Daily Bus Fare Caps Being Rolled Out In Milwaukee County This Spring

MILWAUKEE, WI — Bus riders across Milwaukee County in the spring will be switching to a new system that caps fares in an effort to save money for frequent riders, the Milwaukee County Transit System announced Monday.

With the new system, riders will pay as they go without the need to purchase daily, weekly or monthly passes. The fare capping comes with a new cost structure, and works because the system automatically deducts the lowest amount the rider owes, MCTS said. The system does the math because each fare validator on buses knows automatically how many times the person has paid the fare.

The new payment structure is $2 per ride for regular fare riders with a cap of $4 per day. Reduced fare riders, including kids, seniors and people with a disability, will pay $1 per ride with a cap of $2 per day, according to MCTS.

Related: Milwaukee County Buses Transfer To New Fare Collection App

Major metro areas around the world use a similar system including London, Portland and New York. The new fare collection system is called WisGo, and it is rolling out in two phases: First, the Umo app will have full features in March, then the WisGo system goes live in April.

People who are still using the M-Card system will have until September to make the switch, MCTS said.

“Milwaukee County deserves what transit-savvy cities around the globe offer: a flexible, easy-to-use fare collection system. With WisGo’s account-based system, riders get access to the best price through fare capping, a simpler fare structure, and the convenience of multiple ways to pay,” said Interim Managing Director Denise Wandke in a news release. “We are always looking at ways to enhance the rider experience and introducing Milwaukee to a more regional and national travel planning system is not only going to do that but make it easier for new riders to try public transit.”

Riders will continue to have multiple ways to pay beyond the Umo mobile app, which already accepts cards and Apple Pay. Further, if a rider reachers a fare cap but scans again, the fare will not be deducted. Riders will still also be able to pay with cash across routes but the fare capping will not apply for them, MCTS said.

With the looming changes, MCTS encouraged people to use up the M-Card balances as soon as possible, noting that the new Bus Rapid Transit line will not accept M-Cards.

You can find more information about the changes and WisGo at RideMCTS.com/WisGo.