Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority


Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority, previously Berks Area Reading Transportation Authority, is a public transportation system serving the city of Reading and its surrounding area of Berks County, Pennsylvania. The South Central Transit Authority owns BARTA and the Red Rose Transit Authority.

History

BARTA was created with the cooperation of the Berks County and the City of Reading in 1973 to purchase the failing Reading Bus Company. On October 8, 1973, BARTA began bus operations. The BARTA Special Services paratransit service was formed in 1978 when 33 social service agencies in Berks County consolidated their transportation systems. In 1992, BARTA became the first small public transit agency in the United States to use Compressed Natural Gas buses. A grant from the Federal Transit Administration in 1993 allowed BARTA to eliminate the pedestrian mall along Penn Street in downtown Reading and reopen the road to traffic. As part of this, Penn Street between 4th and 6th streets was restored and bus shelters and berths were built. The BARTA Transportation Center at 7th and Cherry streets opened in 2002 to serve as a hub for BARTA buses. In 2005, the BARTA Park-N-Transit garage with 350 parking spaces opened at 7th and Franklin streets. The same year, a new logo for BARTA and paint scheme for buses was introduced. The agency also started investing in electric-diesel hybrid buses. In 2010, BARTA became a county authority, overseen by the County of Berks, reflecting its focus on regionalism instead of centralism on the city of Reading. The former Reading Railroad Franklin Street Station was refurbished and reopened to bus service on September 9, 2013.
Dennis D. Louwerse, the long-time executive director/CEO at BARTA, died on Thursday, September 5, 2013 at the age of 68. He became the executive director at BARTA in 1983, and he was the executive director for 30 years until his death. David W. Kilmer is currently the executive director. On December 1, 2014, the South Central Transit Authority was formed to oversee BARTA and the Red Rose Transit Authority in Lancaster County.

Current routes

BARTA operates most of its present route network on a hub and spoke type system, in which most passengers transfer between routes at a central location, the BARTA Transportation Center.

Cooperation with other agencies

In September 2013, BARTA expanded its service on a trial basis to Lebanon with connecting service on Lebanon Transit to Harrisburg. This service replaced previously abandoned coach service operated by Bieber Tourways, on July 1, 2013. However, BARTA discontinued its service to Lebanon on January 31, 2014 due to low ridership.

Fares

The base cash fare to ride on BARTA buses is $1.70. Certain routes have an additional zone fare of $0.25 for travel outside the base zone. Transfers from one route to another are available for $0.25 and must be used within two hours of being issued. Students in grades 1-12 may ride for $1.20 with a Student ID card. Medicare Card holders and disabled people with proper ID may ride BARTA for $0.85. Senior citizens may ride BARTA for free with proper ID. Up to three children age 5 and under may ride for free with a fare-paying adult.
BARTA offers various discount fares and passes for riders. Ten Trip Tickets provide ten bus trips and cost $17.30 for Adult Anywhere and $11.00 for Student Anywhere. The One Day Pass provides unlimited rides in a single day and costs $3.00 if purchased in advance and $4.00 if purchased onboard the bus. The 31 Day Pass provides unlimited rides in a 31-day period and costs $47.00 for Adult Anywhere and $29.00 for Student Anywhere. The 31 Day Park-N-Ride Pass is valid for rides in a 31-day period to and from park and ride lots only and costs $31.00.

Transit facilities

BARTA Transportation Center

The BARTA Transportation Center is located at 7th and Cherry streets in Downtown Reading and is where all BARTA bus routes connect. The transportation center has an enclosed waiting area, restrooms, customer service office, a break area for bus drivers, a community police station, and a 101-space parking garage. The BARTA Transportation Center has ten berths that the buses stop at and announces arriving and departing buses over the PA system and through information displays in the waiting and loading areas.

Franklin Street Station

The former Reading Railroad Franklin Street Station was refurbished and also has bus service. The station has a waiting area for passengers, customer service area, transportation museum, and space for passenger amenities. The station is intended to be used for future express and long-distance bus services.

Park and ride locations

BARTA operates five park and ride lots across Berks County:
BARTA's fleet consists of 51 buses, consisting primarily of Gillig BRT buses, including 40 hybrid electric buses. 30 of the buses are 35 foot buses, and the remaining 22 are 40 foot buses. BARTA's fixed route fleet was mostly buses powered by Detroit Diesel engines until the production of the Detroit Diesel Series 50 was cut in late 2004. Then BARTA ordered their 05, 07, 08 and 09 Gillig BRTs with Cummins ISL. All the 2005 Gillig BRTs have been retired as of 2019. The 2007 Gillig BRTs started retiring in 2019. The first 2 digits of the bus numbers indicate the year the bus was ordered. Even in the 2000s and 2010s. All of BARTA's buses from 2010 and earlier are equipped with Allison Transmissions, and all of them have Bendix air brakes., BARTA has received 40 foot Gillig BRT hybrids with Cummins ISB, Cummins ISB6.7 and Cummins B6.7 engines. In 2009 and 2010, BARTA received 9 Gillig BRT hybrids with the Allison EP-40 hybrid drive system., BARTA has received additional Gillig BRT hybrids, which are series hybrids equipped with BAE Systems HybriDrive Series-E.

Current fleet

Paratransit

The BARTA Special Services Division provides Shared Ride bus service offering consolidated trips between customers’ origins and destinations that are not well served by fixed route bus service. Often referred to as “Paratransit,” Shared Ride operates during limited hours and specific travel areas.

Current fleet

Fleet NumberYearManufacturerModelEngineTransmissionNotes
1401-14032014FordE-350
  • Flexible-fuel vehicles
  • Raised-roof paratransit vans operated by Easton Coach
1404-14092014Ford/ChampionE-450/Challenger
  • Operated by Easton Coach
    • 1410-14162014Ford/Coach & EquipmentE-450/Hybrid
  • Equipped with VTM Ultra Capacitor Hybrid Propulsion System
    • 1517-15192015Ford/ChampionE-450/Challenger
  • Operated by Easton Coach
    • 1546-15482015Ford/ChampionE-450/Challenger
  • Unleaded gasoline powered
    • 1649-16552016Ford/ChampionE-450/Challenger
  • Unleaded gasoline powered
    • 1756-17672017Ford/ChampionE-450/Challenger
  • Unleaded gasoline powered
    • 1868-18782018Ford/StarTransE-450
  • Unleaded gasoline powered