MILWAUKEE, Wis. – A plan authored by a Milwaukee County supervisor would place uniformed security personnel onboard Milwaukee County Transit System buses and at select bus stops following months of scrutiny over a budget deficit and widespread fare evasion.

Supervisor Shawn Rolland’s pilot proposal would allocate $620,965 to fund the security team. It comes as the system continues to deal with passengers not paying to ride the bus following data indicating the practice reduced MCTS revenues by approximately $4 million in 2024, with a system-wide evasion rate estimated at 33% of all rides.

“It’s ​something ​that ​we ​can’t ​allow ​to ​exist. ​We ​all ​know ​it’s ​wrong. ​We ​all ​see ​it’s ​happening, ​and ​it ​has ​to ​stop” Rolland tells WTMJ.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: MCTS shares progress on budget deficit, addresses fare evasion plans

The pilot funding would come from dollars previously earmarked for security camera replacements at various County locations including the Criminal Justice Facility, which houses the Milwaukee County Jail, from the 2026 capital budget. Rolland says the cameras have artificial intelligence capabilities, and that the county board “has asked for a more robust AI policy to be put in place before approving widespread use of the technology”.

But the Sheriff’s Office took issue with that claim, calling it misleading. “While replacement cameras are capable of object identification, such as distinguishing a person from a chair, they are not facial recognition cameras” the office noted in a statement, adding they were never given an opportunity to share concerns about the reallocation with the pilot program’s sponsors.

U.S. Congressman Bryan Steil, who’s district includes some of southern Milwaukee County, authored his own “No Free Rides Act” proposal that would prohibit local transit agencies from receiving federal funds if they implement universal fare free policies. Steil cited MCTS’s fare evasion issues in his legislation.

“Federal funds are intended to strengthen and sustain public transportation, not give free rides to people who cheat the system,” said Steil. “Whether it’s refusing to simply request fare from riders, or eliminating fares entirely, these policies not only push local transit agencies like MCTS toward insolvency, but are fundamentally unfair to the hardworking families who rely on public transportation, follow the rules, and pay their fares.”

Rolland tells WTMJ because the Steil bill specifically targets transit agencies with a free fare policy, it wouldn’t apply to MCTS. “We ​don’t ​have ​a ​policy ​like ​that. ​We ​continue ​to ​have ​a ​policy ​where ​people ​pay ​to ​ride ​the ​bus. ​I ​pay ​to ​ride ​the ​bus ​every ​day,” said Rolland.

The fare evasion pilot will be considered by the County Committee on Fianance along with several other 2026 budget proposals October 24.

https://wtmj.com/news/2025/10/23/pilot-program-proposed-to-combat-mcts-fare-evasion/