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RTA celebrates 50 years of service with a celebration & free rides

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Join the Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority (RTA) in celebrating 50 years of providing essential public transportation to the greater Dayton community at our public event on Nov. 25, 2022, at Wright Stop Plaza from 4 pm to 9 pm, as part of the annual Downtown Dayton Holiday Festival which is also celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

The family-friendly event will include a kids area with balloons, shirts, and coloring books, as well as an educational presentation on the history of RTA, a photobooth, and 50th Anniversary T-shirts for adults. This event coincides with the Grande Illumination and Dayton Children’s Parade held on Courthouse Square, across the street from Wright Stop Plaza.

To commemorate this historic milestone, RTA will also run a “transit happy hours” promotion. Starting Friday, Nov. 4, all rides after 5 p.m. will be free Monday through Friday until Dec. 30. The RTA got the idea from an old system map from the 1970s that offered a similar promotion. The free rides after five apply to both fixed-route and paratransit services. Riders can also still take advantage of free weekends every Saturday and Sunday through Jan. 1, 2023.

The Dayton region has built its transportation foundation on more than a century of progress. The first known public transportation system started in 1870, with a horse-drawn streetcar line that ran along a section of Third Street, from what is now James H. McGee Boulevard to Findlay Street.

In August 1888, the first electric line began service in Dayton. To this day, Dayton has the distinction of having the longest running, continuously electric-propelled transit lines in the United States.

On Nov. 4, 1972, the Miami Valley Regional Transit Authority was created after it purchased the assets of City Transit, serving the cities of Dayton, Oakwood and Kettering. Since then, a lot has changed over the past 50 years:

  • Service was expanded countywide in 1980.
  • In the late 1980s, the RTA Board considered dismantling the electric trolley system. Following widespread public support for the retention of the electric trolleybus system, the RTA board decided to retain electric transit in 1991. RTA is now one of four U.S. cities that have electric trolley buses.
  • Board of Trustees voted to change the name of Miami Valley Regional Transit Authority (MVRTA) to the Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority (GDRTA) in 2003.
  • In 2014, the RTA tested its first NexGen model trolley. This was considered a prototype for RTA to see if purchasing more of this vehicle would be an effective move. In 2019, RTA procured a large number of NexGen trolleys.
  • Tapp Pay, Greater Dayton RTA’s mobile ticketing system, was launched in May 2020. By 2021, RTA became completely cashless, replacing the old fare box with Tapp Pay.

 

RTA Extending FREE Weekend Rides Through New Year’s Day

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With gas prices remaining high – the Greater Dayton RTA wants to encourage community members to save money by using public transit by extending its free summer weekend rides through January 1, 2023.

There is a lot happening on the weekends, whether you’re making an essential trip or attending an event, the RTA wants to ensure equitable access to community members. The free weekend rides will apply to both fixed-route and paratransit services every Saturday and Sunday through January 1. Riders will get to reap the benefits of extended weekend hours as the RTA now proudly serves Montgomery County every day from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. on most routes.

“With the RTA now offering the same level of service seven days a week, we felt free rides on the weekends would be a great way to get folks familiar with using RTA and providing them with a reliable transportation option for all their weekend needs,” said Bob Ruzinsky, RTA CEO.

To find route times, customers can plan their trip using the free Transit app, or find their route schedule at www.iriderta.org.

Suddenly Free Bus Rides Make A Lot of Sense!

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With gas at $5/gallon the Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority (RTA) wants to ensure access to community members by providing free rides Saturdays and Sundays this summer  running through September 4, 2022.

The RTA has long supported the community’s need for accessible transportation. With gas prices at an all-time high, the RTA wants to encourage people to save money by using public transportation while also ensuring steep gas prices don’t create a barrier for people wanting to participate in summer events. The free weekend rides will apply to both fixed-route and paratransit services.

RTA is proudly serving Montgomery County, and summer is the perfect time to get outside and explore all of what the area has to offer. From festivals to concerts, recreational activities to parks, unique shopping to local restaurants and breweries, Montgomery County is packed with great things to do in your community, and RTA wants to help get you there.

