Milwaukee County Transit System Open Records Public Notice
Milwaukee Transport Services, Inc. is a quasi-governmental instrumentality of Milwaukee County responsible for the management and operation of the Milwaukee County Transit System. MTS headquarters is located at 1942 N. 17th St, Milwaukee, WI 53205 and is open to the public on weekdays from 8:00am to 4:30pm.
MCTS Open Records
Under the Wisconsin Public Records Law, public agencies are required to make certain records and information available to the public upon request. The purpose of this law is to ensure that citizens have the greatest possible information regarding the affairs of government and the official acts of those officers and employees who represent them. As a quasi-governmental instrumentality of Milwaukee County, Milwaukee Transport Services, Inc. has adopted this policy regarding access to records to comply with the law.
Access to Agency Records
Identifying records
A request for Company records is sufficient if it reasonably describes the requested record or the information requested. A request which is not reasonably limited as to subject matter or length of time covered will not be deemed sufficient.
Time for responding
The record custodian shall comply with a request for any record or notify the requester of the Company’s decision to deny a request in whole or in part as soon as is practicable. A partial denial will exist when a record or records subject to a request are withheld or when some but not all information on a record is withheld.
Information not on record
MCTS is not required to create a new record by extracting and compiling information from existing records into a new format or record.
Withheld records
Certain records are not available for inspection or copying because access may be prohibited by state or federal law or controlling court decisions. If a record you request is withheld, in whole or in part, you will be provided a written explanation of the reasons for doing so.
Costs
A fee of 25¢ per page will be charged for non-color copies of any Company records requested. The fee for colored copies is $1.00 per page. A fee of $5.00 will be charged for records released on compact discs (CDs) or Digital Video Discs (DVDs). A fee of $10 will be charged for USB data storage devices. The Company may decide to waive fees, but is not required to.
A fee for actual, necessary and direct costs for locating a record can be charged, but only if such costs are $50.00 or more.
A fee can be charged for actual, necessary and direct costs of mailing or shipping any copy or photograph of a record.
If total fees under this paragraph will exceed $5.00, prepayment can be requested.
Electronic records
When requested and whenever practicable, MCTS will provide electronic copies of records that already exist in an electronic format. Reproduction costs will not be charged if MCTS provides electronic copies of records that already exist in electronic format, but costs for computer disks or tapes, and staff time needed to run the computer to produce the record may be assessed.
Redacted information
Fees will not be charged for the time taken by MCTS staff to separate, suppress or redact confidential or non-disclosable information from materials provided in response to Open Records requests.
MCTS records request process
MCTS will acknowledge record requests submitted to the email address listed below within five (5) business days of receipt. Your request will be reviewed and routed to the business area responsible for the records you have requested.
Once contacted, the Records Custodian will review your request to determine if the record or records exist. Any request for a record must reasonably describe the record or information sought.
Once your request has been reviewed, and the Records Custodian determines existence of the record and accessibility, the Records Custodian may inform you of any applicable fees and provide you with a copy, upon payment, of the record requested or allow you to inspect the record information, and provide a place for that review.
Check for payment of records fees must be made payable for the exact amount to: Milwaukee Transport Services, Inc.
Email Your Records Request
To submit your request for public records, email MCTSOpenRecords@mcts.org.