Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority
Encyclopedia
The Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority (EMTA) is the transit authority
that owns and operates the public transport
system in the city of Erie
and around Erie County, Pennsylvania
, Pennsylvania
, which includes the 'e', the area's transit bus
es; LIFT, the county paratransit
service; and Bayliner Trolley, the downtown circulator
.
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. The Conneaut and Erie Railway Traction Company was formed in 1903 and ran trolleys to east of the city. On December 24, 1906, the Buffalo and Lake Erie Traction Company took control of the Erie Electric Motor Company and completed its 92 miles (148.1 km) line to Buffalo, New York
in 1909. 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. 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. 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. The last of its trolleys ran between Erie and New York on December 1, 1932. 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.
The Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority renamed its bus service "the 'e'" on June 11, 2010.
'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
.
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." Some passengers qualify for free rides while others may have to pay a minimum of $1.10 to ride.
that can be rented for special occasions (this type of vehicle is also 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 without any additional cost.
EMTA provides a water taxi
service to Presque Isle
for a $4 one-way fare or a $7 round-trip fare from Dobbins Landing
. EMTA also has a "Bayliner Trolley" route, using trackless trolleys, that takes the place of the Park and ride
service in Erie. Currently, there is no fare on the Bayliner route.
Transit district
A transit district or transit authority is a special-purpose district organized as either a corporation chartered by statute, or a government agency, created for the purpose of providing public transportation within a specific region....
that owns and operates the public transport
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
system in the city of Erie
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
and around Erie County, Pennsylvania
Erie County, Pennsylvania
Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 280,566. Its county seat is the City of Erie.- Geography :...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, which includes the 'e', the area's transit bus
Transit bus
A transit bus , also known as a commuter bus, city bus, or public bus, is a bus used for short-distance public transport purposes...
es; LIFT, the county paratransit
Paratransit
Paratransit is an alternative mode of flexible passenger transportation that does not follow fixed routes or schedules. Typically mini-buses are used to provide paratransit service, but also share taxis and jitneys are important providers....
service; and Bayliner Trolley, the downtown circulator
Downtown circulator
A downtown circulator is a general term in the United States for a road or bus system to distribute traffic or people through a downtown area.Specific examples include:*Miami, Florida's Downtown Distributor*Pawtucket, Rhode Island's Downtown Circulator...
.
History
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
in 1909. 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. 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. Unable to expanded to invest in an expansion of the streetcar system, four Yellow Coach
Yellow Coach
The Yellow Coach Manufacturing Company was an early manufacturer of passenger buses in the United States. It was founded in Chicago as a subsidiary of the Yellow Cab Company in 1923 by John D. Hertz...
"Z"'s were acquired and were operated by the Erie Coach Company, a newly formed subsidiary
Subsidiary
A subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
of the Erie Railways Company in 1925. The last of its trolleys ran between Erie and New York on December 1, 1932. 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.
The Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority renamed its bus service "the 'e'" on June 11, 2010.
Routes
- Route M1 — DowntownDowntown ErieDowntown Erie, is the central business, cultural and government center for the city of Erie, Pennsylvania, USA.Erie’s Central Business District includes Gannon University, UPMC Hamot hospital, Erie Insurance, and city and county government offices, as well as other non-government related commercial...
– Millcreek MallMillcreek MallThe Millcreek Mall or Millcreek Mall Complex is a one-level shopping center located 3.4 miles southwest of downtown Erie, Pennsylvania, between Peach Street and Interstate 79, in Millcreek Township...
(via Cherry Street) - Route M3 — Intermodal Center – Millcreek Mall – SummitSummit Township, Erie County, PennsylvaniaSummit Township is a township in Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 5,529 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 23.9 square miles , all of it land.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were...
(via Peach StreetPeach StreetPeach Street, part of U.S. Route 19, is a main artery serving downtown Erie, Pennsylvania. Once surrounded by nothing but rolling hills and farmland, "Upper Peach Street" , is the most significant center of urban sprawl in Erie and is now home to numerous strip plazas, a major shopping mall and...
) - Route M4 — Intermodal Center – Millcreek Mall (via Liberty Street)
- Route 11 — Downtown – Mercyhurst CollegeMercyhurst CollegeMercyhurst College is a Catholic liberal arts college in Erie, Pennsylvania, USA.-History:On September 20, 1926, Mercyhurst College opened its doors just a few blocks away from the city's southern boundary. It was founded by the Sisters of Mercy of the Erie Diocese, who were led by Mother M. Borgia...
