# Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority

Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority (BARTA), 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 (RRTA). In 2023, the system had a ridership of 2,276,000, or about 14,800 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024.

## 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 (CNG) 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.
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.
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 (RRTA) 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.
| Route | Line Name | Terminals | Terminals | Places Served | Notes |
| 1 | Temple via Fifth Street | BARTA Transportation Center | Walmart at North Reading Plaza | 5th Street, 5th Street Highway, Fairgrounds Square Mall, Penn Plaza, Plaza 222, Muhlenberg Shopping Center, Target, Temple | operates Monday-Sunday |
| 2 | Fairgrounds Square Market | BARTA Transportation Center | Fairgrounds Square Market | 9th Street/10th Street, Exeter Street, 11th Street, Rockland Street, Kutztown Road, Madison Avenue, 5th Street Highway, Fairgrounds Square Mall | operates Friday-Saturday |
| 3 | Temple via Kutztown Road | BARTA Transportation Center | Walmart at North Reading Plaza | 8th Street/9th Street, Kutztown Road, Temple | operates Monday-Saturday |
| 4 | 10th-11th Streets | BARTA Transportation Center | 10th and Exeter streets | Penn Street, 11th Street, Rockland Plaza, 10th Street | operates Monday-Sunday |
| 5 | Albright College via 12th-13th Streets | BARTA Transportation Center | Reservoir Road and Hampden Boulevard | 12th Street/13th Street, Reading Senior High School, Weis Market, Albright College, Hampden Boulevard | operates Monday-Saturday |
| 7 | Pennside | BARTA Transportation Center | Stony Creek Towne Houses | Penn Street, Perkiomen Avenue, 23rd Street, Carsonia Avenue, Hollywood Court Apartments, Pennside, Butter Lane | operates Monday-Saturday |
| 8 | Reiffton/Shelbourne Square/Birdsboro | BARTA Transportation Center | Walmart at Exeter Square or Birdsboro | Penn Street, Perkiomen Avenue, Reiffton, Boscov's at Reading Mall, Exeter Commons, U.S. Route 422, Redner's at Shelbourne Square Park and Ride, Walmart at Exeter Square, Lincoln Road | operates Monday-Sunday, limited weekday service to Birdsboro |
| 9 | Grill via Kenhorst | BARTA Transportation Center | Redner's at Kenhorst Plaza | 4th Street, South Reading, KVP Factory, Alvernia University, Sencit Towne House Apartments, Kenhorst, Grill | operates Monday-Saturday |
| 10 | Brookline | BARTA Transportation Center | East Wyomissing Boulevard and Margaret Street | 4th Street/6th Street, South Reading, Lancaster Avenue, Brookline Plaza, Hancock Boulevard | operates Monday-Sunday |
| 11 | Mohnton via Shillington | BARTA Transportation Center | Main and Church streets in Mohnton | 4th Street, South Reading, Lancaster Avenue, Shillington Shopping Center, Shillington, Ollie's Bargain Outlet/Fulton Bank, Wyomissing Avenue | operates Monday-Saturday |
| 12 | Lincoln Park via Reading Hospital | BARTA Transportation Center | Berkshire Hills | Penn Street, Penn Avenue, West Reading, Reading Hospital, Reading Boulevard, The Highlands at Wyomissing, Lincoln Plaza Shopping Center, Spring Towne Center | operates Monday-Saturday |
| 14 | Wernersville via Sinking Spring | BARTA Transportation Center | Wernersville State Hospital or McDonald's Park and Ride in Womelsdorf | Penn Street, Penn Avenue, West Reading, Sinking Spring, Redner's at Sinking Spring Plaza, U.S. Route 422, Phoebe Berks Village, Wernersville | operates Monday-Saturday, limited service to Womelsdorf |
| 15 | Berkshire Mall | BARTA Transportation Center | Walmart at Berkshire Square or Giant on State Hill Road | Penn Street, Penn Avenue, West Reading, State Hill Road, Berkshire Mall, Walmart at Berkshire Square | operates Monday-Sunday, most Sunday service terminates at Walmart at Berkshire Square |
| 16 | Broadcasting Square | BARTA Transportation Center | Target at Broadcasting Square | Penn Street, Penn Avenue, West Reading, Park Road, Penn State Berks | operates Monday-Sunday |
| 17 | Glenside/Airport/Berks Heim | BARTA Transportation Center | Penn State Health St. Joseph or Berks Heim | Schuylkill Avenue, Bernville Road, Reading Regional Airport, MacArthur Road | operates Monday-Saturday, limited service to Berks Heim |
| 18 | Schuylkill Avenue | BARTA Transportation Center | Windsor Street and Schuylkill Avenue or Penn State Health St. Joseph | Downtown Reading, Penn Street, Front Street, Windsor Street, Schuylkill Avenue | operates Monday-Sunday, limited evening service to Penn State Health St. Joseph |
| 19 | Riverside/FirstEnergy Stadium/Cotton Street | 19th and Cotton streets | FirstEnergy Stadium Park and Ride | Cotton Street/Perkiomen Avenue, Downtown Reading, BARTA Transportation Center, 6th Street/8th Street, PriceRite, Spring Street, Riverside School, Centre Avenue | operates Monday-Sunday, no Sunday service between BARTA Transportation Center and FirstEnergy Stadium |
| 20 | Route 61/Hamburg | BARTA Transportation Center | Cabela's | Centre Avenue, Pennsylvania Route 61, Redner's Leesport Park and Ride, Leesport, Shoemakersville, Redner's Hamburg Park and Ride, Hamburg | operates Monday-Saturday |
| 22 | Lyon Station/East Penn-Deka | BARTA Transportation Center | East Penn Manufacturing Company-Deka in Lyons | 8th Street/9th Street, Kutztown Road, U.S. Route 222 Business, Park Road, Blandon, Fleetwood, Fleetwood-Lyons Road | operates Monday-Friday |

