Milwaukee County Transit System

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

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 onboard 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 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 get 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 the 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 on. 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, starting on June 6, 2021, involved changes to the PurpleLine and various numbered routes, plus four new additions. The final phase started 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 limit of 10 passengers per bus, which was increased to 15, but that increase was rescinded on July 1, 2021. Passengers were encouraged to limit interaction with the bus driver, exit through the back door, and use contactless fare forms, such as the M•CARD or the Ride MCTS app.

Active

In May 2022, Milwaukee County applied for $55.2 million in federal grants to fund 32 battery-electric and 60 clean-diesel buses; 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.

As of August 8, 2026, the 39 Gillig Low Floor clean-diesel buses have been delivered and placed into service.

Retired

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