“There’s a lot happening on weekends these days, both in terms of work and leisure. Later this year RTA will be moving toward an improved service model that provides the same level of service seven days a week to meet those needs,” said Bob Ruzinsky, RTA CEO. “We felt free rides on the weekends for the summer would be a great way to get folks familiar with using RTA and provide them with a reliable transportation option for all their weekend needs.”

Avoid the headache of trying to find parking and plan your trip via the Transit app, RTA’s official real-time information and trip-planning mobile application. The app is free to download and available to both Android and Apple users. Don’t have a smartphone? For a trip planner to find which RTA routes can get you to and from the event of your choice, visit our website www.iriderta.org.

Who Dey Gets You Free Bus Rides

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The Greater Dayton RTA isn’t sticking to the sidelines, and is instead showing its support for the Cincinnati Bengals ahead of the Super Bowl through several promotions to share the Who Dey spirit in Who Dey-ton.

As a treat for riders, anyone boarding RTA buses on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday can ride at no charge by simply saying “Who Dey” to the bus driver. Drivers and staff will also be sporting either Bengals or Rams attire Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to support their favorite team during this Super Bowl run.

In addition, while the agency can’t show its stripes by painting buses orange and black before the big game on Sunday, RTA’s administrative office building at the corner of Third and Main streets in downtown Dayton is lighted in Bengals colors for the big game.


The RTA had the foresight to purchase affordable local ad time in December for pregame coverage of the Super Bowl to support its hiring efforts. As luck would have it, this “Hail Mary” move paid off as a local team is playing, and Bengals super fans who are looking for a super career may see the ad. Check out RTA’s career ad showcasing veteran driver Jackey Nash and why you should join the #WhoDeyRTA team this Sunday. To apply, visit .

 

RTA Recovers a Piece of Dayton History with Return of Holiday Trolley

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A piece of Dayton history came home today as the Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority (RTA) unveiled the return of one of the agency’s original Christmas trolleys—#559 a 1948 Marmon-Herrington TC-48. Famous for its simulated fireplace, Santa seat, and reindeer mounted on the roof, the trolley rejoins RTA’s electric trolley fleet just in time for the holiday season.

The historic trolley ran along Dayton roadways as a special Christmas bus from 1977 until 1988, when it was retired to allow the agency to operate ADA-compliant vehicles. It was then donated to San Francisco Municipal Railway in California, to be a part of their historic vehicle fleet, where it was used as a holiday bus.  RTA CEO Bob Ruzinsky felt it was time for #559 to come home, and worked with Daron Brown, RTA’s director of maintenance, and Pat O’Malley, RTA’s fleet manager, to make it happen.

The road back to Dayton wasn’t an easy one, Ruzinsky said, as getting the trolley shipped back to Dayton during a national truck driver shortage proved a challenge. While RTA was able to successfully have ownership of #559 transferred over, San Francisco did not have a process for delivering the vehicle more than 2,300 miles to Ohio. RTA utilized its relationship with Kiepe Electric, the maker of RTA’s NexGen electric trolley buses, to broker a deal to have the vehicle transported home. Kiepe managed a similar endeavor when it delivered RTA’s 45 NexGen trolleys from California to Georgia for production, and then to Dayton for final delivery.

“We are very thankful to San Francisco Municipal Railway and to Kiepe Electric for helping deliver this piece of history back to Dayton,” Ruzinsky said. “With our 50th anniversary celebration ahead in 2022, this felt like the right time to bring #559 back home”

The 1948 Marmon-Herrington TC-48 will be stored at RTA facilities during the year, but will make treks out onto Dayton roadways again for special runs during the holidays, Ruzinsky said.

