MILWAUKEE, Wis. – As the Milwaukee County Transit System prepares for an audit following sudden news of a nearly 11-million dollar budget deficit, the organization is partially blaming fare skipping for its current financial troubles.
According to a release Wednesday, MCTS staff estimate that 2024 fare evasion reduced MCTS revenues by approximately $4 million, with a system-wide evasion rate of 25%. The resolution directs MCTS to provide strategic recommendations for the 2026 budget to reduce fare evasion across the system – while also ensuring that any new enforcement tools or personnel do not increase safety risks for drivers or passengers.
Supervisors Shawn Rolland, Jack Eckblad, Kathleen Vincent, Patti Logsdon, and Sky Z. Capriolo are planning to introduce a Milwaukee County Board resolution requesting MCTS “develop a data-informed fare compliance strategy aimed at strengthening revenue and ensuring long-term system sustainability without compromising rider or operator safety”.
“It’s time for the culture of fare evasion on Milwaukee County buses to come to an end,” said Supervisor Rolland. “A large number of our neighbors rely on the bus for all of their transportation needs. But I also see how many people avoid paying their bus fares – sometimes unintentionally, sometimes very intentionally. Many of the people I see avoid paying are not those in poverty – they’re lawyers and businesspeople heading downtown!”
“MCTS needs reforms like this, and as a board, we need to stand ready to support them,” added Supervisor Eckblad. “Milwaukee without public transportation is not an option.”
In particular, the CONNECT 1: Wisconsin Avenue Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route is seeing a disproportionate amount of fare evasion: the data shared Wednesday indicates 33% of passengers aren’t paying to ride. The supervisors’ resolution also asks MCTS to submit, by the September 2025 Board cycle, a security and compliance plan for CONNECT 1 that either implements a more rigorous fare-enforcement model to match systemwide compliance rates; or discontinues the pre-board payment system and transitions to fare payment upon bus entry.
MCTS has adopted a policy for its drivers not to stop riders who can’t, or won’t, pay from using the bus. That policy allows bus drivers to request the fare only once from a passenger. If the passenger does not pay after the initial request, the driver is instructed not to ask again, and the passenger is allowed to ride. The policy was implemented out of concern for drivers’ safety from unruly passengers.
The fare skipping resolution is the latest chapter of the ongoing financial difficulties MCTS is facing. On June 17th, the system revealed it was facing a $10.9 million budget deficit, which came as a surprise to County leaders. Comptroller Liz Sumner was among those caught off guard by the news, and announced June 27th the County had requested an audit of MCTS to discover the root cause of the issues. MCTS has said unexpected expenses that contributed to the deficit include price increases on commodities and paratransit services, as well as overtime costs.
READ MORE: Milwaukee County Comptroller recommends audit of MCTS over nearly $11 million deficit
Those reasons were explained to the Committee on Finance June 18th by Milwaukee County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) Executive Director Donna Brown-Martin. By the end of the month, Brown-Martin had announced her resignation from the position.
County Executive David Crowley told WTMJ Thursday there was a “strong possibility” that the impending audit may have factored into Brown-Martin’s decision.
READ MORE: Milwaukee County transportation executive director steps down following MCTS audit request
As a result of the deficit, MCTS will reduce service this fall by approximately 20,000 hours. The service reduction will last through the end of the year, and will affect non-peak weekday high-frequency routes as well as Saturday frequency levels, which would mirror Sunday service levels.
The Supervisor’s fare skipping resolution is expected to be brought up when the Transportation and Transit Committee meets on July 9th. That meeting could also be the first time MCTS Interim President Julie Esch addresses the deficit since it was originally reported.
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