TANK Service & Fare Changes In 2025


After much internal review and public input, TANK is shifting its focus to using resources to best serve the transit-dependent population in Northern Kentucky, particularly those with no or limited access to personal vehicles, zero-car households, and seniors. Additionally, with limited resources and constrained local funding, we have to do more with less and focus more on our service delivery approach. These changes allow us to connect more unconnected Northern Kentucky neighborhoods and transit-dependent people with fixed-route buses and on-demand transit services. After careful consideration of the feedback received, these service and fare changes will begin on Saturday, March 22nd, 2025.
The changes taking effect are two-fold: Service Changes and Fare Increase
Service Changes:
The service changes taking effect on March 22, 2025 are listed below:

Route Eliminations (17X, 22X, 32X, 61, 62):
17x – Alternative route for riders: 30x from the Ft Wright Hub
22x – Alternative route for riders: 42x from the Florence Hub
32x – Alternative route for riders: 42x from the Florence Hub OR 39x from the Limaburg Rd Park and Ride
Why:
Since the pandemic, as the nature of working downtown has changed, the nature of transit ridership has changed, particularly on downtown express routes. These routes cater more to people who commute to downtown Cincinnati but have suffered chronically low ridership since 2020. TANK is attempting to consolidate express routes, opening up resources that can help make other services more efficient. Nearby alternatives exist for current riders of these routes to get to and from their job’s downtown, as shown above.
61 – Riders of the 61 can ride Route 5 to St. Elizabeth Hospital in Covington. A stop at St. Elizabeth used to exist on the 5 but was removed when the 61 was created; that stop will be restored so people can still access the hospital.
62 – TANK will be working with CVG to develop an alternative solution for riders to navigate the CVG campus
Why:
Due to their purpose and layout, these routes are more limited in scope and thus have very low ridership.
Route Adjustments:
Route 42x – In response to feedback collected during the public comment period, 3 additional morning and evening “Park-and-Ride Only” trips will be added to this route. These trips will run directly from the Florence Hub to downtown Cincinnati in the mornings, and from Cincinnati directly to the Florence Hub in the evenings. Preview the upcoming schedule HERE (this schedule goes into effect 3/22/25).
Additional changes to the 42x include:
- In Florence, this route will now begin and end at the Turfway at Drexel and Turfway at Lloyd stops
- All trips will be moved back 15 minutes compared to the current schedule to allow for easier transfers in downtown Cincinnati
Southbank Shuttle – Downtown Cincinnati routing will change so that the Shuttle only runs on 2nd and 3rd streets in Cincinnati. All stops north of 3rd Street and in the Banks will be removed. Preview the upcoming schedule HERE (this schedule goes into effect 3/22/25).
- A stop on 2nd Street will be added outside of the Freedom Center, at the corner of Vine and 2nd. The stop on 3rd and Main will stay where it is.
- The stop at Broadway and Pete Rose (headed south to Newport) will be moved around the corner onto the 2nd Street ramp (next to the Reds Stadium/Central Riverfront Garage).
- The LL ramp will not be converted back to a double left turn, because of this we will need to remove the Broadway at Pete Rose stop
Route 5 – The stop at St. Elizabeth in Covington will be restored to Route 5, from 8AM-8PM Monday-Friday. Preview the upcoming schedule HERE (this schedule goes into effect 3/22/25).
Route 30X – The weekend AM trip will now pick up in downtown Cincinnati at 6:45am (instead of 7:20) and arrive at Taylor Farms at 7:15am (instead of 7:50). Preview the upcoming schedule HERE (this schedule goes into effect 3/22/25).
Fare Increase to $2.00 on Saturday, March 22, 2025:
TANK, like most transit agencies, received an injection of federal funding at the beginning of the Covid pandemic, but those funds will be depleted in the next couple of years. TANK has not raised fares in over 15 years, but as a result of increased costs, limited increases in local funding, and the loss of federal operating dollars, fares will be increased to $2.00 on Saturday, March 22nd, 2025 to assist TANK with generating operating funding to continue to provide vital transit services to Northern Kentucky. Reduced fares will be $1.00 for all routes. All other fares not listed – including Metro/TANK Passes – will remain the same.
However, frequent riders will be able to save more money soon, with the start of TANK’s new account-based ticketing program coming later in 2025. TANK is working with Metro on an account-based ticketing (ABT) program which will allow frequent riders who are unable to purchase a monthly pass each month the ability to ‘pay their way’ to a monthly pass. Once a rider has purchased enough single rides (within the span of a single month) to cover the cost of a monthly pass, they will be able to ride for the remainder of the month at no cost.
