Butler County, Oxford improve public transportation

The Butler County Regional Transit Authority (BCRTA) has announced multiple changes and projects in Oxford and Butler County that aim to expand its transit services.

The Ohio Department of Transportation awarded more than $3 million to BCRTA, according to an announcement on July 24. The funding will go towards the organization’s “largest-ever infrastructure project,” with the changes deriving from community feedback. 

Updates in Oxford

Shawn Cowan, the director of customer care and public engagement at BRCTA, spoke about the specific changes happening in Oxford, with the largest one being the opening of the Chestnut Street Station.

Buses can park at the station now, but construction of the facility is ongoing, with the grand opening slated for Nov. 6. The completed station will house indoor restrooms, access to customer service, real-time bus signage information and waiting areas. 

Cowan said she hopes that the new transit station will also serve Amtrak passengers and information once the service is available and ready for the public. 

New bus routes were also implemented on Aug. 18. 

BCRTA conducted a year-long study in 2022 that revealed that old bus routes ran in loops, which Cowan said tended to be inefficient. To counter this, BRCTA decided to implement bi-directional routes that differentiate between Oxford and Miami University loops.

“What they found from students is that the routes were too long,” Cowan said. “All four of the routes before would run in loops, so you could potentially be on the [bus] for quite a while … These new routes [are] far more efficient, less time on the bus, and we can service more areas.”

Route names were also changed from “U” to “O,” to promote use for not only university students, but the people of Oxford, as well. Four “O” routes will be available to Oxford, including “01,” “02,” “03” and “04.”

Bus services will be free, and no student identification will be required for entry. Cowan added that the app is free, as well, and provides real-time bus tracking, delay information, available routes and route planning for individual passengers. 

Changes throughout Butler County

These changes coincide with other implementations on a county scale. In addition to the Chestnut Station in Oxford, BCRTA is looking to expand its Moser Court depot, replace its fleet of vehicles and diversify its routes to allow residents to travel from Oxford to Hamilton and downtown Cincinnati. 

Cowan said the expansion at Moser Court will free up office space, as people were doubling up on offices. She said BCRTA had outgrown that space, and the expansion would include a larger parking lot, as people were running out of room for their vehicles. 

BCRTA also received funding to replace its current fleet with propane vehicles. Cowand said the current buses were nearing the end of their useful life. The grant from the state government would provide propane vehicles, which offer reduced emissions. 

“All vehicles have a useful life,” Cowan said. “It’s either how many miles they’ve been on the road or how many years old they are before they’re up for replacement. The propane vehicles are replacement vehicles to our current fleet.”

Based on community feedback, BCRTA expanded its regional routes, including its R3 route that starts in Oxford and runs through Hamilton and Fairfield and extends to Forest Park. 

According to Cowan, changes were implemented to this route in October 2024 because of Miami University students’ desires to visit Jungle Jim’s in Fairfield. 

“One of the big things we heard [is that] a lot of Miami students and residents of Oxford wanted access to Jungle Jim’s,” Cowan said. “Now the R3 runs directly to Jungle Jim’s. That was also a result of public comment to be able to have that access. Not only is there access to Jungle Jim’s, but the R3 expands now out into Forest Park, and it goes to a parking lot that connects with the Cincinnati Metro. There is an opportunity for university students and Oxford residents to connect to downtown Cincinnati if they wanted to do that.”

More information about changes to BRCTA can be found on its website.