FlexRide Milwaukee Expands to Serve More Milwaukee Neighborhoods, Adds Access to Employers in New Berlin, Oak Creek

NEW BERLIN, Wis. (October 2, 2023) — FlexRide Milwaukee is expanding again, this time to serve residents of Milwaukee’s West Side and additional job centers in the growing suburban communities of New Berlin and Oak Creek.

The new service was announced at a news conference and ribbon-cutting on Monday at Wenthe-Davidson Engineering Company in New Berlin, where government officials and leaders from local businesses, the Waukesha County Business Alliance, and New Berlin Chamber of Commerce welcomed the expansion.

“We are excited about the continued growth of FlexRide to these new communities and neighborhoods,” said Dave Steele, executive director of MobiliSE, which oversees the service. “Our goal is to connect workers with jobs beyond the reach of transit, and we are proud to deliver on that mission with more and more people – helping break down a significant barrier to employment for so many Milwaukeeans.”

The addition of the new zones — made possible by more than $1.3 million in funding allocated by Milwaukee County in March — increases access to employment opportunities for more Milwaukee residents while connecting more suburban employers with potential workers, who can get to and from work for $3 or less using FlexRide.

And it follows FlexRide Milwaukee’s continued popularity and demonstrated need in the Milwaukee area. The service has provided more than 35,000 rides in the past year, and between January and August 2023 ridership soared by more than 50%.

FlexRide Milwaukee provides transportation from Neighborhood Zones in Milwaukee to Employment Zones in select suburban communities. The expansion opens a new West Neighborhood Zone in Milwaukee, connecting workers to companies in the New Berlin Industrial Park and beyond. Also, the South Employment Zone expands to include Oak Creek, providing more employment options for those living on the South Side of Milwaukee. FlexRide continues to offer its original North Neighborhood and North Employment Zones serving Menomonee Falls and Butler.

Service to the new zones is already underway. See updated zone maps at FlexRideMKE.com.

“For most employers in Waukesha County, hiring is the single biggest challenge to their business,” said Suzanne Kelley, president and CEO, Waukesha County Business Alliance. “FlexRide has been a tremendous innovative transportation solution to connect our employers to employees they would otherwise struggle to hire, and we’re thrilled to see the program continue to expand.”

Said Gary Szpara, chairman of the New Berlin Chamber of Commerce and a Waukesha County Board supervisor: “FlexRide, a collaboration between government entities, charitable organizations and the private sector, gives our chamber members access to a new labor pool while providing new career opportunities to those in Milwaukee’s West Neighborhood Zone.”

The announcement comes after the September launch of FlexRide for Working Parents, a partnership with Employ Milwaukee connecting Milwaukeeans with rides to daycare, work, and back, for free. Earlier this year, FlexRide added its South Zone, expanded hours to 24-7 on weekdays, and put into service a new fleet of branded vehicles.

About FlexRide Milwaukee 

FlexRide Milwaukee is an on-demand transportation service provided by MobiliSE, with financial support from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., Milwaukee County, United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County, and Bader Philanthropies. It is operated by Via. Launched as a National Science Foundation-funded pilot in 2022, FlexRide offers flexible, affordable and accessible transportation options to residents of Milwaukee, with a focus on underserved communities. FlexRide is expanding to serve new suburban communities and increasing economic and social mobility for Milwaukee residents. It has added FlexRide for Working Parents to make it easier for workers to connect with affordable, quality childcare options. FlexRide is overseen by MobiliSE, which is committed to using innovative transportation solutions to create a more equitable and connected city for all. For more information, please visit: https://www.flexridemke.com/ and https://www.mobilisewi.org/.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.