Microtransit Pilot Connects Commuters to Northwest Suburbs of Milwaukee, WI 2022

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission are leading FlexRide Milwaukee, a microtransit pilot that connects Milwaukee city residents to suburban employers. FlexRide Milwaukee is available to registered customers from 5 AM to 9 PM during the workweek. Commuters can use this service to connect between five Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) bus stations and the two employment zones in Butler and Menomonee Falls, northwest of Milwaukee. Rides to or from two of the bus stops are fare-free. For rides to or from the three other stops, fares will be just $1.50 during an introductory phase and increase to $3 in a second phase. Customers can request their rides in real-time through the FlexRide Milwaukee app, a white label application supported through Via, the booking and routing technology partner for this service. Wheelchair-accessible vehicles are available on request.

FlexRide Milwaukee is supported by a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s Civic Innovation Challenge. Other key partners in this pilot include Employ Milwaukee, the Waukesha-Ozaukee-Washington Workforce Development Board, the Waukesha County Business Alliance, the Waukesha County Center for Growth, and MobiliSE. This service can demonstrate microtransit’s role in transportation demand management efforts. Employers in Butler and Menomonee Falls can tout this effort to existing and potential employees residing in Milwaukee.

Last updated January 26, 2022