This report provides results and analysis for the 2023 transportation modes survey conducted biennially by Transportation Services.
File: Biennial-Survey-RevisedFinalDraft8012023w_appendices.pdf
Madison Bike Week is June 3-10!
Local bike advocacy organizations Madison Bikes and Wisconsin Bike Fed have published this year’s calendars of community bike week events. Participate in a group ride or bike party, stop by a commuter station, or get a free tune-up at one of several events hosted by local groups and businesses. Also check out offerings by the University Bicycle Resource Center (UBRC) located on the UW-Madison campus.
Participate in bike week by attending a free class at the University Bike Resource Center:
How to Plan a Bicycle Route
Thursday, June 8
Noon – 1 p.m.
Cost: Free
No registration required
Taught by Dar Ward, UW Commuter Solutions Manager and longtime bicycle commuter.
The University Bicycle Resource Center (UBRC) is tucked away on the ground level of the Helen C. White parking garage (Lot 6). Open to the campus community and visitors, the UBRC provides a do-it-yourself space for bike tune-ups and bike classes. The shop provides free use of tools, air pumps and grease, bike repair manuals, and much more.
Find out when the UBRC is open.
Location:
If you need to inflate your tires or perform quick maintenance, 11 air-and-repair stations are located across campus. The air-and-repair stations are free for anyone to use. For locations, see the air and repair station map.
For Madison-area events, check the Madison Bikes event calendar.
For bike events outside of Madison, check out the Wisconsin Bike Fed event calendar.
Here are just a few campus-area highlights:
Monday, June 5
Tuesday, June 6
Wednesday, June 7
Thursday, June 8
Friday, June 9
For more information about biking on the UW-Madison campus, please visit our bike page.
After two years of planning, Madison Metro Transit will launch a completely new system of bus routes, maps, and schedules Sunday, June 11, 2023.
Development of the new system was informed by Metro Transit’s two-year public feedback campaign, including input from the UW campus community and stakeholders. Transportation Services advocated for campus bus service throughout the design process and will continue to monitor impacts of the new system on UW community members.
Faculty, staff, students, and visitors are encouraged to check their routes and stop locations before the June 11 launch using resources available at mymetrobus.com. These resources include:
Campus bus routes 80, 82, and 84 are not directly affected by the new system. Route maps and schedules will remain the same, but schedule adjustments may be required in the future to improve connection points with the new bus system.
Starting June 11, campus bus route 81 will no longer serve State Street. For more information, download the new Route 81 map (effective June 11).
Several routes in the new bus system will travel to or through campus at varying intervals – from 15 to 60 minutes between arrivals, depending on the route. Some routes provide peak-only service to or from campus during morning and afternoon rush hours.
In some cases, riders will need to transfer from other local routes to access routes serving campus. The charts below show a general overview of only those routes traveling to or through campus starting June 11, 2023. For a full list of new routes, maps, and detailed descriptions, visit mymetrobus.com.
Buses arrive on/near campus every 15 minutes or less on these routes:
| Route Name | General areas served | Stops on or near campus |
|---|---|---|
| Route A | Serves Madison’s east and west sides | Johnson and University |
| Route B | Serves the north and south sides | Johnson and University; State Street |
| Route C | Serves the east side and UW Hospital | Johnson and University; Old University; Highland Avenue |
| Route D | Serves the north, east, west, and southwest sides via local routes D1 and D2 | Johnson and University |
Buses arrive on/near campus every 30 minutes on these routes:
| Route Name | General areas served | Stops on or near campus |
|---|---|---|
| Route F | Serves the west side, Middleton, and Capitol Square | Johnson and University |
Buses arrive on/near campus every 60 minutes on these routes:
| Route Name | General areas served | Stops on or near campus |
|---|---|---|
| Route J | Serves the west side, UW Hospital, and UW campus | Johnson and University; Highland Avenue |
| Route O | Serves the south side and UW campus | Johnson and University |
| Route R1 | Serves the west side and Capitol Square | Johnson and University |
| Route R2 | Serves Middleton and Capitol Square | Johnson and University |
The below routes provide peak-only service through campus. Peak hours are approximately 6-9 a.m. and 4-7 p.m.
| Route Name | General areas served | Stops on or near campus |
|---|---|---|
| Route 28 | Serves UW Hospital and east side via Gorham and Johnson | Johnson, University, Linden, Observatory, and Highland Avenue |
| Route 38 | Serves UW Hospital and east side via Williamson Street | Johnson, University, Linden, Observatory, and Highland Avenue |
| Route 65 | Serves UW Hospital, UW campus, and south side via John Nolen Drive | Johnson, University, Linden, Observatory, and Highland Avenue |
Project planners designed the new transit system to increase the frequency of buses, decrease travel times, and improve the overall experience of riding the bus. When the new system launches, commuting by bus may become easier and more accessible for some UW community members.
UW employees are eligible to purchase low-cost bus passes from UW Transportation Services. To get around by bus during the summer, bus passes for the 2022-23 year are prorated and available for purchase with NetID login credentials at the eBusiness purchasing portal.
Employee bus passes for the 2023-24 year will be available August 1. More information is forthcoming.
Learn more about the employee bus pass program.
UW-Madison students may obtain a student bus pass through ASM.
Need help planning your route? Or want a second pair of eyes on your trip plan? UW employees and students may complete a custom route planning form to receive personalized commute assistance from Transportation Services.