## 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 on board 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:
* FirstEnergy Stadium (Route 19)
* Redner's in Hamburg (Route 20)
* Redner's in Leesport (Route 20)
* Shelbourne Square in Exeter Township (Route 8)
* Womelsdorf (Route 14)

## BARTA's fleet

BARTA's fleet consists of 50 buses, consisting primarily of hybrid electric buses, which include Gillig BRT hybrids and Gillig Low Floor Plus hybrids. 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. The first 2 digits of the bus numbers indicate the year the bus was ordered. All of BARTA's buses from 2010 and earlier, which have been retired, were equipped with Allison. All the buses have Bendix air brakes. As of 2009, BARTA has received Gillig BRT hybrids with Cummins ISB, Cummins ISB6.7 and Cummins L9 engines. In 2009 and 2010, BARTA received 9 Gillig BRT hybrids with the Allison EP-40 hybrid drive system. As of 2015, BARTA has received additional Gillig BRT hybrids, which are series hybrids equipped with BAE Systems HybriDrive Series-E. Fewer passengers have been riding the bus due to COVID-19 so there are fewer active buses in the fleet.

### Current fleet

| Fleet Number(s) | Year | Manufacturer | Model | Engine | Transmission |
| 1542-1544 | 2015 | Gillig | BRT HEV 40' | Cummins ISB6.7 | BAE HybriDrive Series-E hybrid system |
| 1605–1608 | 2016 | Gillig | BRT HEV 40' | Cummins ISB6.7 | BAE HybriDrive Series-E hybrid system |
| 1801–1805 | 2017 | Gillig | BRT HEV 35' | Cummins L9 | BAE HybriDrive Series-E hybrid system |
| 1806–1807 | 2018 | Gillig | BRT HEV 40' | Cummins L9 | BAE HybriDrive Series-E hybrid system |
| 1808–1812 | 2018 | Gillig | BRT HEV 35' | Cummins L9 | BAE HybriDrive Series-E hybrid system |
| 1901–1905 | 2019 | Gillig | BRT HEV 35' | Cummins L9 | BAE HybriDrive Series-E hybrid system |
| 1912–1918 | 2019 | Gillig | BRT HEV 35' | Cummins L9 | BAE HybriDrive Series-E hybrid system |
| 2001–2002 | 2020 | Gillig | BRT HEV 40' | Cummins L9 | BAE HybriDrive Series-E hybrid system |
| 2003–2006 | 2020 | Gillig | BRT HEV 35' | Cummins L9 | BAE HybriDrive Series-E hybrid system |
| 2104-2107 | 2021 | Gillig | Low Floor Plus HEV 35' | Cummins L9 | BAE HybriDrive Series-E hybrid system |
| 2201-2205 | 2022 | Gillig | Low Floor Plus HEV 40' | Cummins L9 | BAE HybriDrive Series-E hybrid system |
| 2301-2304 | 2023 | Gillig | Low Floor Plus HEV 40' | Cummins L9 | BAE HybriDrive Series-E hybrid system |

## 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.