Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority

The Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority (EMTA) is the Municipal Authority that owns and operates the public transport system in Erie County, Pennsylvania which includes the 'e', the area's transit buses; LIFT, the county paratransit service; and Bayliner Trolley, the downtown circulator.

Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority
Current livery
FoundedSeptember 14, 1966
Headquarters127 East 14th Street
Erie, Pennsylvania
 United States
Service areaErie County
Service typeBus
Routes25
Hubs1
Fleet80 buses
Annual ridership2,743,473 [1] (2018)
Decrease 5.87% from 2017
Fuel typeDiesel, CNG
Chief executiveJeremy Peterson
Websitewww.ride-the-e.com

History
A newspaper photograph of an early EMTA bus and streetcar.

The first public transportation system in Erie was established on March 1, 1897, as the Erie City Passenger Railway Company. On October 8, 1888, the Erie Electric Motor Company took control of the Erie City Passenger Railway.[2] The Conneaut and Erie Railway Traction Company was formed in 1903 and ran trolleys to east of the city.[3] On December 24, 1906, the Buffalo and Lake Erie Traction Company took control of the Erie Electric Motor Company and completed its 92-mile (148 km) line to Buffalo, New York in 1909.[3] When the Conneaut and Erie was abandoned on September 16, 1922, the West Ridge Transportation Company was started the next year to run buses along the abandoned trolley route.[3] The Buffalo and Lake Erie was reorganized into the Buffalo and Erie Railway Company on September 5, 1924, and the streetcar system in Erie was split from the Buffalo and Erie to form the Erie Railways Company.[4] Unable to expanded to invest in an expansion of the streetcar system, four Yellow Coach "Z"'s were acquired and were operated by the Erie Coach Company, a newly formed subsidiary of the Erie Railways Company in 1925.[4] The last of its trolleys ran between Erie and New York on December 1, 1932.[5] The streetcars were put out of service in 1935. The city and county took over the Erie Coach Company and formed the Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority on September 20, 1966.[6]

The Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority renamed its bus service "the 'e'" on June 11, 2010.[7]

The 'e'

Routes
An EMTA New Flyer D35LF
Route Weekday Sat Sun Inbound terminus Destinations served Notes
1 Glenwood No Yes No 7th-French Street Glenwood - Millcreek Mall Route only operates on Saturday. Weekday Service via alternating trips on Route 3.
3 Peach Street

3 Glenwood

 Yes Yes No Intermodal Center Peach Street, Millcreek Mall, Summit, Target, Cinemark Theatre, Summit Towne Centre, Oliver Road, Baldwin Industrial Park, Erie County Vo-Tech, Peach Street Walmart]] Alternating trips via Cherry St, Glenwood, Cherry Ext, South Hill Road, and Kuntz Road (Monday through Friday). These trips DO NOT service Peach Street between West 26th Street and Kuntz Road.
4 Liberty Street Yes No No Intermodal Center Millcreek Mall
11 Harborcreek No
(Wed, Fri only)		 No No 9th and Peach Streets Harborcreek Township
12 Albion No
(Mon, Thu only)		 No No 7th and French Streets Millcreek Mall, Fairview, Girard, Lake City, Albion Morning inbound service and Afternoon outbound service operates via Peach Street, Millcreek Mall and I-79 between West 26th Street and Championship Ford (West 26th St at Crescent).
14 Edinboro Yes Yes No 7th and French Streets Millcreek Mall, McKean, Edinboro, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
15 East 38th Street No Yes No Penn State Erie Mercyhurst University, Millcreek Mall
16 North East Yes Yes No 7th and French Street Mercyhurst University, Harborcreek Township, Mercyhurst North East, North East
17 Briggs Avenue No
(Tue, Wed only)		 Yes No Millcreek Mall Mercyhurst University, Penn State Erie
18 Penn State Behrend Campus Loop Yes No No — Penn State Erie
19 Gannon Campus Loop Yes No No — Gannon University
20A Downtown Loop Yes No No Intermodal Center State Street (Downtown Erie)
20B Lincoln Ave. - Park-N-Ride Yes No No UPMC Hamot Lincoln Park-N-Ride
20C Courthouse Loop Yes No No Intermodal Center Erie County Courthouse
20L Cultural Loop No Yes No Intermodal Center Erie Art Museum, Erie Insurance Arena, Erie Playhouse, Warner Theater
21 Lawrence Park Yes Yes No 9th and Peach Streets Perry Square, E. 6TH St, East Lake Road, Franklin Ave, Nagle Rd, Giant Eagle Plaza Lawrence Park Most inbound 21 Lawrence Park trips upon arrival in Downtown Erie, convert into 28 Erie Heights trips outbound.
22 Tacoma Yes Yes No 7th and French Streets Tacoma Avenue
23 Belle Valley Yes No No Intermodal Center Belle Valley, Greene Township
24 McClelland Yes No No 7th and French Street McClelland - 41st Rice Ave
25 Wesleyville Yes Yes No 7th and French Streets Perry Square, E. 21st St, Buffalo Rd, Harbor Homes, Wesleyville, Giant Eagle PlazaWesleyville, Saltsman Road, Penn State Erie Limited Service to Penn State.

