METRO Regional Transit Authority
{{Infobox Bus transit
| name = METRO RTA
| logo = METRO Regional Transit Authority logo.svg
| logo_size =
| image = File:Akron METRO Gillig Advantage 2307.jpg
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| founded = 1969[http://www.akronmetro.org/metro-history.aspx Metro's History]
| headquarters = 416 Kenmore Blvd.
| locale = Akron, Ohio
| service_area = Summit County, Ohio
| service_type = bus service, paratransit, express bus service
| alliance =
| routes =
| destinations =
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| ridership = {{American transit ridership|OH Akron total daily}} ({{American transit ridership|dailydate}}){{American transit ridership|dailycitation}}
| annual_ridership = {{American transit ridership|OH Akron total annual}} ({{American transit ridership|annualdate}}){{American transit ridership|annualcitation}}
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| website = {{URL|https://www.yourmetrobus.org}}
}}
File:METRO Regional Transit Authority old logo.svg
File:Metrobus in station parking lot (Akron, Ohio - 26 03 2009).jpg
METRO Regional Transit Authority (METRO RTA), also known as Akron Metropolitan Regional Transit Authority, is the public transit agency serving Summit County, Ohio and the city of Akron. It operates a number of local routes, and also operates one route into downtown Cleveland.{{Cite web |title=Akron Metro |url=http://www.akronmetro.org/ |publisher=METRO RTA}}
Akron Metro transports passengers to/from school, work, grocery stores, malls and jobs all across Summit County. METRO RTA's fleet consists of about 200+ vehicles running on diesel, diesel-electric hybrid and as of 2022/2023, two fully electric Gillig vehicles, compressed natural gas fuels. In {{American transit ridership|annualdate}}, the system had a ridership of {{American transit ridership|OH Akron total annual}}, or about {{American transit ridership|OH Akron total daily}} per weekday as of {{American transit ridership|dailydateasof}}.
Route names
Since spring 2021, Metro developed a new transit plan to improve frequency of service in the Akron and Summit County areas called “Reimagine Metro”. The plan went into effect on June 4, 2023. Here’s a list of the previous routes. Routes up to date as of 9/4/23.
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Route Name !Terminal 1 !Terminal 2 !via !Length !notes |
| 1 West Market
|Downtown |Fairlawn |West Market Street, Medina Road, Hollythorn Drive |{{convert|12.5|mi|km}} |15 Minute Frequent Service Route. Connects with Medina County Public Transit Route 18 at Rothrock Rd. Inbound trips changes to Route 2 at RKP Transit Center Monday-Saturday. |
| 2 Arlington
|Downtown |Green |East Exchange Street, South Arlington Road |{{convert|9.1|mi|km}} |15 Minute Frequent Service Route. Inbound trips changes to Route 1 at RKP Transit Center Monday-Saturday. |
| 3 Copley/Barberton
|Downtown |Barberton |Copley Road, South Hawkins Avenue, Vernon Odom, Romig Road, State Street, 5th Street, Snyder Avenue, Van Buren Avenue, Wooster Road, 2nd Street |{{convert|12.2|mi|km}} | |
| 6 East Exchange/Canton Rd
|Downtown |Lakemore |East Market Street (OH-18), Canton Road (OH-91), Mogadore Road, High Grove Blvd, Ellet Avenue |{{convert|9.5|mi|km}} |15 Minute Frequent Service Route in conjunction with Route 19 along East Exchange Street. |
| 8 Barberton-Norton/Wooster
|Norton JR Wheel (8W) 2nd St & Tuscarawas Ave (8W) |Downtown |Wooster Road, Kenmore Blvd, Norton Avenue |(8N) {{convert|9.6|mi|km}} |Limited trips Monday-Saturday start/end in Barberton as the 8W. |
| 9 East Ave/Battles
|Downtown |Rolling Acres |East Avenue, Vernon Odom Blvd |{{convert|6.9|mi|km}} | |
| 10 Howard/Portage Trail
|Downtown |Cuyahoga Falls |North Howard Street, Portage Trail |{{convert|10.3|mi|km}} | |
| 13 Grant/Firestone Park
|Downtown |Firestone Park |Grant Street, Firestone Blvd, East Archwood Avenue |{{convert|5.7|mi|km}} |15 Minute Frequent Service Route. |
| 15 Brown/Inman
|Downtown |Firestone Park |Brown Street, Inman Street |{{convert|7.8|mi|km}} | |
| 16 Euclid/Vernon Odom
|Downtown |West Akron |Akron General Avenue, Euclid Avenue, Vernon Odom, Diagonal |4.1 miles (6.6 km) |15 Minute Frequent Service Route. |
| 19 E. Exchange/Eastland
|Downtown |Cuyahoga Falls |Eastland Avenue, East Exchange Street |{{convert|6.9|mi|km}} |15 Minute Frequent Service Route in conjunction with Route 6 along East Exchange Street. |
