CINCINNATI — Bus services in Hamilton County and the greater Dayton region are offering free rides to passengers because of extreme winter weather this weekend while also warning would-be riders of the threat of delays caused by hazardous road conditions.
A powerful winter storm is bringing several inches of snow and strong wind gusts of up to 50 mph in the greater Cincinnati area. The region is also experiencing dangerously cold temperatures, with wind chills well below zero.
Cincinnati Metro and Access suspended fare collection through 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 24.
Going fare-free is a way to offer relief to riders who must travel during the winter storm and speed up the boarding process, said Pat LaFleur, Cincinnati Metro’s transit agency’s external affairs manager. The goal, he said, was to enable routes to stay on schedule as much as possible.
“In events of severe winter weather, while service routes are not canceled outright, it is possible road conditions can trigger snow detours to go into effect, especially in locations with bus stops on hillsides,” LaFleur said.
LaFleur said Metro buses, which operate throughout Hamilton County, can’t stop safely on snowy or icy hills. Customers should board at the top or bottom of hills, he added.
Details about specific snow detours are available on Metro’s service detour page. The page also features real-time updates about which routes had to switch to detour alignments and when.
Metro bus stops are outside.
Beyond reminding travelers to dress extra warm, LaFleur recommended that bus riders subscribe to Metro’s EZ Alerts, either by text message, email or both, for real-time route information. They can also access real-time info by phone at 513-621-4455.
Greater Dayton RTA encouraged those who can change their travel plans for Friday and Saturday to do so.
RTA suspended fare collection for the rest of 2022, hoping bus riders would delay their trip until the weather improves next week, according to Robert Ruzinsky, the bus agency’s CEO. Free rides will be offered on all RTA vehicles, including fixed-route and paratransit services.
If a person has to take the bus, Ruzinsky asked that they try to be patient as RTA’s drivers navigated what he was expecting to be a “challenging situation” on Friday.
RTA riders can track their buses live using the Transit app and the bus service’s RideTime technology. Receiving text alert notifications is another option, Ruzinsky said.
“With the major storm expected to greatly impact the Miami Valley over the next few days, we are advising riders that services may be delayed as our professional drivers deal with the challenging road conditions expected,” he added.
Additional information is available on the Cincinnati Metro and Greater Dayton RTA websites, respectively.
