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The Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA) is the public transport agency serving Cincinnati and its Ohio suburbs. SORTA operates Metro fixed-route buses, bus rapid transit, microtransit, and paratransit services. SORTA's headquarters are located at the Huntington Building in Cincinnati’s Central Business District. The agency is managed by CEO and General Manager Darryl Haley along with a 13-member board of trustees. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 13,091,500, or about 44,600 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024.
| Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Owner | City of Cincinnati and Hamilton County |
| Area served | Hamilton County (in addition provides commuter routes from Butler County, Clermont County, and Warren County into Cincinnati) |
| Transit type | Bus, Express bus service, Paratransit |
| Number of lines |
|
| Number of stations | 3,800 bus stops[1] |
| Daily ridership | 44,600 (weekdays, Q3 2024)[2] |
| Annual ridership | 13,091,500 (2023)[3] |
| Chief executive | Darryl Haley |
| Headquarters | 525 Vine Street, Suite 500 Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Website | go-metro Transdev[5] |
| Operation | |
| Began operation | December 30, 1952 (as Cincinnati Transit Commission) |
| Number of vehicles | 353 transit buses, 46 paratransit vehicles |
Downtown Cincinnati is also served by the Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky (TANK), whose transit services extend over the Ohio River into Northern Kentucky.
SORTA replaced the Cincinnati Transit Commission, which operated buses from 1952 to 1973. In 2012 SORTA Metro released its schedule information in the General Transit Feed Specification, making schedules more easily available to customers.[6] The Cincinnati Bell Connector was operated by SORTA until 2019; the City of Cincinnati has since owned and operated the streetcar. Until 2021, SORTA Metro was funded primarily by Cincinnati's city earnings tax, second by fares, and third by federal sources, with some other minor sources. This stood in contrast to other Ohio transit agencies, such as COTA and GCRTA which are primarily funded by sales tax. For a sense of perspective, the portion of Cincinnati's earnings tax going to Metro's budget was about 0.3%. On May 14, 2020, Hamilton County voters passed Issue 7, which switches the source of SORTA funding to a sales tax. The sales tax in Hamilton County will be raised to 7.8% and the Cincinnati earnings tax is eliminated. The levy is projected to generate $130 million a year, which will be split 100/30 between Metro and road infrastructure respectively. The new sales tax rate went into effect on October 1, 2020.[7] The new funding will be used to implement Reinventing Metro, which is a transit network redesign of its fixed-route services, but also introduces Mobility on Demand and Bus Rapid Transit to the region.
Fixed-Route
SORTA Metro operates about 40 major fixed bus routes, as well as a demand-responsive paratransit service. Of the major routes, roughly half run only at rush hours and are essentially commuter services, some of them serving the reverse commute. The other half operate throughout the day, and some offer increased frequency during rush hours. Approximately 90% of all trips are made on the all-day routes, and 10% on the express commuter routes.
Routes 29X and 82X extend into neighboring Clermont County under an arrangement with the Clermont Transportation Connection.
Routes 71X & 72X extend into neighboring Warren County under an arrangement with Warren County Transit.
Route 42X was a route that extended into neighboring Butler County under an agreement with Butler County Regional Transit Authority (BCRTA). The route was discontinued at the end of 2023. On January 1, 2024, BCRTA started their own route and brand it as CincyLink[8] that will run from Middletown to Downtown Cincinnati.
Mobility on Demand (Spring 2023)
Throughout 2021 and early 2022, Metro has been developing an accessible, on-demand and localized mobility service, including connections to Metro's network of more than 40 fixed bus routes.
Previously referred to as "Mobility On-Demand," this service is now called MetroNow!, with two zones that launched pilot service in 2023. Metro will roll out several additional service zones in the future.
