Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority

What Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority does

Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA), operating commercially as Metro, is a tax-supported, independent political subdivision of the State of Ohio that provides public bus transit across Hamilton County, with express routes extending into Clermont and Warren counties and a regional partnership with the Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky (TANK) for cross-river service. It is governed by a 16-member volunteer citizens' board of trustees (11 appointed by Hamilton County, five by the City of Cincinnati) and operates three core service lines: Metro Fixed Route (traditional scheduled bus service across dozens of routes serving major transit centers such as Government Square, Oakley, Glenway Crossing, and Northside), Metro Access (an ADA-compliant shared-ride paratransit service for riders with disabilities), and MetroNow! (a mobility-on-demand service in the Springdale and Northgate zones). Complementary programs include Tap&Save fare capping (24-hour and 30-day automatic fare caps via Transit App or EZfare smart card), the University Discount Program (free 30-day passes at five partner institutions), the Student Transportation program for Cincinnati Public Schools grades 7-12 (10,000+ daily trips, 95% on-time performance), reduced-fare MVP and Fare Deal programs, and Rider Rewards loyalty.

The underlying technology stack combines conventional transit management with open-data interoperability. SORTA publishes GTFS schedule data and GTFS-realtime feeds (vehicle positions, trip updates, service alerts) over public APIs, integrates with Google Maps and the Transit App for trip planning and real-time tracking, and uses EZfare smart cards plus mobile ticketing for fare collection. The recently launched MyAccess app supports paratransit booking and tracking, and a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system is in active development under the Reinventing Metro initiative.

The business model is a hybrid of farebox revenue and tax-supported public funding. Fare revenue comes from single rides ($2.20 local / $3.00 express), day passes, multi-ride tickets, and 30-day passes, plus Access paratransit ($4.40 one-way) and MetroNow! on-demand ($2.50). Advertising on buses and transit properties provides a secondary revenue stream. As a government entity, the majority of operating support derives from public tax funding rather than fares. Customers include the general commuting public (primary segment), K-12 students, university students and staff, people with disabilities, and veterans/low-income riders. Recent headcount includes roughly 58 office/administrative staff plus 82 operators and 16 maintenance employees; revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority

Legal name

Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority

Website

https://sorta.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (Metro) is a tax-supported Ohio public transit authority providing fixed-route bus service, ADA paratransit, and on-demand mobility across Hamilton County, serving the general public, students, university affiliates, and riders with disabilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Bus Transit Services

NAICS

Bus and Other Motor Vehicle Transit Systems (485113), Special Needs Transportation (485991)

SIC

Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100)

akta.pro primary industry

Intercity Commuter Bus Operators (TLAFAFAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Municipal/Transit-Agency Microtransit (First/Last-Mile Feeders) (TLAFAJAH)

Keywords

• Public bus transit
• Paratransit services
• On-demand mobility
• Transit fare programs
• Regional transit authority

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Passenger Fare Revenue: Metro generates revenue through single rides, day passes, multi-ride tickets, and monthly passes on local and express routes. Additional revenue from MetroNow! on-demand service and Access paratransit service fares.
2. Advertising Revenue: Metro offers advertising opportunities on buses and transit properties for external businesses
3. Government Funding: As a tax-supported independent political subdivision of Ohio, Metro receives public funding to support operations

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SORTA/Metro operates public bus transit services in the Cincinnati/Hamilton County region of Ohio through three core modes: scheduled fixed-route bus service across dozens of routes, ADA-compliant Access paratransit for riders with disabilities, and MetroNow! on-demand mobility service in select zones. It also operates fare programs including Tap&Save fare capping, Rider Rewards loyalty points, and free-ride partnerships with universities and Cincinnati Public Schools.

Product overview

Metro operates a multi-modal public transit system in the Cincinnati region consisting of three core services: Metro Fixed Route (traditional scheduled bus service), Metro Access (ADA-compliant paratransit for riders with disabilities), and MetroNow! (on-demand mobility in select zones). These core services are supported by complementary offerings including Tap&Save (fare capping payment program), Student Transportation (CPS bus passes for 7th-12th graders), University Discount Program (free passes for five local colleges), and Rider Rewards (loyalty points program). A Bus Rapid Transit system is under development as part of the Reinventing Metro initiative.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Metro Fixed Route: Traditional fixed-route bus service operating throughout the Cincinnati region.
• Access
• MetroNow!
• Tap&Save
• Rider Rewards
• Metro MyAccess

