1882
Exchange a horse for a mule and a car for a cart and you have public transit in 1882. These horse-drawn carts took travelers all the way from Howard and Market Streets to Case Avenue. All told, three twelve-passenger cars ran on light rails mounted to ties running over the muddy streets of Akron.
1888
The year 1888 brought us street cars. Though none were named “Desire” (that we know of), they were a great improvement! The maiden voyage from West Market Street to Portage Path and back took a mere fifteen minutes.
1901
Just one year later, the Northern Ohio Traction and Light Company began its operations. By 1901, it was operating more than 80 miles of tracks.
1910
Not to be left behind, by streetcar or otherwise, the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company started operations of its own. In 1910, Goodyear's own bus fleet could be seen on the streets. How could anyone miss it since it included Akron’s first double-decker bus?
This planted the seed for competition.
1921
Enter the Jitney. Actually, enter 213 Jitneys, which were gasoline-powered touring sedans. By 1921, we operated more than 15 routes in the Akron area.
1922
Remember the seed? The Northern Ohio Traction and Light Company knew just how to handle it. They purchased Goodyear’s fleet of buses along with several Jitney operators in 1922. Bus routes were expanded and by the end of the year, the fleet grew to an impressive 25.
Two years later, the fleet included 125 street car trolleys and 25 buses. The company requested a fare increase from five cents to seven cents. This is when the transit service came to a screeching halt. The franchise license for the Northern Ohio Traction and Light Company had expired, resulting in the stoppage of transit services. Akron finally granted the transit system a one-cent transfer charge and the transit system was able to remain in business.
1925
Street cars on fixed rails were the backbone of Akron’s transit system. A conductor and motorman operated each street car until 1925, when the cars were converted to a one-man operation.
1926
In 1926, it was discovered bigger isn’t always better. After the introduction of two six-wheel double-decker buses, buses were cut down to a single level after a trial period. The company then built its own foot-operated, treadled, rear-door bus in order to conquer the infamous hills of Akron.
The changes didn’t stop there. The Northern Ohio Traction and Light Company changed its name to the Northern Ohio Power and Light Company on April 17, 1926. Ridership was continuously growing, giving them reason to purchase 40-passenger twin coaches in 1928. The success of this purchase led them to also buy electric powered units.
1930
The late 1920s signaled more than just the disappearance of the flapper look. The management of Akron’s public transit was assumed by the Akron Transportation Company. The new management changed the Mountain Line, which operated in Cuyahoga Falls, from street cars to buses in 1930.
Another change to occur in the early thirties was the price. Fare increased to ten cents, or four tokens for a quarter. A weekly pass was one dollar – see if you can find that at the dollar store these days!
1941
In 1941, trackless trolley buses were introduced on the Grant Street line. World War II, however, prevented further expansion of trolley bus service.
Due to gasoline and tire rationing and ceased production of cars, ridership increased during wartime. Akron’s street cars transported over 50 million passengers, setting a transit record.
In the years following the war, the last streetcar operated and the electric trolley era came to an end. It was time for the transit industry to put on its game face. Weighing in at approximately 1,200 pounds was the competition, also known as the automobile.
The automobile industry was on a roll. Many passengers switched to personal transportation and transit ridership decreased by 10 percent or more each year. Public transit wasn’t giving up.
1953
Between 1953 and 1959, Akron said "hello" to diesel buses and "goodbye" to trackless trolley buses. The goodbyes did not end there.
1969
On April 1, 1969, when faced with a strike, the Akron Transportation Company closed its doors. Its equipment and properties were sold at a public auction and Akron became the largest U.S. city without public transportation.
Without endings, there could never be beginnings. The newly created Akron Metropolitan Regional Transit Authority (METRO) successfully negotiated fresh contracts with bus operators and mechanics 122 days after the strike began. The date was August 1, 1969.
METRO had a contract. What it did not have was money, buses, or headquarters. Fortunately, area industry representatives and the City of Akron provided $50,000 and METRO acquired 50 used buses. August 6, 1969 marked the restoration of Akron’s public transit service.
1972
From 1969 to 1972, the cities of Akron, Barberton and Cuyahoga Falls underwrote METRO’s operational costs. In 1972, the voters supported METRO by easily passing a $1 million property tax levy to help finance transit operations. With this revenue base, METRO began constructing much-needed facilities. Between 1972 and 1985, METRO built two storage garages, a service building, a maintenance and administration facility and a service lane.
1975
METRO expanded its retail strategy in 1975 with the introduction of SCAT, which is a personalized, prearranged, origin-to-destination transportation for older adults and persons with disabilities. Today, using customized vehicles and specially-trained drivers, METRO SCAT transports more than 390,000 passengers each year.
