Sup. Wassermann Drops Christmas Bus Plan

6400 series Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) bus. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

Milwaukee County Supervisor Sheldon Wasserman has changed his mind, or rather, his mind was changed.

Earlier this week, Wasserman announced a proposal to cut bus service on Christmas Day, to save money and let bus drivers stay home from work on the holiday. He thought faith-based organizations could step up and fill the transportation gaps. He now says it was a bad idea.

“There’s enough ridership that really needs to ride and has unique reasons to ride there,” Wasserman told Urban Milwaukee. “It’s valuable that we continue our service.”

After conversations with the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCT), the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 998 (ATU) and his constituents, Wasserman is pulling the plug on the plan. When the supervisor first announced his idea, ATU and MCTS officials witheld support, questioning what would happen to people to that rely on bus service that day.

“This is really kind of a fascinating education for me,” he said. “But the bottom line is, I’m not going to be introducing it.”

Wasserman said he heard from constituents that were queasy about the idea of religious organizations stepping in to provide transportation on Christmas. People abused by religious leaders could, in a way, be forced back to their abusers that day, he said.

“And that is something I’ve never considered,” he said. “I just didn’t think that… and that’s not right.”

There were other considerations, and specific stories, as well, he said, but the resounding message was that the community is against the idea.

“My viewpoint of politics is that you have to listen to your constituents,” he said.

Though, Wasserman also said he anticipates there will be some bus drivers angry with him, now that they may have to work on Christmas Day.

Cancelling Christmas-day bus service would have only saved MCTS $133,000, according to Wasserman’s initial announcement. MCTS provided nearly 14,000 rides on Christmas Day in 2024. MCTS is currently working to close a $9.6 million budget deficit this year, and officials are planning to raise fares and cut service to balance the budget in 2026.