Student Programs
School Transportation on Metro
We are excited to welcome 7-12th grade students onboard Metro for the 2024-2025 school year! Our mission is to offer a safe, reliable, and convenient transportation option that helps connect CPS students to school and home.
With more than a half-century of collaboration, Metro and Cincinnati Public Schools continue to work together to meet students’ transportation needs and enhance their trip experience. Like in years past, school-year improvements will go into effect the week classes resume, in order to better accommodate CPS riders and reduce travel times and transfers.
Planning Your Trip
When trip-planning, be sure to enter the first day of school or later to see accurate times and schedules.
To help plan your student’s trips to and from school, use the Transit App or Google Maps, where you can find the latest updates regarding bus service or you can download digital schedules, or download schedule PDFs from our Schedules page. Simply enter your home address and your school destination, the time you would like to arrive and be sure to enter a date when school is in session.
Find your route!
Improved Service for CPS Students
Improvements to student transportation for the 2024-25 school year include:
Eligibility: Eligible CPS 7th-12th graders who live more than one mile away from their school will receive a Metro bus pass. After-school/extracurricular passes for 7th-12th graders will also be available for students participating in those activities.
Service Hours: Metro Student Passes are valid for eligible 7th – 12th grade CPS students for travel on Metro buses Monday through Friday between the hours of 6:00 – 9:30 a.m. and 1:00 – 5:30 p.m. only. Seventh- through 12th-grade students utilizing extracurricular Metro passes will be granted season-specific passes from CPS to use for transportation to and from school extracurricular activities on weekdays until 10:30 p.m.
More options: 7th through 12th-grade students will benefit from increased access across Metro’s system, including added frequency on Metro routes serving CPS high schools and two new crosstown routes serving peak student commute times. Students will have more options for getting to school on time, and increased service frequency on these routes will help prevent crowding.
Reduced transfers: Service for the 2024-25 school year will offer more direct bus service to and from high schools and will reduce the number of transfers needed. All (100%) of eligible students can ride from home to school and back with one or no transfers needed, with most transfers occurring at an off-street transit center (e.g., Government Square, Oakley Transit Center, or Northside Transit Center).
Safety and Security Enhancements: Metro has dedicated security resources system-wide to ensure the safety of students and all Metro riders as part of its extended service hours and other system improvements. Metro employees are available to help you chart your student’s bus trip and troubleshoot any issues that may arise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Metro is proud of its long history partnering with CPS to connect student riders to high schools within the district. During the 2024-25 school year, Metro provided more than 9,000 student trips each school day, with an average on-time performance of 95%, with “on time” being defined as arriving within 10 minutes of school-start, as per the district’s request.
How do I get my student pass?
Each school is responsible for distributing Metro passes to eligible 7th-12th-grade student riders for the 2024-25 school year.
When is my student pass valid?
Metro student passes are valid for eligible 7th-12th-grade CPS students for travel on Metro buses on weekdays between the hours of 6:00 – 9:30 a.m. and 1:00 – 5:30 p.m. only. Students utilizing extracurricular passes will be granted season-specific passes from CPS to use for transportation to and from school-sanctioned extracurricular activities on weekdays until 10:30 p.m..
What is the student fare?
Thanks to our agreement with CPS, all student riders will receive a special Metro smart card that lets them ride any bus (within the allotted time windows established by CPS) without paying any additional fare.
How do I find my best route option to get to school?
The new schedule information is now available in the Google Transit mapping system. You can preview your new trip in multiple ways, outlined above in the “Planning Your Trip” section. Each of these options allows you to select between routes based on total travel time, the number of transfers or the amount of walking required. Simply enter your home address and your school destination, the time you would like to arrive and be sure to enter a date when school is in session.
Recent service enhancements have ensured that all eligible student riders can ride from home to school and back with one transfer or fewer, with most transfers occurring at an off-street transit center. If you need help with the trip planning, please reach out to Metro for assistance.
