Oct 9, 2014
CLEVELAND – Cleveland State University has secured naming rights for a new bus rapid transit (BRT) line connecting CSU to West Shore communities. The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) expects to begin service in November.
Meet the new Cleveland State Line
The new route will offer commuters an upgraded ride on new, specially-designed vehicles fully branded for CSU. Stations connect commuters traveling from the downtown campus through Cleveland’s West Side along Clifton Boulevard, with branch routes connecting multiple West Shore communities.
The Cleveland State Line will provide students and passengers with a faster and more reliable commute. The line will replace 55 family of routes with specially designed, 60-foot articulated buses and increased travel speeds. It will double ridership capacity. During rush hour, riders will wait no more than 10 minutes for a bus at any stop on the line.
The Cleveland State Line incorporates many of the convenience features of RTA’s first bus-rapid transit service, the HealthLine, which travels along Euclid Avenue from Public Square to the Louis Stokes Station at Windermere in East Cleveland. These features include consolidated stops, a dedicated transit lane, an enhanced streetscape and a new traffic signal system.
CSU students -- 500,000 rides this year
"We are excited to be part of this new transportation route to the West Side,” said CSU President Ronald Berkman. “More than 14,000 CSU students receive the RTA U-Pass each semester, and collectively, they’ve already taken a half million trips this year. A significant number of them commute from west of downtown Cleveland. This new transportation option will provide a fast, comfortable and convenient way to get to campus, while serving the larger transportation needs of West Shore commuters.”
The Cleveland State Line will serve customers along Clifton Boulevard with 19 new stations, and will also feature special CSU-branded stops in Bay Village, Westlake, Rocky River, Fairview Park, Lakewood and Cleveland.
The contract calls for CSU sponsorship of a total vehicle graphic package on 16 custom-designed buses to be used on all trips. The CSU logo is woven in the fabric for the approximate 950 seat backs on all vehicles, and CSU identification will be prominently displayed at the 32 new bus stations or stops on Clifton Boulevard. CSU branding will be featured at 243 stops and shelters along the route and in related materials.
RTA + CSU, long-time partners
“RTA and CSU have collaborated for years and continue to expand on an ideal partnership,” said RTA CEO and General Manager Joe Calabrese. “Starting with the U-Pass program for CSU students and extending to the trolley network, sponsorship of two HealthLine stations, the completion of the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Transit Center and a lease with Megabus, this collaboration showcases how public entities can work together to benefit students and the Greater Cleveland community.”
Since 2008, RTA has initiated several other public-private partnerships with Cleveland organizations to sponsor new or enhanced services, including the HealthLine and free downtown trolleys.
“Now that CSU has secured the naming rights, we are advancing the revitalization of Cleveland’s transit landscape into suburban communities. Through these partnerships, together we are investing in the future of Cleveland and Northeast Ohio,” Calabrese said.
The announcement was made this morning by CSU President Ronald Berkman and RTA CEO Joe Calabrese.
About Cleveland State University
Founded in 1964, Cleveland State University is a public research institution that provides a dynamic setting for engaged learning. With an enrollment of more than 17,000 students, nine colleges and more than 200 academic programs, CSU was again chosen in 2014 as one of America’s best colleges by U.S. News & World Report. Find more information, visit CSU on Facebook and follow @CLE_State.
About RTA
Formed in 1975, RTA serves 50 million riders a year in Cuyahoga County with a dedicated fleet of light and heavy rail, buses, downtown trolleys, BRT and Paratransit vehicles. RTA covers 457 square miles across 59 municipalities and is the only system in Ohio to offer rail and BRT service. The Cleveland State Line is RTA’s second BRT service.
For media inquiries only:
- CSU, Kevin Ziegler, 216-523-7279
- RTA, Linda Scardilli Krecic, 216-566-5211