MCTS announces changes to bus service; fall schedule begins Aug. 24
MCTS announces changes to bus service
The Milwaukee County Transit System on Tuesday announced changes to bus service that start later this month.
MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) announced on Tuesday, Aug. 5 changes to their bus service. These changes start on Sunday, August 24, 2025.
Service changes
What we know:
The fall service changes will impact 40 of its 46 routes across Milwaukee County and include 95 new bus stop locations and four new routes.
Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS)
According to a news release, fall service changes are due in part to the MOVE 2025 plan as well as changes to improve the reliability of service on multiple routes.
Fall also means the return of UBUS school service. Additionally, several route schedules will be modified due to new long-term road construction.
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Some routes will experience less frequency due to the MCTS budget shortfall. In June, officials cited unexpected expenses and low passenger revenue as the cause.
MCTS added that it will continue pursuing grants and partnerships to keep public transit accessible.
MCTS
Riders can check the Umo app for updated routing and real-time information starting on August 24 or see route previews at RideMCTS.com/Schedules the week of August 11 for more details.
MOVE 2025 plan
Dig deeper:
The MOVE 2025 plan includes routes with more frequent service, new routes and extensions as well as modifications to existing routes to better serve riders.
- More Frequent Service: Route 57, Route 63, and BlueLine
- New Routes: Route 59 (Drexel Avenue), Route 73 (Mill Road), Route 74 (S. 43rd Street - Miller Park Way), and Route 82 (S. 13th – Howell Avenue).
- Route Extensions/New Connections: Routes 14, 30, 52, 56, and 68.
- Route Modifications: Routes 19, 20, 28, 51, 55, 58, BlueLine, RedLine, and PurpleLine.
What you can do:
To learn more about this project and to view maps and other details, visit RideMCTS.com/MOVE.
Riders react
What they're saying:
However, not all riders are happy with the changes.
Corey Strong is a frequent rider of Route 12. Come this fall, his route is one of the 17 that people will have to wait a little longer to catch during the middays and Saturdays.
MCTS
He said he isn’t worried about the adjustments.
"I catch this bus all the time," Strong said. "By me riding the bus all the time, I’m used to waiting anyway, so it’s not really going to affect me."
Other riders disagreed. Cassandra Vance and Kelvon Rederford, who also take the 12, said the wait times are already a problem.
"That’s even more messed up to wait another hour for a bus. We might as well walk," Vance said.
"Like 32, almost 45 minutes for it to come anyway," Rederford added.
Vance said the added delays feel like a breaking point.
"They might as well just not have no buses, period, if they’re going to keep doing this," she said.
The Source: The information in this post was provided by the Milwaukee County Transit System and MCTS riders.