Most inbound 25 Wesleyville trips upon arrival in Downtown Erie, convert into 30 West Millcreek trips outbound.

26 E 26th ST Yes Yes No Intermodal Center E 26th ST, Penn State Erie
27 State Yes Yes No Intermodal Center Presque Isle Downs Evening Service bypasses VA Hospital.
28 Erie Heights Yes Yes No 7th and French Street Most inbound 28 Erie Heights trips upon arrival in Downtown Erie, convert into 21 Lawrence Park trips outbound.
29 Asbury Yes Yes No Intermodal Center West 26th Street, Asbury Road Saturday Service to Walmart Only.
30 West Millcreek Yes Yes No 7th and French Streets Millcreek Township, Legion Road Most inbound 30 West Millcreek trips upon arrival in Downtown Erie, convert into 25 Wesleyville trips outbound.
31 Frontier Yes Yes No 7th and French Streets Erie Int'l Airport - Fortis Inst., West 12th Street Limited Service to Manchester Road and IMBC due to discontinuation of 32 Westlake.
105 Corry Loop Yes No No — Corry Limited service provided to Downtown Erie, Peach Street, Millcreek Mall, Waterford, and Union City.
229 Fairview Yes No No Fairview
Edinboro Express Yes Yes No — Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
A Bayliner trolley-replica bus

Bus fleet

List of EMTA's fleet
  • OBI
    • II (02.502)
    • VII (07.501) "3rd Generation"
  • NFI
  • Gillig
    • LF-35 Trolley Replica
    • LF-35
    • LF-40
    • LF-29", 35” & 40" CNG[8]†
  • Optima
    • AH-28 American Heritage Streetcar (trolley-replica buses)

† Twentynine Gillig CNG buses, only alternative fuel in fleet, Eight more coming in Summer 2021.

LIFT

"LIFT" is EMTA's paratransit program in that provides door-to-door transportation services to people who have physical disabilities, are senior citizens or anyone who lives "beyond the bus routes or are unable to utilize bus services."[9] Some passengers qualify for free rides while others may have to pay a minimum of $1.65 to ride.

Other programs

Until 2008, EMTA offered a "trackless" trolley that could be rented for special occasions; while the rental program has been discontinued,[10] this type of vehicle is still used for Route 20. Another program from EMTA is their "Bike on the Bus" program for bicyclists that allows them to take the bus to a destination while carrying their bike on a rack on the front of the bus for free. EMTA has a "Bayliner Trolley" route,[11] using trackless trolleys, that takes the place of the Park and ride service in Erie. Currently, there is no fare on the Bayliner route.

An EMTA Ford E-450 bus

See also

Notes
  1. "Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority (EMTA)" (PDF). National Transit Database. Federal Transit Administration. 2017. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
  2. "McGraw Electric Railway Manual" 1913, p. 250
  3. Meier 1985, p. 4.
  4. Meier 1985, p. 5.
  5. Springirth 2006, p. 55.
  6. Meier 1985, p. 8.
  7. Lewis, Erin (June 11, 2010). "EMTA changes its name to 'the e'". Erie Times-News. Retrieved June 11, 2010.
  8. "Greener Trucks and Bus Fleets - Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)". Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. Archived from the original on 2008-05-12. Retrieved 2008-03-20.
  9. "- LIFT Program". Archived from the original on 2015-10-17. Retrieved 2015-10-20.
  10. "EMTA - Types Of Transit". Archived from the original on 2012-09-20. Retrieved 2012-09-11.
  11. "Bayliner Trolley Service". Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority. Archived from the original on 2015-11-06. Retrieved 2015-10-19.

References
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