Red Rose Transit Authority

The Red Rose Transit Authority (RRTA) is a transit agency serving Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. RRTA is headquartered in downtown Lancaster. The South Central Transit Authority owns RRTA and the Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority (BARTA). In 2022, the system had a ridership of 1,240,200, or about 5,200 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2023.

This article is about the transit authority. For the U.S. government Act, see Railroad_Retirement_Board § Railroad_Retirement_Act.
Red Rose Transit Authority
RRTA bus 1907 at Queen Street Station in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
FoundedApril 1, 1976
Headquarters45 Erick Road
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, U.S.
LocaleLancaster, Pennsylvania
Service typeBus
Routes16
Daily ridership5,200 (weekdays, Q2 2023)[1]
Annual ridership1,240,200 (2022)[2]
Chief executiveDave Kilmer
Websiteredrosetransit.com

RRTA has routes both within the city of Lancaster, and between Lancaster and other areas of the county. RRTA coordinates a paratransit service, Red Rose Access, which is run by three private transportation providers. RRTA also operates a loop route in downtown Lancaster.

Outside Lancaster city, RRTA buses will stop for passengers who hail them. Inside the city limits, riders must wait at designated stops.

History
Route 16 bus in Millersville inbound to Lancaster

The RRTA was formed as an administrative agency by Lancaster city and Lancaster County under the Municipality Authorities Act of 1945. On April 1, 1976, the RRTA became an operating agency after it took over fixed-route service from two private companies. A new operations facility was built in 1979. In 1992, the RRTA consolidated with the Lancaster Integrated Specialized Transportation System, with the paratransit service renamed Red Rose Access.[3]

The name "Red Rose" is a specific reference to the Red Rose of the House of Lancaster, associated lastly with King Henry VII of England.[4]

The Queen Street Station transit center in downtown Lancaster was completed in 2005 on the former site of the Otto Paving and Construction Company building that was built in 1926. Construction on the second phase of the transit center began in September 2009, which added a parking garage, three bus bays, and access to Chestnut Street.[3]

On December 1, 2014, the South Central Transit Authority was formed to oversee RRTA and the Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority (BARTA) in Berks County.[5]

Route list

Red Rose Transit Authority operates the following routes, most of which run on a hub and spoke type system out of Downtown Lancaster.[6]

