Berks Area Reading Transportation Authority
Encyclopedia
Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority (BARTA), previously Berks Area Reading Transportation Authority, is a public transportation system which operates in Berks County
, Pennsylvania
, mainly in the city of Reading
. The fleet consists of 57 buses.
from 1991, is currently being used for the SWAT
team in Berks County. It was the last surviving Gillig Phantom bus in BARTA's fleet. BARTA was mostly a fleet of 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 and 08 Gillig BRTs with Cummins
ISL
. The first 2 digits of the bus numbers indicate the year the bus was ordered. Even in the 2000s. The fleet consists of both 35 foot buses and 40 foot buses. All of BARTA's fleet is equipped with Allison Transmission
s and Bendix
air brakes. BARTA ordered 5 diesel hybrid-electric BRTs on Friday, May 15, 2009, and 2 diesel BRTs came for 2009 as well. BARTA got four more hybrids for 2010.
Berks County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 373,638 people, 141,570 households, and 98,532 families residing in the county. The population density was 435 people per square mile . There were 150,222 housing units at an average density of 175 per square mile...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, mainly in the city of Reading
Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading is a city in southeastern Pennsylvania, USA, and seat of Berks County. Reading is the principal city of the Greater Reading Area and had a population of 88,082 as of the 2010 census, making it the fifth most populated city in the state after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Erie,...
. The fleet consists of 57 buses.
BARTA Transportation Center
The BARTA Transportation Center is the center location in downtown Reading where all routes except route 6 operates. An automated voice announcement system is used to announce bus departures and what stop the bus is departing from.BARTA's fleet
BARTA's fleet consists of 57 buses with a fleet age as old as 2003. 9110, a 35-foot Gillig PhantomGillig Phantom
The Gillig Phantom was a transit bus produced by the Gillig Corporation in Hayward, California. The Phantom was first introduced in late 1980 and, with the exception of a small number of buses built in a three-year-long joint venture with Neoplan from 1977 to 1979, was Gillig's first transit bus...
from 1991, is currently being used for the SWAT
SWAT
A SWAT team is an elite tactical unit in various national law enforcement departments. They are trained to perform high-risk operations that fall outside of the abilities of regular officers...
team in Berks County. It was the last surviving Gillig Phantom bus in BARTA's fleet. BARTA was mostly a fleet of buses powered by Detroit Diesel
Detroit Diesel
As a corporation, Daimler Trucks North America has decided to rename the company "DETROIT".Detroit Diesel Corporation is an American-based diesel engine producer headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, USA...
engines until the production of the Detroit Diesel Series 50 was cut in late 2004. Then BARTA ordered their 05, 07 and 08 Gillig BRTs with Cummins
Cummins
Cummins Inc. is a Fortune 500 corporation that designs, manufactures, distributes and services engines and related technologies, including fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration, emission control and electrical power generation systems...
ISL
Cummins L Series engine
The Cummins ISL is a straight-six diesel engine designed and produced by Cummins. It displaces , and began production in 1998. The engine was based on its predecessor, the Cummins C8.3 engine....
. The first 2 digits of the bus numbers indicate the year the bus was ordered. Even in the 2000s. The fleet consists of both 35 foot buses and 40 foot buses. All of BARTA's fleet is equipped with Allison Transmission
Allison Transmission
Allison Transmission is an American manufacturer of commercial duty automatic transmissions and hybrid propulsion systems. Allison products are specified by over 250 of the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers and are used in many market sectors including bus, refuse, fire, construction,...
s and Bendix
Bendix
- People :* Bendix Hallenstein - New Zealand businessman* Henry Bendix - fictional character from Wildstorm comics* John E. Bendix - American Civil War and New York Guard general* Max Bendix - American composer, conductor, violinist* Reinhard Bendix - sociologist...
air brakes. BARTA ordered 5 diesel hybrid-electric BRTs on Friday, May 15, 2009, and 2 diesel BRTs came for 2009 as well. BARTA got four more hybrids for 2010.