METRO realized it needed more riders and the City of Akron wanted more people downtown. With this mutual goal in mind, METRO obtained a $4.5 million federal grant in order to create a comfortable, pleasing, and safe surrounding for bus riders and pedestrians. The grant also funded improvements to transit operations and services.
1991
In May of 1991, the Main Street Transitway was completed. The Transitway changed the look of downtown Akron. It offered extensive landscaping; wider-bricked sidewalks; new crosswalks; improved bus shelters; special waiting areas for riders and wider curbs for easier accessibility to passengers boarding buses.
As METRO saw the need to expand, it also knew it needed a dedicated source of funding. In November of 1990, Summit County voters passed a quarter percent sales tax supporting METRO.
It was with this dedicated sales tax that METRO was able to expand its services throughout Summit County. The tax levy ensured METRO’s financial stability, allowing METRO to concentrate on servicing its customers.
2008
In March of 2008, voters approved a second quarter percent sales tax increase for METRO, allowing METRO to fulfill its customer-focused mission then and into the future.
2009
January 18, 2009 marked the opening of METRO’s downtown Akron Transit Center, located at 631 S. Broadway Street. The Transit Center provides off-street transfers and houses METRO Customer Service representatives, restrooms, vending machines, and more in its enclosed waiting area.
2012
On May 16, 2012, the Transit Center was renamed the Robert K. Pfaff Transit Center in honor of Executive Director Bob Pfaff, whose career highlight was seeing the Transit Center built. Mr. Pfaff began his 38-year career as a bus operator and served as executive director for 17 years. He passed away July 2, 2012.
2013
In the summer of 2013, METRO became the third public transit system in the state of Ohio to acquire articulated buses. Six CNG articulated buses were added to the fleet to start service in August. The articulated buses are 60 feet long and can carry almost double the capacity of the average 40-foot bus. The articulated buses were specifically purchased for use on METRO's busiest routes, Route #1 West Market and Route #2 Arlington.
2019
August 6, 2019 marked 50 years on the road as Akron METRO Regional Transit Authority. METRO was joined by the community for a public celebration on August 14, 2019 at the Robert K. Pfaff Transit Center. In 2019, METRO also launched EZfare mobile ticketing and broke ground on its new Independence Transit Center located at 1280 Independence Avenue, Akron.
2020
The COVID-19 pandemic rocked the world and for the first time in history, METRO asked its riders NOT to ride the bus.
2022
METRO RTA was proud to introduce electric buses to its fleet in 2022, supported by the FTA Lo-No Grant, EPA Diesel Emissions Reduction Grant, and FTA 5307 funding. METRO Board of Trustees approved a contract with Gillig, LLC for the purchase of the electric buses (November 2020) and two Chargepoint charging stations (January 2021). On March 29, 2022, METRO introduced two electric buses to its fleet during a public event at the Robert K. Pfaff Transit Center.
2023
Since 2021, METRO has been working on a plan to improve its bus network. The Reimagined Network is a service plan for METRO’s fixed-route bus network that seeks to make transit more useful to more people, by expanding access to more destinations and opportunities. It is designed to provide frequent and convenient service in busy places where many people need to travel to, while continuing to offer lifeline services in places where and for people for whom transit is essential. From 2021 to the beginning of 2023, METRO conducted three rounds of outreach with the public and stakeholders on the Reimagined Network, refining the design after each round. On March 28, 2023, METRO’s Board of Trustees approved the changes in a unanimous vote. The Reimagine METRO network was put into service on June 4, 2023. The key features of the Reimagined Network include:
- Streamlined Service
- 5 new high-frequency 15-minute corridors
- 3 new 30-minute routes
- New regional connections to Brimfield and Cuyahoga County
METRO also introduced two new electric buses to its fleet in 2023, for a total of four.
METRO was awarded a Bus and Bus Facilities grant by the FTA in June 2023 totaling $37,808,113. This investment was made possible through the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Since 1964, FTA has partnered with state and local governments to create and enhance public transportation systems, investing more than $13 billion annually to support and expand public transit services. METRO will use these funds to begin the construction of a new Maintenance and Operations Facility.
The purpose of this project is to support current and future operational needs by providing adequate facilities to maintain a state of good repair and improve efficiencies for METRO’s maintenance and operational functions. The building will consist of a 107,138 square feet steel-framed structure consisting of two main functional areas for operations and vehicle maintenance, a new visitor parking lot, a reconfigured employee parking lot, and a Commercial Drivers’ License training pad. It will be built on METRO-owned property at 336 Kenmore Blvd., immediately adjacent to METRO’s existing facilities at 416 Kenmore Blvd.
Who knows what will come up next!