The #559 trolley is part of a long-standing tradition in Dayton that was started in 1965 by W.W. (Bill) Owen, president of City Transit Company, the forerunner of the present-day RTA. The #559 trolley was painted and illustrated by Blommel Sign Co., and features a simulated fireplace, Santa seat, loudspeakers on the roof playing recorded music suitable to the season, and team of stuffed reindeer along with a non-smoking chimney mounted on the roof. The chimney is a nod to an infamous 1968 design, which had a chimney placed on the roof which included a hidden smudge pot to produce smoke. However, this design set the roof on fire, so that experiment was not repeated.

Since 1998, RTA’s holiday bus designs have utilized diesel vehicles rather than trolleys. “It will be fantastic to have an actual historic Christmas Trolley join our diesel holiday bus in the future” Ruzinsky said.  “Think about it, this bus first hit the streets in 1948, 73 years ago”.  Welcome home #559.

 

RTA Unveils First Two Community Buses In “Proudly Serving” Project

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The Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority (RTA) is paying special tribute to the communities in Montgomery County it proudly serves with its “Proudly Serving” project, showcasing points of interest in various cities where its buses travel. The project officially kicks-off today, Oct. 11, with the debut of RTA’s first two buses: Kettering and Trotwood.


This project is the culmination of a vision RTA CEO Bob Ruzinsky had more than a year ago to honor the communities the agency serves, and how its buses can connect people to these places.

“Too often in our busy lives we overlook the great places all around us in the communities we each call home,” Ruzinsky said.  “These buses will highlight some of the great places in these diverse communities, and, we hope, foster increased community pride throughout Montgomery County.”

Each bus design was carefully crafted to emphasize points of interest in a specific community where the RTA takes riders. To capture these locations, RTA worked with a professional photographer to collect high-resolution photos of about 130 public locations around Montgomery County. The creativity doesn’t stop there, as the buses also feature a fun fact, estimated population, and the year the city or township was founded.

City leaders from Kettering and Trotwood were honored to be the first communities represented in the “Proudly Serving” project.

Trotwood has an interesting fact of its own: it is the only city in the United States named “Trotwood.” It was named after “Betsy Trotwood,” a character from Charles Dickens’ “David Copperfield.” That fun fact is featured on the side of the city’s striking blue bus, along with pictures of the Trotwood Government Building, Trotwood-Madison High School, Trotwood Track and Field, Community and Cultural Arts Center, Iams Homestead Museum, and the Trotwood-Madison Park Playground.

“It feels good to be included. I realize we are the first of two (RTA is) starting out with, and it’s good to be first,” said Yvette Page, council member for Trotwood’s 2nd ward. “Most important is the vision of RTA and the collaboration of the RTA and the city of Trotwood, and that we are both here to serve the community.”

“Greater Dayton RTA kept this under wraps (pun intended) for over a year to surprise all of us with a unique way to honor the communities they serve,” stated City Manager Mark Schwieterman. “The truth is, this gesture reminds us of the terrific services RTA offers communities. We are humbled by the planning, coordination, and research that went into this project specific to each community. Residents will recognize things about their hometown on the buses and perhaps learn something new as well. Our sentiment is ‘Kettering is home,’ and this RTA initiative certainly enhances that feeling.”

RTA’s Kettering bus features colors associated with the city in addition to well-known places such as: Kettering Recreation Complex, Fraze Pavilion, Kettering Government Center, Polen Farm and Wenzler Park. There’s also a special nod to Bart Simpson on the side of the bus, connecting to Kettering’s fun fact that Nancy Cartwright, a Kettering native, is the voice of the character on “The Simpsons.”

In total, there will be 22 buses highlighting the different communities served by RTA’s traditional big bus service. The agency intends to roll-out at least one bus a month over the next year. This is just one of the many ways RTA is proudly serving the communities of Montgomery County.

For more information on the RTA and how it connects you to the communities of Montgomery County, visit www.iriderta.org.

RTA Moves To Cashless On-Board Payment System

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The Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority (RTA) will be eliminating the use of all old system passes, paper tickets and change cards effective Sept. 1, 2021 as the next step in the process of migrating customers to its new fare payment system, Tapp Pay.

