Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority

Greater Cleveland
Regional Transit Authority

Overview
Locale	Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Transit type	Rapid transit Light rail Heavy rail Bus Bus rapid transit
Number of lines	1 rapid transit: Red line 2 interurban/light rail: Blue line and Green line 1 light rail: Waterfront 62 bus routes: 2 Bus rapid transits 4 Freeway-Flyer[1][2]
Number of stations	18 rapid transit 34 light rail/interurban 8,557 bus stops including 1,332 shelters[1]
Annual ridership	49.2 million[3]
Website	riderta.com
Operation
Began operation	September 5, 1975
Number of vehicles	60 rapid transit cars 48 light rail cars 492 buses 80 ParaTransit shuttles[1]
Technical
System length	37 miles (60 km) rail,[1] 1,606 miles (2,585 km) bus routes[4]
Track gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge

The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (officially the GCRTA, but historically and locally referred to as the RTA) is the public transit agency for Cleveland, Ohio, United States and the surrounding suburbs of Cuyahoga County. RTA is the largest transit agency in Ohio, providing over 44 million trips to residents and visitors of the Cleveland area in 2010. RTA owns and operates the RTA Rapid Transit rail system (called "The Rapid" by area residents), which consists of one heavy rail line (the Red Line) and two interurban light rail lines (the Blue, Green and light-rail Waterfront extension line). The bulk of RTA's service consists of buses, including regular routes, express or flyer buses, loop and paratransit buses. In December 2004, RTA adopted a revised master plan, Transit 2025, in which several rail extensions, bus line improvements and transit oriented developments are discussed.^[5]

RTA's major predecessor, the Cleveland Transit System, was the first transit system in the western hemisphere to provide direct rapid transit service from a city's downtown to its major airport.^[6]

In 2007, RTA was named the best public transit system in North America by the American Public Transportation Association, for "demonstrating achievement in efficiency and effectiveness."^[7]

History

The GCRTA was established December 30, 1974,^[8] and on September 5, 1975 assumed control of the Cleveland Transit System, which operated the heavy rail line from Windermere to Cleveland Hopkins Airport and the local bus systems, and Shaker Heights Rapid Transit (the descendant of a separate streetcar system formed by the Van Sweringen brothers to serve their Shaker Heights development), which operated the two interurban light rail lines from downtown to Shaker Heights. CTS had been formed when the city of Cleveland took over the old Cleveland Railway Company. However, with Cleveland's dwindling population over the previous two decades, its revenue dwindled significantly. The problem really manifested itself with a 17-day strike in July 1970. City and county leaders concluded that a regional approach was the only way to save it.^[6]

A month after its formation, RTA assumed control over the suburban bus systems operated by Maple Heights, North Olmsted, Brecksville, Garfield Heights and Euclid.^[6]

The RTA had to undertake a number of renovations to the rail system, as the Shaker Heights lines (renamed the Blue and Green lines) had not been significantly renovated since their creation in 1920. They were largely rebuilt by 1981 and the downtown station at Cleveland Union Terminal (now Tower City Center) was heavily rebuilt by 1987. In 1994, a walkway and skyway was added from the Tower City station to Progressive Field and Quicken Loans Arena and the Blue and Green lines were extended to the waterfront area by 1996.

Seventy-five Cleveland Transit System PCC streetcars were sold in 1952 to Toronto to be used by the Toronto Transit Commission. The last of the Cleveland models operated for 30 years in Toronto until 1982.

RTA has equipped all of its mainline buses with bicycle carriers. Each bus can carry two to three bicycles. Bicycles are also allowed on rapid transit trains (with a maximum limit of two per car) at all times, although operators have discretion to refuse bicycles if a train is overcrowded. Bicycles are not allowed access to/from the Public Square/Tower City Station through the shopping areas of Tower City Center. However, an elevator connection is permitted between the station lobby and street level, at Prospect Avenue via the south-side doors. Bicycles are also allowed to transfer between trains at Tower City Station. There is no additional charge for taking bicycles on RTA.

Euclid Corridor Project

A HealthLine bus rapid transit,a New Flyer DE60LFA, at Public Square

In 2005, RTA began building a bus rapid transit line along Euclid Avenue from Public Square to University Circle and then to East Cleveland. This was originally to be a subway line running under Euclid Avenue, but the high cost of such a project caused it to be reduced in scope, resulting in the current bus rapid transit project. Vehicles operate in an exclusive center median busway from Public Square to Stokes Blvd. and transition to curbside running through University Circle to the Windermere Rapid Transit Station in East Cleveland. The vehicles are low-floor, articulated 62 feet (19 m) buses.