Route Line Name Terminals Places Served Notes
1
 Park City/Southeast West Chestnut Street and North Queen Street Park City Center King Street, East End, Clermont Apartments, Neighborhood Services Center, Church Street Towers, Farnum Street East, Queen Street, Lancaster County Convention Center, Queen Street Station, Lemon Street, Franklin & Marshall College, Harrisburg Pike, Dillerville Road, Manheim Pike operates Monday-Sunday
2
 Park City/6th Ward Binns Park on North Queen Street Lancaster General Hospital Health Campus Chestnut Street, New Holland Avenue, J. P. McCaskey High School, New Street, Lancaster General Hospital, Duke Street, Orange Street, Queen Street, Queen Street Station, Walnut Street, Buchanan Avenue, President Avenue, Harrisburg Pike, Park City Center operates Monday-Sunday
3
 Park City/8th Ward West Chestnut Street and North Queen Street Park City Center Chestnut Street, Duke Street, Lancaster County Courthouse, Vine Street, Chamber of Commerce, Southwest Lancaster, Manor Street, King Street, Queen Street/Prince Street, Queen Street Station, Lancaster Station, Fruitville Pike, Dillerville Road, RRTA Operations Center, Manheim Pike operates Monday-Sunday.
5
 Grandview/Rossmere Queen Street Station Lancaster Shopping Center Lime Street, Lancaster General Hospital, Liberty Street, Goodwill Industries, Lancaster County Social Services, Catholic High School, Pleasure Road, Calvary Fellowship Homes, Fordney Road, Golden Triangle Shopping Center, Lititz Pike operates Monday-Friday
6
 Downtown Lancaster Loop Queen Street Station Queen Street Station Queen Street, Lancaster Station, McGovern Avenue, Prince Street, Clipper Magazine Stadium, Prince Street, King Street, Central Market, Penn Square, Lancaster County Convention Center, Queen Street operates Monday-Friday, loop route, formerly the Historic Downtown Trolley until August 22, 2019 when trolleys were retired and replaced with buses[7]
10
 Lititz Queen Street Station Newport and Tollgate roads in Lititz Queen Street/Duke Street, Liberty Street/McGovern Avenue, Lancaster Station, Golden Triangle Shopping Center, Lancaster Shopping Center, Lititz Pike, Neffsville, Kissel Hill, Kissel Hill Plaza, Lititz operates Monday-Saturday
11
 Ephrata Queen Street Station Walmart in Ephrata Queen Street/Duke Street, Liberty Street/McGovern Avenue, Lancaster Station, Lancaster Shopping Center, Oregon Pike, Pennsylvania Route 272, Dutch Lanes Bowling Center, Akron, State Street, Main Street, U.S. Route 322 operates Monday-Saturday
12
 New Holland Queen Street Station Pennsylvania Route 23 and Tower Road in New Holland or Shady Maple Smorgasbord Orange Street/Chestnut Street, Grandview Shopping Center, New Holland Avenue, Pennsylvania Route 23, Eden, Leola operates Monday-Saturday, limited service to Shady Maple Smorgasbord
13
 White Horse Binns Park on North Queen Street Old Philadelphia Pike and Churchtown Road in Cains Orange Street/Chestnut Street, King Street, Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, Conestoga View Nursing Home, Harrisburg Area Community College, Pennsylvania Route 340, Bird-in-Hand, Intercourse, White Horse operates Monday-Saturday
14
 Rockvale Square Queen Street Station Rockvale Square Orange Street/Chestnut Street, King Street, Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, Conestoga View Nursing Home, Lincoln Highway, Walmart, East Towne Centre, Tanger Outlets, Dutch Wonderland, Quality Outlet Shopping Center operates Monday-Sunday
15
 Willow Street Queen Street Station Willow Valley Square in Willow Street Queen Street/Prince Street, Willow Street Pike, Kendig Square, Willow Valley Manor, Willow Valley Lakes Manor, Peach Bottom Road, Willow Street Pike operates Monday-Saturday
16
 Millersville Queen Street Station Hillview Drive and Lee Avenue in Millersville Manor Avenue, Manor Center Weis Market, Millersville Pike, Manor Avenue, Millersville University operates Monday-Sunday
17
 Columbia Queen Street Station 3rd and Linden streets in Columbia or Marietta Square in Marietta Orange Street/King Street, Stone Mill Plaza, Columbia Avenue, Pennsylvania Route 462, Mountville, The Shops at Prospect, Columbia operates Monday-Sunday, limited service to Marietta
18
 Elizabethtown/Mount Joy Queen Street Station Elizabethtown Station or Nordstrom Distribution Center Chestnut Street/Walnut Street, Lancaster Regional Medical Center, Marietta Avenue, Landisville, Pennsylvania Route 230, Mount Joy, Elizabethtown operates Monday-Saturday, limited service to Nordstrom Distribution Center
19
 Manheim Queen Street Station Hazel and High streets in Manheim Queen Street/Prince Street, Lancaster Station, Red Rose Commons, Fruitville Pike, Hawthorne Plaza, Granite Run Industrial Park, Pennsylvania Route 72, East Petersburg, Manheim operates Monday-Saturday
20
 Greenfield Queen Street Station Greenfield Corporate Center Orange Street/Chestnut Street, King Street, Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, Conestoga View Nursing Home, Harrisburg Area Community College operates Monday-Friday
21
 Gap Queen Street Station Gap Shopping Center Orange Street/Chestnut Street, King Street, Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, Conestoga View Nursing Home, Lincoln Highway, Walmart, East Towne Centre, Tanger Outlets, Dutch Wonderland, Quality Outlet Shopping Center, Rockvale Square, U.S. Route 30, Paradise, Kinzers, Urban Outfitters Distribution Center, Gap operates Monday-Saturday
MU X
 MU Xpress SMC at Millersville University SMC at Millersville University Millersville University operates Monday-Friday when university is in session, loop route around campus
MU PCX
 MU Park City Xpress Millersville University Park City Center George Street, Manor Avenue, Millersville Road, Rohrerstown Road, Lancaster General Hospital Health Campus operates Monday-Sunday when university is in session