– Harborcreek – Mercyhurst North EastMercyhurst North EastMercyhurst North East is a Catholic liberal arts college located in North East, Pennsylvania, and is a branch campus of Mercyhurst College .... - Route 12 — Downtown – Millcreek Mall – FairviewFairview Township, Erie County, PennsylvaniaFairview Township is a township in Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 10,140 at the 2000 census.-History:Fairview Township was settled in 1797. Fairview is one of the original 16 townships in Erie County...
– GirardGirard, PennsylvaniaGirard is a borough in Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,164 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Erie Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Girard is located at ....
– Lake CityLake City, PennsylvaniaLake City is a borough in Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,811 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Erie Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Lake City is located at ....
– AlbionAlbion, PennsylvaniaAlbion is a borough in Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,607 at the 2000 census. A neighboring, larger town which many Albionites may associate with is Edinboro, and the much larger but more distant city of Erie. It is part of the Erie Metropolitan Statistical Area. One... - Route 13 — Millcreek Mall – WaterfordWaterford, PennsylvaniaWaterford is a borough in Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,449 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Erie Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Waterford is located at ....
– Union CityUnion City, PennsylvaniaUnion City is a borough in Erie County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Erie. In the twentieth century, there were three large chair factories, planing and grist mills, a powdered milk plant, and several furniture factories. In 1900, 3,104 people lived here, and in 1910, 3,684 people lived here. The...
– CorryCorry, PennsylvaniaCorry is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. With a population of 6,834 at the 2000 United States Census, it is the second largest city in Erie County. Corry is a part of the Erie Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- Route 14 — Downtown – Millcreek Mall – McKeanMcKean, PennsylvaniaMcKean is a borough in Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 389 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Erie Metropolitan Statistical Area...
– EdinboroEdinboro, PennsylvaniaEdinboro is a borough in Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Erie Metropolitan Statistical Area. As home to Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, it is a small college town, as well as a "resort community"...
– Edinboro UniversityEdinboro University of PennsylvaniaEdinboro University is a public liberal arts university located in Edinboro, Pennsylvania, USA and one of 14 schools associated with the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. The town is named after Edinburgh, Scotland. It is also not to be confused with the University of Edinburgh... - Route 15 — Penn State BehrendPenn State Erie, The Behrend CollegePenn State Erie, The Behrend College is a state-related public university institution and a Commonwealth campus of Pennsylvania State University located in Erie, Pennsylvania....
– Millcreek Mall (Saturday only) - Route 17 — Mercyhurst College – Millcreek Mall – Downtown
- Route 19 / Gannon Knight Rider — Gannon UniversityGannon UniversityGannon University is a private, co-educational Catholic university offering associate's, bachelor's, and master's degrees, certificates and doctoral degrees and is located in Erie, Pennsylvania. Gannon University has an alumni base numbering around 31,500. Current enrollment is 4,238.Gannon's...
shuttle - Route 20 / Bayliner Trolley — Park & Ride / Downtown shuttle
- Route 21 — Lawrence Park – K-mart East Plaza – Giant Eagle Plaza
- Route 22 — Downtown – Tacoma Road – Walmart East
- Route 23 — Intermodal Center – Parade Street – East 38th Street
- Route 24 — Downtown – East 18th Street – Wal-Mart – McClelland Avenue – Bird Drive
- Route 25 — WesleyvilleWesleyville, PennsylvaniaWesleyville is a borough in Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,617 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Erie Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Wesleyville is located at ....
– K-mart East – Saltsman Road - Route 26 — Intermodal Center – East 26th Street – Walmart – Penn State Behrend
- Route 27 — Intermodal Center – Parade Street – VA Medical Center – Presque Isle DownsPresque Isle DownsPresque Isle Downs and Casino is a casino and horse racing track complex located south of Erie, Pennsylvania. The owner, MTR Gaming Group, broke ground in October 2005 for its new facility, which opened on February 28, 2007. It contains 2,000 slot machines. The oval track opened on September 2,...
