Metro News

New buses with added amenities replace aging coaches in fleet
CINCINNATI – Beep, beep…that’s the sound of 10 more new Metro buses preparing to roll into service beginning Feb. 15.

The 10 new buses each feature a new sleeker exterior design and customer requested amenities including:

Convenient on-board charging ports for electronic devices

• FREE Wi-Fi access
• Improved seating
• More accessible stop request buttons for passengers using wheelchairs or other mobility device  

New safety features on each bus include more visible rear center brake lights and new side cornering lights to alert pedestrians when a bus is turning. Each bus also features a driver protective barrier in the operator compartment and customer-facing screens that will broadcast a live feed of Metro’s on-board security cameras, enhancements that promotes customer safety and security on board.

The new buses placed into service this month were purchased with the aid of $5.2 million in federal grants awarded through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments (OKI).

Since 2018, Metro has updated its fleet with 90 new buses. The approximate cost to replace a 40-foot bus is just more than $500,000. Metro relies primarily on grants to fund its bus replacement program.

Cincinnati Metro is a non-profit, tax-funded public service of the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority, providing about 13.5 million rides per year.