RTA stopped selling old system passes and paper tickets at all outlet locations in April, and discontinued the sale of Day Passes aboard all vehicles in July. Customers are advised to use any outstanding passes, paper tickets or change cards they have no later than August 31, after which they will no longer be accepted.

Tapp Pay, first introduced via the Transit app in June 2020, offers fare at a discounted rate through fare capping. Customers are limited, or capped, in the amount they pay within a given timeframe once they have ridden enough times to accumulate the equivalent of Tapp Pay’s promotional daily cap ($3) or 31-day monthly cap ($30). A single trip for a regular adult rider costs $1.50 with Tapp Pay, versus RTA’s $2 single-trip cash fare. Once a cap is reached, customers pay no additional charges. This means no matter how many essential trips a customer takes throughout a given day or rolling 31-day period, any additional trips during that period of time will be at no charge. Customers can use Tapp Pay on either a smartphone by downloading Transit app in the Google Play or App store, or via a Tapp Pay card. Tapp Pay cards can be obtained at any RTA transit center at a payment kiosk using a debit or credit card, and with cash at Wright Stop Plaza.

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Funds can be added to Tapp Pay accounts at a payment kiosk at any transit center using a debit or credit card, or with cash at Wright Stop Plaza. In addition, customers can use cash to load value onto their account at more than 200 retail locations throughout the RTA transit network. This includes all CVS, Walgreens, Dollar General, and Speedway locations. A complete list can be found at www.iriderta.org/tapp-pay. Value can also be loaded online using the Tapp Pay Hub atwww.iriderta.org/tapp-pay. Any card can be registered to an account by linking it on the Tapp Pay Hub. Linking a card to an account gives customers the benefit of being able to see their account balance, track their travel and when they have been capped, manage their funds, and the ability to have a card closed out and the balance transferred over to a new card should it ever be lost or stolen.

RTA intends to begin exclusively using Tapp Pay for fare payment beginning Nov. 1, 2021. For more information, visit RTA’s website at www.i-riderta.org/tapp-pay.

 

RTA providing free rides to the polls on Election Day

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On Tuesday, November 3, the Greater Dayton RTA will provide free rides system-wide to ensure access for everyone who chooses to exercise their right to vote in the national election. These free rides apply to both RTA’s fixed-route and paratransit services.

The RTA understands the necessity for reliable transportation to fulfill this constitutional right. Along with providing thousands of riders with daily transportation to work, medical appointments, and activities, this Election Day program ensures the polls remain accessible for all. The RTA has been providing free rides for all elections since 2018, and extended this program to include early voting in 2020 in order to alleviate concerns about voting during the international COVID-19 pandemic. Early voting rides were made available in partnership with the Dayton Unit NAACP, League of Women Voters of the Greater Dayton Area, and East End Community Services.

Riders are encouraged to use the Transit app, RTA’s official real-time information and trip-planning mobile application, to find the bus stop closest to their polling place. The app is free to download and available to both Android and Apple users. More information about the app can be found on our website here: iriderta.org/ridetime/track-by-app.

Those needing to find their polling location can use the Montgomery County Board of Election’s website at https://lookup.boe.ohio.gov/vtrapp/montgomery/pollfinder.aspx

 

RTA Partners to Provide Access to Early Voting

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The Greater Dayton RTA is helping local residents get out to vote this election season by partnering with the Dayton Unit NAACP, League of Women Voters of the Greater Dayton Area (LWVGDA), and East End Community Services to provide a free day pass to individuals that may experience transportation barriers during the early voting period from October 6 to November 2.

The RTA understands the necessity for reliable transportation in order to vote, and that’s why the agency’s board of trustees decided in 2018 to provide free rides for all customers, both on fixed-route and paratransit bus services, on all certified election days. Given the added pressures of the international COVID-19 pandemic, extending this service to accommodate early voting was the right thing to do, said RTA CEO Mark Donaghy.

 

“We are pleased to partner with these great community-based organizations to ensure that every citizen is able to exercise their right to vote by removing the barrier of access through our network of services,” Donaghy said.

