Officials announce county app built by UWM students

MILWAUKEE (WITI) – Officials from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) and Milwaukee County unveiled a new mobile app for county services that was created in UWM’s Mobile Innovation Lab (“the App Brewery”) at a news conference Tuesday, June 4.

UWM Chancellor Michael R. Lovell joins Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele and UWM Director of Web and Mobile Strategy Michael Hostad announced the launch of both the Mobile Innovation Lab and the upcoming availability of the lab’s first product. They also gave a demonstration of real-time GPS tracking of Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) buses.

In addition to bus routes and schedules, the county’s mobile app will feature information about and maps of county parks, and events at the zoo.

UWM’s Mobile Innovation Lab employs UWM students who apply skills learned in the classroom to real-world projects for UWM researchers and area nonprofits, such as Visit Milwaukee and the Sojourner Family Peace Center.

“This is a great example of what can happen when people and organizations work together and collaborate,” said Abele. “This app is a great resource for the hundreds of thousands of people who ride the bus as well as a huge benefit to the families from across the county and state who enjoy our parks and zoo. Through this project Chancellor Lovell and the UWM community has once again shown their commitment to making Milwaukee County the best place to live, work and play.”