| Number | Route name | Service days | Garage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mt. Adams | Monday – Friday | Queensgate |
| 4 | Montgomery Rd | 24/7/365 Service | Bond Hill |
| 6 | Queen City Avenue | Sunday – Saturday | Queensgate |
| 11 | Madison Road to Madisonville via Oakley | 24/7/365 Service | Bond Hill |
| Madison Road to Madisonville via Erie Avenue | Sunday – Saturday | Bond Hill | |
| Madison Road to Madisonville via Oakley/Fifth Third | Monday – Friday AM/PM Rush | Bond Hill | |
| 16 | Spring Grove/Daly | Sunday – Saturday | Queensgate |
| 17 | Hamilton Ave to Seven Hills | Sunday – Saturday | Queensgate |
| Hamilton Ave to Mt. Healthy | 24/7/365 Service | Queensgate | |
| 19 | Colerain Ave | Sunday – Saturday | Queensgate |
| 20 | Winton Road | Sunday – Saturday | Queensgate |
| 21 | Harrison Avenue | Sunday – Saturday | Queensgate |
| 27 | Beekman Ave/Linn St | Sunday – Saturday | Queensgate |
| 28 | East End | Sunday – Saturday | Queensgate |
| River Road to Amazon | Sunday – Saturday | Queensgate | |
| 32 | West 8th Street | Sunday – Saturday | Queensgate |
| 33 | Glenway Avenue | 24/7/365 Service | Queensgate |
| 43 | Reading Road to Sharonville | Sunday – Saturday | Bond Hill |
| Reading Road to Evendale via Bond Hill | 24/7/365 Service | Bond Hill | |
| 46 | Avondale | Sunday – Saturday | Bond Hill |
| 49 | Fairmount | Sunday – Saturday | Queensgate |
| 64 | Westwood | Sunday – Saturday | Queensgate |
| 77 | Delhi | Sunday - Saturday | Queensgate |
| 78 | Vine Street to Springdale via Springfield Pike | Sunday – Saturday | Bond Hill |
| Vine Street to Evendale via Wayne Avenue | 24/7/365 Service | Bond Hill | |
| M+ | Metro*Plus to Kenwood | Monday – Friday | Queensgate |
| Number | Route Name | WB/NB Terminus | EB/SB Terminus | Service days | Garage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Blue Ash | UC Blue Ash | Oakley Transit Center | Sunday – Saturday | Bond Hill |
| Sharonville Kroger | Oakley Transit Center | Sunday – Saturday | Bond Hill | ||
| 24 | MLK/Beechmont | Northside Transit Center | Anderson Town Center | Sunday – Saturday | Bond Hill |
| 31 | Taft/McMillan | Lower Price Hill (State St & W 8th St) | Evanston (Montgomery & Brewster) | Sunday – Saturday | Queensgate |
| 36 | Price Hill/Uptown | Mt. St. Joseph University | Norwood (Sherman & Montgomery) | Sunday –Saturday | Bond Hill |
| 41 | North Bend Road | Glenway Crossing Transit Center | Oakley Transit Center | Sunday – Saturday | Queensgate |
| 51 | Uptown Connector | Glenway Crossing Transit Center | Oakley Transit Center | 24/7/365 Service | Bond Hill & Queensgate |
| 61 | Galbraith Rd | Mt. Airy (Kirby & Colerain) | Madeira (Dawson Rd Layover) | Sunday – Saturday | Bond Hill |
| Reading (Benson St & Jefferson Ave) | Monday - Friday | Bond Hill | |||
| 67 | Kemper Road | Fields Ertel Park & Ride | Forest Park Park & Ride | Sunday – Saturday | Queensgate |
| Number | Route name | Service days | Garage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Montgomery Rd to UC Blue Ash via Amberley | Monday – Friday AM/PM Rush (mid Aug – late May) | Bond Hill |
| 4 | Montgomery Rd to UC Blue Ash via Walnut Hills HS | Monday – Friday AM/PM Rush (mid Aug – late May) | Bond Hill |
| 11 | Madison Road to Madisonville via Oakley / Shroder HS | Monday – Friday AM/PM Rush (mid Aug – late May) | Bond Hill |
| 17 | Hamilton Ave to Mt. Airy via Belmont Avenue | Monday – Friday AM/PM Rush (all year) | Queensgate |
| 33 | Glenway Ave to Downtown via Western Hills HS Bypass | Monday – Friday 1 PM trip (mid Aug – late May) | Queensgate |
| Number | Route name WB/NB | Route name EB/SB | Service days | Garage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | MLK/Beechmont to Northside Transit Center via Walnut Hills HS | MLK/Beechmont to Anderson Town Center via Walnut Hills HS | Monday – Friday AM/PM Rush (mid Aug – late May) | Bond Hill |
| 31 | Taft/McMillan to Evanston via Walnut Hills HS | Taft/McMillan to Lower Price Hill via Walnut Hills HS | Monday – Friday AM/PM Rush (mid Aug – late May) | Queensgate |
| 37 | MLK/Westwood Northern to Glenway Crossing Transit Center via Walnut Hills HS | MLK/Westwood Northern to Oakley Transit Center via Walnut Hills HS | Monday – Friday AM/PM Rush (mid Aug – late May) | Queensgate |
| 41 | North Bend Road to Glenway Crossing Transit Center via Aiken/Shroder HS | North Bend Road to Oakley Transit Center via Aiken/Shroder HS | Monday – Friday AM/PM Rush (mid Aug – late May) | Queensgate |
