Milwaukee Public Schools is considering sending more students on county buses to cut transportation costs. The district needs to cut roughly $3.5 million from its transportation budget for the year that began in July 2026.
Current Transportation System
Currently, about a fifth of Milwaukee Public Schools high schoolers ride Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) buses to school. Students who live more than seven miles from their high school are assigned to MCTS, while those within seven miles typically ride a yellow bus.
MCTS buses are on time 80% of the time, which is within one minute before or five minutes after the scheduled departure time. However, some students have reported issues with delayed buses and transfers.
Proposed Changes
The district is considering changes to its transportation system, including sending more students on county buses. MCTS is also weighing its own overhaul of the county bus system to provide efficient service amid a looming budget deficit.
The report presented to the school board in June estimates $11 million in savings if the district consolidated stops. However, implementing such a step by only considering distance could potentially send young children crossing busy streets.
School Board Director Darryl Jackson thinks the district should consider the safety of students when forming a transportation plan. "Currently, a lot of adults don’t want to walk through certain neighborhoods," Jackson said. "We got to keep that in mind with having our students walk through certain areas."
Original reporting: Wisconsin Watch — read the source article.
