Although public transit in Milwaukee dates back to 1860 when a pair of horse-drawn trolleys hit the streets, the Milwaukee County Transit System is only turning 50 this year, if you can believe it.
MCTS came into being on June 1, 1975, when the county assumed control of the private Milwaukee & Suburban Transport Company and contracted Milwaukee Transport Services, Inc. to handle the renamed bus service.
As Milwaukee County Transit System gears up to celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2025 – and as we celebrate National Transit Employee Appreciation week – it has unveiled 30 new 6400 series buses that are being added to the fleet.
These feature LED screens for drivers, video monitors that allow passengers to see what is going on around them and a plastic seat style that MCTS is easier to maintain than upholstered seats.
One of those buses is wrapped to resemble a 1975 bus in honor of the anniversary.
The exterior decoration on the new buses is the work of MCTS' in-house graphic designer Brianne Mueller.
The design, says MCTS, "is inspired by all the beautiful places we take you to. The blues represent Lake Michigan and our many waterways and lakefront festivals. You can see iconic architecture like the wings of the Calatrava, the 6th Street bridge, the Hoan Bridge, the Domes and our many sports arenas. The gold curve is a nod to Milwaukee’s history as Brew City."
Here is a look at some of the Milwaukee County Transit System's buses over the past half-century.
Cutting the ribbon on the new system, 1975
1970s green
At County Stadium, 1980s
Articulated Freeway Flyer at a Park & Ride, 1980s
Old and new, side by side
Space age buses, 1980
Dropping off Summerfest goers, 1993
Boarding the bus, 1990s
Outside Milwaukee Public Museum, 1990s
Brand new buses for 2025
And a 2025 bus wrapped to resemble a 1975 bus
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
