Frequently Asked Questions

Masks are recommended when riding Metro buses and MOBY paratransit and to access Metro facilities, including transit centers, ORBT Stations, bus shelters, and Metro’s office.

Masks are no longer required on public transportation after a court ruling on April 18, 2022. 

Please see Maps & Schedules, use MyRide OMA, or call Metro Customer Service at 402-341-0800 or 402-341-0807 (TDD).

• Yes! Every bus has a ramp and space for two wheelchairs. In addition, the buses can kneel — the front door lowers for easier access.
• If you want to use the ramp or have the bus kneel, please ask the bus driver when the front door opens, and they will activate these features for you.
• If a disability prevents you from traveling on a bus, Metro operates MOBY, a shared, ADA complementary paratransit service.

Learn more about MOBY        Accessibility on Metro

Priority seating for people who are elderly or have a disability is located in the front of the bus and designated by a decal posted in the windows directly adjacent to the seats.

The destination and route number are displayed on digital signs located above the windshield and to the left of the front door.  Some buses also have the route number on the rear. If the route number on the bus matches the number shown on your schedule or trip planner, hail your bus! Learn more on our How to Ride page.

A single ride on Metro costs $1.25 for an adult. For a full list of ticket prices, visit our Fares & Passes page.

Starting Sept. 20, 2021, you have the contactless option to pay via the Umo app or smart card. The Umo reader is located at the front of hte bus.

• With the app: Pull up your app’s QR code from the Directions home screen or within the Wallet. Hold your phone up to the camera on the Umo reader. Place the QR code within the white brackets on the screen until the reader registers your fare.
• With a smart card: Tap your card at the bottom half of the reader. Umo smart card users will not swipe their cards at the card swipe option attached to the Umo reader.

Learn How to Use Umo

You can also pay with cash at the farebox, which is located at the front of the bus next to the driver.

Fareboxes accept U.S. currency, including all coins and bills up to $20, and Metro fare cards. The top of the farebox has three slots:

• The lower slot accepts coins;
• The middle slot accepts dollar bills;
• The top slot accepts and activates fare cards and value cards. Once activated, passes must be swiped in the magnetic swipe slot.

If you wish to transfer, ask your driver for a transfer card at the beginning of your trip, pay the transfer fare of 25 cents, and take the transfer card issued by the farebox.

For further details, please see our How to Ride.

• About a block before you want to get off, alert the driver by pulling the cord or pushing the stop button.
• Remain seated until the bus is stopped — the driver will open the rear door for exiting. 
• Once off the bus, be sure to not cross in front of the bus.

For the safety of our riders, Metro operators do not pick up or drop off in construction zones. The next available bus stop can be found on MyRide OMA or stop closure stickers adhered to closed bus stop signs. As always, you can ask your driver or call Customer Service!

You can access Metro’s free Wi-Fi by finding your bus or transit center in your device’s Wi-Fi settings.

• On buses, look for “Metro_Bus#” (ex. “Metro_1801”)
• At transit centers, look for “Metro_TransitCenter” (ex. “Metro_Westroads)

Accept the terms of service to connect!

Bus rapid transit (BRT) provides a premium level of transportation service with articulated buses (that’s the accordion in the middle) in higher-density city corridors, often offering many of the same features as rail transit but with greater flexibility and comparatively lower costs. BRT systems have fewer stops, faster service and enhanced reliability compared to local bus service.

ORBT prices reflect Metro bus fares at $1.25 with 25-cent transfers that must be paid for with Umo.

Learn more about Umo

Masks are recommended when riding Metro buses and MOBY paratransit and to access Metro facilities, including transit centers, ORBT Stations, bus shelters, and Metro’s office.

Masks are no longer required on public transportation after a court ruling on April 18, 2022. 

ORBT’s raised station platforms enable easier, more accessible boarding for wheelchairs, strollers and bicycles. ORBT buses have securements for two wheelchairs and a bridge plate at the middle door for level boarding.

Accessibility on Metro

Sure can! Just wheel it into a bike rack on board. See our Bike & Ride guide for more rules and details. 

The Westroads Park & Ride is conveniently located at ORBT’s western endpoint, providing commuters with free, dedicated parking spots to connect with ORBT at the Westroads Transit Center.

By replacing Route 2 with ORBT, we are able to provide more frequent service — we’re aiming for buses to arrive every 10 minutes during the weekday. We’re also taking steps to provide more access to riders amidst this change, including extending Route 4 from Westroads to the Regency Shopping Center and adding ORBT Stops at 77th & Dodge to provide a connection to the Keystone Trail.

