Milwaukee County Transit System

The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) is the largest transit agency in Wisconsin, and is the primary transit provider for Milwaukee County. It ranks among the top 50 transit agencies in the United States for total passenger trips. Milwaukee Transport Services, Inc. is a quasi-governmental agency responsible for the management and operation of the Milwaukee County Transit System. Its bus fleet consists of 369 buses. In 2025, the system had a ridership of 25,328,400, or about 73,200 per weekday as of the fourth quarter of 2025.

History

Public transit operations began in Milwaukee in 1860. The service consisted of two horse-drawn cars. On June 1, 1975, Milwaukee County took over the bus system and established the Milwaukee County Transit System after taking over the assets of the Milwaukee & Suburban Transport Company, a private operator.

In 2009, Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle proposed a three-county Regional Transit Authority that would incorporate MCTS. The proposal faced opposition from some lawmakers and the Regional Transit Authority was never created.

In late 2013 and into the early part of 2014, MCTS began debuting new technology on board buses. This included introducing real-time bus information allowing passengers to track the exact location of buses, new fareboxes and an electronic fare system by virtue of a smart card (M•CARD), and a stop announcement system complete with visual and audio information. Clever Devices is the provider of the real-time bus information and stop annunciator system, whereas the new fareboxes were provided by Scheidt & Bachmann.

MCTS NEXT

In 2018, MCTS began a comprehensive study and overview of the entire fixed-route system and began the process of implementing a new system with faster service, more connections, and easier-to-understand routes. Multiple community meetings and forums were held to gather public input on the project. Before the project, only about 40% of the system was high-frequency routes, defined as routes on which buses come every 15 minutes during peak hours. The consensus from the study was that riders wanted faster service and were willing to walk an extra distance to bus stops. MCTS presented two options - transition the system to an 80-20 model, meaning 80% of the routes would be high-frequency, or a 60-40 model with 60% of the routes high-frequency, the latter being what the public ultimately decided. MCTS analyzed every bus stop in the system and removed some lightly used bus stops to speed up service. The system overhaul was implemented in three phases during 2021, starting on March 7. This first phase included modifications to several routes and introduced two new ones. The second phase, on June 6, 2021, involved changes to the PurpleLine and various numbered routes, plus four new additions. The final phase on August 29, 2021, affected the BlueLine and multiple other routes, added three new ones, and retired two lines. Ridership increased by 14% after the first phase was implemented.

Response to COVID-19

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, face masks were required on all MCTS buses. In the early stages of the pandemic, there was a passenger limit of 10 passengers per bus, which was increased to 15, but rescinded on July 1, 2021. Passengers were encouraged to limit interaction with the bus driver, exit through the back door, and to use contactless fare forms, such as the M•CARD or Ride MCTS app.

Fare collection

In mid-2023, MCTS transitioned from the M•CARD pass scheme to the WisGo smartcard and Umo mobile app. The M•CARD became invalid on October 1, 2023. A non-expiring stored value system replaced fixed-period passes, and the previous Go Pass and reduced fare programs were merged. Tap-to-pay validators replaced the prior method of presenting mobile codes to transit personnel for app users.

As of 2026, the system supports digital payments through various credit card and mobile payment methods. WisGo and Umo users receive free time-based transfers. Fare capping is also a core feature, limiting fares to set daily, weekly, and monthly maximums. On-board cash payments remain an option, but do not qualify for transfers or fare capping.

U-Pass and Commuter Value Pass

As part of the overhaul, the previous U-Pass system was replaced by U-Pass WisGo. This separate smartcard provides students in Milwaukee County with unlimited rides through participating universities and colleges. Commuter Value Pass (CVP) users receive a similar employer-issued WisGo card, retaining the same benefits as the original program. Both U-Pass and CVP WisGo holders may also use the Umo app.

CONNECT 1 BRT

The East-West BRT (Bus Rapid Transit), now known as the CONNECT 1 BRT, is a 9-mile (14 km) route that serves the region's most traveled corridor. The BRT route runs primarily along Wisconsin Avenue in Milwaukee and Bluemound Road in Wauwatosa, connecting riders from Downtown Milwaukee and Marquette University to the west side of the city to the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center (MRMC). Its goal is to connect thousands of people to and from work, universities, and recreational centers. It features battery-electric buses with USB charging, off-board fare collection, special bus shelters with ramps for ADA accessibility, and dedicated travel lanes along portions of the route.

