Latest news with #TiffanyShepherd
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Milwaukee's streetcar has among the highest in derailments across U.S. transit systems, report says
Among U.S. public transit organizations, Milwaukee's streetcar had the highest rate of derailments last year when factoring in its shorter mileage, according to a Journal Sentinel analysis of U.S. Department of Transportation data. The Hop, a fixed-transit network stretching across a 2.1-mile loop, derailed five times last year, confirmed DPW spokesperson Tiffany Shepherd. Since it started running in 2018, the streetcar has derailed a dozen times, making last year the highest rate of derailment in its history, according to the U.S. DOT. Most derailments occurred last year because of issues with its switches. Despite a driver crashing into the streetcar last year, none of the reported derailments in 2024 were caused by collisions, confirmed Shepherd. "We reported all five incidents, even though they were very minor in nature and would have no way of verifying if all other transit agencies reported all incidents that were so minor," Shepherd wrote in a statement. "Safety is always our top priority, and there have been no injuries associated with these five incidents. The increase in these incidents is tied to a previously identified issue with a track switch, which occurs during winter months when melting snow impacts the switch mechanism. In these cases, the derailments were technical in nature. No full streetcar left the track, only a small portion of the wheel experienced a misalignment at the switch point. The streetcar was able to safely stop, reverse and realign itself without posing a risk to passengers or the public. In fact, to a bystander, the streetcar would have appeared fully on the track, as the incidents were brief and largely unnoticeable. Even passengers on board, would have been unaware that what they were experiencing was a reportable derailment. We have taken steps to address the issue, and permanent repairs to the infrastructure are planned. We remain committed to ensuring safe and reliable service," she wrote. Here's a breakdown of what caused Milwaukee's streetcar to derail last year, plus where Milwaukee landed among the U.S. transit organizations with the highest rates of derailment. The Milwaukee streetcar sits atop the list of public transit systems across the nation for its derailment rate. According to a Journal Sentinel analysis of DOT data, the Hop had over five derailments per 100,000 miles in 2024. That is higher than any other transit systems in the nation. The Journal Sentinel used the latest data from 2023 from the U.S. DOT Federal Transit Administration to track each public transit system's mileage traveled. Data includes derailment information from U.S. transit systems such as subways, light rail, commuter rail and trolleys. While other public transit systems in places like Massachusetts and California saw greater numbers of derailments, these transit systems cover far more mileage and in fact had lower derailment rates than Milwaukee's Hop. For example, the heavy rail in Boston had 33 derailments last year. However, it also traveled over 83 million miles in 2023, making its derailment rate much lower than that of Milwaukee. Most derailments in Milwaukee last year happened after the streetcar failed to change over on the switch point from one part of the track to the other. In these cases, the streetcar was able to back up on its own and realign itself. "All of these incidents were ones that caused very minimal disruption," Shepherd wrote in an email. During one incident, authorities saw parallel pavement score marks at the Burns Commons stop. The investigation showed a trainee and operator proceeding through the switch, causing the rear car to derail for more than five feet. Both of them later confirmed they felt a bump, but didn't report anything, according to data from the DOT. It's not the first time the electrical switches have caused problems. Last winter, riders experienced numerous shutdowns when electrical switches repeatedly failed due to exposure to snow and salt, according to city officials. When each shutdown occurred, officials had to inspect and clean out the switches before resuming service, resulting in disruptions for the L-Line, the route spanning from downtown to the lakefront. To make more permanent repairs, the city hopes to replace two of the switches, which will cost around $100,000 per switch, Shepherd previously wrote in an email. There are different types of railway systems in the U.S. Most can be classified as either light rail or heavy rail. The Hop is considered a streetcar, or a type of light rail, that has its tracks embedded in public streets. It also shares the road with other cars. Other light rails can have elevated platforms, different power sources, or tracks that are separated from other parts of the street. But they are more local compared to heavy rails. Heavy rails are generally larger railway systems that are fully separated from other traffic, often underground or elevated, and they often run much faster than light rails across a city or different cities. These are the transit organizations with the most derailments in 2024, according to the latest data from U.S. DOT: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Heavy Rail: 33 Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Light Rail: 10 San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District Heavy Rail: 10 New Orleans Regional Transit Authority Street Car Rail: 8 Utah Transit Authority Light Rail: 7 Denver Regional Transportation District Light Rail: 7 Chicago Transit Authority Heavy Rail: 7 Pittsburgh Regional Transit Light Rail: 6 MTA New York City Transit Heavy Rail: 6 City of Milwaukee Street Car Rail: 5 RELATED: Ridership of Milwaukee's streetcar The Hop sees slight uptick in passengers compared to previous year: Inside the data This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee's streetcar, the Hop, ranks high in derailments in 2024
