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Record of Proceedings

Waukesha Transit Commission Meeting: FlexRide Contract, Bus Stop Changes, and 2025 Ridership Report - February 5, 2026

Public Meetings — Thursday, February 5, 2026
BodyWaukesha, Wisconsin
SessionPublic Meetings
DateThursday, February 5, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 20:05

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Are we ready?

0:02

All right.

0:03

Well start with the transit commission meeting for February 5th for the call to order.

0:08

Steve Cassins.

0:10

Kevin Riley.

0:11

Joel Piper.

0:11

Chair O'Neill.

0:12

Eric Payne.

0:13

We have a forum.

0:14

Then we'll go to the Pledge of Allegiance.

0:17

We can have the Cubscouts join us for the Pledge of Allegiance.

0:20

Do they want to come up front?

0:21

Yeah.

0:22

Come on up.

0:31

What troop are you guys from?

0:33

Oh 22.

0:35

Act 22?

0:38

Okay.

0:38

Great.

0:39

Well, you guys lead us lead us to the pledge, please.

0:43

Take your time so everybody can get their pictures.

0:47

You guys want to come up here?

0:49

Yeah, go right ahead.

1:17

And two of the republic for which it stands.

1:20

One nation.

1:27

Thank you.

1:28

Thanks, everybody.

1:30

Thank you, Troop.

1:37

That'll be interviewing them.

1:40

That was the best pledge of allegiance we've had all year.

1:46

I mean, yours are okay.

1:50

This was special.

1:52

Any of that any public comments?

1:53

Seeing none, they're all leaving.

1:56

Well, or I entertain a motion for 4A.

2:01

This is Piper.

2:02

I'm I'll move to make a mo I'll move to approve the minutes of December 4th as presented.

2:07

Pay in seconds.

2:09

We have a motion and a second.

2:11

Any comments or questions?

2:17

Seeing none, we'll take a vote.

2:18

Cassins I.

2:20

Kevin Riley, I Piper, I.

2:22

O'Donnell I pay an aye.

2:24

Motion passes.

2:25

Item 5A.

2:26

Uh 5A is a Waukshaw County business item, and it's to review and act on the proposed uh 2026 flex ride contract with mobile eyes.

2:35

Um this item has come up this board last couple years.

2:38

Um Woksha County uh has again agreed to partially fund flex ride.

2:45

That's the on-demand service that serves portions of the city of Milwaukee to outlining uh employment centers, particularly in Monomie Falls and Butler.

2:55

And um they're uh wishing to do that again for 2026.

3:01

And um the actual operator of the services via But Mobilize, which is a transit advocacy group, um, is the one that actually holds that uh oversees flex ride, so the money is just going to uh mobilize and um like any contract for Waxha County, there's no city funds.

3:22

We are just the administrator Walkshaw County pays us to administer uh these contracts for them and oversee the contractor, so that's why the item is before us.

3:33

Um the total amount of funds that Waksha County would provide would be up to 350,000 for this year.

3:41

Um we would recommend approval.

3:45

Yep.

3:45

I'll this is Piper.

3:47

I'll make a motion to approve the item and with a second I have a question.

3:49

Kevin Riley seconds.

3:51

So Brian, this the 350,000, that's the that's the county funding portion, correct?

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Transportation Safety█████████████████████████████████████████████80%
Procedural███████12%
Technology and Innovation█████8%
Summary of Proceedings

Waukesha Transit Commission Meeting: FlexRide Contract, Bus Stop Changes, and 2025 Ridership Report - February 5, 2026

The Waukesha Transit Commission met on February 5, 2026, at 5:30 PM in City Hall. The commission unanimously approved the minutes from December 4, 2025, recommended approval of the 2026 FlexRide contract with MobilSE, Inc., and bus stop changes near Lowell Elementary, and received the 2025 Ridership Report.

Approval of Minutes

  • Minutes of the December 4, 2025, meeting were approved by a 5-0 vote (Ald. Pieper motion, Ald. Payne second).

FlexRide Contract (Item 5A)

  • The commission reviewed and recommended approval of the 2026 FlexRide contract with MobilSE, Inc., for on-demand service connecting Milwaukee residents to employment centers in eastern Waukesha County (Butler, Menomonee Falls, New Berlin). Waukesha County will provide up to $350,000; no city funds are used. Transit Manager Brian Engelking reported strong performance in the Butler/Menomonee Falls zone. The motion to recommend for council consent passed 5-0 (Ald. Pieper, Member Reilly motion/second).

Bus Stop Changes (Item 5B)

  • Proposed changes near Lowell Elementary: eliminate a stop on Grandview near the school entrance and reinstate the stop at Michigan and Grandview; also eliminate a stop on Michigan at Western due to low ridership. The changes respond to the school district's decision to keep Lowell open. Approved unanimously (5-0) for council consent.

2025 Ridership Report (Item 6A)

  • Brian Engelking presented the 2025 ridership summary. Fixed-route ridership decreased 2% from 2024, but with a 15% reduction in service hours in June, efficiency (passengers per hour) increased 9% from 7.9 to 8.6. MetroLift ridership increased 25% in 2025 (61% over three years), reaching the highest level since 2012. Discussion included potential fleet adjustments (smaller buses) and system efficiency. No action taken; report received.

Key Outcomes

  • Approval of minutes: 5-0.
  • Recommendation for FlexRide contract: 5-0.
  • Recommendation for bus stop changes: 5-0.
  • Ridership report received and discussed.

Meeting Transcript

Are we ready? All right. Well start with the transit commission meeting for February 5th for the call to order. Steve Cassins. Kevin Riley. Joel Piper. Chair O'Neill. Eric Payne. We have a forum. Then we'll go to the Pledge of Allegiance. We can have the Cubscouts join us for the Pledge of Allegiance. Do they want to come up front? Yeah. Come on up. What troop are you guys from? Oh 22. Act 22? Okay. Great. Well, you guys lead us lead us to the pledge, please. Take your time so everybody can get their pictures. You guys want to come up here? Yeah, go right ahead. And two of the republic for which it stands. One nation. Thank you. Thanks, everybody. Thank you, Troop. That'll be interviewing them. That was the best pledge of allegiance we've had all year. I mean, yours are okay. This was special. Any of that any public comments? Seeing none, they're all leaving. Well, or I entertain a motion for 4A. This is Piper. I'm I'll move to make a mo I'll move to approve the minutes of December 4th as presented. Pay in seconds. We have a motion and a second. Any comments or questions? Seeing none, we'll take a vote. Cassins I. Kevin Riley, I Piper, I. O'Donnell I pay an aye. Motion passes. Item 5A. Uh 5A is a Waukshaw County business item, and it's to review and act on the proposed uh 2026 flex ride contract with mobile eyes. Um this item has come up this board last couple years. Um Woksha County uh has again agreed to partially fund flex ride. That's the on-demand service that serves portions of the city of Milwaukee to outlining uh employment centers, particularly in Monomie Falls and Butler.

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