The current fleet
- 2003: 5 35-foot OptimaOptima Bus CorporationOptima Bus, LLC, formerly Chance Coach Inc., is a brand of small transit buses manufactured by North American Bus Industries. It was established in 1976 in Wichita, Kansas....
Opus's powered by Cummins ISB (0301-0305). 0304 was lost due to a fire in January 2008. 3 New FlyerNew Flyer IndustriesNew Flyer Industries Inc. is a bus manufacturer in North America, headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It also has factories in Crookston and St. Cloud, Minnesota, USA.-History:...
D40LFs powered by Detroit Diesel Series 50 (0321-0323) - 2004: 5 35-foot Optima Opus's powered by Cummins ISB (0406-0410) and 2 40-foot Gillig Low FloorGillig Low FloorThe Gillig Low Floor is a transit bus manufactured by the Gillig Corporation in Hayward, CA. The Low Floor was introduced in 1996. They are available in 29', 35' and 40' lengths. A diesel-electric hybrid version was introduced in 2004. Frameless side windows are an option. The Gillig Low Floor is...
s powered by Detroit Diesel Series 50 (0431-0432) - 2005: 17 35-foot Gillig BRTs powered by Cummins ISL (0533-0549)
- 2007: 7 35-foot Gillig BRTs powered by Cummins ISL (0750-0756)
- 2008: 6 35-foot Gillig BRTs (0857-0862) and 2 40-foot Gillig BRTs (0881-0882) Powered by Cummins ISL
- 2009: 2 40-foot Gillig BRTs powered by Cummins ISL (0983-0984) and 5 40-foot Gillig BRT hybrids powered by Cummins ISB (0991-0995)
- 2010: 4 40-foot Gillig BRT hybrids powered by Cummins ISB (1096-1099)
Current Routes
- 1- Temple via Fifth Street
- 2- Fairgrounds Square Market
- 3- Temple via Kutztown Road
- 4- 10th-11th Streets
- 5- Albright College via 12th-13th Streets
- 6- Spring Street/Berkshire Heights
- 7- Pennside
- 8- Reiffton/Birdsboro
- 9- Grill via Kenhorst
- 10- Brookline
- 11- Mohnton via Shillington
- 12- Lincoln Park via Reading Hospital
- 14- Wernersville via Sinking Spring
- 15- Berkshire Mall
- 16- Broadcasting Square
- 17- Glenside/Airport/Berks Heim
- 18- Schuylkill Avenue
- 19- Riverside/FirstEnergy Stadium/Cotton Street
- 20- Route 61/Hamburg
- 21- Morgantown Express
- 22- Lyon Station/East Penn-Deka
Park and Ride Locations
- FirstEnergy StadiumFirstEnergy StadiumFirstEnergy Stadium is a 9,000-seat baseball-only stadium in Reading, Pennsylvania that hosted its first regular season baseball game in 1951. The park is home to the Reading Phillies of the Eastern League. It was voted the second best place to see a baseball game by Minor League News in 2006...
(Route 19) - HamburgHamburg, PennsylvaniaHamburg is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,114 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Hamburg, Germany.-Geography:Hamburg is located at ....
(Route 20) - LeesportLeesport, PennsylvaniaLeesport is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,805 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Leesport is located at ....
(Route 20) - Shelbourne Square (Exeter TownshipExeter Township, Berks County, PennsylvaniaExeter Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 25,550 as of the 2010 Census, making it the third most populous municipality in Berks County after the city of Reading and Spring Township. Daniel Boone Homestead is within its borders. Betsy King, the...
(Route 8) - WomelsdorfWomelsdorf, PennsylvaniaWomelsdorf, named after John Womelsdorff, is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,599 at the 2000 census. The main thoroughfares through Womelsdorf are High Street, which runs east-west, and Route 419, which runs north-south. Route 422 runs along the...
(Route 14)