For the first time since 1998, executives at Madison Metro estimate more citizens are riding the bus, and UW-Madison students are contributing to the rise.
Since switching to the transfer point system four years ago, the Metro has consistently seen less revenue generated from riders. However, in 2001 the Metro said ridership was up to 10.2 million, the second highest tally in 15 years.
Six percent more students using campus bus passes rode the bus this year. The increase influences city statistics since UW students using the Associated Students of Madison bus pass comprise one-fourth of Madison Metro’s ridership during the academic year, according to Margaret Bergamini, ASM bus pass program coordinator.
“In the world of public transportation, the six percent increase since last fall is really a hefty change,” she said.
The recent state budget adjustment could cut availability of the widely used services, said Bergamini. Under Gov. McCallum’s state budget adjustment act, announced earlier this week, certain Metro lines could disappear as soon as August.
“The budget could affect Metro [service], but it’s not anticipated yet,” said Madison Metro marketing and customer services manager Julie Maryott-Walsh.
She said the most likely way bus lines could be affected would be through cuts in the city budget, which stands to lose one-third of its funding.
“Sure, the mayor may come to us and ask the Metro if there are ways to save money,” she said.
But ridership is expected to continue increasing. Due to an increase in service consistency since budget problems limited line availability two years ago, Metro representatives say Madison residents and students are going to keep depending on bus transportation in years to come.
“The reason the bus system is so successful is because it’s easy for everyone to use; there are routes all over the city and I use it to get to class almost every day,” said UW junior and Student Services Finance Committee member Matt Modell, who lives near Camp Randall Stadium. SSFC allocates funding for the ASM student bus pass, which takes out three-year contracts with Madison Metro. A flat fee of $1.38 is paid annually regardless of how many students obtain passes.
Maryott-Walsh said more students are picking up passes because the student body is increasingly familiar with bus lines and campus-area services.
“I do think that more people are getting used to the transfer point system,” she said. “It was such a huge change at first that it took people awhile to get used to it.”
Between September and November 2001, 37,423 more UW students rode the Madison Metro than during the same period of time in 2000. According to bus pass coordinators, this growth in ridership can be attributed to factors other than simple student population growth this year — including the largest freshman class in UW’s history.
“A lot of students use the pass and faculty ride the bus because there is virtually no parking available on campus,” said Maryott-Walsh.
Although both bus use and UW’s population are expected to increase in future years, bus pass contractors originally expected more students to be moving away from campus than currently are. The same portion of students live within a five-minute walking distance from classes as did in 1996 when the bus pass was first offered.
But Modell said he thinks increased bus use is an easily perpetuated trend.
“I think as it gets colder outside, more students will especially use the system,” he said. “I hope it’s a lasting trend.”
