- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Wausau Today
By the People, for the People
Wausau Considers Shift to Electric Buses for Metro Ride
City weighs feasibility study to prepare garage for future EV transition
Apr. 10, 2026 at 10:26pm
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
As Wausau explores the future of its public transit fleet, a close examination of the materials that power its current buses reveals the challenges and opportunities of an electric vehicle transition.Wausau TodayThe city of Wausau, Wisconsin is exploring a long-term shift from gas-powered buses to electric vehicles for its public transportation system, Metro Ride. The first step is conducting a feasibility study to determine what changes need to be made to Metro Ride's garage in order to support the charging and maintenance of electric buses.
Why it matters
As cities across the country work to reduce carbon emissions and modernize their public transit fleets, Wausau's consideration of electric buses for Metro Ride aligns with broader sustainability goals. The feasibility study will help the city prepare its infrastructure for an eventual transition, which could lead to significant fuel cost savings but also requires upfront investments.
The details
Metro Ride is currently replacing its aging fleet of gas-powered buses, some of which have over 400,000 miles. The city is using a grant to purchase 10 new clean diesel buses this fall. However, the long-term plan is to shift to electric vehicles, which would require upgrades to the system's garage and charging capabilities. The city's finance committee will decide on April 14 whether to fund an $8,000 feasibility study to assess the changes needed to support electric buses.
- Metro Ride is replacing 10 aging buses this fall using a grant.
- The city's finance committee will vote on funding the feasibility study on April 14, 2026.
- The feasibility study is expected to begin this summer if approved.
The players
Metro Ride
Wausau's public transportation system that operates a fleet of buses.
Ronald Schuenke II
Transit Director for Metro Ride.
What they’re saying
“So you can do the math on that and see that we've got our useful life out of them. Most of them have 400,000 miles on them.”
— Ronald Schuenke II, Transit Director
“The plan behind the study was to look towards the future of Metro Ride. Currently, we don't have a facility that would be able to go to electric buses. That was the big start, was what would have to happen if we were to go electric. Now, the reality is we probably won't go electric for a while.”
— Ronald Schuenke II, Transit Director
What’s next
If the feasibility study is approved, it would begin this summer and provide the city with a roadmap for the infrastructure changes needed to support an eventual transition to electric buses for Metro Ride.
The takeaway
Wausau's consideration of electric buses for its public transit system reflects a broader trend among cities to modernize fleets and reduce carbon emissions. While the transition may take time, the feasibility study will help the city prepare its garage and charging capabilities for an eventual shift to more sustainable transportation options.