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ridership of Milwaukee's streetcar The Hop sees slight uptick in passengers compared to previous year: Inside the data
Ridership of Milwaukee's streetcar ticked slightly upward last year with its highest monthly totals of rides thanks to a boost from Summerfest, according to new data posted on the organization's website. Until earlier this month, ridership data had not been updated since last August after the former streetcar manager submitted his resignation in October in lieu of discharge, according to city records. Following his resignation, the city hired engineering consulting firm HNTB in the interim to assist with operations, and posted the job listing last month to hire a replacement for the role. "We are always aiming for strong ridership numbers and we know that certain events, and weather play a part in that, but we didn't have any anticipated numbers per se," wrote DPW spokesperson Tiffany Shepherd in an email. Here's a breakdown of the most recent Hop ridership data. Total ridership for the Hop last year was 532,460 passengers, up slightly over the previous year from 494,445 passengers. That's a nearly 8% year-over-year increase. Ridership continues to increase since the COVID-19 pandemic, although it still falls short of total ridership numbers prior to 2020. The streetcar recorded more than 760,000 passengers in 2019, according to data on its website. Hop ridership dropped 28% during the RNC, held July 15-18 in downtown Milwaukee, compared to the same week in 2023. Ridership during Bastille Days also decreased 22% compared to 2023, with 14,269 riders taking it during the festival, held July 11-14. However, ridership increased 30% year-over-year during Summerfest with 28,383 total trips during the festival. An average of 3,154 passengers took the Hop during Summerfest, which ran nine days over a three-weekend stretch (June 20-22, June 27-29 and July 4-6). The Hop started running in 2018 and is a fixed-transit network stretching across a 2.1-mile route that runs in a loop through eastern downtown to the edge of the Historic Third Ward. Another .4-mile lakefront line through the Couture high-rise started last year. RELATED: Do visiting Republicans also think The Hop is a boondoggle? The Hop M-Line operates Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to midnight, Saturday from 7 a.m. to midnight, and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Streetcars arrive every 15 minutes during peak hours and every 20 minutes during off peak hours and on Sunday. The L-Line streetcar provides service to existing stations at Wisconsin Avenue northbound and southbound, City Hall northbound and southbound, Historic Third Ward eastbound, and stations Michigan at Jackson eastbound, Clybourn at Jefferson westbound, and the Lakefront inside the Couture transit plaza. Passengers can ride the streetcar for free. Complete ridership data for The Hop is available online at This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Ridership of Milwaukee's streetcar the Hop increases in 2024 over 2023
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Drivers owe Milwaukee nearly $41 million in unpaid parking tickets. Here's a breakdown
City officials are aiming to bolster revenue by issuing more parking citations this year, along with upping the cost of the fines. However, thousands of drivers still owe the city millions of dollars in unpaid parking tickets spanning back several years. The city is attempting to collect nearly $41 million in unpaid parking tickets issued between 2018 and 2024, according to city records. However, that number does not represent a budget shortfall, because the city doesn't count parking ticket money toward the budget until they receive it, said Department of Public Works spokesperson Tiffany Shepherd. At year end, the city collects about 60% of parking tickets issued annually on average, although that doesn't account for those who will pay their tickets months or even years later. Here's the latest breakdown of how much money drivers still owe Milwaukee in parking tickets, plus a look at how the city works to collect unpaid citations. Milwaukee is owed more than $37 million in unpaid parking tickets from Wisconsin drivers, and nearly $3.5 million from out-of-state drivers from tickets issued between 2018 and 2024, according to city data. The city routinely receives payments for citations issued up to seven years in the past, said Shepherd. City officials contract with a secondary collection agency to