New Fare System Coming For Milwaukee County Transit Buses

MILWAUKEE, WI — Milwaukee County Transit System announced Monday it will be moving to a new fare collection system in the fall of 2022. The system is designed to increase transit equity and to fit the needs of riders, even those without smartphones or bank accounts.

Riders will be able to choose to pay for their trips by contactless credit cards, mobile phones with a new app, a new smart card or with cash, according to the news release.

The new cloud-based system is called Umo, and it will eventually replace the current M-Card system and MCTS mobile app. It works faster than the current system and offers immediate payment validation on buses, MCTS says in the news release. To use Umo, riders will be able to create an account through the app that can also provide bus tracking and trip planning, MCTS says.

“MCTS is working to reduce barriers to accessing public transit by introducing flexibility in transit fare collection to accommodate the needs of all potential riders.," County Executive David Crowley said in the news release.

Fares will be capped, meaning riders can purchase whatever they can afford while still getting a discount of a weekly or monthly pass, said MCTS Managing Director Dan Boehm in the news release.

People will be able to add funds to their accounts at retail locations as well as through the app with a credit or debit card. MCTS said it plans on launching a community education effort on the new fare collection system in the spring. The new equipment is expected to be installed on busses later in the fall.