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. South Central Transit Authority oversees BARTA and the Red Rose Transit Authority. In, the system had a ridership of, or about per weekday as of.

History

20th century

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.

21st century

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 and 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.

Timeline

  • October 8, 1973: Berks Area Reading Transportation Authority was founded, after the City of Reading and the County of Berks purchased the failing Reading Bus Company.
  • 1978: BARTA Special Services was founded, after Berks County Commissioners ordered 33 social service agencies in Berks County consolidated their transportation systems.
  • May 1983: BARTA was facing financial difficulties. Dennis D. Louwerse had then became BARTA's executive director, and kept BARTA up and running for service.
  • 1992: BARTA became the first small authority in the U.S. to use CNG buses.
  • 1993: BARTA received a grant from the FTA to reconstruct the pedestrian mall, Penn Square, on Penn Street from 4th Street to 6th Street. BARTA had then added eight bus shelters, at 5th Street and Penn Street.
  • March 4, 2002: The BARTA Transportation Center was opened, 0.1 miles away from the Franklin Street Station. This bus terminal had a waiting area, restrooms, a customer service/sales window, and a break area for bus drivers.
  • 2005: BARTA decided to longer purchase CNG buses, as they were no longer cost-effective.These buses were then sold to EMTA and IndiGo.
  • August 27, 2005: The BARTA Park-n-Transit Facility was opened, a 350-space garage. BARTA also rebranded to a red, blue, and black scheme, along with a new logo, and new bus routes. BARTA also began investing into electric-diesel hybrid buses.
  • 2009: BARTA purchased 5 HEV buses.
  • July 2010: BARTA had then became a county authority, and renamed to Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority.
  • 2013: BARTA completed restoration to the former Franklin Street Street Station, planned to be used as a bus terminal.
  • September 5, 2013: The Executive Director of BARTA, Dennis D. Louwerse, had died. David W. Kilmer then became Executive Director of BARTA.
  • September 9, 2013: BARTA began trial service to Harrisburg, with connecting service with Lebanon Transit.
  • 2014: BARTA began facing financial difficulties, and RRTA agreed to help BARTA.
  • January 31, 2014: BARTA had discontinued the trial route to Harrisburg via Lebanon, due to low ridership.
  • December 4, 2014: BARTA and RRTA became subsidiaries to South Central Transit Authority. SCTA was founded by the County of Berks and the County of Lancaster.

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.
Effective January 5, 2026

Inactive Routes

1984 Routes (1984-???)

  • Route 2: Schuylkill Avenue
  • Route 2A: Ninth Street
  • Route 3: Mohnton
  • Route 3A: Kutztown Road
  • Route 3A: Laureldale
  • Route 4: Hampden Boulevard
  • Route 4A: Berkshire Heights
  • Route 6: Lincoln Park
  • Route 6A: Reading Hospital
  • Route 7: Glenside - Airport
  • Route 7A: Kenhorst-Grill
  • Route 8: Reiffton
  • Route 9: Brookline
  • Route 10: Jacksonwald
  • Route 12: Sinking Spring
  • Route 12A: Wernersville
  • Route 14: West Lawn
  • Route 14A: Berkshire Mall
  • Route 16: Stony Creek
  • Route 18: Pennside - Butter Lane
  • Route 18A: Pennside - Hollywood Court
  • Route 20: Cotton Street
  • Route 20A: Riverside
  • Route 20A: Riverview Park
  • Route 22: Eleventh Street
  • Route 22A: Albright College
  • Route 24: Birdsboro
  • Route 27: Green Hills
  • Route 28: Spring Township
  • Route 30: Fairgrounds Square via Madeira Plaza - Fairgrounds Market
  • Express - Giorgio Foods
  • Express - Berks Heim
  • Express - Western Electric

2004 Routes (Nov 30) (2004-Aug 27, 2005)

  • Route 1N: Temple/Kutztown Road/Laureldale
  • Route 1S: Shillington/Mohnton
  • Route 2E: Ninth Street
  • Route 2W: Schuylkill Avenue
  • Route 4E/W: Hampden Boulevard/Berkshire Heights
  • Route 6W: Lincoln Park/Reading Hospital
  • Route 7N: Glenside/Airport
  • Route 7S: Kenhorst/Grill
  • Route 8E: Reiffton/Reading Mall/Shelbourne Square
  • Route 9S: Brookline
  • Route 10E: Jacksonwald
  • Route 12W: Sinking Spring/Wernersville
  • Route 14W: Berkshire Mall
  • Route 16E: Stony Creek
  • Route 18E: Pennside/Butter Lane/Hollywood Court
  • Route 20N: Riverside
  • Route 20S: Cotton Street
  • Route 22N: Albright College/11th Street/12th Street
  • Route 28W: Spring Township
  • Spring Ridge Loop/Target
  • Berks Heim Express #3
  • Niteline
  • Park-N-Ride Shuttle - First Energy Stadium
  • Park-N-Ride Shuttle - Shelbourne Square
  • Park-N-Ride Shuttle - Womelsdorf
  • Route 61/Cabela's
  • Morgantown

2005 Routes (August 27, 2025) (Aug 27, 2005 - Present)

  • Route 1: Temple via 5th Street
  • Route 2: Fairgrounds Square Market
  • Route 3: Temple via Kutztown Road
  • Route 4: 10th/11th Streets
  • Route 5: Albright College
  • Route 6: Spring Street/Berkshire Heights Crosstown
  • Route 7: Pennside
  • Route 8: Reiffton/Shelbourne Square Reiffton/Shelbourne Square/Birdsboro
  • Route 9: Grill via Kenhorst
  • Route 10: Brookline
  • Route 11: Mohnton via Shillington
  • Route 12: Lincoln Park via Reading Hospital
  • Route 13: Spring Township
  • Route 14: Wernersville via Sinking Spring Wernersville/Sinking Spring/Womelsdorf
  • Route 15: Berkshire Mall
  • Route 16: Broadcasting Square/Berkshire Mall Broadcasting Square
  • Route 17: Glenside/Airport/Berks Heim
  • Route 18: Schuylkill Avenue
  • Route 19: Riverside/FirstEnergy Stadium/Cotton Street
  • Route 20: Route 61/Hamburg
  • Route 21: Morgantown Express
  • Route 22: Lyon Station/East Penn-Deka
  • Route 23: Lebanon

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

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 Cummins [L Series engine|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., BARTA has received Gillig BRT hybrids with Cummins ISB, Cummins ISB6.7 and Cummins B6.7 AND L9 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. Fewer passengers have been riding the bus due to COVID-19 so there are fewer active buses in the fleet.

Paratransit Fleet

Retired 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.