Shuttles and buses for upcoming local events

Erie Blues & Jazz Festival Aug 1-2 at Frontier Park
Free shuttle info https://www.eriebluesandjazz.com/if-you-go
Event website https://www.eriebluesandjazz.com/

St Paul's Italian Festival August 7, 8, 9 at 1617 Walnut 

Free shuttle & Parking  At W.16th & Sassafras lot.

Zabawa Polish Festival Aug 21-23 at E 23rd & Reed

Additional parking and Free shuttle service at lot at 34th & Ash Streets

"Church and grounds accessible"

Active Transportation bits

Active Erie transportation plan and French Street Bikeway Project. Presentation at Erie City Council meeting April 15, 2026 Video. Presentation starts at 4:59

Presque Isle Water Taxi  and EMTA P.I, Express  available for car-free travel to or on Presque Isle during the warm months. 

Safe Streets for All Jamestown (WRFA) Audio 42 min

PA Micromobility Fact Sheet (PennDOT) PDF Laws and capabilities of bicycles, e-bikes, segways, motor scooters, motorized pedalcycles, and electric scooters

EMTA Transit Development Plan project website  "The project website features project status updates, key findings and data, and information on how you can get involved." EMTA monitoring ridership as gas prices continue to climb (Erie News Now) 

How to get from Lawrence Park to the west side

Someone from r/Erie was confused about how to take 21 to the west side and why it turned into 28.

I agreed it was confusing and explained what was going on. 

The apps do not explain what is going on with the State Street switch and I frankly don't understand why the company kept those 20 year old switches long after they outlived their original purpose. 

 

Transit tips for NFL Draft

This weekend's NFL Draft is predicted to be Pittsburgh's biggest influx of visitors. 

Pittsburgh Regional Transit offers the most sensible way to get around that mess. 

Their website has a dedicated NFL Draft transit page to offer info on schedules and routes for the weekend. 

Visit Pittsburgh also offers additional info on the weekend. 

Taking the city bus from Erie's Amtrak station

Note: Somebody on r/Erie asked how to get from the Amtrak station to Hamot, so I made this for them. I'll be adjusting it for general interest.

Taking the city bus from the Amtrak Station (at Union Station) 

It is a very short walk from the station to the nearest bus stop.

1. Amtrak station entrance is at 125 West 14th. The closest bus stop is at 14th and State, a short block and a half away. So as you come out, turn right on West 14th. Also any local should be able to just point it out to you.

2. Once you are on 14th and State, you will see two stops on State.

• The stop on the west side is a green shelter, and those buses will be heading south. The shelter also has schedules and maps for the different routes.
• Across the street, on the east side of the street, the curbside stop in front of Calamari's (1317 State) is for buses heading northward (toward the lake).

You can also look them up at Erie EMTA or call 814-452-3515 or stop by their customer service at 127 E. 14th Street during business hours (a couple blocks east)

IMPORTANT: Erie EMTA city buses run six days a week, but not on Sundays. While eastbound trains arriving around 7:30am will be able to catch city buses, the buses will not be running when the westbound train arrives after 2am. 

TRACK YOUR TRAIN here

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EMTA survey

 EMTA is inviting people to fill out their survey and offer feedback on service.

You can fill out the survey online, on paper, or other formats.

👉To do the survey ONLINE:

For Fixed Route* Service/Riders: https://forms.office.com/r/dNpusYUXRg
For LIFT Service/Riders: https://forms.office.com/r/XSG0V1k2NL

👉To fill out using PAPER or ALTERNATIVE formats call or email EMTA at emtamedia@ride-the-e.com or 814-459-8922 ext. 211.

The survey deadline is February 14. 2026.

*Fixed Route buses (the "regular buses") use a specific, routes and operate on a set schedule. 

More information:

The Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority is inviting transit riders and community members to participate in a public survey as part of the ongoing Transit Development Plan (TDP). The survey is designed to gather feedback on current transit services and identify priorities for improvements over next 5 years.The Transit Development Plan is a comprehensive planning effort that evaluates existing transit services and outlines strategies to better meet the mobility needs of Erie City and County residents. Public input is a critical component of the process and will help guide decisions related to service reliability, routes, schedules, accessibility, and future investments.
“Community feedback is essential to ensuring our transit system reflects the needs of the people who use it every day,” said Jeremy Peterson, Executive Director of EMTA. “We encourage riders and residents to take a few minutes to complete the survey and share their experiences and ideas.”
The survey is open to current EMTA riders, occasional users, and individuals who may not currently use transit but could in the future. Responses will be reviewed alongside technical analysis and stakeholder input as the Transit Development Plan progresses. 

Additional opportunities for public involvement, including meetings, will be announced later in the planning process.

Winter walking aids

I don't normally use a cane but I have started using one to help me in snowy conditions  These photos were taken in downtown Erie during the Thanksgiving storm of 2024. I am just telling you how it worked for me, everyone is different, and you need to judge for yourself if this makes sense.  

I found I could use the cane to reach across large mounds of snow to push the crossing signal. This mound in front of the Post Office was way to big to reach across, and would have required that I crawl across a little, but with the cane I was able to easily reach it. 

Bus shelter was cleared but getting there was a little shaky so this provided added stability. 

Helps with this situation too. 

Regarding ice, I usually use ice traction devices on my boots if the ice is terribly slippery but sometimes the cane can be enough if it is not too bad. Again, that's just me. Just be careful out there. 

Recent events cause some to take a fresh look at intercity bus service

This Holiday Travel Season, It’s Time to End the Stigma Around Intercity Buses (Streetsblog USA) "The future of travel is not about choosing one mode over another. It is about building a balanced, interconnected system where buses, trains, planes, and cars complement each other."

Are flights losing ground to bus rides? Greyhound's owner says bookings are up 17% this Thanksgiving. (MarketWatch)  The American Bus Association, a trade group, cites industry data showing bus passenger counts this Thanksgiving will be up by 12% over last year - and could be up by as much as 30% for certain routes.

Publicly owned intercity bus station offers dignity for travelers on tight budgets (Chicago Sun)
"We need affordable and accessible bus service now more than ever to maintain our social fabric."

9 Things Greyhound Bus Travel Taught a Generation About America (Modern Teen) "Greyhound rides turned highways into lessons: connection, region, struggle, and kindness, revealing America stop by stop at night."

Four new OHIO intercity routes serve Ashtabula, Painesville, Cleveland, and more (NEOtrans blog)