| 51 | Uptown Connector to Glenway Crossing Transit Center via Walnut Hills HS | Uptown Connector to Oakley Transit Center via Walnut Hills HS | Monday – Friday AM/PM Rush (mid Aug – late May) | Bond Hill & Queensgate |
| Number | Route name | Garage |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Madeira Commuter to Madeira Park & Ride | Bond Hill |
| 12 | Madisonville Commuter | Bond Hill |
| 20 | Winton Road to Forest Park via Greenhills Park & Ride | Queensgate |
| 25 | Mount Lookout | Bond Hill |
| 30 | Beechmont Commuter | Bond Hill |
| 40 | Montana Commuter | Queensgate |
| 50 | River Road Commuter | Queensgate |
| 81 | Mount Washington Commuter | Queensgate |
| Number | Route name WB/NB | Route name EB/SB | Service days | Garage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | Glenway/Madison to Glenway Crossing Transit Center | Glenway/Madison to Madisonville | Monday – Friday AM/PM Rush (Madisonville AM) (GCTC PM) | Bond Hill |
| 37 | MLK/Westwood Northern to Glenway Crossing Transit Center | MLK/Westwood Northern to Oakley Transit Center | Monday – Friday AM/PM Rush | Queensgate |
| 38 | Uptown Commuter to Glenway Crossing Transit Center | Uptown Commuter to Mt. Auburn | Monday – Friday AM/PM Rush (Mt. Auburn AM) (GCTC PM) | Queensgate |
| 65 | Western Hills to Glenway Crossing Transit Center | Western Hills to Northside Transit Center | Monday – Friday AM/PM Rush | Queensgate |
| Number | Route name | Garage |
|---|---|---|
| 3X | Montgomery Express to Symmes P&R via Blue Ash Rd | Bond Hill |
| Montgomery Express to Symmes P&R | Bond Hill | |
| 23X | Tri-County - Forest Park Express | Queensgate |
| 29X | Milford Express | Queensgate |
| 52X | Harrison Express | Queensgate |
| 71X | Kings Island Express to Kings Mill via Kenwood/Mason Road | Queensgate |
| Kings Island Express to Downtown | Queensgate | |
| Kings Island Express to Kings Island Park & Ride/Fields Ertel Road | Queensgate | |
| 74X | Colerain Express via Joseph Road | Queensgate |
| Colerain Express via Banning Road | Queensgate | |
| 75X | Anderson Express | Bond Hill |
| 82X | Eastgate Express | Queensgate |
| Number | Route name | Garage |
|---|---|---|
| 72X | Kings Island Direct | Queensgate |
With the passage of Issue 7 in the spring of 2020, Hamilton County voters approved a sales tax levy of 0.8 percent and a new funding source for Metro. One example of the new Metro is the Northside Transit Center, which is located in Northside and replaced a basic bus stop. The new transit center, which opened in 2020, features eight boarding bays, each with an architecturally designed shelter and enhanced streetscaping, lighting and amenities. In addition, the transit center features artwork designed by winners of the transit agency's art contest for Northside residents. The contest asked residents to submit designs following the theme, "What does Northside mean to me?” The artwork is displayed prominently on installations at the transit center's entrance and exit. The Northside project was a partnership with the Federal Transit Administration, the Ohio Department of Transportation, and other local stakeholders.
Most of SORTA's roughly 3,600 stops are simply marked with a sign on a pole listing routes the stop serves, and are fairly infrastructure-light. Several dozen stops include bus shelters and covered benches. Several suburban stops are park-and-rides. Government Square is the main transit station, located downtown near Fountain Square. SORTA owns and operates several transit centers across the region including the recently constructed Northside Transit Center, Oakley Transit Center, and Glenway Transit Center. SORTA operates the Riverfront Transit Center though it's only used for a layover point for the Metro*Plus route and a stop for route 85.
On April 4, 2021, Metro introduced a simpler fare structure.[9] With this new fare model, base fare increased 25 cents to $2 per ride on all local routes. Express buses are $2.65 within Hamilton County. Certain express routes turned into commuter routes and have a $2 fare. Express routes that go into Butler, Clermont, and Warren County have a fare of $3.75. Zone fares and paper transfers were eliminated. Transfers are only available to those using the Transit app and to 5-ride ticket users. There are several day pass options available to purchase. Mobile fares must be purchased through the Transit app. Refer to the charts for more information. Transfers to higher-cost service require payment of the fare difference. Children under 36 inches ride for free with a fare-paying rider; a limit of 2 children applies.
