Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority

Regional Transit Authority
FoundedDecember 30, 1974
Headquarters1240 West 6th Street, Downtown, Cleveland, Ohio
LocaleCleveland, Ohio
Service typeBus and Rapid Transit
RoutesBus: 37, Rail: 4, Trolley: 1, BRT: 3
FleetBus: 391, Rail: 92, Trolley: 12, BRT: 40
Daily ridership78,200 (weekdays, Q3 2024)[1]
Annual ridership22,431,500 (2023)[2]
Chief executiveIndia Birdsong Terry[3]
Websiteriderta.com

The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (officially the GCRTA, but historically and locally referred to as the RTA) is the public transit agency for Cleveland, Ohio, United States and the surrounding suburbs of Cuyahoga County. RTA is the largest transit agency in Ohio, with a ridership of 22,431,500, or about 78,200 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024.

RTA owns and operates the RTA Rapid Transit rail system (called "The Rapid" by area residents), which consists of one heavy rail line (the Red Line) and three light rail lines (Blue, Green, Waterfront). The bulk of RTA's service consists of buses, including regular routes, express or flyer buses, loop and paratransit buses. In December 2004, RTA adopted a revised master plan, Transit 2025, in which several rail extensions, bus line improvements and transit oriented developments are discussed.[4]

RTA's major predecessor, the Cleveland Transit System, was the first transit system in the western hemisphere to provide direct rapid transit service from a city's downtown to its major airport.[5]

In 2007, RTA was named the best public transit system in North America by the American Public Transportation Association, for "demonstrating achievement in efficiency and effectiveness."[6]

  1. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Third Quarter 2024" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. November 20, 2024. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  2. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  3. ^ RTA, Greater Cleveland (November 18, 2012). "Executive Management Team (EMT)". Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority.
  4. ^ "Planning & Development – Transit 2025 Plan". Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority. Retrieved 2009-11-16.
  5. ^ "About RTA: History of Public Transit in Greater Cleveland". Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority. Retrieved 2009-11-16.
  6. ^ Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (October 1, 2007). Greater Cleveland: Best Location for Public Transportation in the Nation. Press release. Retrieved on October 6, 2007.