Bus Lines, Vol 37 Issue 4, August 2015

Vol. 37 Issue 4
August 2015
PASSENGER NEWSLETTER
MILWAUKEE COUNTY TRANSIT SYSTEM
Thank You for Choosing MCTS!
Schedules Changing
Sunday, August 30
Routes: 6, 12, 14, 15, 19,
21, 22, 23, 28, 31, 35, 51,
54, 55, 56, 57, 60, 61, 62,
63, 76, 79, 80, 85, 87, 143,
223, 279 and BlueLine
Check buses for new
schedules beginning August
26, or view a preview at
RideMCTS.com starting on
August 20.
Transit Talk
Extraboard (noun): group
of operators who provide
coverage of vacant runs
(work assignments) and other
work on a daily or weekly
basis. Operators may pick the
extraboard during a sign-up
or may be assigned to the
extraboard if no more runs are
available.
MCTS wants to thank you for choosing us to meet
your transportation needs! Each ride you take
with us is a vote of approval.
On average, MCTS provides 150,000 rides a day to
people across Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington
and Waukesha Counties. Our riders rely on us to
get to work, school and medical appointments.
No matter where your daily journey takes you, we
thank you for choosing MCTS.
Rider Insider Goes Digital!
We have exciting news to share: we’ve revamped the MCTS Rider Insider Program! Rider
Insider started more than a decade ago as a way to keep riders informed, but we noticed
it has not kept with the times or technology. The NEW Rider Insider program is going to
be more responsive to you, our riders. By going fully digital, we can now communicate
with you more directly and instantaneously.
The NEW Rider Insider program offers:
• Fun contests and giveaways, including free M•CARD passes and Rider Insider t-shirts
• The opportunity to help guide the future of MCTS through polls, surveys and focus
groups
• Exclusive invitations to see behind the scenes and under the hood of MCTS
• The latest transit news delivered straight to your email inbox
If you’re currently a member or would like to become one, go to RideMCTS.com to
update/create your profile. You’ll be helping us customize Rider Insider to fit you and
your needs and help make sure you get the news and alerts relevant to you.
More inside...
U-PASS Deal | Back-to-School Fun Facts | Hiring Bus Operators
Don’t U-PASS Up This Deal!
Whether you’re going to class, exploring Milwaukee, or
cheering on your team, MCTS Takes You There! Students at
select colleges/universities in the Milwaukee area can ride
the bus with the U-PASS M•CARD. Use it 24/7 to get around!
MILWAUKEE INSTITUTE OF ART AND DESIGN:
GreenLine and Route 15
By using the U-PASS M•CARD, students avoid parking fees
and traffic while arriving to class on-time and saving money!
Unlimited rides are available with the U-PASS M•CARD
throughout the academic school year.
BRYANT & STRATTON COLLEGE:
Downtown Campus - BlueLine, GoldLine, Routes 12, 14,
19, 23, 30, 31, 40, 43, 44, 46, 48 and
49
AD
O
G
O
DL
The U-PASS M•CARD is good on all MCTS buses. These
participating colleges/universities are served by the
following routes:
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MILWAUKEE:
RedLine, GreenLine, GoldLine, Routes 22 and 30/30X
UBUS/Fall and Spring: Routes 21, 60, 40U, 44U and 49U
MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY:
BlueLine, GoldLine, Routes 12, 14, 23, 30/30X and 31
MILWAUKEE AREA TECHNICAL COLLEGE:
Downtown Campus - Routes 33, 40U, 42U, 80 and 143
Mequon Campus - Route 42U
Oak Creek Campus - Routes 40U and 80
West Allis Campus - BlueLine, Routes 23, 56 and 76
MILWAUKEE CAREER COLLEGE: Routes 28 and 60
Bayshore Campus - G
reenLine, Routes 14, 15, 63, 42U
and 49
For frequently asked questions about the U-PASS program as
well as more information on routes, times and locations visit
RideMCTS.com.
Special Note: The UBUS routes (40U, 42U, 44U
and 49U) run at different times during exam
schedules. It is recommended that all students
take a look at the bus schedule during these
times of the school year.
Doors Open Milwaukee – Behind the Scenes Tour
of MCTS’ Fleet Building
MCTS is once again taking part in Doors
Open Milwaukee on Saturday, September
19 with hourly tours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
(The last tour will be given at 4 p.m.) Last
year, more than 300 visited and toured
our Fleet Maintenance Facility located at
1525 W. Vine Street. This year, our Fleet
facility is one of the 24 locations chosen to
be part of the free Doors Open Milwaukee
Family Passport!
