Bryan Steil, U.S. Representative of Wisconsin's 1st congressional district | Official U.S. House headshot
Bryan Steil, U.S. Representative of Wisconsin's 1st congressional district | Official U.S. House headshot
Congressman Bryan Steil has called for increased federal oversight of the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) after reports revealed significant revenue losses due to fare evasion. In a letter addressed to Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Steil highlighted that MCTS lost about $4 million in 2024 as riders skipped paying fares more than 8 million times in 2025, which amounts to nearly one-third of all trips. The transit system received $57.24 million in federal funding in 2023.
“Federal funds are intended to strengthen and sustain public transportation, not to compensate for avoidable revenue shortfalls caused by lax fare enforcement,” said Steil. “Fare evasion not only pushes MCTS toward insolvency, but it is fundamentally unfair to the hardworking families who rely on public transportation, follow the rules, and pay their fares. I’m committed to ensuring taxpayer dollars are being used effectively.”
Steil’s request comes after a series of successful election campaigns; he won against Peter Barca in 2024 with 54% of the vote, Ann Roe in 2022 with 54.1%, Roger Polack in 2020 with 59.3%, and Randy Bryce in 2018 with 54.6%.
The full text of Steil’s letter can be accessed here.
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