The proposed changes would affect eight regular routes, about 25% of METRO’s 34 line-service routes. The changes will affect routes #18, #26, #31, #34, #101, #102, #104, #110 and #111 as itemized below. No changes to METRO’s other services, such as SCAT and Call-A-Bus, are proposed at this time.

As a public service provider, METRO has a responsibility to ensure its bus service meets the mobility needs of county residents in the most efficient and cost-effective manner possible. In order to do that, regular changes are necessary. The proposed route and schedule changes generally fit into three categories:

a. To eliminate off-route deviations to specific buildings that cause schedule delays for other passengers on the route (especially due to driveway and parking lot congestion);

b. To reduce route mileage, improve directness of service, and/or reduce running time to improve efficiency and convenience for riders; and 

c. To serve new residential areas and/or employment sites which are not served by existing bus routes.

There are four public meetings scheduled at the following times and locations:

a. Thurs., 10/24/13, 6:00 PM - Portage Lakes Public Library, 4261 Manchester Road, Akron

b. Wed., 10/30/13, 2:00 PM – Stow City Hall, 3760 Darrow Rd., Stow

c. Thurs., 10/31/13, 2:00 PM – Robert K. Pfaff Transit Center, 631 S. Broadway, Akron

d. Wed., 11/6/13, 6:00 PM – Green City Hall, 1755 Town Park Blvd., Uniontown

Proposed route and schedule changes can be found on METRO’s website. You may also review the information at METRO’s offices on Kenmore Boulevard, by appointment only. METRO’s Department of Planning will accept input on these changes by email, telephone (330-564-2281), or in writing:

METRO will have specific information on each proposed route change, including maps showing streets where we plan to operate, changes in bus stop locations, connections to other routes, time of day/days of service, and number of daily trips. Each meeting will focus on the routes within the area near the meeting location; however, information on all the proposed changes will be available at each meeting. If you don’t see it, please inquire.

METRO staff is proposing the changes currently under public review. Based on the input obtained during the review period, METRO’s Board of Trustees will decide which ones to implement beginning January 2014.

Route #18, Thornton/Manchester – End the route at the Manchester Road Acme, eliminating run mileage on Portage Lakes Drive to Kiwanis Towers.

Route #23, Portage/Graham – Eliminate the off-route stop at Sutliff Towers in Cuyahoga Falls.

Route #26 Exchange/White Pond – Eliminate the off-route stop at Center Towers for 11 of 13 daily trips. Preserve one mid-morning and one mid-afternoon trip.

Route #101, Richfield/Bath– Start the route at Summit Mall instead of the RKP Transit Center, running past James Fisher Park & Ride on Ghent Road, Cleveland-Massillon, Brecksville Road, W. Snowville Road, Southpointe Parkway and Katherine Boulevard in Brecksville. The route will share the GCRTA #77F route end on Katherine Blvd in Brecksville.

Route #102, Northfield – Shorten the running time by using State Route 8 (SR 8) from the RKP Transit Center to the ODOT Park and Ride at Streetsboro & Chittenden Roads, continuing up SR 8 to Highland, Chamberlin, Aurora to SR 8 and SR 8 to the new Rocksino opening in December. This route will take 45 minutes rather than the existing 80-minutes plus.

Route #103, Stow/Hudson – Adjust scheduled trips to better serve work shift times.

Route #104, Twinsburg/Creekside Park & Ride– New route using portions of the existing #102 to maintain service to Twinsburg Industrial area and Pinewood Gardens; running up SR 8 from the RKP Transit Center to Streetsboro, Main/Darrow, Enterprise Parkway, Boyle, Highland, Hadden and Aurora to the Creekside P&R lot.

Route #31, Stow Circulator – Shorten the route by beginning at Chapel Hill Mall instead of the RKP Transit Center, running on SR 8 to Front, Darrow, Graham and Fishcreek to Stow-Kent Plaza on Kent Road. The route will share a stop with a PARTA Route.

Selective Changes for Overcrowded Buses – The addition of bus trips and/or larger capacity buses may be added to address overcrowding; more detail to follow.

The following revisions are under consideration for implementation in spring 2014:

Route #110, Green/Springfield – Revise to shorten running time and improve coverage of the growing employment area in Green using freeway to Kelly, 224 to Massillon, Corporate Woods, Boettler, Massillon and Steese. This change would end Metro’s service to Akron-Canton Airport and the Mayfair/Raber loop. Route

#111, South Main/Waterloo – Cease peak hour express trips on South Main, Turkeyfoot Lake, SR 93/Manchester, Renninger and W.Nimisila Roads.