Fares

RRTA bus fares are based on zones radiating out from Lancaster. The base cash fare is $1.70, while Zone 1 costs $1.85, Zone 2 costs $2.15, Zone 3 costs $2.50 and Zone 4 costs $2.90. Transfers to another bus route are available and cost $0.05 for the base zone, $0.20 for Zone 1, $0.50 for Zone 2, $0.85 for Zone 3, and $1.25 for Zone 4. Students in K-12 schools pay a reduced fare of $1.35 for the base zone, $1.50 for Zone 1, $1.80 for Zone 2, $2.15 for Zone 3, and $2.55 for Zone 4.[8] Millersville University students with their university ID can ride the Route 16, MU Xpress, and MU Park City Xpress for free when the university is in session.[9] Persons with disabilities pay half fare, which costs $0.85 for the base zone, $0.90 for Zone 1, $1.05 for Zone 2, $1.25 for Zone 3, and $1.45 for Zone 4. Senior citizens age 65 or older ride RRTA buses for free.[8]

RRTA offers various bus passes for riders. The All Day Pass, which allows for unlimited rides in a single day, can be bought onboard buses and at sales outlets and costs $3.40 for up to two zones and $5.25 for all zones. The 10 Ride Pass, which allows for 10 one-way rides, costs $12.00 for the base zone, $13.50 for Zone 1, $15.50 for Zone 2, $18.50 for Zone 3, and $21.50 for Zone 4. The 31 Day Pass, which allows for unlimited rides over a 31-day period, costs $35.00 for the base zone, $40.00 for Zone 1, $47.00 for Zone 2, $55.00 for Zone 3, and $64.00 for Zone 4. The Half Fare 10 Ride Pass, which allows for 10 one-way rides for persons with disabilities, costs $6.00 for the base zone, $6.75 for Zone 1, $7.75 for Zone 2, $9.25 for Zone 3, and $10.75 for Zone 4.[10]

Transit facilities

Queen Street Station
Queen Street Station in downtown Lancaster

The Queen Street Station transit center located in downtown Lancaster serves 11 of RRTA's bus routes. The transit center contains shelters and benches in a park-like setting for riders waiting for their buses. The RRTA Information Center is located at Queen Street Station and contains a waiting area, restrooms, sales outlet, bike racks, snack machines, ATM, and television.[11] A parking garage with 395 spaces is located adjacent to Queen Street Station.[12]

Park and ride locations

RRTA operates nine park and ride lots across Lancaster County:[13]

Fleet
Fleet Number(s) Year Manufacturer Model Engine Transmission Source
180-181 2009 Gillig BRT 29' Cummins ISL Voith Diwa 4-speed [14]
183 3/2012 Gillig BRT HEV G30D102N4 Cummins ISB BAE Hybrid [14]
184 2012 Gillig BRT HEV G30B102N4 Cummins ISB BAE Hybrid [14]
185-187 2013 Gillig BRT HEV G30B102N4 Cummins ISB BAE Hybrid [14]
188-197 2015 Gillig BRT HEV 35' Cummins ISB BAE Systems HDS200 [14]
1601–1604 2016 Gillig BRT HEV 35' Cummins ISB BAE Systems HDS200 [14]
1701–1705 2017 Gillig BRT HEV 35' Cummins ISB BAE Systems HDS200 [14]
1706–1708 2017 Gillig BRT HEV 40' Cummins ISB BAE Systems HDS2000 [14]
1813–1814 2018 Gillig BRT HEV 35' Cummins ISB BAE Systems HDS200 [14]
1815–1817 2018 Gillig BRT 29' Cummins ISL [14]
1906–1911 2019 Gillig BRT HEV 35' Cummins ISB BAE Systems HDS200 [14]
2101-2103 2021 Gillig Low Floor Plus HEV 35' Cummins ISB BAE Systems HDS200 [14]

References
  1. "Transit Ridership Report Second Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. September 13, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  2. "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2022" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 1, 2023. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
  3. "History". Red Rose Transit Authority. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  4. Red Rose Transit Authority, Personal Communication, December 12, 2020.
  5. "About the South Central Transit Authority". South Central Transit Authority. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  6. "Bus Schedules". Red Rose Transit Authority. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
  7. "Historic Trolley Route has a new name – Route 6/Downtown Lancaster Loop". Red Rose Transit Authority. August 22, 2019. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
  8. "Cash Fares". Red Rose Transit Authority. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
  9. "Millersville University Bus Services" (PDF). Red Rose Transit Authority. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  10. "Buy Passes". Red Rose Transit Authority. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
  11. "Transit Center". Red Rose Transit Authority. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  12. "Parking Garage-Location". Red Rose Transit Authority. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  13. "Park N' Ride Services". Red Rose Transit Authority. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  14. "Red Rose Transit Authority". Philadelphia Transit Vehicles. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
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