For more details, visit www.
doorsopenmilwaukee.org or
call 414-277-7795.
Class Is in Session: Back-to-School Fun Facts
As families prepare their students for the first day of class, here are some facts to add to the trivia lesson plan. Don’t worry,
there won’t be any quizzes on the material.
Fishy Situation
The first patented
glue and glue
sticks were
made from
fish bones.
How Important Is Technology?
• In 1994 only 35% of U.S. public schools
had Internet access. Today that number
has risen to 100%.
• Forty-one percent of the back-to-school
shoppers who said they were going to
buy electronics stated that they would
be buying either a laptop or a tablet for
their child.
Heading to the Stores? Avoid Saturdays
• The majority of parents will do their back-to-school shopping on
one of the five Saturdays in August, making this the most hectic
period for buying school supplies and clothes. The second to last
Saturday before school
starts is historically the
busiest.
• Back-to-school shopping
is the highest grossing
consumer shopping event
behind Thanksgiving and
Christmas, with spending
expected to be somewhere
around $80 billion.
Best Thing Since Sliced Bread
Before the rubber eraser was invented, teachers and
students used to roll up pieces of white bread and
use them to erase pencil marks.
Checking Lists
Twice: School
Supplies
• Parents will spend a little
over $100 dollars per
child on standard school
supplies. The total for
all back-to-school items
including clothes and
electronics will be around
$669 per child.
• Last year, a total of 173.7
million backpacks were sold.
Who Is Actually More
Excited for the Kiddies to
Go Back-to-School?
• Seventy-six percent of moms with children
grades K-12 consider the first day of school to
be the start of the New Year, versus January 1st.
Plan your route to and from school
with the Google Transit Trip Planner
at RideMCTS.com.
• When asked how ready they were for school
to start again, 68% of children said that they
couldn’t wait compared to only 34% of parents.
Work For Us: Hiring Bus
Operators
MCTS invites dedicated workers to join us as Bus Operators.
The position comes with an excellent benefit package with a
starting wage of $18.13/Hour.
How to Apply: Go to www.RideMCTS.com/careers to view job
requirements and to complete and download a Bus Operator
Application. Email applications to resume@mcts.org or mail
to Milwaukee County Transit System, 1942 North 17th Street,
Milwaukee, WI 53205.
Lakefront Festivals:
Let MCTS Take
You There!
Join the celebrations taking place in August and September
at Henry Maier Festival Park by riding with MCTS. Avoid the
traffic and parking hassles by taking the Downtown Shuttle
or by boarding local routes with stops near the park.
Irish Fest u August 13 -16
MCTS Takes You to the
Starting Line: Briggs
& Al’s Run & Walk for
Children’s Hospital
Take the MCTS’ Route 44 Freeway Flyer or a local route and
arrive at the starting line of Briggs & Al’s Run & Walk for
Children’s Hospital on Saturday, September 19.
Mexican Fiesta u August 21-23
Indian Summer u September 11-13
The Downtown Shuttle runs along Wisconsin Avenue from
6th Street to Jackson Street, approximately every half-hour
prior to each event and a half hour after each one ends. Local
Routes 12, 31 and 33 also stop within walking distance of
Maier Festival Park. Freeway Flyer service is only available
for Irish Fest from the following park-ride lots: Brown Deer
East, Ryan Road and Timmerman Field. The Flyer operates
approximately every half-hour prior to Irish Fest’s opening
and a half hour after it ends.
For fare information
to the above events
call 344-6711
or visit
RideMCTS.com.
Freeway Flyer service on Route 44 begins at 8:30 am and runs
every 15 minutes until 9:30 am from the State Fair Park-Ride
Lot, at S. 76th Street and W. Kearney. Flyers will take riders
to 16th Street and Wisconsin Avenue - just a few blocks from
the starting line at 12th Street and Wisconsin Avenue. On
the return trip, riders will board the Flyers at the South Gate
near the Marcus Amphitheater on the Henry Maier Festival
grounds between 12:30 pm and 1:30 pm. Parking is free at
the State Fair Park-Ride Lot.
Bus Lines is published six times a year as a service to Milwaukee
County Transit System passengers.
Editor: Jacqueline Zeledon
Contributors: Brittany Smith, Cheryl Solomon,
Marissa Trgo
MCTS Marketing Department
1942 North 17th Street
Milwaukee, WI 53205
For 24-hour automated bus information,
call 414-344-6711 or visit RideMCTS.com
@RideMCTS
facebook.com/RideMCTS