‘MCTS Excellence’ Video Series Honored with Prestigious National Award

MILWAUKEE (July 22, 2019) — The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) has awarded the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) with its 2019 APTA Innovation Award for the world–renowned ‘MCTS Excellence’ program.

MCTS Excellence began in late 2016 as a video series posted on the company’s website and official social media accounts. Each video, which is produced in-house by the MCTS Marketing Department, uses bus surveillance footage to tell a unique story that highlights an employee’s act of kindness or compassion.

Recent videos have shown bus drivers finding lost children, helping riders who are visually impaired cross the street, assisting passengers suffering from medical emergencies, pulling a crash victim from a burning car, and helping connect a homeless man with a new place to live.

“MCTS Excellence is a testament to the hard work, heroism and humanity that our employees bring to the job every day; not only to get riders from Point A to Point B, but to ensure all of our residents are safe and secure,” said Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele. “I commend the dedicated men and women who work on the road and behind the scenes for this well-deserved national recognition.”

Videos highlighting MCTS employees regularly go viral and have been viewed hundreds of millions of times thanks to the broad reach of social media, TV, radio, newspapers and other media outlets.

Dozens of celebrities have shared MCTS Excellence videos online and extended special invitations to MCTS employees. One bus driver was flown to a taping of the Ellen DeGeneres Show and later participated in an on-stage Q&A session with singer Kelly Clarkson. Another driver was asked to be a contestant on a nationally televised game show.

A driver was featured as an ‘Everyday Hero’ in Time Magazine’s ‘Person of the Year’ edition and later named ‘Hero of the Year’ by the American Red Cross of Southeast Wisconsin. Other employees have received honors, awards and commendations from MCTS, the City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, the State of Wisconsin, the Milwaukee Bucks, trade organizations and even from the animal rights group PETA.

“We want to thank APTA for this prestigious honor,” said MCTS Managing Director Dan Boehm. “The MCTS Excellence video series is showcasing our incredible team, bringing positive attention to the entire industry and shining a spotlight on public transportation’s vital role in our community.”

“Congratulations to MCTS for receiving the 2019 APTA Innovation Award for its MCTS Excellence video series that focuses on bus drivers’ acts of kindness and heroism,” said APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas. “These innovative videos have received extensive high-profile national and international media coverage. Thanks to MCTS Excellence, millions of people now have a positive image of bus drivers, not only in Milwaukee, but throughout the country.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.