| Fare type | Price | Half fare | Routes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton County Local | $2 | $1 | 1, 4, 5, 6, 11, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 24, 27, 28, 31, 32, 33, 36, 37, 41, 43, 46, 49, 50, 51, 61, 64, 65, 67, 77, 78, 90 (M+). |
| Hamilton County Commuter | 2, 12, 22, 25, 30, 38, 40, 81 | ||
| Hamilton County Express | $2.65 | $1.30 | 3X, 23X, 29X, 52X, 72X, 74X, 75X |
| Suburban County Express (Clermont, Warren) | $3.75 | $1.85 | 71X, 82X |
| Access Fare | $4 | ||
| Metro*NOW Fare | $2 per ride. | No discounted fare. | |
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| Hamilton County Local & Commuter 24-Hour Pass | $4 |
| Metro/TANK 24-Hour Pass | $5 |
| Hamilton County Express 24-Hour Pass | $5.30 |
| Suburban County Express 24-Hour Pass | $7.50 |
| 5-ride Hamilton County Local & Commuter Service Ticket | $10 |
| Half Fare 24-Hour Pass (Child Fare, Fare Deal, UC, Cincinnati State) | $2 |
| Hamilton County Local 30-day Pass | $80 |
| Hamilton County Express 30-day Pass | $105 |
| Metro/TANK 30-day Pass | $105 |
| Suburban County Express 30-day Pass | $150 |
SORTA operates about 350 buses on fixed routes, and about 50 smaller vehicles as part of their 'demand responsive services'. All vehicles in SORTA's fleet are ADA accessible. On average, vehicles in the fixed route fleet are 6.9 years old, and in the demand-responsive fleet 1.4 years. Vehicles in the fixed route fleet are rated, on average, for a capacity and 65 passengers, both sitting and standing.[10]
All fixed-route buses have a bike rack mounted on the front with room for two bicycles.
Garages
- Queensgate Garage 1401 Bank Street, Cincinnati, OH 45214
- Bond Hill Garage 4700 Paddock Road, Cincinnati, OH 45229
For more information about the history of Metro's fleet, including current and retired buses, go to CPTDB: Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority
| Year | Manufacturer | Model | Fleet numbers | Bond Hill | Queensgate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011–12 | Gillig | Low Floor | 1201–1245 | 1201–1220, 1225, 1228 - 1230 | 1221-1224, 1227, 1231–1245 | 1201 is a 2011 model. In the process of being retired. 1201-1206, 1213-1217, 1226, 1232 retired. |
| 2013 | Gillig | Low Floor BRT Plus | 1301–1310 | None | 1301–1307, 1309–1310 | Former METRO*PLUS buses. Now used on any route. 1308 retired in 2021. |
| 2013 | Gillig | Low Floor | 1321–1343 | 1331–1334, 1336–1343 | 1321–1330 | 1335 retired due to fire in August 2022. |
| 2015 | Gillig | Low Floor | 1501–1537 | 1501–1510 | 1511–1525, 1527–1537 | 1526 retired in August 2022 due to fire damage. |
| 2016 | Gillig | Low Floor Commute | 1601–1622 | 1601–1607 | 1608–1622 | Mostly used on express/commuter routes. Can occasionally be seen on local routes. |
| 2018 | Gillig | Low Floor | 1801–1819 | None | 1801–1819 | |
| 2018–19 | Gillig | Low Floor | 1820–1830 | None | 1821–1829 | 1824–1830 are 2019 models. 1830 out of service, possibly retired. Last seen 12/10/22. |
| 2019 | Gillig | Low Floor | 1901–1934 | 1901–1914 | 1915–1934 | 1934 has two different seat types. |
| 2020 | Gillig | Low Floor | 2001–2021 | 2001–2008, 2010–2011 | 2012–2016, 2018–2021 | 2009 was renumbered to 2020. 2017 was renumbered to 2021. 2018 out of service, possibly retired after being hit by another driver on 4/3/23. |
| 2020–21 | Gillig | Low Floor | 2022–2031 | 2027–2031 | 2022–2026 | 2028 out of service, possibly retired. Last in service on 7/15/2023 |
| 2021 | Gillig | Low Floor | 2140–2170 | 2140–2154 | 2155–2170 | |
| 2022 | Gillig | Low Floor | 2201–2225 | 2201–2215 | 2216–2225 | |
| 2023 | Gillig | Low Floor Hybrid | 2301–2310 | 2301–2310 | None | |
| 2023 | Gillig | Low Floor | 2311–2325 | None | 2311–2325 | |
| 2024 | Gillig | Low Floor | 2401-2412 | 2401-2412 | None | All in service as of 10/31/24. Will begin to replace 1200 series buses. |
| 2024 | Gillig | Low Floor Hybrid | 2421-2427 | None | 2421-2427 | All in service as of 11/14/2024. Fleet numbers may change. Will replace some 1200 series buses. |
Adjacent public transit agencies:
- Butler County Regional Transit Authority (BCRTA), serving Butler County, Ohio
- Clermont Transportation Connection (CTC), serving Clermont County, Ohio
- Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky (TANK), serving Northern Kentucky
- Warren County Transit, serving Warren County, Ohio
Other major public transit agencies in Ohio:
- Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA), serving Columbus, Ohio
- Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA), serving Cleveland, Ohio
- Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority (formerly the Miami Valley RTA), serving Dayton, Ohio
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