In late 2018, the project design was finalized and subsequently received federal approval. MCTS utilized a Small Starts Grant Agreement from the Federal Transit Administration, which accounts for $40.9 million of the $55 million project.

On March 11, 2021, MCTS announced they selected Nova Bus as the manufacturer of 15 LFSe+ battery-electric buses, 11 of which will be used for the new BRT line. MCTS was the first transit system in the United States to have been awarded a contract for Nova LFSe+ buses. The CONNECT 1 officially debuted June 4, 2023. The delivery of the Nova LFSe+ buses has been significantly delayed due to supply chain issues. The first 9 buses were delivered by October 2022. On August 25, 2023, these 9 electric buses were temporarily pulled from service due to a battery recall as a result of a potential manufacturing issue. Nova Bus financed the battery replacements, and all eventually returned to service. Subsequently, 1009 and 1010 were delivered around October 2023, and 1011 and 1012 were delivered in May 2024. The remaining two buses of the 15-bus order, 1013 and 1014, were delivered and put into service in late Summer 2024. The off-board fare equipment was also significantly delayed due to supply chain issues, resulting in an extension of the free fare period for the CONNECT 1 until April 8, 2024. It is estimated that by 2035, MCTS Connect will average more than 9,500 weekday riders, with overall transit ridership in the corridor increasing by 17%. On June 2, 2024, the line was extended to The Couture, stopping at a transit concourse at the base of the building that is shared with The Hop.

Bus routes

Beginning in early 2012, MCTS introduced express bus routes under the brand MetroEXpress. The GreenLine, RedLine, PurpleLine, and BlueLine routes feature wider stop spacing and more frequent peak service compared with regular routes.

All freeway flyer routes, including three numbered routes, as well as the Cream Puff Line (Wisconsin State Fair service), the Summerfest Shuttle, and the Brewers Line (game day services to American Family Field), were formally discontinued toward the end of 2022 due to a projected budget shortfall in 2025. The three "UBUS" routes continued normal operations. In 2023, MCTS operated two Summerfest freeway flyer routes from the College Avenue Park and Ride lot, and the Brown Deer Road East Park and Ride lot.

The CONNECT 1 Bus Rapid Transit route officially began June 4, 2023, operating between Downtown Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center via Wisconsin Avenue in Milwaukee and Bluemound Road in Wauwatosa. It was the first BRT route in the state of Wisconsin joined a year later in 2024 by the Metro Transit Rapid A route in Madison.

Other projects

North-South Transit Enhancement Project

Milwaukee County, MCTS, and the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SEWRPC) are engaged in a study of the 27th Street Corridor. A considerable number of jobs, shopping centers, and medical facilities are along this corridor, currently served by the PurpleLine. This project plans to enhance transit along 27th Street by re-imagining the PurpleLine as a BRT line, which would add a second route to the CONNECT BRT system. While the current PurpleLine is already a pseudo-express route, it does not offer authentic express service for the majority of the route, as on average, stops are 0.2 miles (1,100 ft; 0.32 km; 320 m) apart. This is one of the aspects of transit in this corridor that this project will address. Furthermore, this project aims to address racial inequalities in the transit system, reduce reckless driving along 27th Street, attract new riders, and overall improve the quality of transit in this corridor.

However, in late August 2024, Milwaukee County officials recommended and later approved the shelving of the Connect 2 project for an indeterminate amount of time due to budgetary concerns. The pausing of the project, according to County Supervisors, will allow MCTS to remain financially solvent until 2028.

Bus fleet

Active

In May 2022, Milwaukee County applied for $55.2 million in federal grants to fund 32 battery-electric and 60 clean-diesel buses, though the request was not awarded. Subsequent funding for fleet replacement included $8.4 million in state grants awarded in March 2023 for 16 battery-electric buses.

On March 19, 2025, MCTS introduced a new primary livery, replacing the blue, green, and yellow scheme used since 2010. The design uses a light blue, dark blue, and yellow pattern with stylized graphics depicting the Milwaukee Art Museum and the Hoan Bridge. Later that year, the system secured $8 million through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) program. This included close to $6 million for 20 clean-diesel buses scheduled for delivery in 2027 and 2028. An additional $1 million in federal funding for bus replacements was announced in February 2026.

Retired

See: Milwaukee & Suburban Transport Corporation for vehicles delivered pre-MCTS era.

Ridership

See also

• The Hop
• List of bus transit systems in the United States

External links