Not since Grandpa Joe jumped out of bed and danced around the room in "Willy Wonka and Chocolate Factory" has there been this much excitement around a giveaway!

To celebrate 25 million M•CARD rides, the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) is giving away five Golden M•CARDs. Each card will be personalized with the winner’s name and preloaded with a 31-Day Pass good for unlimited rides during those 31 days. The M•CARD was introduced two years ago as a high tech, affordable, safe and reusable way to pay for bus service.

"To provide 25 million M•CARD rides in just two years is an incredible accomplishment for MCTS, and it shows how enthusiastically riders have embraced the new technology MCTS is offering," said County Executive Chris Abele. "The budget my partners on the County Board and I recently approved continues this momentum by creating the first ever dedicated funding solution for transit while also providing money for future improvements like Bus Rapid Transit."

For decades, riders relied on cash and paper to get on board MCTS buses, but the transition to the M•CARD has been remarkable. In the first full month the M•CARD was in use, riders used it 375,000 times. The M•CARD now provides 1.5 million rides a month and that number is growing.

Not only is using the M•CARD easy, it also saves you money! Each ride is $1.75 vs $2.25 when you pay with cash, or load a 1-,7- or a 31-Day Pass on the card. The M•CARD is available for purchase online or at 100 locations across the county, including most Pick ‘n Save stores, Community Financial branches and a special kiosk at Mitchell International Airport.

The Golden M•CARD giveaway is free and open to anyone. Simply visit RideMCTS.com/25Million between now and 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 29, to enter the contest.