MENOMONIE – Ridership of the city bus route rose by 29 percent last year, according to the head of Dunn County Transit.
The community route’s use hit 20,660 riders in 2025, said Austin Witt, Dunn County Facilities, Parks and Transit Director, during a presentation on Thursday, March 12, at Dragon Tale Books in downtown Menomonie. For 2024, ridership was 16,012.
“Increased visibility, improved real-time information, and reliable service contributed to higher rider confidence and increased usage throughout the year,” Witt said. “These combined efforts resulted in significant ridership gains.”
Dunn County Transit also offers routes for UW-Stout and door-to-door stops. Ridership increased in each of those areas as well. A pilot program for rural service also was offered in 2025.
Witt also explained the various buses, routes, fees, and tracking app at the presentation. It was the first in the bookstore’s spring Environmental Series, in which local government and sustainability leaders speak about various topics.
The next presentation in the series features Steve Betchkal, an ornithologist, ecologist and author, who will speak about the importance of green spaces in cities. It will be held Tuesday, March 24, at 6 p.m. at the bookstore.
Anna DeMers of Tamarack Wetland Services in Rice Lake will discuss the benefits of native plantings at the third presentation in the series on Thursday, March 26, at 6 p.m. in the bookstore.
Dunn County Transit Info:
- A video of Witt’s full presentation HERE
- Dunn County Transit 2025 Annual Executive Summary HERE
- Maps and schedules of the bus routes HERE
- You can track the buses location live dunnride.com/routes or by using the TransLoc app
Ann Vogl is the owner of Dragon Tale Books.