 

Early Vote day passes can be received at the following locations, and those with questions about the program should contact these agencies:

 

  • East End Community Services: 624 Xenia Ave., Dayton—Mon.-Fri., 8 am- 5 pm, or call 937 258-1898
  • League of Women Voters: 127 N. Ludlow St., Dayton—Mon.-Fri., 9 am- 2 pm, or call 937-228-4042
  • Dayton Unit NAACP: 1528 W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Dayton—call 937-222-2172

Program partners said they are grateful of RTA’s assistance with providing access to those wishing to vote early.

 

“It is commendable that RTA has made an executive decision to participate in our democracy from a voter mobilization standpoint,” said Dr. Derrick L. Foward, President of the Dayton Unit NAACP.

“We are thankful to partner with RTA to eliminate transportation as a barrier for people to vote,” said Susan Hesselgesser, Executive Director of LWVGDA.

 

“By working with RTA, we are assuring that voters in Montgomery County can vote early in person or drop off their mail-in ballots at the Board of Elections, without any transportation cost,” said Jan Lepore-Jentleson, Executive Director of East End Community Services.

 

Registered voters can vote in-person or drop-off their absentee ballot at the Montgomery County Board of Elections. The drop box will be available 24/7. In addition to the Early Vote day pass, RTA will be providing free rides system-wide on Election Day, November 3, 2020.

RTA launches Mobile Fare Payment Option

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The Greater Dayton RTA is making it even easier for customers to ride with the launch of Tapp Pay—its new mobile fare payment system, today, June 1. Tapp Pay is available only within the Transit app— RTA’s official, free real-time information and trip planning mobile application—which allows customers to purchase and use bus fare with their mobile devices.

The RTA is excited to expand its partnership with Transit, which thousands of its customers already use for trip planning, tracking rides, and making multimodal connections, while bringing in new partner Masabi, a fare payment provider, to further simplify the riding experience.

 

“We’re thrilled for the launch of Tapp Pay and what it means for our customers, especially during a time where customers can utilize this as a way to increase their social distance while riding,” said Brandon Policicchio, Chief Customer and Business Development Officer for the RTA. “Now they can manage their entire transit experience from a single app.”

 

Today’s announcement further expands upon the RTA’s efforts to keep both passengers and employees safe during the COVID-19 outbreak. Tapp Pay’s launch is coming ahead of its expected summer launch in order to assist passengers with their social distancing efforts as those making essential trips can purchase both regular and reduced-fare passes using Transit without interacting with anyone else and store them in a wallet inside the app for later use. Once they are ready to board, passes can be activated and visually validated by the bus driver from a safe distance, which also speeds us the boarding process and limits issues at the fare box, RTA officials said.

 

“We want to make it as easy as possible for people to ride public transportation. During the coronavirus response, drivers and essential workers depending on transit as a lifeline need to stay safe, and this solution helps them do that,” said David Block-Schachter, chief business officer at Transit. “RTA’s passengers already rely on Transit to find their next trip and track their ride. Adding Tapp Pay gives riders everything they need in one app. And by minimizing contact between drivers and riders, Tapp Pay in Transit helps keep everyone a little bit safer.”

 

The RTA joins more than a dozen other agencies offering mobile ticketing through partnerships with Transit and Masabi, including those in Cincinnati, Butler County, and Northern Kentucky. Mobile ticketing in Transit is made possible through Masabi’s Justride SDK, which allows Transit to request fare types, make payments, and deliver visual and dynamic barcode tickets to riders through secure ticket wallets. With the launch of Tapp Pay, the RTA gains access to the Justride Hub, giving it real-time sales, usage, and validation data as well as an extensive customer services interface.

 

“Providing a safe way for riders to access tickets and pay for transit services is crucial in helping transit agencies keep both riders and operators safe and keep crucial services going during the COVID-19 response,” said Brian Zanghi, CEO at Masabi. “The RTA has accelerated this launch and should be commended for the great work it has done, together with our partner Transit, to get this service live for riders in a short amount of time.”

 

Transit is available to download for iPhone and Android at www.transitapp.com.

