Metro has reached an exciting milestone on its journey to introduce Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) to Hamilton County: It has unveiled both the name and the design for the cutting-edge service.
A bold new transit option for our region, BRT is designed for maximum efficiency and speed. The newly announced name for the service, Metro Rapid, captures that streamlined future.
At 60 feet long — 20 feet longer than an average bus — Metro Rapid vehicles will carry more passengers. They’ll do so in sleekly designed vehicles that are articulated, or accordioned, to handle our region’s twists, turns and steep hills. Metro was able to test a few different types of BRT vehicles, and show off the service’s new branding, during a test period throughout February.
“You’ve probably heard the term ‘game-changer’ used to described BRT, and there’s a simple reason: Quite frankly, it’s true,” Metro CEO Darryl Haley said. “Other cities have benefited from faster rider experiences, cost savings and economic growth after introducing BRT. We can’t wait to bring this modern transit solution to Greater Cincinnati.”
BRT will debut along Reading Road and Hamilton Avenue — the two corridors selected by the community — in 2028. Community engagement has helped steer every aspect of the journey to bring BRT to the region. Throughout a multiyear design phase, the public has been an important part of the decision-making process on corridor locations, station design and infrastructure. Now, input from the community and Metro’s Strategic Transit Engagement to Expand Ridership (STEER) customer advisory committee have been integral to the selection of the Metro Rapid name and design. Through a variety of innovations and efficiencies in vehicles, routes, processes and infrastructure, BRT provides a modern, flexible and innovative transit solution. When it debuts in Hamilton County, BRT will include a host of features for peak efficiency: dedicated bus lanes, traffic signal priority, level boarding platforms, off-vehicle ticket machines; and more.
Bottom line, Haley said: “BRT offers all the benefits of light rail, but on rubber tires.” Visit https://metrobrtproject.com/ to stay up to date on BRT developments and weigh in on decisions. Right now, help us name your BRT stations.
