Cincinnati metro

Cincinnati's Planning Commission on Friday approved a report and recommendation that will allow the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA) to install stand-alone benches at some bus stops in the city.

Main Street in downtown Cincinnati will get a dedicated bus lane during morning and afternoon rush hours starting today.  

Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA) officials are working on balancing the transit agency's budget without additional revenue from a sales tax increase.  

The Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA) estimates it will have a $6.4 million budget deficit next year to operate Metro buses.  

  The choice for the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA) board Wednesday was simple – go to the voters now for a new sales tax increase to save the financially troubled bus system or go to the voters later.

In a unanimous vote, the board choose "later" – as in 2017.

One resolution before the board would have put a countywide sales tax increase on this November's ballot, but the board chose instead one which said the board "directs staff to take all appropriate actions necessary to prepare for a ballot initiative in 2017."

The membership of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 627, the union representing Cincinnati Metro bus drivers, unanimously supported a “no confidence” vote in General Manager/CEO Dwight Ferrell.

ATU President Troy Miller released the information Friday in a press release.  The union says the vote during the membership meeting was unanimous.

The former head of Atlanta’s streetcar project is now the chief executive officer of the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority.

The SORTA Board approved Dwight Ferrell as the new CEO Tuesday morning.

Ferrell comes to the Cincinnati area from Fulton County, Georgia, where he served as county manager since October 2013.  Before that, he was the deputy general manager and chief operating officer of MARTA, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority for four years.

The board that operates Cincinnati's Metro system is looking for a new leader.

The Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority says CEO and General Manager Terry Garcia Crews is resigning effective immediately.

In a release, the board says Crews is returning to a career in transit industry consulting. Crews was hired in November 2010.

When it comes to making use of available resources to deliver public transportation, the Cincinnati bus system is tops compared to 11 peer cities.  That's according to a study being released at today's State of Metro annual meeting.  The research by the UC Economics Center shows Metro is number 1 in operational efficiency--getting the most bang for its buck.

But Metro ranks more middle of the pack when it comes to the level of service provided.  (Number 7 to be exact.)

Cincinnati City Council ended its dispute with the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority Wednesday by approving Metro's operating budget for the remaining four-months of the city's fiscal year.  

Council had been approving monthly budgets because of a disagreement with the SORTA, which manages the bus system, over how the city's transit tax can be spent.  

The SORTA Board argued it was only for Metro purposes and had filed a lawsuit concerning the issue.   

The city countered it could be used for any transit related expense.  

The ongoing dispute between Cincinnati and the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority about the use of the city’s transit fund is still dragging on. 

Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls spoke during a special Budget and Finance Committee meeting Tuesday.

"Members of the committee may remember that we passed a one-month budget for SORTA a number weeks ago," Qualls said.  "This is another one month budget for the period of February."

The city argues the fund can be used for any transit purpose. 

Cincinnati Council voted Wednesday to fund the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority for just one month in the new year.  

The action is part of the continuing battle between the city and SORTA about the use of the city’s transit fund.  

Cincinnati argues it can be used for any transit related activity.  But the agency says it’s only for Metro bus operations.  SORTA has a lawsuit pending on the issue.  

A Council Member asked City Solicitor John Curp why administrators are proposing a one-month funding ordinance.

A Cincinnati Council Member and a Mayoral candidate are accusing city officials of trying to change the use of a transit fund to pay for the streetcar project.  

Christopher Smitherman and John Cranley held a news conference Monday morning in downtown Cincinnati next to Metro's Government Square facility.  

The Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority is meeting Tuesday to vote on a change an agreement with the city.