Reckless driving crashes involving MCTS buses, costs add up
MILWAUKEE - Reckless driving is taking a toll on the Milwaukee County Transit System, so much so that routes could be impacted if something does not change.
Two fatal crashes involving MCTS buses happened in a matter of days last week.
"It’s terrible. It’s just a horrific thing to have to watch," said Denise Wandke, MCTS president. "I just want people to stop and pause and realize the impact that they’re taking on people’s lives."
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One person died and five were hurt after a crash near 35th and Capitol late Thursday, April 18. A crash near 35th and Wisconsin on Saturday night left one person dead and nine hurt.
"I don’t know how many people have to die before somebody finally says this is just stupid," Wandke said.
MCTS buses damaged after separate reckless driving crashes in Milwaukee
Wandke said the drivers involved in each crash sped through a red light and hit a bus. Officials said reckless driving crashes in which a car hits a bus are up nearly 50% this year.
"We’re already running into our spare ratio just trying to keep the fleet going, so this was really a hard hit on us," said Wandke.
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The MCTS president said last week's two crashes alone cost the county more than $2 million. It's not something the transit system budgets for.
"These types of incidents will take out from our regular service," Wandke said.
MCTS said the bus involved in the crash near 35th and Capitol will not return to service. Instead, it will be scrapped, and the parts will be auctioned; the cost to replace it would be $650,000.
As for the battery electric CONNECT 1 bus involved in the crash near 35th and Wisconsin, it is still being determined whether it will return to the fleet. It may be damaged beyond repair, and MCTS said the cost for a new battery electric bus is $1.6 million.
Both bus operators are recovering. MCTS is supporting the operators with the resources they need for their physical and mental well-being.