Milwaukee County Transit System Reminds Riders That the M-Card Will No Longer Be Valid on Buses Starting October 1, 2023

MILWAUKEE (August 9, 2023) — Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) launched a new fare collection system on April 1, 2023, giving riders a six-month lead time to make the change from the old M-Card to the new WisGo system. Starting Sunday, October 1, M-Cards will no longer be valid on MCTS buses. The deadline to add stored value to M-Cards has already passed.

The M-Card fare collection system launched back in 2014, nearly ten years ago. Since then, payment systems have improved, allowing riders a greater variety of features and payment options, such as fare capping, payment through Google Pay or Apple Pay, and automatic loading of stored value onto accounts. Cash will always be an option (on CONNECT 1, cash can be used in the Ticket Vending Machines for single ride tickets prior to boarding), but riders do not gain the benefits available via the card or app, such as free transfers within a 90-minute window.

More than 160,000 MCTS riders have already switched to the WisGo card or Umo app, with the vast majority choosing the app. Feedback from riders about WisGo has been positive.

• “I made the switch months ago and save almost 50 bucks a month with fare capping!”
• “The new fare capping system is a big improvement. Thanks for making riding the bus easier and better!”
• “Love that MCTS capped daily bus fares at $4 a day. I’m taking the bus daily now just to see more of Milwaukee.”
• “One thing I really like about the Umo app for MCTS is how easy it is to both access and add funds to. My girlfriend had run out of funds the other day and it took her maybe 30 seconds to add funds and scan her phone.”

New WisGo cards are available at dozens of locations throughout Milwaukee County, including Pick ‘N Save, Metro Market, Community Financial and  El Rey (see the full list at RideMCTS.com/WisGoLocations).

Riders can also conveniently add stored value to their online accounts. There is no longer a need to purchase daily, weekly or monthly passes, as the new system automatically charges less, the more one rides, capping fares without the inconvenience of a pass. MCTS plans to have WisGo cards for purchase online during the fourth quarter of 2023. Those who have yet to make the switch may contact Customer Service to transfer existing M-Card balances to the Umo app or a WisGo card by calling (414) 937-3218.

For more information, please visit RideMCTS.com/Fares.

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.