- Route 28 — Downtown – West 29th Street – West 32nd Street – Caughey Road
- Route 29 — Intermodal Center – West 18th Street – West 26th Street – Tri-State Business Institute
- Route 30 — Downtown – West Plaza – Yorktown Plaza – Legion Road
- Route 31 — Downtown – West 12th Street – Erie International AirportErie International AirportErie International Airport / Tom Ridge Field is a public airport serving northwestern Pennsylvania and is located five miles southwest of the central business district of Erie, a city in Erie County. It features commercial service by regional airlines, connecting passengers to hubs in the...
– West County Library - Route 32 — Downtown – West 8th Street – Erie International Airport – West County Library
- Edinboro Express — Edinboro University of PennsylvaniaEdinboro University of PennsylvaniaEdinboro University is a public liberal arts university located in Edinboro, Pennsylvania, USA and one of 14 schools associated with the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. The town is named after Edinburgh, Scotland. It is also not to be confused with the University of Edinburgh...
shuttle
Fleet
EMTA operates an assortment of different bus brands. EMTA owns several Orion IIOrion Bus Industries
Orion International, previously Orion Bus Industries and Ontario Bus Industries in Canada and Bus Industries of America in the United States, is a bus manufacturer based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada and established by the Government of Ontario in 1975...
's, New Flyer D35LF
New Flyer Industries
New Flyer Industries Inc. is a bus manufacturer in North America, headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It also has factories in Crookston and St. Cloud, Minnesota, USA.-History:...
's and Gillig Low Floor buses
Gillig
Gillig Corporation, formerly Gillig Bros., is a manufacturer of heavy-duty low-floor transit buses located in Hayward, California. Prior to 1993, Gillig had also been a manufacturer of school buses.-History:...
. The Bayliner Trolleys are Gillig trolley replicas
Gillig
Gillig Corporation, formerly Gillig Bros., is a manufacturer of heavy-duty low-floor transit buses located in Hayward, California. Prior to 1993, Gillig had also been a manufacturer of school buses.-History:...
. EMTA's other trackless trolley is an Optima Heritage Streetcar
Optima Bus Corporation
Optima Bus, LLC, formerly Chance Coach Inc., is a brand of small transit buses manufactured by North American Bus Industries. It was established in 1976 in Wichita, Kansas....
. Twelve EMTA buses run on compressed natural gas
Compressed natural gas
Compressed natural gas is a fossil fuel substitute for gasoline , diesel, or propane/LPG. Although its combustion does produce greenhouse gases, it is a more environmentally clean alternative to those fuels, and it is much safer than other fuels in the event of a spill...
.
LIFT
"LIFT" is EMTA's paratransitParatransit
Paratransit is an alternative mode of flexible passenger transportation that does not follow fixed routes or schedules. Typically mini-buses are used to provide paratransit service, but also share taxis and jitneys are important providers....
program in that provides door-to-door transportation services to people who have physical disabilities
Disability
A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...
, are senior citizens or anyone who lives "beyond the bus routes or are unable to utilize bus services." Some passengers qualify for free rides while others may have to pay a minimum of $1.10 to ride.
Other programs
EMTA offers a "trackless" trolleyTourist trolley
A tourist trolley, also called a road trolley, is a rubber-tired bus , which is made to resemble an old-style streetcar or tram....
that can be rented for special occasions (this type of vehicle is also 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 without any additional cost.
EMTA provides a water taxi
Water taxi
A water taxi or water bus, also known as a commuter boat, is a watercraft used to provide public transport, usually but not always in an urban environment. Service may be scheduled with multiple stops, operating in a similar manner to a bus, or on demand to many locations, operating in a similar...
service to Presque Isle
Presque Isle State Park
Presque Isle State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on an arching sandy peninsula that juts into Lake Erie, west of the city of Erie, in Millcreek Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The peninsula sweeps northeastward, surrounding Presque Isle Bay along the park's...
for a $4 one-way fare or a $7 round-trip fare from Dobbins Landing
Dobbins Landing
Dobbins Landing is a popular tourist area located at the edge of Presque Isle Bay at the terminus of State Street in Erie, Pennsylvania. Consisting of a wharf and adjoining facilities, the landing includes the Bicentennial Tower, the Sheraton Erie Hotel, and the Bayfront Convention Center.The...
. EMTA also has a "Bayliner Trolley" route, using trackless trolleys, that takes the place of the Park and ride
Park and ride
Park and ride facilities are car parks with connections to public transport that allow commuters and other people wishing to travel into city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system , or carpool for the rest of their trip...
service in Erie. Currently, there is no fare on the Bayliner route.