| 20 Tallmadge/Brimfield
|Downtown |Brimfield |Main Street, Tallmadge Avenue, Brittain Road, Independence Transit Center, West Avenue, East Avenue |10.7 miles (17.2 km) |Connects with PARTA Route 90 at Brimfield Walmart & Meijer's on weekdays only. Route 20 runs 7 days |
| 22 Howe/Stow-Kent
|Downtown |Stow Kent Central Gateway (service on hold) |Main Street, Glenwood, Evans, Home, Howe, Independence Transit Center, Brittain Road, Munroe Falls Avenue, Darrow Road (OH-91), Graham Road, Fishcreek Road, Kent Road (OH-59) |Stow Trips 16.0 miles (25.7 km) Kent Trips 19.1 miles (30.7 km) |Connects with PARTA Route 30 from Fishcreek/Graham to Target Plaza in Stow Monday-Saturday. Service to Kent Central Gateway currently on hold.{{Cite web |date=2023-05-25 |title=PARTA May 25th Board of Trustees Meeting |url=https://www.partaonline.org/_files/ugd/6c14ce_c41bf57b67f24ac189d13c3f69187520.pdf |access-date=2023-09-04 |website=partaonline.org}} |
| 23 Goodyear Heights/Gilchrist
|Downtown |Mogadore |East Market Street (OH-18), Goodyear Blvd, Eastwood Avenue, Darrow Road (OH-91), Gilchrist Road, Mogadore Road |12.9 miles (20.7 km) (reroute distance) |Route currently on long-term reroute using East Market, Sieberling, Brittain, & Malasia before connecting to Goodyear Blvd. |
| 25 Kelly/Triplett
|Downtown |Ellet |East Thornton Street, Spicer Street, Johnston Street, Inman Street, Lovers Lane, Arlington Street, 7th Avenue, Kelly Avenue, Triplett Blvd |6.4 miles (10.3 km) | |
| 26 Delia/White Pond
|Downtown |Wallhaven |West Exchange Street, Frank Boulevard, White Pond Road |{{convert|7.2|mi|km}} |Now provides all day 7-day service |
| 27 West Exchange/Merriman Valley
|Downtown RKP Transit Center |Merriman Valley Weathervane Circle |West Exchange Street, West Market Street (OH-18), Bryden, North Hawkins Avenue, Thurmont Road, Treeside Drive, Cromwell Drive, Zahn Drive, Fairfax Road, Garman Road, North Portage Path, Merriman Road, Weathervane Lane |9.3 miles (14.9 km) | |
| 29 South Main/Machester
|Downtown RKP Transit Center |Portage Lakes Manchester Acme |South Main Street, Waterloo Road, Manchester Road, Robinson Street, Cormany Road, Carnegie Avenue, Cory Avenue |Outbound Trips 6.0 miles (9.6 km) Inbound Trips 8.0 miles (12.8 km) |All inbound trips loop via Carnegie, Cory, & Waterloo. |
| 31 Cuyahoga Falls/Macedonia
|Downtown RKP Transit Center Southgate Transit Center Gilbert & Quail Creek |Main Street, Cuyahoga Falls Avenue, Front Street, 2nd Street, Graham Road, State Road, Steels Corners Road, Wyoga Lake Road, Akron-Cleveland Road, Chittenden Road, Hines Hill Road, OH-8, South Bedford Road, Aurora Road (OH-82), Olde Eight Road, Northfield Road (OH-8) |Southgate Trips 31.9 miles (51.3 km) Stow Trips 8.3 miles (13.3 km) |Monday-Saturday trips operate to/from Southgate Transit Center, connecting with GCRTA 19A, 40, 41, 90, & PARTA 100. Limited weekday & all Sunday service starts/ends in Stow. One weekday trip starts/ends in Cuyahoga Falls. |
| 32 Hudson/Twinsburg
|Downtown RKP Transit Center Southgate Transit Center |Main Street, Cuyahoga Falls Avenue, Front Street, 2nd Street, Hudson Drive, Commerce Drive, Darrow Road (OH-91), Aurora Road (OH-82), Highland Road, Valley View Road, Olde Eight Road, Northfield Road (OH-8) |34.1 miles (54.8 km) |Monday-Saturday service only. Connections at Southgate Transit Center with GCRTA 19A, 40, 41, 90, & PARTA 100. |
| 40 Manchester/West Thornton
|Downtown RKP Transit Center |Sherbondy Hill West Thornton/La Croix |South Main Street, West Thornton Street, Russell Avenue, Rhodes Avenue, Manchester Road |2.4 miles (3.8 km) | |
| 55 Roo Express
|Downtown RKP Transit Center |Middlebury Butchel & Spicer |Broadway Street, High Street, East Exchange Street, Sherman Street, East Thornton Street, Brown Street, University Avenue, Fir Hill, Butchel Avenue, East Market Street (OH-18) |5.7 miles (9.1 km) |Weekday Only Service. Loop service through University of Akron. |
| 61 Northcoast Express
|Downtown |Cleveland |I-77, Ghent Road, Prospect Avenue, Lakeside Avenue, Euclid Avenue, East 105th Street |{{convert|44.6|mi|km}} |Weekday Limited service only |
| 91 Kent Express