How close to each school will the buses drop off and pick up?
Each Metro bus serving CPS schools will pick up and drop off at points determined by CPS staff. Metro routes serving Walnut Hills High School will drop off directly on school property.
How safe is riding the bus?
Overall, Metro is a very safe system, and Metro has implemented additional protocols to ensure rider safety:
- Security cameras on all buses
- Newest buses feature security monitors so passengers can observe their surroundings in real time while riding
- All buses are in radio contact with Metro’s control center and can contact supervisors and/or law enforcement if necessary.
- Metro has contracted with the Cincinnati Police Department to provide random rides and extra patrols at Government Square and other transit centers throughout the system.
- Any student feeling unsafe is encouraged to notify the bus operator or sit toward the front of the bus.
Who can I call with questions regarding student transportation?
For general questions or concerns, please contact the CPS Transportation Hotline at 513-363-RIDE. If you need assistance with trip planning, you may contact Metro in the following ways:
Call: 513-621-4455
Email: customerservice@go-metro.com
Website: www.go-metro.com
Additionally, Metro staff members will be available for questions and to assist with trip planning during student orientations at each high school. Staff also will be available during the CPS cookout at Washington Park on Aug. 7 and during school orientation sessions (see above).
Student expectations
- While riding, please be courteous of your fellow passengers. Profanity, playing of music without earphones, loud noise and rowdy behavior may result in removal of your riding privileges on Metro.
- CPS bus passes are to be used to travel between home and school on the most direct route available to the student. CPS bus passes are not to be used to travel downtown unless it is required for the commute between school and home. CPS and Metro will be monitoring downtown pass use.
- Using your pass incorrectly may result in the deactivation of your CPS bus pass.
Tips for catching and riding the bus
- Arrive at the designated bus stop at least five minutes before your scheduled pick-up time.
- When boarding, tap your bus pass on the farebox and listen for the beep.
- Once boarded, quickly find a seat and avoid changing seats while the bus is moving.
- If you must stand, hold onto the closest handrail or pole for safety.
- When you need to alert the driver of your stop, pull the cord at the top of the bus to signal to the driver that your stop is coming up.
- While riding, please be courteous of your fellow passengers. Profanity, playing of music without earphones, loud noise and rowdy behavior may result in removal of your riding privileges on Metro.
- When exiting, don’t cross in front of the bus. Wait until the bus pulls away before starting to cross the street. Only cross and crosswalks and obey traffic signals.
Metro University Discount Program
Free Rides for University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati State, and Xavier Students and Staff
Metro is partnering with the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati State, and Xavier University to extend the free bus promotion to students and staff. Starting on Monday, January 13, Metro will offer FREE 30-Day passes to university students and staff each month to help ease commuting costs and parking hassles.
If you have already signed up this school year, your passes will be automatically credited to your account. If you have not signed up for the free passes yet, please follow the steps below.
How to get your university discount
The University Discount Program is free to eligible students and staff and can be used to ride anywhere Metro goes free. Passes will be placed in your Transit app account within 5 business days of registration.
Download App
Download the Transit with EZfare app free for Android and Apple devices.
Create Your Account
Create an account using your school email address. You must use your school email address when setting up your account; otherwise, it will not work with the discount program.
If you already have a Transit with EZfare account set up using a different email address, you will need to set up a new one using university assigned email address.
Register For Discount Program
Once you’ve set up your Transit with EZfare account, you must apply online through your school’s web portal to enroll in the program each semester. Eligibility is determined at the time of online application.
Terms of Use
- Tap your phone on the validator on the bus and show your school ID to the operator when boarding.
- Tickets may be used 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week for unlimited rides per day wherever Metro buses travel.
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Questions?
For questions about the University Discount program, UC students/staff should contact Aimee Gibson at caylorae@UCMAIL.UC.EDU or 513-556-4424. CS students should contact Soni Hill at sonihill@cincinnatistate.edu or 513-569-1555.