METRO Regional Transit Authority
 | |
 | |
| Founded | 1969[1] |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | 416 Kenmore Blvd. |
| Locale | Akron, Ohio |
| Service area | Summit County, Ohio |
| Service type | bus service, paratransit, express bus service |
Daily ridership | 18,200 (weekdays, Q1 2026)[2] |
Annual ridership | 5,604,100 (2025)[3] |
| Fuel type | Diesel CNG |
Chief executive | Dawn Distler |
| Website | www |
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.[4] 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 2025, the system had a ridership of 5,604,100, or about 18,200 per weekday as of the first quarter of 2026.
History
[edit]Akron METRO was founded on August 1, 1969 following the closure of Akron Transportation Company four months prior.[1]
In 2023, METRO RTA restructured their bus network to prioritize frequent routes with service every 15 minutes and added more weekend service. By the following year, ridership had increased 24 percent.[5] The American Public Transportation Association awarded METRO RTA an Outstanding Public Transportation System Award in 2025.[6]
Services
[edit]METRO Direct
[edit]METRO RTA operates traditional fixed-route bus service in Summit County. As of 2023, the METRO Direct system includes 24 routes including Roo Express and Grocery Bus, which serve University of Akron, and the Northcoast Express to Downtown Cleveland.[7]
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Connecting services
[edit]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.[8]
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).[9]
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.
METRO Select
[edit]METRO RTA operates METRO SCAT and METRO NEXT on-demand transit under the METRO Select branding. METRO SCAT is intended for senior citizens and riders with disabilities who do not qualify for ADA paratransit service.[10] METRO NEXT serves the southern portion of Summit County, connecting rural areas to fixed-route buses.[11]
Fares
[edit]METRO RTA charges $1.25 for single rides. Day, week, and month passes are also available for purchase. Senior citizens and people with disabilities get discounted fares.[12]
Routes
[edit]- 1 - West Market
- 2 - Arlington
- 3 - Copley / Barberton
- 6 - East Exchange / Canton Road
- 8 - Barberton
- 9 - East Avenue / Battles
- 10 - Howard / Portage Trail
- 13 - Grant / Firestone
- 15 - Brown / Inman
- 16 - Euclid / Vernon Odom
- 19 - East Exchange / Eastland
- 20 - Tall Madge / Brimfield
- 22 - How / Stow-Kent
- 23 - Goodyear Heights / Gilchrist
- 25 - Kelly / Triplett
- 26 - Delia / White Pond
- 27 - West Exchange / Merriman Valley
- 29 - South Main / Manchester
- 31 - Cuyahoga Falls / Macedonia
- 32 - Hudson / Twinsburg
- 40 - Manchester / West Thornton
- 55 - Route 55
- 61 - North-Coast Express
- 600 - Zone Service (Late night service only)
- Roo Express (Weekdays only)
- Grocery Bus (Weekdays only)
Facilities
[edit]Head Office
[edit]- Address: 416 Kenmore Boulevard, Akron
- Coordinates: 41°02′58.6″N 81°32′26.8″W / 41.049611°N 81.540778°W
- Facilities: Head office, administration, vehicle storage and maintenance
Robert K. Pfaff Transit Center
[edit]- Address: 631 South Broadway Street, downtown Akron[13]
- Coordinates: 41°04′10″N 81°31′23″W / 41.06944°N 81.52306°W
- Facilities: Terminus for local bus routes, suburban routes, X61 North Coast Express bus service to Cleveland,[14] intercity Greyhound services, and Stark County & Portage County connecting buses.[15][16] Youngstown’s WRTA route 81 serves as the Akron Youngstown express
- Opened: 18 January 2009
Rolling Acres Transit Center
[edit]- 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)
[edit]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.[17]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 "METRO's History". METRO. METRO RTA. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
- ↑ "Transit Ridership Report First Quarter 2026" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. May 28, 2026. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
- ↑ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2025" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. February 20, 2026. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
- ↑ "Akron Metro". METRO RTA.
- ↑ Strassmann, Mark; Wender, Samantha M. (September 9, 2025). "Akron's bus system won top honors after a major overhaul. Here's how they boosted ridership". CBS Evening News. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
- ↑ "APTA Announces 2025 Public Transportation Awards, Hall of Fame Winners" (Press release). American Public Transportation Association. June 24, 2025. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
- ↑ "METRO Facts". METRO. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
- ↑ "Out-of-County Connections". Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority. Archived from the original on 2009-04-10.
- ↑ "PARTA". Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority.
- ↑ "METRO SCAT - Who Qualifies". METRO. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
- ↑ "METRO NEXT". METRO. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
- ↑ "Fares & Passes". www.yourmetrobus.org. Retrieved 2025-09-24.
- ↑ "Robert K. Pfaff Transit Center". METRO RTA.
- ↑ North Coast Express to Cleveland, Routes X61
- ↑ "Akron Metro Transit Center FAQs". METRO RTA.
- ↑ "Greyhound.com : Locations : Akron, Ohio". Greyhound Lines.
- ↑ "Akron Metro". METRO RTA.
External links
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