that people are still using the pre scheduled care transit as they’re required to do,” Musci said.

More than 5,000 county residents are eligible for the new on-demand service provided by Via. The rides are provided using wheelchair-accessible vans and are available from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week. Fares are $10 one-way, and riders can now also pay with cash. Previously, cash-paying passengers needed to first travel to MCTS headquarters at 1942 N. 17th St. to purchase vouchers. VIA has also developed a mobil application for scheduling rides and purchasing fares.

The program is technically a pilot-program. It received $1.2 million in the 2024 budget. The county funds are used to cover the difference between the fare and the cost of the service, which is approximately $90 an hour. Once the original funding runs out, which MCTS estimates will occur by fall this year, the program will need county policymakers to take action to provide additional funding.