RTA Rolls Out Special Bus to Promote 2020 Census

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April 1 is Census Day, and the Greater Dayton RTA is celebrating by rolling out a census-themed bus April 1 through August 31 to increase questionnaire participation and promote census jobs.

Every 10 years, the U.S. conducts a census to determine the allocation of congressional seats as well as federal funding throughout the country. This federal funding helps shape vital programs and services offered in our community, including public transit. Participation in the census is required by law and can be completed over the phone, by mail, and—new this year—online. The easiest way for participants to complete the survey online is with their census ID, which can be found within the letter or questionnaire sent to their home by the Census Bureau. However, responses can still be submitted online if the census ID cannot be located.

 

“Census results play a critical role in how much federal funding our communities receive to support essential services, including public transit,” said Brandon Policicchio, Chief Customer and Business Development Officer for the RTA. “We want to do our part in encouraging everyone to complete their questionnaires.”

 

Through funding provided by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Dayton-Montgomery County Complete Count Committee, the RTA is launching a census-themed bus on April 1. The bus is decorated with census-related graphics and encourages riders to complete their questionnaire. It also refers those interested in a census job to call 1-855-JOB-2020.

 

The bus will rotate between routes daily to maximize exposure and give everyone a chance to ride. The daily schedule is located on the RTA’s website: iriderta.org/census2020.

 

For more information on the 2020 Census and to complete the questionnaire online, visit 2020census.gov.

Ride the Flyer Bus with Santa

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Those looking for a little holiday cheer need look no further than a free ride downtown on the Greater Dayton RTA’s Flyer bus service as the agency will be celebrating the season with trips with Santa and onboard carolers.

This year the RTA is debuting two “Festive Flyer” buses in constant circulation on the downtown route. The two buses are decorated with snowflakes on the outside and include holiday decorations on the inside. Also included is a custom “selfie photo booth,” where riders can take pictures and share their experience. The Flyer is RTA’s free downtown shuttle, offering rides every 10 minutes between RiverScape MetroPark and the University of Dayton campus, Monday through Saturday.

Santa will ride one of the “Festive Flyer” on select afternoons, including Wednesday, Dec. 4 from 4-6 pm, Saturday, Dec. 14 from 4-5 pm, and Saturday, Dec. 21 from 4-7 pm. Riders can meet with Santa, take pictures, and enjoy free candy canes while aboard.

In addition, carolers will be riding every Flyer bus, including the “Festive Flyers,” on Dec. 6 for downtown Dayton’s First Friday events—more info at www.downtowndayton.org. Carolers from a variety of Miami Valley churches will be onboard singing a variety of holiday music from 5:30-7 p.m. The Flyer will feature carolers again on Dec. 20 aboard all buses from 5:30-7 p.m.

For more information on The Flyer and these special events, visit iriderta.org/TheFlyer.

RTA Launches The FLYER- A FREE Shuttle Bus Service Downtown

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It’s been talked about for years and now the RTA is making it happen!

The FLYER will be a shuttle-style service that will begin  servicing the downtown and UD area in early November.  There will be a launch event with local media and public officials on Courthouse Square on Friday, Nov. 9th.

The circulator will operate six days a week and is FREE for anyone to use. There will be signs posted at the designated stops. People can get on or off simply by waiting at the stop, and a Flyer should arrive in 10 minutes or less.

The Flyer provides easy access to offices, local dining, nightlife, entertainment, parks, hotels, parking, and all that downtown Dayton has to offer in 10 minutes or less. Three “green fleet” hybrid buses run on a continuous loop to provide quick service, and each vehicle is trackable through RTA’s real time products, including the free Transit app available for download in the App Store or Google Play. By offering this service for free to all customers, The Flyer opens up transportation access to downtown employees and residents, students at the University of Dayton and visitors to Dayton to all the city has to offer.

The Flyer will head north on Brown and Warren streets up to Jefferson Street and Patterson Boulevard.

The buses will drive west on Fifth Street, then head north up Main Street and then take a right on East First Street, before looping back around using Monument Avenue. Shuttle stops will be on both sides of the street.

