Supervisor Wants to Cancel Christmas Bus Rides

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.