The snow has melted, warm weather has arrived, and it’s Earth Week. It’s the perfect time to explore environmentally friendly ways to get to campus. Did you know that UW employees and students who ride the bus, bike, and/or carpool can receive free or discounted commuter benefits? Keep reading to learn how!
On our 2020 commute modes survey, 16% of students and 13% of faculty and staff reported commuting primarily by bike in good weather. That’s about 7,000 students and 4,000 faculty and staff! Approximately 16,000 bike racks allow cyclists to park for free near most campus buildings, making it easy to travel around on campus throughout the day. Here are some more campus resources for you and your bicycle:
BCycle membership discounts
BCycle, a bikesharing service with a large fleet of electric bikes and over a dozen stations on the UW campus, is a convenient option for anyone without access to their own bike. Madison BCycle partners with Transportation Services to offer reduced membership
prices for UW students, employees and affiliates. For more information on the discounted membership, visit our bikesharing webpage or the BCycle website.
Air-and-repair stations
Pump up your tires or perform quick maintenance at one of 12 air-and-repair stations located across campus. The air-and-repair stations are free for anyone to use. Find a station near you on the air and repair station map (PDF).
University Bicycle Resource Center
For more in-depth maintenance needs, the UBRC is tucked away on the ground level of the Helen C. White parking garage (Lot 6). Open to the campus community and visitors, the UBRC provides a do-it-yourself space for bike tune-ups and free bike classes. Also check out this video by University Communications to learn more about the UBRC’s history:
If you already carpool to campus, or if you’re carpool curious, Transportation Services runs a carpool program with benefits for members.
Two or more employees who drive together most of the time can register a carpool, and three or more can apply for a UW carpool permit. Carpool permit applications get top priority during the annual permit application process. Members also receive six daily parking passes to use on days when they can’t join the carpool. Learn about the benefits of the UW-Madison carpool program and how to apply.
If you’re looking for carpool members, RoundTrip (operated by Greater Madison MPO) is one way for UW employees to locate other carpoolers. Those with a valid @wisc.edu email address, 
including sub-domains, may choose to join the private UW-Madison RoundTrip network. (They may also join the main Dane County network.) Click the button below to register for the private UW-Madison network:
Register for the UW-Madison RoundTrip Network
Metro Transit buses serve the City of Madison with multiple routes running through or near campus. Paratransit service is also available for people with disabilities (registration required).
The city’s system of bus routes is completely changing on June 11. Many people who ride the bus will experience changes in their usual bus route and stop locations in the new system. Faculty, staff, students, and visitors are encouraged to check route planning resources at mymetrobus.com, such as:
Project planners designed the new transit system to increase the frequency of buses, decrease travel times, and improve the overall experience of riding the bus. When the new system launches, commuting by bus may become easier and more accessible for some UW community members. Learn more about the employee bus pass program.
UW employees can purchase low-cost bus passes from UW Transportation Services. Bus passes for the 2022-23 year are prorated and available for purchase with NetID login credentials at the eBusiness purchasing portal. UW-affiliated employees obtain bus passes from their employers.
UW-Madison students may obtain a student bus pass through ASM.
We understand =no two commutes are alike, and everyone’s unique circumstances affect how they travel. Transportation Services has many more commute ideas and benefits in addition to those listed above. For more questions about active and multimodal commutes to campus, contact Transportation Services tdm@fpm.wisc.edu or complete a Custom Route Planning form.
The RoundTrip program of the Greater Madison MPO has upgraded their online platform to help local commuters connect with convenient alternatives to driving alone. The free platform features a private UW-Madison RoundTrip network for employees or students who want to ride, bike, or walk together for daily commutes and one-time trips.
RoundTrip’s ride matching platform allows commuters to explore affordable, sustainable transportation options including carpooling, vanpooling, bicycling, and public transit. Features of the new platform include a multimodal trip planner with ride matching capabilities, a RideBoard for one-time trips, a personalized dashboard, and incentives programs. The online platform is also accessible in Spanish and Hmong.
For additional access options, users can download the CommuteTracker mobile app by RideAmigos for Android or iOS to access trip planning features and trip logging for incentives programs.
Those with a valid @wisc.edu email address (including sub-domains) may choose to join the private UW-Madison RoundTrip network. A special link is required to join the private UW-Madison network. Click the button below or copy/paste the link into a browser to register:
https://roundtripgreatermadison.org/#/networks/638a5cbdd239e52a6f123328?join=jhymjl
Register for UW-Madison RoundTrip Network
Carpooling is a great way to reduce the number of single-occupancy vehicle trips to campus. UW Transportation Services operates a carpool program with benefits and incentives for carpool members.
RoundTrip is one way for UW employees to locate other carpool members. Two or more employees who drive together most of the time can register a carpool, and three or more can apply for a UW carpool permit. Carpool permit applications get top priority during the annual permit application process. Learn about the benefits of the UW-Madison carpool program and how to apply.
For more questions about active and multimodal commuting, contact the Commuter Solutions team at tdm@fpm.wisc.edu or complete a Custom Route Planning form.
RoundTrip encourages all residents and commuters to make transportation choices like walking, bicycling, carpooling, public transit, and telework a daily habit. With over 70% of Dane County commuters driving alone to work pre-pandemic, these choices contribute to a more affordable, sustainable, and equitable transportation system, and a higher quality of life for all as Dane County grows. Learn more at roundtripgreatermadison.org.