This joint venture is being sponsored by CareSource and Premier Health, which will help their  employee shuttles to parking lots near their offices.  The bulk of the expense will be absorbed by Greater Dayton RTA .

“This is a great opportunity for University of Dayton students, faculty and staff to explore the wonderful arts, culture and entertainment in downtown Dayton and do it in a sustainable way,” said University of Dayton President Eric F. Spina.

 

To see the complete list of stops, download the flyer map below:

The Flyer_Handout2

RTA Shows Love To Customers By Offering Free Rides

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The Greater Dayton RTA is offering a Valentine’s Day gift to its customers who use the Transit app – free rides on Tuesday, February 14 if you show the app to your driver.

Any rider who has Transit app open on their smart phone and presents it to the driver while boarding on Valentine’s Day can ride all day at no charge. This free ride day is the result of more than 1,000 customers downloading Transit app during an RTA promotion before the New Year. The app now has more than 2,200 downloads in Dayton.

Transit app was included as part of RTA’s RideTime real-time bus tracking technology rollout in December 2016. It works on any Apple or Android smartphone and is free to download in the App Store or via Google Play when users look for this logo:

Transit app uses RTA’s real-time GPS technology to enable users to track their bus, send alerts for when the bus is approaching a stop or nearing their destination, or plan a trip.

Riders who haven’t yet downloaded Transit app are encouraged to try it out and enjoy a free ride on Valentine’s Day. RTA staff hope customers will love Transit just as much as they do.

How-to guides, videos and links for how to use Transit app along with RideTime phone, text and computer-tracking features each are available at iriderta.org/ridetime. Information can also be found on the agency’s Twitter and Facebook pages.

RTA is Ohio’s greenest fleet, and serves 3,300 stops on 31 routes throughout Montgomery and parts of Greene County. The agency operates diesel, hybrid diesel, and electric trolley buses that take people to work, school and shopping. Customers ride RTA on more than 9 million passenger trips each year. 

 

National Museum of the U.S. Air Force Hosts Family Day and Makes Air Show Parking Easier

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Whirlybirds

Family Day: Whirlybirds

June 21

10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Celebrate the anniversary of the first flight of the world’s first practical helicopter by learning about the aircraft that can go backwards, forwards, spin and even hover in place during Family Day from 10 a.m.–3 p.m. on June 21at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. Visit http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123413234 for more information.

Dayton Air Show park and ride

June 28-29

Those who want to take an easy route to the Vectren Dayton Air Show may park and ride from the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. RTA shuttle buses will run to and from the museum, dropping off riders at the air show main gate from 7 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. on June 28-29. Visit http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123414168 for more information.

Connect with the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force! Visit our Virtual Tour, become a fan of the museum on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or receive the latest news by subscribing to an RSS feed.

The People in my Neighborhood

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Who are the people in your neighborhood?
…in your neighborhood?
…in your neighborhood?
Oh, who are the people in your neighborhood?
The people that you meet on the bus…

As I’m wrapping up my week on the bus and bike routes, I’m thinking about the people. Some people I had conversations with. Some people I overheard conversations. Some people I avoided. Here are some of the highlights.

