Founded in 1973, the Berks Area Reading Transportation Authority (BARTA) is a public transit agency with 35 buses operating 21 routes. The agency provides service to commuters, school students and persons with disabilities and primarily receives funding from passenger revenue, the sale of advertising space on vehicles and grants from federal, state and local governments.
BARTA’s service area covers the City of Reading, Borough of West Reading and Berks County in Pennsylvania. In addition to fixed route buses, BARTA operates a shared ride, paratransit service. This service provides door-to-door transportation for people with disabilities. BARTA also offers a variety of special, express or tripper services designed to meet the needs of commuters and school students.
The BARTA Transportation Center opened in 2002 at 7th and Cherry streets in downtown Reading. It is a central hub for all BARTA bus routes, with ten berths where buses stop. The building includes an enclosed waiting area, restroom facilities, a customer service office, and a break room for bus drivers. It is accessible to customers with mobility impairments and features a PA system that announces arriving and departing buses.
BARTA’s contactless payment system, Go Mobile, allows customers to purchase fares and passes with their smartphones and display them on the bus to board. Customers can also use a reusable smart card that holds fare and pass purchases, which can be reloaded through their Go Mobile account or at the Transportation Center.
