The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) has gotten into the business of selling Pride merchandise, offering 17 rainbow-colored items for sale during Pride Month despite running an $11 million budget deficit that has prompted dramatic reductions in bus routes.
MCTS is offering a variety of Pride themed items, from t-shirts to hats to rainbow-colored bus pillows, at MCTSstore.com. MCTS says it is not spending any taxpayer money on the items, which are created by a third-party vendor when they are purchased by a customer.
“MCTS, like many large public transit systems across the country, is exploring new ways to generate non-fare revenue through both the sale of items and improving customer experience,” MCTS said in a statement. “Last year, we launched the MCTS Store that allows riders and supporters to purchase merchandise celebrating public transit and our community.
“The store operates on a print-on-demand model, meaning MCTS does not purchase or maintain inventory. There are no upfront costs; products are produced and fulfilled by our retail partner only when orders are placed.”
MCTS came under intense scrutiny over its attempts to hide growing financial woes from Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and the Milwaukee County Board, who were blindsided when the extent of the deficit was revealed last summer.
Milwaukee County Director of Transportation Donna Brown-Martin abruptly resigned shortly afterward, as did MCTS Interim President and CEO Julie Esch just hours before a County Board meeting on the issue.
Despite this fiscal emergency, MCTS has spent money on Pride celebrations for years. In 2021, it debuted a rainbow-colored bus that ran throughout the month of June and added a second two years later. MCTS did not disclose how much it paid to wrap the two buses in Pride colors.
