Starting Monday: A $2-a-ride alternative to Uber for part of Greater Cincinnati
Metro meets Uber in Sharonville starting Monday, as Cincinnati’s bus system launches its new curb-to-curb, $2-a-ride MetroNow service.
That means a roundtrip from, say, an address on the south side of Sharonville to a restaurant or store on the northern boundary would cost a total of $4. The lowest-cost fare on Uber or another ride-share service? Likely more than $20 – and that’s before a tip.
Bonus: MetroNow drivers can’t take tips.
The Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority will start running MetroNow vans in the Sharonville/Springdale area – each with room for eight seated passengers and two wheelchairs – on Monday.
Service in Northgate/Mount Healthy will follow in mid-June. Next spring, it will add service in Blue Ash/Evendale, Montfort Heights/Finneytown, Pleasant Run North and Bond Hill/Roselawn.
Called Mobility on Demand as it was being developed, the new service is part of SORTA’s Reinventing Metro plan, aimed at upgrading its overall services. Those improvements were made possible by the 2020 passage of Issue 7, which increased the county sales tax from 7% to 7.8% and now generates about $130 million a year for Metro.
With MetroNow, riders will be able to book pickups from an app on their phones or by calling 513-551-5555, The service will be available 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekends, with more information on a Metro FAQ page.
Kicking off the service on Wednesday, the authority's Chief Strategic Officer Khaled Shammout said four or five vans will operate in each zone. The Sharonville/Springdale and Northgate/Mount Healthy launches are considered "pilots" to allow Metro officials to tweak hours, zone boundaries and prices as needed.
The program, he said, is "here to stay."
Not under consideration, though, is zone-to-zone transport. MetroNow riders can only travel within the zone where they board.
Officials opted for a $2 fare for MetroNow since that's what full-size Metro buses charge. "We don't want to complicate things," Shammout said.
Plus, they want to tout MetroNow's price advantage over ride-share leaders. “Imagine the convenience of Uber or Lyft, but with the affordability of public transit!,” the Metro website exclaims.
As for curb-to-curb rides, those are real. But you’ll want to consider corner-to-corner, Metro says on its site.
“Corner-to-corner service means that the vehicle will pick you up at a nearby point within a short walk's distance from your current location and drop you off within walking distance of your destination," the web site notes. "This will usually be the fastest travel option,”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Where will MetroNow rides be offered?
