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Starts Tuesday, March 24

Metro Transit continues to play critical function providing transportation for employees of essential services, including hospital workers, grocery providers, and others.  For many in our community, Metro Transit is the only way to access food, medical appointments, and pharmacies.  As transit agencies around the nation are adapting service and safety protocols, Metro Transit is joining them with additional measures.

Rear Door Entry and Exit
Effective Tuesday March 24, 2020, customers are asked to board and exit buses using the rear doors. This new required practice will continue until April 20, 2020 or until such other date as may be determined to address the COVID-19 medical emergency.  Disabled customers in wheelchairs will continue to board at the front of buses. Customers are asked to maintain social distancing and leave at least 6 feet of distance from the driver. Fares will not be collected.

Safety and Social Distancing
The following measures and requests announced March 17, 2020 continue. 

  • Capacity on Metro Transit buses is limited to 15 passengers plus the driver.
  • We ask that Metro Transit be used only for essential trips such as travel to medical appointments, grocery stores, etc.
  • Please use alternative forms of transportation if they are available to you.
  • Enter and exit the bus through the rear doors.
  • You should maintain a distance of 6 feet from the driver and your fellow passengers.

It is particularly important for riders who are at a high risk of severe illness, including paratransit riders, to avoid public transit.

High risk individuals include:

  • People 60 years or older
  • People with underlying health conditions including heart disease, lung disease, or diabetes.
  • People who have a weakened immune system
  • Women who are pregnant

Transit Service
Metro continues to follow Saturday schedules all seven days of the week. Metro will provide regular weekday (Monday – Friday) commuter service to Verona/Epic (55 & 75), Fitchburg (44, 48 & 49), Sun Prairie (23) and Middleton (72). The University of Wisconsin Campus routes currently will operate regular weekday service Monday through Friday, and standard weekend service on Saturday and Sundays.

As the situation evolves it is likely there will be additional service modifications to maintain access to essential service sectors, and potentially reduce service to low need areas.  Metro Transit will communicate service modifications as appropriate to address community needs.

Available routes and Saturday schedules can be found online at mymetrobus.com, or call Metro Customer Service at 608-266-4466.

Contacts

  • Mick Rusch, mrusch@cityofmadison.com
Tags: 
COVID-19