Products and services

• Metro Fixed Route

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% on-time performance for student transportation service
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of CincinnaticoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 January 2025Free 30-day pass program for students and staff to ease commuting costs and parking hassles. Metro provides free transit service while UC promotes sustainable transportation options. Starting January 13, passes are automatically credited to registered accounts each month.
• Cincinnati State Technical and Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 January 2025Free 30-day pass program for students and staff through University Discount Program. Multiple Metro routes serve the campus including Routes 17, 19, 20, 24, and 51.
• Xavier UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 January 2025Free 30-day pass program for students and staff. Served by Routes 4, 31, 36, 51, and 90.
• Mount St. Joseph UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 January 2025Free 30-day pass program for students and staff. Served by Routes 36 and 77.
• The Christ CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 January 2025Free 30-day pass program for students and staff. Served by Routes 12 and 19.
• Cincinnati Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOver 50-year partnership providing free bus passes to eligible 7th-12th graders living more than one mile from school. During 2024-25 school year, Metro provided 10,000+ student trips daily with 95% on-time performance. Color-coded passes help students identify direct, non-direct, and extracurricular routes.
• University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning (DAAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research project 'From Pole to Place' reimagined bus stops as welcoming, accessible, and community-centered public spaces. Earned EDRA Great Places Award 2026 in Research and Planning category.
• Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky (TANK)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional partnership offering combined Metro/TANK passes enabling cross-state transit between Hamilton County, Ohio and Northern Kentucky. Day Pass $5.00, 30-Day Pass $105.00.
• Adopt A ClassminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMetro named Best Overall Partner by Adopt A Class at annual Celebration Breakfast, recognizing Metro's commitment to supporting students, educators, and mentorship programs.
• Transit AppcoreTechnology or IntegrationOfficial app partner providing real-time bus tracking, trip planning, and mobile ticketing through EZfare integration. Available for iOS and Android devices.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Greater Cleveland RTA: Greater Cleveland RTA runs bus, rail and paratransit in a comparable mid-size Ohio metro. Highly relevant for SORTA's strategic planning as it operates a BRT corridor (HealthLine) and university partnerships that mirror Metro's Reinventing Metro aspirations.
• Dayton RTA (Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority): Dayton RTA provides fixed-route bus, on-demand and paratransit service in the Dayton metro. Comparable in size, governance structure (Ohio tax-supported authority), and product mix, including electric bus pilots similar to those SORTA may pursue.
• Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky (TANK): TANK operates fixed-route bus service across the Ohio River from Cincinnati into Northern Kentucky and is already a Metro/TANK regional pass partner. Directly comparable as a mid-size municipal bus transit agency serving an adjacent jurisdiction with similar fleet, paratransit, and fare integration models.
• IndyGo (Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation): IndyGo operates bus and BRT (Red Line, Purple Line) service in Indianapolis — a peer mid-size Midwest transit agency currently executing a BRT build-out analogous to SORTA's planned Reinventing Metro BRT project.
• Transit Authority of River City (TARC, Louisville): TARC operates fixed-route bus and paratransit in the Louisville metro. Comparable in scale and Mid-South geographic context to SORTA, with similar university partnerships and route restructuring history.
• Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA): COTA operates fixed-route bus, COTA//Plus on-demand microtransit, and Mainstream paratransit across the Columbus metro — directly analogous to Metro Fixed Route, MetroNow! and Access. Both are Ohio tax-supported authorities of comparable scale serving a single metro with a similar product mix.

Broad incumbents

• Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS): CATS runs bus, light rail and streetcar across the Charlotte metro. Comparable as a public-sector authority scaling fixed-route bus into BRT/light rail, relevant for SORTA's longer-term mode-shift planning.
• Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT): PRT operates bus, light rail and inclines across the Pittsburgh metro — a larger, multimodal incumbent whose university pass programs and BRT-style corridors offer a scaled-up reference point for SORTA's Reinventing Metro ambitions.

Emerging players

• Via Transportation: Via provides the on-demand microtransit software platform used by many U.S. transit agencies for zones like MetroNow!. Relevant as the likely technology counterpart for SORTA's on-demand expansion and a benchmark for unit economics of municipal microtransit.

Others

• Transit App: Transit App is SORTA's official app partner for real-time tracking, trip planning and EZfare mobile ticketing. Relevant as the consumer-facing distribution channel through which Metro reaches most digital riders.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cincinnatimetro
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/CincinnatiMetro
• Facebookfacebook.com/GoMetro
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southwest-ohio-regional-transit-authority
• Instagraminstagram.com/cincinnatimetro

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority