Green Bay Metro
Green Bay Metro, (originally known as Green Bay Transit prior to 2001), is the mass transit system found in the city of Green Bay, Wisconsin. It also provides service in Ashwaubenon, Allouez, De Pere, and Bellevue.
 | |
| Headquarters | 901 University Avenue Green Bay, Wisconsin, United States |
|---|---|
| Service area | Green Bay and Brown County |
| Routes | 17 full service routes two limited service route 4 gameday routes |
| Stations | 1 |
| Daily ridership | 3,192 (avg. weekday 2017) [1] |
| Operator | City of Green Bay |
| Website | greenbaymetro |
History
From 1916 through 1972, the Wisconsin Public Service Corporation (WPS), a privately owned utility company, provided streetcar and bus service in the Green Bay Metropolitan Area. In the late 1960s, bus ridership decreases combined with rising expenses forced WPS to reduce deficits by cutting back on service. Service cutbacks, in turn, contributed to further decreases in ridership and even greater revenue losses, resulting in a downward spiral of service, ridership, and revenue. In April 1972, WPS offered to sell the bus company to the city of Green Bay with an agreement to reimburse the city for the full purchase price of $270,000 in the form of an operating subsidy over a five-year period. In January 1973, WPS was granted the right to discontinue bus service in the Green Bay Metropolitan Area, at which time the city of Green Bay leased the bus system from WPS through the remainder of 1973. This action avoided a discontinuance of service and allowed time for the city to create the Transit Commission, consider alternative plans for the system developed by the Brown County Planning Commission (BCPC), and prepare for a public referendum on the purchase of the system. On April 3, 1973, 71 percent of the public voted in favor on a referendum calling for the purchase of the system from WPS. In July 2015, Greyhound Bus service was added to the Green Bay Metro Transit terminal after Greyhound Lines moved from their old bus station located between Cedar Street and Main Street.
Operations
The bus transit system service method used in the Green Bay area is called a "radial pulse" system. The system is called "radial" because the layout of the routes brings all buses to the downtown transitway and then radiates them out in a spoke-like fashion to cover the service area. It is called a "pulse" system because all routes are timed to arrive at the downtown transitway at regular intervals, allowing for transfers with little or no waiting. This type of system has been in operation since 1937.
Most routes either begin/end their route or "transfer", or stop for a period of typically 5–8 minutes, at several hubs around the area known as "Transfer Points". There are currently four transfer points within this area:
| Point Name | Street Located On | Routes Passing |
|---|---|---|
| Green Bay Metro | University Avenue | 2, 3/4, 5, 6, 7, 8/9, 11, 12, 13, 14 |
| Bay Park Square Transfer Point | South Oneida Street | 8, 9, 10, 17 |
| Green Bay Plaza Transfer Point | South Military Avenue | 3/4, 5, 6, 8/9 |
| Shopko/De Pere Transfer Point | North Wisconsin Street | 11, 17 |
| East Side Transfer Point | West Main Street Frontage Road | 12, 14, 15, 16, 18 |
According to several annual reports for Green Bay Metro,[1] an east side transfer point is being considered. In public meetings held in relation to the creation of routes 9 Tan and 13 River (along with modifications to several routes), 2015 Transit Director Patty Kiewiz had stated that there will be a study conducted on the east side when asked about the addition of an east side transfer point. In August 2015, the East Side Study had been published to the Brown County website.[2]
The system does not operate on Sunday.
On a five-year average the city of Green Bay has a total estimated budget for transportation of $7,770,111 with the city itself contributing $1,395,894. The remainder of the budget comes from federal and state funding as well as other revenue. The 2014 Green Bay Final Budget shows the Bus Operations having $6,255,258 in expenses and $1,079,500 in revenue. This adds up to a $5,175,758 deficit for 2014.[3]
Bus routes
Regular Service
Routes that typically run from 5:15am–9:45pm weekdays, and 7:15am–6:45pm Saturdays. These routes are not serviced on Sundays, nor on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day.[4]
| No. | Name | Notes | 2 | Orange Zippin Line | Stops at Paul's Pantry/St. Vincent DePaul, Bay Beach Amusement Park, Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary (upon request), Post Office, East High School, and University Avenue Market | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Silver Line | Runs on similar path to 4 in opposite direction, No service Saturdays, Transfers at Green Bay Plaza.
Stops at St. Mary's Hospital, Aspiro Dousman, Aspiro Stiles, West High School, The Salvation Army, Social Security Administration, old Shopko West, Fleet Farm West, House of Hope, Green Bay Plaza, and KI Convention Center | ||||
| 4 | Blue Line | Runs on similar path to 3 in opposite direction, Transfers at Green Bay Plaza.
Stops at St. Mary's Hospital, Aspiro Dousman, Aspiro Stiles, West High School, The Salvation Army, Social Security Administration, old Shopko West, Fleet Farm West, House of Hope, Green Bay Plaza, and KI Convention Center | ||||
| 5 | Plum Line | Runs 5:45-9:45am/1:45-5:45pm weekdays, No service Saturdays, Transfers at Green Bay Plaza.
Stops at Southwest High School, Lombardi Middle School, Brown County Library Southwest Branch, Green Bay Plaza, Park Place, Mason Manor, Brown County Health Dept., and Brown County Courthouse. | ||||
| 6 | Red Line | 2 buses running Monday-Friday 5:15 am-6:15 pm, Transfers at Green Bay Plaza.
Stops at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, Walmart/Sam's Club West, Rasmussen College, Green Bay Plaza, Green Bay Botanical Gardens, old Shopko West, Goodwill West, Festival Foods West, Mason Manor, Post Office, Franklin Middle School, Notre Dame Academy, Brown County Library, and Biolife West. | ||||
| 7 | Lime Line | 2 buses running Monday-Friday 5:15 am-6:15 pm, Stops at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, University Avenue Market, Festival Foods East, Brown County Community Treatment Center, Brown County Jail, N.E.W. Curative, Baird Elementary, Manna For Life, Nicolet Elementary, Milo C. Huempfner VA Clinic, and Boys & Girls Club East. | ||||
| 8 | Green Line | Runs similar path to 9 in opposite direction. Stops at Green Bay Plaza, City Deck, Bay Park Square, Lambeau Field, Target West, Fort Howard Elementary School, Resch Center, Social Security Administration, and West High School. | ||||
| 9 | Gold Line | Runs similar path to 8 in opposite direction. Stops at Bay Park Square, Green Bay Plaza, Lambeau Field, Social Security Administration, Target West, QPS, Ashwaubenon High School, Parkview Middle School, and City Deck. | ||||
| 10 | Yellow Line | Starts at Bay Park Square, Does Not go to Metro Station.
Bay Park Square, Department of Motor Vehicles, Goodwill Ashwaubenon, Tufco Technologies, Schneider National, Bellin, Prevea, Railroad Museum, and Brown County Fairgrounds. | ||||
| 11 | Sky Line | Transfers at old De Pere Shopko.
Stops at St. Vincent Hospital, Bellin Hospital, Prevea, Broadview YMCA, Labor Ready, Cerebral Palsy Center, and Green Bay Correctional Institution. | ||||
| 12 | Coal Line | Transfers at the East Side Transfer Point.
Stops at St. Vincent Hospital/Bellin Hospital and Brown County Library East. | ||||
| 13 | River Line | Covers Downtown Green Bay area.
Stops at KI Convention Center, New Community Shelter, Aging & Disability Resource Center, Brown County Court House, Brown County Central Library, Bellin Hospital, and St. Vincent Hospital. | ||||
| 14 | Brown Line | Transfers at East Side Transfer Point.
Stops at Pick 'n Save East, Brown County Library East, and Minoka Hill. | ||||
| 15 | Aqua Line | Starts at East Side Transfer Point, Does Not go to Metro Station. Runs on similar path to 16 but in opposite direction.
Stops at East Town Mall, Edison Middle School, BioLife East, YMCA East, Bellin Family Wellness & Medical Center, Bellin College, Prevea, Aurora Hospital, Walmart East | ||||
| 16 | Pink Line | Starts at East Side Transfer Point, Does Not go to Metro Station. Runs on similar path to 15 but in opposite direction.
Stops at East Town Mall, Edison Middle School, BioLife East, YMCA East, Bellin Family Wellness & Medical Center, Bellin College, Prevea, Aurora Hospital, Walmart East | ||||
| 17 | Brick Line | Starts at Shopko De Pere, Does not go to Metro Station, Transfers at Bay Park Square.
Stops at St. Norbert College, Shopko De Pere, Walmart De Pere, Syble Hopp School, Humana, De Pere Library, De Pere Police Station, Festival Foods De Pere, and Bay Park Square. | ||||
| 18 | Tan Line | Starts at East Side Transfer Point, Does Not go to Metro Station.
Stops at Target East, Pick 'n Save East, Kroc Community Center, The Children's Museum of Green Bay, East High School, Washington Middle School, and Costco. | ||||
Packers Gameday Routes
Packers Game Day Routes are bus routes that only operate on the day of a Green Bay Packers football game being played at home. These routes are known as Cheesehead, QB Sneak, Lambeau Leap, and Quick Slant. For more information, visit https://greenbaywi.gov/272/Game-Day-Routes
Limited Service
Limited service route #78 operates on regularly scheduled school days and is open to the general public.
Bus Fleet
As of March 2017, the Green Bay Metro bus system has 35 buses in use. The system uses 25 buses during peak hours.[1]
| Count | Year/Make | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | 2003 New Flyer | 30 feet |
| 3 | 2004 New Flyer | 30 feet |
| 9 | 2009 New Flyer | 35 feet |
| 10 | 2011 Gilig | 35 feet |
| 4 | 2014 Gilig | 40 feet |
The average age of the system's buses is 8.7 years, with the oldest 9 buses being 14 years old. Green Bay Metro has been planning on replacing older buses, but sufficient funding hasn't been able to have been established to replace all older buses at once. The system anticipates needing to order between 9 and 12 new buses by the year 2021.[1]
See also
- GO Transit (Wisconsin) Bus service serving Oshkosh, Wisconsin
- Valley Transit (Wisconsin) Bus service serving the Appleton, Wisconsin/Fox Cities Area
References
- Brown County Planning Commission/MPO for Green Bay Urbanized Area (March 2017). "2017 Annual Route Review and Analysis Report" (PDF). Brown County, WI. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
- Brown County Planning Commission / Green Bay MPO in partnership with Green Bay Metro. "Green Bay Metro East Side Route Study" (PDF). Brown County, WI. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
- http://greenbaywi.gov/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/2014-Final-Budget.pdf
- http://www.greenbaymetro.org/en-us/schedules/routes/default.aspx?type=0