Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority

Infobox Bus transit
name = Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority

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image_caption = Current EMTA livery
company_slogan = Wherever Life Takes You
parent =
founded = 1897
headquarters = 127 East 14th Street
Erie, Pennsylvania 16503
locale = Erie, Pennsylvania
service_area = Erie County
service_type = Bus
alliance =
routes = 22
destinations =
stops =
hubs =
stations =
lounge =
fleet = 138 buses
ridership =
fuel_type = Diesel, CNG
operator =
ceo = Dennis Solensky
website = [http://www.emtaerie.com www.emtaerie.com] The Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority (EMTA) is the operator of the mass transportation in the city of Erie, Pennsylvania and around Erie County. EMTA also runs a paratransit system called "LIFT."

History

The Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority first became a public transit system in Erie, Pennsylvania on March 1, 1897] under the name of the Erie City Passenger Railway Company. On October 8, 1888, the Erie Electric Motor Company took control of the Erie City Passenger R'y Co. [cite book|title=McGraw Electric Railway Manual: The Red Book of American Street Railways Investments| origmonth=June| origyear=1897| publisher=Street Railway Publishing| location=New York, NY| url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Yn-jZRn57YUC&pg=PA88&lpg=PA88&dq=%22erie+city+passenger+railway%22&source=web&ots=O-kfiuDhzR&sig=2jdhhCkyUEy1sFFGt3G84r3RdHA| pages=88| accessdate=2007-03-27] In 1896, Erie Electric Motor Co absorbed the Erie, Reed Park & Lakeside Street Railway. [cite book|title=McGraw Electric Railway Manual: The Red Book of American Street Railways Investments| publisher=Street Railway Publishing| location=New York, NY| origyear=1902| url=http://books.google.com/books?id=rlBEZCLLuUcC&pg=PA95&lpg=PA95&dq=%22john+c+brady%22+erie&source=web&ots=X9amG1yQDs&sig=pNak0DwEjAlsfIEUvHIK3y32DXM| pages=95| accessdate=2007-03-27] On December 24, 1906, the Buffalo & Lake Erie Traction Company was formed through the consolidation of the Erie Electric Motor Co; the Hamburg Railway; the Buffalo, Dunkirk and Western; the Dunkirk and Fredonia; and the Lake Erie Fast Line. It became the Buffalo and Erie Railway Company on September 5, 1924. The last of its trolleys ran between Erie and New York on December 1, 1932. [cite book| last=Springirth| first=Kenneth C.| title=Greater Erie Trolleys| pages=55| url=http://books.google.com/books?id=fwPRz11EosQC&pg=PA55&lpg=PA55&dq=%22erie+electric+motor+company%22&source=web&ots=BnnDjsYiGQ&sig=GDaUe4EXhzzxXlp5cBiHwcmNl8c| publisher=Arcadia Publishing| year=2006|isbn=0738539384| accessdate=2007-03-27] The streetcars were put out of service in 1935, at which time the Erie Coach Company began to run transit buses. In 1967, it became the Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority.

Routes

*Route M1 -- Perry Square - Millcreek Mall via Cherry Street
*Route M2 -- Intermodal Center - Peach Street - Millcreek Mall
*Route M3 -- Intermodal Center - Millcreek Mall / Summit via Peach Street
*Route M4 -- Intermodal Center - Millcreek Mall via Liberty Street
*Route 11 -- Perry Square - Harborcreek
*Route 12 -- Perry Square - Millcreek Mall - Fairview - Girard - Lake City - Albion
*Route 13 -- Millcreek Mall - Waterford - Union City - Corry
*Route 14 -- Perry Square - Millcreek Mall - McKean - Edinboro - Edinboro University
*Route 15 -- Penn State Behrend - Millcreek Mall
*Route 20 -- 14th Street / State Street - Perry Square - Intermodal Center - Park & Ride Downtown Shuttle
*Route 21 -- Lawrence Park - K-mart East Plaza - Giant Eagle Plaza
*Route 22 -- Perry Square - Tacoma Road - Wal-Mart East
*Route 23 -- Perry Square - Parade Street - East 38th Street
*Route 24 -- Perry Square - East 18th Street - Wal-Mart - McClelland Avenue - Bird Drive
*Route 25 -- Lawrence Park - K-mart East - Giant Eagle
*Route 26 -- Intermodal Center - East 26th Street - Wal-Mart East - Penn State Behrend
*Route 27 -- Intermodal Center - Parade Street - VA Medical Center - Presque Isle Downs and Casino
*Route 28 -- Intermodal Center - West 29th Street - West 32nd Street - Caughey Road
*Route 29 -- Intermodal Center - West 18th Street - West 26th Street - Tri-State Business Institute
*Route 30 -- Perry Square - West Erie Plaza - Legion Road
*Route 31 -- Perry Square - West Erie Plaza - Erie International Airport
*Route 32 -- Perry Square - West 8th Street - West Erie Plaza - Erie International Airport

Programs

EMTA offers a "trackless" trolley that can be rented for special occasions. 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 without any additional cost.

EMTA provides a water taxi service to Presque Isle for a $3 one-way fare or a $5 round-trip fare from Dobbins Landing. EMTA also has a "Bayliner Trolley" route [cite web| title=Bayliner Trolley Service| publisher=Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority| url=http://www.emtaerie.com/bayliner_trolley_service.html| accessdate=2007-04-25] , using trackless trolleys, that takes the place of the Park and ride service in Erie. Currently, there is no fare on the Bayliner route.

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." [ [http://www.emtaerie.com/lift.html EMTA - LIFT Program] ] There is no cost for this service.

Fleet

EMTA operates an assortment of different bus brands. EMTA owns several Orion II's, New Flyer D35LF's and Gillig Low Floor buses. The Bayliner Trolleys are Gillig trolley replicas. EMTA's other trackless trolley is an Optima Heritage Streetcar. Twelve EMTA buses run on compressed natural gas. [cite web|title=Greener Trucks and Bus Fleets - Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)|url=http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/airwaste/aq/cars/retrofit_green.htm#cng| publisher=Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection|accessdate=2008-03-20]

ee also

*Transportation in Erie, Pennsylvania

External links

* [http://www.emtaerie.com EMTA Home]
* [http://www.emtaerie.com/routes.html EMTA Routes]
*PDFlink| [http://www.emtaerie.com/assets/pdfs/EMTA_SYSTEM_MAP_FINAL.pdf EMTA Route map] |1.52 MiB

References