Naming rights for the line were purchased by the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals for twenty-five years. The BRT route, originally named the "Silver Line", which serves the two major health industry employers in Cleveland, is named the HealthLine.^[9]

As sections were completed, they were opened to traffic; the entire stretch within the project area was open by October 24, 2008^[10] as part of its grand opening October 24–26, 2008.^[11]

Funding

When RTA was formed, Cuyahoga County voters approved a 1% county-wide sales tax, which constitutes about 70% of its operating revenue. This funding source has helped RTA maintain a higher level of service than other transit agencies in comparable cities and it also helps RTA retain some degree of political autonomy. However, it also makes RTA unusually susceptible to economic downturns.

In recent years, RTA has undertaken great efforts to improve efficiency and eliminate unnecessary costs. These efforts have included mergers with the two remaining autonomous transit agencies in Cuyahoga County, the North Olmsted Municipal Bus Line and Maple Heights Transit, and the redesigning of its routes in the suburban areas southeast, west, and south of Cuyahoga County.

Fares

A Shaker Rapid car at the Warrensville Center Road Loop in 1936

These Tokyu cars, first put in service in 1985, serve the Red Line

Since October 1, 2009 (no fare to kids below 6 with fare-paying rider; limit 3):^[12]

RTA buses

Current Fleet Roster

Order Year	Fleet Series (Quantity)	Manufacturer Model	Image	Powertrain (Engine/Transmission)	Fuel or Propulsion	Notes
2001	2101-2151	NovaBUS LFS-40102		Cummins ISM Allison WB-400R	Diesel	Currently used for bus shortages
2001	1001-1023 (23)	MCI D4000		DDS-60 Allison WB-500	Diesel
2002	2201-2320 (120)	NABI 40-LFW		DDS-50EGR Allison WB-400R	Diesel	2209 was totaled on December 17, 2012
2003	1051-1065 (15)	MCI D4500		DDS-60 Allison WB-500	Diesel
2003	2401-2505 (105)	NABI 40-LFW		DDS-50EGR Allison WB-400R	Diesel
2004	6404, 6405, 6406, 6411, 6412, 6415 (6)	Thomas-Diamler SLF-229		Cummins ISB Allison WB-300R	Diesel	Replaced the Orion IIs Originally used for Community Circular, now used on Downtown Trolley
2005	2601-2648 (48)	NABI 40-LFW		Caterpillar C-9 Allison WB-400R	Diesel
2006	2801-2845 (45)	NABI 40-LFW		Caterpillar C-9 Allison WB-400R	Diesel
2006	2701-2711 (11)	Optima American Heritage Streetcar		Cummins ISB Allison WB-300R	Diesel	Streetcar configuration.
2008/2009	2900-2920, 2951-2953 (24)	NFI DE62LFA		Caterpillar C-9 Allison ep-50 HybriDrive system	Hybrid	First New Flyer bus order. First Hybrids in system. Except 2951-53, which are Cummins Clean Diesels Operates the HealthLine BRT service on Euclid Avenue.
2009	3001-3017 (16)	NFI D60LFR		Cummins ISM Allison WB-500R	Diesel
2014	3201-3253 (52)	NFI Xcelsior XD60		Cummins ISL9 Allison WB-500R	Diesel	Used for Cleveland State Express.
2015	3301-3390 (90)	GILLIG BRT		Cummins EPA 2013 ISL-G Allison WB400R-6 Gen IV/4000 series	Compressed Natural Gas	First GILLIG order.
2015	8501-8516 (15)	Setra S407		Mercedes Benz Engine 450 HP 12.8	Diesel	First Setra order.First Transit Agency for Setra First order to replace the 2003 MCI's

CTS fleet

Cleveland street railways, 1900

• 1946 Pullman PCC A11 (49) and 1946 St. Louis Car Company A12 (24) - all sold to Toronto in 1952
• Marmon-Herrington TC48-T5 and TC44-T7 trolleybus - ordered 49 in 1951 and 1952 and retired in 1960s (sold to Mexico City)^[13]

See also

• Cleveland railroad history
• Great American Streetcar Scandal
• Laketran (Lake County)
• Lorain County Transit
• Akron, Bedford and Cleveland Railroad

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cleveland RTA.

• Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
• Euclid Corridor Transportation Project
• RTA HealthLine website