MILWAUKEE — No more paying as riders board the bus on the Milwaukee County Transit Bus’s CONNECT 1 lines. As of Monday, April 15th, CONNECT 1 passengers must pre-pay for their bus fares through their WisGo card or the Umo app. Riders must make sure they have funds on those payment options before scanning them on the outdoor platform validator at the CONNECT 1 bus station. Only then may they proceed to board.
Director of Business Services Jennifer Ortega told WTMJ how the process goes on this rapid transit bus line during a demonstration.
Riders have the option to enter the bus on the front or back door after they scan, and if they only have cash or a credit/debit card, they can pay on the Ticket Vending Machine, which is also at the bus station, for a 90 minute ticket that they can also scan on the kiosk. All bus ticket prices are the same no matter how riders pay, and during the first week of this prepayment system, MCTS employees, bus operators, and support staff will assists riders in using the new process.
Ortega said one of the reasons why they made the change to pre-pay was because the pay at the front option usually takes about 5 to 9 seconds to do, and riders wanted a quicker process.
“Off board fare collection is one of the features that keeps the rapid in bus rapid transit,” she said. “It takes roughly about 169 milliseconds(.17 seconds) or a snap of the fingers to pre-pay your fare and board.”
She said they hope to make even more changes to the Milwaukee County Transit System in the future.
“That’s one of our core values here: looking towards improving technology for our riders,” she said. “I know there will be studies done for the north and south BRT route… those are currently underway, and more to come in the next few years. Just keep your eye on Milwaukee. We are bringing innovation to everyone.”
The CONNECT 1 is the first bus rapid transit line in Wisconsin.
