CINCINNATI — Though gas prices are easing slightly from their record numbers earlier this month, the average is still hovering around $4 per gallon across Ohio. The national average is even higher. According to AAA, the average price of gas is $4.24.
It’s driving up transportation costs so high, surveys show more than half of the country plans to change their driving habits to save money. This week, Cincinnati Metro hopes to prove itself as a viable alternative, by offering a massive price reduction. All rides are free from March 20 to 26.
Brandy Jones, the vice president of external affairs at the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority, said the promotion is a way to encourage potential new riders to try out Metros services while also providing some relief as a thank you to loyal passengers.
“We really wanted the community to have a full seven days, to try our service out and see how we can move them throughout whatever they do in their normal commute absolutely free,” Jones said.
Fares within Hamilton County start around $2.00, with small price increases for express busses or busses that travel to Butler and Clermont counties.
Riders take the Cincinnati Metro downtown
On Monday, the first major commuting day of the promotion, regular riders, like Raymond Jones, mentioned noticing several new faces.
“It gives you an alternate choice to take, you know,” he said. “Besides driving.”
Scott Schuesler was one of those riders choosing the alternative. Commuting from West Chester to downtown and back every day for work means about 23 miles in the car, or about a gallon of $4 gas each way.
“It makes you think about it,” he said.
Schuesler said he’s taken the bus every so often to make his trip more relaxing, but with free fares for the week as opposed to using his own gas, he said the choice was easy.
“It got me to ride a few more days than I would normally,” he said. “You kind of lose that convenience of when you’re going to leave cause there’s a schedule, but you don’t have to deal with traffic.”
Besides bringing in new riders, SORTA is also looking to get former riders back on board. Like public transit systems across the country, Cincinnati Metro’s ridership is still far from its pre-pandemic numbers.
In 2019, more than a million passengers took the Cincinnati Metro, while in January 2022, Metro had a ridership of 614,029.
Jones said SORTA is seeing ridership slowly recover. 2021’s ridership surpassed 2020’s, but the COVID-19 pandemic is still affecting movement in downtown Cincinnati.
“More people are coming back to the office, and the world is starting to open up a little bit,” she said. “So we’re hoping to see more of that over the next couple of months.”
Jones hopes the week of free fares serves as a excellent incentive to encourage those commuters to skip the drive and parking, and rely on the Metro once again.
“It’s a great way to save money, protect the environment by reducing your carbon footprint and just relax,” she said.
Under federal law, all riders on Cincinnati Metro and any public transit are required to wear masks.
