Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority

Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority
Company type	Public transportation authority
Industry	Public transportation
Founded	September 20, 1966; 60 years ago
Headquarters	Erie, United States
Area served	Erie County, Pennsylvania
Products	Bus transit system, paratransit service, trolley route
Website	ride-the-e.com

The Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority (EMTA) serves as the public transportation agency for Erie County, Pennsylvania. Its operations encompass the 'e', which refers to the county’s bus transit system; LIFT, a specialized paratransit program; and Bayliner Trolley, a circulator route operating within the downtown area.

History

Public transportation in Erie was inaugurated on March 1, 1897, with the establishment of the Erie City Passenger Railway Company. Over time, the system underwent multiple ownership changes, including transitions to Erie Electric Motor Company in 1888 and later to Buffalo and Lake Erie Traction Company in 1906. By 1909, the network extended service lines reaching Buffalo, New York. Following the discontinuation of trolley routes by 1922, bus operations were initiated by West Ridge Transportation Company and subsequently by Erie Coach Company, which was created as a subsidiary in 1925.

Streetcar services ended by 1935, largely due to insufficient capital investment and shifts in transportation demand. In response, local government entities consolidated transit operations under the Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority on September 20, 1966, forming a single corporate body dedicated to enhancing transit connectivity across the region.

To strengthen its brand presence and boost ridership numbers, EMTA rebranded its bus network as "the 'e'" on June 11, 2010.

Routes

Route	Weekday	Sat	Sun	Inbound terminus	Destinations served	Notes
1 Glenwood	No	Yes	No	7th-French Street	Glenwood - Millcreek Mall	Service operates Saturdays only; weekday coverage provided by Route 3.
3 Peach Street 3 Glenwood	Yes	Yes	No	Intermodal Center	Peach Street, Millcreek Mall, Summit, Target, Cinemark Theatre, Summit Towne Centre, Oliver Road, Baldwin Industrial Park, Erie County Vo-Tech, Peach Street Walmart	Weekday trips alternate between Cherry St, Glenwood, South Hill Road, and Kuntz Road; certain segments are bypassed.
4 Liberty Street	Yes	No	No	Intermodal Center	Millcreek Mall
11 Harborcreek	No (Wed, Fri only)	No	No	9th and Peach Streets	Harborcreek Township
12 Albion	No (Mon, Thu only)	No	No	7th and French Streets	Millcreek Mall, Fairview, Girard, Lake City, Albion	Morning inbound and afternoon outbound trips run via Peach Street and I-79 corridor.
14 Edinboro	Yes	Yes	No	7th and French Streets	Millcreek Mall, McKean, Edinboro, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
15 East 38th Street	No	Yes	No	Penn State Erie	Mercyhurst University, Millcreek Mall
16 North East	Yes	Yes	No	7th and French Street	Mercyhurst University, Harborcreek Township, Mercyhurst North East, North East
17 Briggs Avenue	No (Tue, Wed only)	Yes	No	Millcreek Mall	Mercyhurst University, Penn State Erie
18 Penn State Behrend Campus Loop	Yes	No	No	N/A	Penn State Erie
19 Gannon Campus Loop	Yes	No	No	N/A	Gannon University
20A Downtown Loop	Yes	No	No	Intermodal Center	State Street (Downtown Erie)
20B Lincoln Ave. - Park-N-Ride	Yes	No	No	UPMC Hamot	Lincoln Park-N-Ride
20C Courthouse Loop	Yes	No	No	Intermodal Center	Erie County Courthouse
20L Cultural Loop	No	Yes	No	Intermodal Center	Erie Art Museum, Erie Insurance Arena, Erie Playhouse, Warner Theater
21 Lawrence Park	Yes	Yes	No	9th and Peach Streets	Perry Square, E. 6TH St., East Lake Road, Franklin Ave., Nagle Rd., Giant Eagle Plaza Lawrence Park Township	Majority of inbound trips switch to Route 28 outbound.
22 Tacoma	Yes	Yes	No	7th and French Streets	Tacoma Avenue
23 Belle Valley	Yes	No	No	Intermodal Center	Belle Valley, Greene Township
24 McClelland	Yes	No	No	7th and French Street	McClelland - 41st Rice Ave
25 Wesleyville	Yes	Yes	No	7th and French Streets	Perry Square, E. 21st St., Buffalo Rd., Harbor Homes, Wesleyville, Giant Eagle Plaza Wesleyville, Saltsman Road, Penn State Erie	Limited service to Penn State; most inbound trips become Route 30 outbound.
26 E 26th ST	Yes	Yes	No	Intermodal Center	E 26th ST., Penn State Erie
-27 State	Yes	Yes	No	Intermodal Center	Presque Isle Downs
Yes	Yes	No	7th and French Street
Yes	Yes	No	Intermodal Center
Yes	Yes	No	7th and French Streets
Yes	Yes	No
Yes

EMTA's vehicle lineup

OBI
- Model II (02.502)
- Model VII (07.501), known as the "3rd Generation"
NFI
- D35LF
- D40LF
- C35LF powered by CNG^†
Gillig
- LF-35 "Trolley Replica"
- LF-35
- LF-40
- LF models in 29", 35", and 40" lengths fueled by CNG^†
Optima
- AH-28 American Heritage Streetcar (trolley-style buses)

^† The fleet's only alternative fuel vehicles are 29 Gillig CNG buses, with an additional eight units planned for delivery in Summer 2021.

LIFT

The paratransit service "LIFT" operated by EMTA offers door-to-door transit options tailored for seniors, individuals with disabilities, and those residing outside conventional bus routes. Certain passengers are eligible for complimentary rides, while others are charged a base fare of $1.65.

Additional programs

Until 2008, EMTA provided a rental service featuring "trackless" trolleys; although this program has concluded, these vehicles continue to operate on Route 20. The "Bike on the Bus" initiative permits cyclists to transport bicycles on front-mounted racks at no extra cost. The Bayliner Trolley route, utilizing trackless trolley vehicles, replaced Erie’s former park-and-ride service and currently offers fare-free travel.

References

External links