5. Vans for every address, and e-bikes for the last mile
What we chose: fare-free on-demand vans in five zones that feed the Hubs, plus citywide service every night from 12:30 to 5 a.m. Alongside them, e-bikes and adaptive e-trikes at every Hub and key stop, all year.
What else we considered:
- More small bus routes into low-density areas.
- Paratransit only, for riders who qualify.
- Seasonal bike share only.
Why: some places are too spread out for a frequent bus. Instead of running near-empty routes, we give those areas vans you can book in the app or with a button at any Hub. Booking details are coming. Medical trips get booked first. When a zone fills up, it graduates into a fixed route, the same growth rule used by the Chicago suburbs' Pace system.
E-bikes turn a 20-minute walk into a 5-minute ride, so the last mile stops being a barrier. Adaptive e-trikes make that true for seniors and riders who need more stability. Peers like Wilson, North Carolina, have shown that a citywide van network can work in a city of Sheboygan's size.
Frequency on the lines. Coverage with the vans.