  • First things first – the driver sets the mood, and the drivers all had a great attitude. Every time I got on or off a bus – the driver was welcoming and friendly and always wished people well when they left the bus.
  • Good start to my week: Conversation with dude on my first bus when we got off at the same transfer stop. Guess what – new to town! Moved here from Baltimore two weeks ago to start a new job, and RTA is his main source of transportation. He wasn’t a fan of the B-more mass transit; he considers the Dayton system to be comprehensive and easy to use. Already he’s a pro and was totally helping me and giving me advice on how to catch the right bus and not to get stuck in “alternating routes.” Super nice.
  • When I climbed onto my first really full bus, I slid to the back and tried to get out of the aisle. A gentleman offered me his seat. Now, I’m not limping or on crutches or with multiple bags, but I am a girl in heels who’s trying to hold on. And he offered me his seat. Not turning this into a ‘Giving Tree’ moment – I know it was just a seat on a bus – but I was grateful for the simple demonstration of courtesy. Three cheers for Midwestern politeness, because you don’t always get that.
  • On one ride, I decide to be a snoop; I’m wondering what people are doing on the bus. Lots just sitting, lots reading, multiple ipod buds in ears. Right in front of me is a lady reviewing her daughter’s writing assignment (yeah, I looked) and there’s woman with a toddler playing across the aisle. People just doing their thing and getting where they’re going. As an older guy got on, a 20-something girl proactively moved to the back to give him her seat. He passed it by and wandered toward the back where someone else made the move and stood for him.
  • You already know that the grocery shopping wasn’t an easy experience for me. But what made it better was help from the people who were waiting at the stop with me. As I started to pick up my bags, the young guy waiting offered to help carry them. Then, a woman (who already had her hands full) said she could rearrange and take a bag or two. It wasn’t necessary, but it was so incredibly nice.
  • When the intention is good, but the delivery fails, those acts of kindness can be tougher to see. That’s when it becomes a challenge to give someone the benefit of the doubt. I got off the bus at the hub downtown, and I got hit on with the fancy line: “You make me wish I was taller. You’re real pretty.” I’m an independent woman, don’t hit on me, you can’t demean me like that way, I want to say, “of course, because the only reason we’re not dating is because I’m taller than you.”  But I resist the urge to be a big jerk and I say, “Thank you.” That simple acknowledgement solicited “It’s hot today, you be careful and have a nice day.”  And he walked on…  He wasn’t aggressive. He didn’t want money, he just wanted to (politely, albeit awkwardly) compliment a girl who was walking by.
  • Of course, sometimes what could be uncomfortable turns into something slightly humorous when you’re sharing it with other people. On one crowded bus, a rider was speaking loudly into his phone. He was explaining that he had purchased food (“a fish sandwich and fries… and it smells good”) with his paycheck and not drugs. A little weird? Yup. Kinda funny? Yup – especially if you consider the woman across the aisle from me who was offering commentary under her breath.  He wasn’t threatening anyone; he wasn’t even addressing anyone on the bus. He was having his own conversation and we just happened to be present. It was one of those events that bonds you to other people who are experiencing it.
  • There was also the woman at the bus stop who really, really wanted to talk to me. She shared personal tidbits about her medication and conversations she has with her doctor. She talked about her family. She talked about which bus she was going to take. And she talked about a few other things that I couldn’t catch. My response? I listened and talked with her for a bit and then decided that I was done, so I picked up my cell phone and excused myself b/c I had to make a call.

    Those friendly bikers! (Photo from Five Rivers Metroparks Web site)

  • I also got to enjoy a handful of musical interpretations. Hanging out at the hub, there are plenty of people listening to music via earbuds. One particularly boisterous teenager included some dancing and singing as he was enjoying his music. He was doing it for himself – perfectly content to feel the music and let it come out. We just happened to be honored and/or annoyed to witness it.
  • AND bike related: I don’t know if cyclists follow the rules of the sea, but everyone I passed who was on a bike when I was on my bike either nodded or said hello or somehow acknowledged that we share a common bond. I almost felt like a fake (“I’m not really one of you”), until I embraced it and decided that regardless of what comes tomorrow – I’m a cyclist today!

So, what am I getting at? I think when my car is my main source of transportation, I lose that personal interaction. And some of that interaction is creepy. And some of it makes you uncomfortable or compels you to hold your purse closer.  But some of it is just someone wishing you a nice day and wanting to offer a smile. Some of it is a person offering a total stranger a seat. But, even when it was weird, it was okay. For good or bad, those are the people in my neighborhood.

“Excuse me, sir – what is your job in the neighborhood?”
“You’re kidding me.”
“No, really – what’s your job?”
“I’m an elephant trainer…  Look at me – I’m driving a bus!”
“Then you must be a bus driver.”
“Oh, you’re brilliant.”

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