CUDAHY, Wis. — In the scramble to get ready for back to school, some Cudahy students and their families are just learning their bus route has been canceled.
The Route 88, known as the "Cudahy Loop," has been used to drop off in front of the high school. Around mid-June, after the school year, the Milwaukee County Transit System route was discontinued due to budget cuts.
The York family lives 1.8 miles away from the high school, just under the 2-mile radius where the school district would provide transportation.
"It's a long walk for a 15-year-old," said Jennifer York. "In today, there are weirdos out there and I am not comfortable with her walking that far."
MCTS spokesperson Matt Sliker said Route 88 and four other school routes were cut last year during budget cuts. Sliker said the decision was made based on ridership because some days there were an average of seven riders.
"We provide as much bus service as we can afford to provide," said Sliker.
The school district released a statement saying:
"Earlier this year we received information that MCTS would be cutting Route 88 which services the School District of Cudahy.
According to the letter, the cut was being made due to higher than average ridership costs. They suggested several options to share with our families.
Two of the options are:
Riders are encouraged to utilize Route 55 - which will continue to provide service on Lake Drive in front of Cudahy High School.
Riders can also use RideMCTS.com and the Ride MCTS app to find other alternate routes that may help them travel between home and school.
MCTS also offered to host a transit information table at our open house. We will be reaching out to request that they provide a table at both Cudahy High School as well as Cudahy Middle School which will also be affected by the elimination of Route 88.
It is hard to predict just how many students and families will be affected by this cut as the ridership fluctuated based on the weather. The School District will continue to provide alternative transportation to those students outside a 2-mile radius of either the High School or the Middle School."
Her mom said the alternative option would mean her daughter would be taking two different buses just to get to school. That would mean she would have to be out of the house by 5:30 a.m. to get to school on time.
"She would have to leave an hour and a half early to get to school," said Jennifer York.
So they aren't sure what they will do when school starts in two weeks.
MCTS said they are currently discussing cutting 16 more routes in this upcoming budget. They suggest riders take part in the discussion. There is a way you can get involved on their website.
