The transit authority that will run the Cincinnati streetcar has some recommendations about what hours the system should operate that reflect Cincinnati’s City Council’s stance on the way they believe the streetcar should and shouldn’t be used.City council members Yvette Simpson and Chris Seelbach said the streetcar should only run until 1 a.m. on weekends to avoid the streetcar becoming a “booze cruise.”“This is not, for a lack of a better word, the drunk bus either. Some of those other individuals will have to use Uber or some other service. We won't keep the streetcar open to transport people who are out really late and otherwise can't get home," Simpson said.Below are the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority's rail service director’s full recommendations to city council for hours of operation:Recommended span of service:• Sunday and holidays: 9 a.m. - 11 p.m.• Monday-Thursday: 6:30 a.m. - midnight• Friday: 6:30 a.m. - 1 a.m.• Saturday: 8 a.m. - 1 a.m.Recommended frequency:• Base frequency: Every 15 minutes• Peak (Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.): Every 12 minutesSORTA said it based its recommendations on several factors:• Cincinnati City Council input• Comments from public (Title VI public meetings, outreach to constituents)• Regulatory requirements with the Federal Transit Administration• Transdev operating and maintenance contract• Bus ridership and connections (local and express)• Weekend activity locations and hours, including parking garage data• Technical scheduling issues, consistency of schedule, and related costs• Other cities' experienceThe transit service seeks City Council approval for the recommendations, whereupon it will create the operating budget based on the agreed upon service level, as well as funding projections from the city.

The transit authority that will run the Cincinnati streetcar has some recommendations about what hours the system should operate that reflect Cincinnati’s City Council’s stance on the way they believe the streetcar should and shouldn’t be used.

City council members Yvette Simpson and Chris Seelbach said the streetcar should only run until 1 a.m. on weekends to avoid the streetcar becoming a “booze cruise.”


“This is not, for a lack of a better word, the drunk bus either. Some of those other individuals will have to use Uber or some other service. We won't keep the streetcar open to transport people who are out really late and otherwise can't get home," Simpson said.

Below are the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority's rail service director’s full recommendations to city council for hours of operation:

Recommended span of service:

• Sunday and holidays: 9 a.m. - 11 p.m.

• Monday-Thursday: 6:30 a.m. - midnight

• Friday: 6:30 a.m. - 1 a.m.

• Saturday: 8 a.m. - 1 a.m.

Recommended frequency:

• Base frequency: Every 15 minutes

• Peak (Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.): Every 12 minutes

SORTA said it based its recommendations on several factors:

• Cincinnati City Council input

• Comments from public (Title VI public meetings, outreach to constituents)

• Regulatory requirements with the Federal Transit Administration

• Transdev operating and maintenance contract

• Bus ridership and connections (local and express)

• Weekend activity locations and hours, including parking garage data

• Technical scheduling issues, consistency of schedule, and related costs

• Other cities' experience

The transit service seeks City Council approval for the recommendations, whereupon it will create the operating budget based on the agreed upon service level, as well as funding projections from the city.