MANITOWOC (NBC 26) — An ADA transportation service in Manitowoc is preparing to close its local operations, while the city looks to take over those services through Maritime Metro Transit.
Watch the full broadcast here:
Assist to Transport provides rides to people with health conditions or disabilities that prevent them from using regular city bus routes. The company is ceasing its Manitowoc operations by the end of the year — a move it says will also eliminate 39 jobs.
Now, the City of Manitowoc plans to take over the service through Maritime Metro Transit.
For riders like Jacky Breech, the service is a vital part of daily life. She said she has been using Assist to Transport for about seven years, taking rides at least twice a week.
"I use Assist to Transport to volunteer at various places, to get to medical appointments," Breech said.
"It's very important to me," Breech added. "Otherwise I'd be sitting in my house all day every day."
When I asked her how it felt to hear the service would be changing, she described her reaction.
"My stomach dropped," Breech said. "A little concerned about how the transition is going and that services will be as good as what they are now."
Mayor Justin Nickels said this was something the city was looking at even before the company's announcement. He said many neighbors raised concerns about long wait times, and some even said they were never picked up.
"We let the company know about those concerns and that the contract expires at the end of the year and we are gonna be taking a hard look at whether or not to extend that," Nickels said.
Nickels said he expects few changes and a smooth transition.
"The only big change is this would just be the City of Manitowoc," Nickels said.
"Hopefully we can provide better customer service too because we are not in this to make a profit we are in this to provide a service to the community," Nickels said.
The city's Public Works Committee is expected to discuss the plan Thursday. After that meeting, they will begin the hiring process.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