|Downtown RKP Transit Center |Kent Kent Central Gateway |East Exchange Street, East Market Street, I-76, S. Water Street (OH-43), OH-261, Campus Connector Drive, Summit Street, Depeyster Street |15.9 miles (25.5 km) |Monday-Saturday service only. Service is currently on hold.{{Cite web |title=System Map (Prior to Kent Service being put on hold) |url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6101a3e12ca2836967ecad46/t/6453aa5ee2c7b64c82859b03/1683204709929/Systems_map.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://www.reimagine-metro.com/ |archive-date=2023-03-18 |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=Reimagine Metro}} |
Facilities
= Head Office =
:Address: 416 Kenmore Boulevard, Akron
:Coordinates: {{coord|41|02|58.6|N|81|32|26.8|W|}}
:Facilities: Head office, administration, vehicle storage and maintenance
= Robert K. Pfaff Transit Center =
:Address: 631 South Broadway Street, downtown Akron{{Cite web |title=Robert K. Pfaff Transit Center |url=http://www.akronmetro.org/metro-transit-center.aspx |publisher=METRO RTA}}
:Coordinates: {{coord|41|04|10|N|81|31|23|W}}
:Facilities: Terminus for local bus routes, suburban routes, X61 North Coast Express bus service to Cleveland,[http://www.akronmetro.org/route-schedule.aspx?Route=x60 North Coast Express to Cleveland, Routes X61] intercity Greyhound services, and Stark County & Portage County connecting buses.{{Cite web |title=Akron Metro Transit Center FAQs |url=http://www.akronmetro.org/TransitCenterFAQs.html |publisher=METRO RTA}}{{Cite web |title=Greyhound.com : Locations : Akron, Ohio |url=http://www.greyhound.com/home/TicketCenter/en/terminal.asp?city=250020 |publisher=Greyhound Lines}} Youngstown’s WRTA route 81 serves as the Akron Youngstown express
:Opened: 18 January 2009
= Rolling Acres Transit Center =
:Address: 2340 Romig Road, Akron
:Facilities: Connector hub for routes 3 and 9 serving West Akron and Barberton, Ohio. This hub is in the former Rolling Acres Mall parking lot. The mall has been shut down since 2008.
= Independence Transit Center (Chapel Hill) =
Serving North Akron/Cuyahoga Falls and routes 10, 19, 20 & 22, "Independence Transit Center" is similar to Rolling Acres Transit Center which also has no public restroom but does have indoor waiting shelter facilities.{{Cite web |title=Akron Metro |url=http://www.akronmetro.org/all-chapel-hill-mall-routes-changing.aspx |publisher=METRO RTA}}
Connecting services
METRO RTA service offers a number of connection opportunities to other area transit agencies.
GCRTA, a neighboring transit agency, provides connecting services between Cuyahoga County, Ohio (Greater Cleveland) and Akron METRO RTA. The two systems connect with two lines in Maple Heights at Southgate Transit Center (31 & 32), near the Southgate USA plaza. GCRTA does not serve METRO RTA's Robert K. Pfaff Transit Center.{{Cite web |title=Out-of-County Connections |url=http://www.gcrta.org/ro_outofcounty.asp |url-status=dead |publisher=Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410003332/http://www.gcrta.org/ro_outofcounty.asp |archivedate=2009-04-10}}
METRO RTA's "North Coast Express" route 61 connect with GCRTA routes in downtown Cleveland.
PARTA, a neighboring transit agency, offers services between Portage County, Ohio (Kent/Ravenna) and Akron, including service to METRO RTA's Robert K. Pfaff Transit Center (90), along with connections in Stow(30), and in Maple Heights (100).{{Cite web |title=PARTA |url=http://www.partaonline.org/ |publisher=Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority}}
SARTA, a neighboring transit agency, operates one hourly weekday and Saturday route between Canton and Akron starting at 6:00am, 6:45am and every :45 until 8:45pm. This route, 81 Canton Akron Express, connects with METRO RTA. SARTA route 81 also serves Downtown Canton, Akron-Canton Regional Airport, Belden Village Transit Center in North Canton, Ohio, & Staples on Arlington Road in Akron from both Akron and Canton. SARTA's route services METRO RTA's Robert K. Pfaff Transit Center. Effective in 2018, SARTA also operates a direct express route in the fall and spring directly from Akron Metro Transit Center to Stark State College in North Canton Ohio. This route is named the 88 Stark State Express and runs five times a day and services Akron Metro's RKP Downtown Transit Center Stark State College and Belden Village Transit Center respectively.
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Akron METRO}}
- {{official website|http://www.akronmetro.org/}}
{{Ohio public transit}}
Category:Bus transportation in Ohio
Category:Transportation in Summit County, Ohio
Category:Transportation in Akron, Ohio