pursue delinquent citations, and to send collection notices and make collections calls. The city also uses the Wisconsin Tax Refund Interception Program for collections from in-state violators. People receiving a state income tax refund have the amount of their delinquent parking citations deducted from their refund. The city has collected between $1.5 million and $2.5 million annually from this tool. The most challenging citations to collect are from unregistered vehicles and out-of-state drivers, said Shepherd. Of the total current outstanding citations, more than a quarter, or $11.5 million, have no current vehicle information. "Despite the challenges, we remain committed to the ongoing pursuit of these collection efforts," wrote Shepherd in an email. The cost of a transportation fine increased by $12 on average in 2025. The largest fine increase was for parking in a handicapped area, with the fine jumping up by $100, according to data provided by the city's Budget Office. The city is projected to issue 500,000 parking tickets in 2025, all because the city worked to fill vacant parking enforcement officer positions in the past year, said Shepherd. That's a jump from an expected 456,000 parking tickets issued in the city last year. "In 2025, we're not issuing a massive amount of tickets. We're still below average of what the city used to issue pre-COVID," said Shepherd. In 2018, the city issued 636,535 parking citations across Milwaukee, she said. More expensive parking tickets are among a list of fee increases proposed by the city to close a gap between the city's revenues and its costs to continue providing services at the same levels. RELATED: Milwaukee sees declines in violent and property crimes in 2024: 'Should motivate all of us' RELATED: Milwaukee parking-ticket scam: Text messages distributing fake overdue notices Alison Dirr contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee is owed nearly $41 million in unpaid parking tickets
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Milwaukee's streetcar will be delayed Monday after crash suspended service over the weekend
Milwaukee's streetcar is running a reduced schedule Monday after a crash suspended service over the weekend, a Department of Public Works spokesperson said. Initial reports suggest a driver ran a red light near Broadway and Wisconsin avenues and collided with the streetcar Sunday afternoon, according to DPW spokesperson Tiffany Shepherd. Milwaukee Police are investigating the crash. No injuries were reported from the crash and the driver of the vehicle was cited, confirmed police. Service on the Hop's M-Line, spanning from eastern downtown to the Historic Third Ward, will be provided Monday every 20 minutes to the streetcar stations, instead of every 15 minutes. The L-line is running on its normal schedule. Milwaukee's streetcar The Hop is a fixed-transit network stretching across a 2.1-mile route that runs in a loop through eastern downtown to the edge of the Historic Third Ward. Another 4-mile lakefront line through the Couture high-rise building started last year. RELATED: Milwaukee's streetcar keeps breaking down, here's why This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee streetcar The Hop: Delayed schedule Monday after car crash
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Milwaukee's streetcar keeps breaking down, here's why
Riders of Milwaukee's streetcar are experiencing numerous shutdowns as its electrical switches repeatedly fail due to exposure to snow and salt, according to city officials. During recent snow storms, when salt is applied to the streetcar to melt the snow, it can result in water pooling in the electrical switch. This pooling can cause the circuit to short out, confirmed Department of Public Works spokesperson Tiffany Shepherd. When each shutdown happens, officials have to inspect and clean out the switches before resuming service, which can create service disruptions for the L-line, the route spanning from downtown to the Historic Third Ward. To make more permanent repairs, the city hopes to replace the switches when the weather is warmer. Replacement switches will cost around $100,000 per switch, Shepherd said in an email. Milwaukee's streetcar The Hop is a fixed-transit network stretching across a 2.1-mile route that runs in a loop through eastern downtown to the edge of the Historic Third Ward. Another 4-mile lakefront line through the Couture high-rise building started last year. These breakdowns come while Milwaukee's streetcar is facing an series of challenges as city officials work to rehire a manager after a former streetcar manager was forced to resign last fall, city records show. France-based transportation company Transdev operates the streetcar system. City officials submitted a letter last October to the company stating it had a "loss of confidence in Transdev's ability to operate the Milwaukee Streetcar System safely and provide the required service." For more information, you can visit its website at RELATED: Ridership of Milwaukee's streetcar, The Hop, dropped nearly 30% during the RNC RELATED: Ridership of Milwaukee's streetcar, The Hop, dropped nearly 30% during the RNC This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee's The Hop breaks down after electrical switches short
