Supervisor Wants to Cancel Christmas Bus Rides
Wasserman seeks to save money for system and give bus operators a holiday.
MCTS Bus. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.
Milwaukee County Supervisor Sheldon Wasserman wants to end bus service on Christmas day, providing a holiday for all transit system workers and saving some money.
“Our hard-working bus drivers deserve the chance to be home with their families,” Wasserman said in a statement Monday. “This is also a day when families, faith leaders, and neighbors should step up to help with transit needs. No one should be alone on Christmas—and that includes a transit operator alone on a bus.”
Cancelling Christmas-day bus service would also save MCTS some money at a time when it is trying to close a current-year budget deficit recently estimated at $9.6 million, as well as chart a course for the system’s future through large annual budget deficits in the coming years. The Christmas Day cancellation, however, would save the system only $133,000.
In the past, Wasserman has observed that most buses driving around on Christmas Day are empty. Most businesses, government offices and even health care clinics are closed for the holiday, he said.
The supervisor said local community organizations and faith-based organizations could step up to fill in the gaps. This was inspired, in part, by a trip the supervisor took to Utah: “The Mormon Church does a huge amount of like community outreach.”
“Communities of faith should come together and help their constituents and help the general population,” he said.
Michael Brown, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 998 Vice President, questioned the logic behind the proposal. He said the plan could leave people stranded Christmas Day. Many people still have to work over the holiday.
“We still have to take care of the community,” Brown said.
Transit System officials had a similar reaction to the idea.
“We’re reviewing the Supervisor’s proposal. While we appreciate creative solutions to MCTS’ fiscal challenges, we must ensure that riders who rely on the bus are not impacted on a day when residents and families use public transit to spend the holiday together,” a spokesperson for MCTS said.
MCTS still provides thousands of rides across the county on Christmas Day. In 2024, MCTS provided nearly 14,000 rides.
Wasserman told Urban Milwaukee his proposal is largely in response to the system’s ongoing budget deficit. “How are we going to pay for this?” he said. “And if it’s not paid for, there are going to be cuts that are proposed.”
The transit system is spending down the last of its federal stimulus funding released during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those funds have covered a structural budget deficit for the past five years. In 2027, the funds will be gone, and based upon the Office of the Comptroller’s five-year budget forecast, the system could face a $17 million budget deficit that year based upon the existing size of the system.
When MCTS submitted its 2026 budget request, it showed system leaders are planning to raise fares and cut service hours. Base fares could go from $2 to $2.75 and more than 100,000 service hours across the system could be cut.
Wasserman said he is planning to bring his idea forward as an amendment during the 2026 budget process. He is also circulating a resolution for support among his colleagues on the county board.
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If you need the bus to get to family Christmas? Get to steppin’
“The supervisor said local community organizations and faith-based organizations could step up to fill in the gaps. This was inspired, in part, by a trip the supervisor took to Utah: “The Mormon Church does a huge amount of like community outreach.”
Sheldon Wasserman has ZERO helpful ideas. Time to go
I thought of all the Supervisors, Wasserman had more sense. I understand he took public transit when he worked in Madison. As a person dependent on public transit, this makes no sense to me. How about eliminating service on all Federal Holidays to save money? You are forgetting folks still have to get to work and may want to gather with friends and/or family. Another example of how the powers that be consider those dependent on public transit not worthy/second class citizens..
People who are not dependent on transit make decisions like this because they look upon public transportation as an optional charity rather than a fundamental service for mobility that many people depend on.
The cut seems particularly unthinking because it disrupts service–it completely shuts down transportation service on one day. It would be unthinkable to shut down municipal water services, electricity, or emergency services for a day. Disruptions like this–complete shutdowns–are a step in the direction of ending transportation services entirely. City transportation systems around the world that were completely shut down during covid recovered more slowly when restored. The proposal seems to deliberately aim to punish riders and make the system more unreliable when the system should seek to gain riders through reliable service. For someone who depends on public transportation, when that service is cut off completely, they may not be able to recover. They depend on transit for a range of needs from connections to work, to family, to the grocery store or pharmacy, or to meetings with others. They depend on that bus stop for their mobility needs, and they are capable and willing to work around reductions, but not being completely stranded. People who are car-dependent don’t seem to understand this (but car-dependent people seem to be the ones making the decisions).
A much better solution is to reconfigure the bus system along frequent corridors and guarantee a base service level that might have to be reduced when necessary, but increased when possible. Even reducing bus frequency or time of operation (holiday service day) is far better than a complete shutdown. An intelligent look at our total transportation map could reveal a grid of corridors, along the most frequent bus routes that could serve as a lifeline of basic service, not a complete shutoff.
I can’t stop thinking about all of the vulnerable families with children who cannot join other family or friends for the Christmas holiday because there is no other affordable way in cold weather to get to their destination–and then there are the mothers and young children standing on bus stops for hours waiting for a bus that never comes. I cannot think of a worse decision. This must be coming from a privileged white man.
Let bus drivers who want to show their generosity of spirit by driving underserved individuals and families to their holiday destination. Shame on you Supervisor Wasserman.
Absolutely a bad idea. It should not be about workers wanting a day off. It should be about providing service to residents
Another thought, Supervisor Wasserman: Perhaps there are bus operators who would like to work on Christmas Day, for whatever reason. Perhaps they need the extra money. Perhaps Christmas means nothing to them so they volunteer to work the shift of a co-worker who would like off. Or perhaps, they might want to spread a bit of holiday cheer by wearing a festive hat and offering candy to their passengers. I’ve had several operators do that throughout the years. Those who pay their fare on public transit are human beings, too, even if we are considered second class citizens by many.
There are essential service workers who depend on the bus and work on Christmas day. The hospitals do not close on Christmas. Sadly, the buses are empty due to poor scheduling, not riders who need to ride the bus.
He makes a good point! Counterpoint: On Christmas Day this past year my 3-year-old son and I rode the Green Line bus to Grandma’s house and it was great.
such a bad idea. those who ride the bus, need to ride the bus. the milwaukee bus system is not a pleasure let’s have fun system. i don’t know anyone hopping on the bus to go sight seeing. my guess is wasserman does not ride the bus at all anywhere.