About ECT
Funding
Public transportation is highly subsidized. The current $5.4 million operating budget is funded as follows:
Federal Subsidy - 30%
State Subsidy - 25%
City General Fund - 22%
Farebox and Contract Revenues - 23%
Operating Statistics
| 2006 | 2007 | %Change | 2008 | %Change | |
| Service Miles | 705,000 | 702,700 | -.3% | 703,300 | 0% |
| Service Hours | 48,800 | 50,200 | +2.9% | 50,000 | -.4% |
| Ridership | 1,030,374 | 1,067,303 | +3.6% | 1,090,203 | +2.1% |
| Passenger Revenue | $776,800 | $776,900 | 0% | $840,600 | 8.2% |
Beginning in the mid-1980's, ridership was in a slow, gradual decline. The addition of the University routes and evening service in August of 1997reversed the trend. The University route has also provided relief to the critical parking problem at the UW-EC campus.
Since 2005, Eau Claire Transit has served over one million passengers each year.
To learn more about public transportation programs in Eau Claire County, click here ECT Service Description
Transit Commission
The Transit Commission develops goals and objectives, monitors ridership, revenue, route performance and service requests, engages in transit planning, and makes recommendations to the City Council concerning service levels and passenger fares. The Commission meets at 6:00 PM on the third Wednesday of the month in the Council Chambers. Members of the public are encouraged to attend. Persons interested in serving on the Transit Commission should all the Transit Manager at (715) 839-5111.
Paula Gorski, Chair
Dana Wachs, City Council Representative
Aaron Ellringer
Catrina Hurlburt
Steve Katrosits
John Stupak, Jr.
Transit Development Plan
The Federal Transit Administration requires that public transit systems conduct a TDP every five to six years.
Urbitran & Associates of Connecticut was awarded the contract to conduct the TDP, and 80% of the cost of the contract was subsidized by Federal Highway Planning funds. Urbitran & Associates solicited feedback from hundreds of members from the community, and the most common requests included bus service to Chippewa Falls, expanded service in Altoona, Sunday service, extended hours on Fridays and Saturdays, service to the Greyhound Station (relocated in 2003 to the McDonalds on Hwy 124 at I-94) and the construction of a new Transfer Center facility in downtown Eau Claire.
Those persons interviewed by Urbitran had mostly positive comments about Eau Claire Transit’s performance and overall service. Both users and non-users felt that ECT was doing a good job and responsive to community needs. One common theme from the surveys was the need for better marketing and advertising. In response to this feedback, the Eau Claire City Council increased ECT’s advertising budget in 2005 to the TDP’s recommended level of funding.
Most of the TDP’s short-term recommendations have been implemented, and several of the mid-term and long-term recommendations are in progress.
Persons who would like more information about the TDP or ECT operations should contact us:
For more information, Click here to download ECT's TDP
Contact Us
910 Forest Street
Eau Claire, WI 54703
Telephone: (715) 839-5111 OR TTY 711
Fax: (715) 839-1693
Office Hours: 7:30 am - 5:00 pm, Monday -Friday