MCTS to Increase Bus Driver Safety

The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) announced two new pilot programs to improve safety for both bus drivers and riders. The programs, which will enhance existing efforts to address security and fare evasion, are funded by safety initiatives introduced during the county’s 2026 budget process.

The 2026 Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office Transit Security Pilot Program will place law enforcement on select routes to respond to significant safety and security incidents. The 2026 Bus Fare Compliance Program will expand the agency’s Public Safety Officer Program to discourage fare evasion.

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley is committed to keeping transit safe and sustainable, partnering with public safety partners, law enforcement officials, and local leaders. He remarked, “It’s important for our riders, operators, and their loved ones to feel safe while using the bus to get to work, school, and other destinations that are important to daily life.”

The new initiatives will improve staffing, technology, and infrastructure. In addition to the presence of security personnel, new buses will be equipped with passenger-facing CCTV screens to remind riders they are being recorded. MCTS also plans to test larger operator shields, offering more robust protection for bus drivers.

MCTS safety programs have shown success. Since the Public Safety Officer Program began in 2024, driver assaults have been reduced by half and there has been an increase in the apprehension of offenders.