When implementing major service changes, Metro evaluates impacts to communities through the lens of the Federal Transit Administration’s Title VI regulation. With this replacement, 99% of our riders will have their stop change by 4 blocks or less, and 94% by 3 blocks for less. Read our press release about the Route 2 transition for more details. 

Throughout the outreach and planning process for ORBT, many people expressed interest in future ORBT connections to North and South Omaha, as well as eastern or western extensions to our first line. While we look forward to seeing the ORBT network expand, new funding would be needed for additional lines. As these expansion options are evaluated in the future, public involvement will play a key role in identifying the best path forward.

ORBT buses only stop at designated ORBT stations or stops. In general, Metro operators do not pick up or drop off in construction zones for the safety of our riders. If an ORBT station is closed, riders will be directed to an alternate stop by digital and audio displays at stations and can be found on MyRide OMA. As always, you can ask your driver or call Customer Service!

You can access Metro’s free Wi-Fi by finding your ORBT bus or ORBT station in your device’s Wi-Fi settings.

• On ORBT buses, look for “Metro_Bus#” (ex. “Metro_1901”)
• At ORBT stations, look for “ORBT Guest”

Accept the terms of service to connect!

At the Westroads and 10^th & Douglas ORBT Stations, riders will be asked to exit the bus so automatic passenger counters at the doors can capture accurate ridership tallies. If you wish to continue your trip, you can get right back on!

All bikes left at ORBT Stations for more than 72 hours will be removed and stored for 30 days at Metro’s administrative office located at 2222 Cuming Street. To claim a bike that has been removed, please call Customer Service at 402-341-0800. Metro is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged property.

Metro will occasionally use a regular bus in place of an ORBT bus as they go through maintenance and cleaning. It is our goal to minimize this as much as possible. These buses will operate as an ORBT bus, and all ORBT rules apply, including the current promotional free fare period.

MOBY is Metro’s shared, ADA complementary paratransit service for people who cannot access our conventional, fixed-route bus network due to a disability or disabling health condition. You must be a registered client to use our MOBY service.

Learn More About MOBY

Masks are recommended when riding Metro buses and MOBY paratransit and to access Metro facilities, including transit centers, ORBT Stations, bus shelters, and Metro’s office.

Masks are no longer required on public transportation after a court ruling on April 18, 2022. 

Prospective MOBY clients must download and complete an ADA application to determine eligibility. You may also call 402-341-7560, ext. 2520 for assistance.

• Clients may meet the ADA eligibility criteria with respect to some trips but not others. In that case, clients would be ADA paratransit eligible only for those trips for which they meet the criteria.
• Clients may be ADA paratransit eligible on a seasonal basis or on the basis of a permanent or temporary disability. 

Print application (English) – this application is set up to be printed and then filled out.

Digital application (English) – this application is set up to be filled out online and then printed.

Print application (Spanish) – this application is set up to be printed and then filled out.

Completed MOBY applications can be submitted to MOBY Certification:

Email: mobycert@ometro.com
Fax: 402-342-3395
Mail:
2222 Cuming St
Attn: MOBY Certification
Omaha, NE 68102

Both the client and medical professional verification form must be completed and submitted together. If any sections are left blank, the application will be returned to you as a incomplete and it will delay the certification process.

Completed applications will be reviewed in 21 business days, starting from the business day that Metro receives it.

MOBY costs $2.50 to ride.

A MOBY client’s Personal Care Attendant (PCA) rides for free, and a Companion pays the full MOBY fare. Both the PCA and Companion must have the same origin and destination as the MOBY client.

Yes! Umo readers are located on board all MOBY vehicles. If you’re paying with the Umo app or smart card, the system will recognize that you are boarding a MOBY vehicle and deduct the $2.50 fare from your account.

Learn more about Umo

Reservations for next-day trips must be made no later than 4:30 p.m. the day before and can be made up to 14 days in advance.

• Metro’s Customer Service Schedulers (CSS) will advise a MOBY client if their trip’s origin, destination and/or requested travel times are within the fixed-route transit network.
• The CSS will assist the MOBY client in determining if there is an alternate travel time to complete the desired MOBY trip. The CSS cannot require an ADA paratransit eligible individual to schedule a trip to begin more than one hour before or after the individual’s desired departure time.
• When scheduling a trip, please provide the following information:
  • Rider name and MOBY identification number
  • Pick up address
  • Date and time of travel
  • Drop off address
  • Preferred pick up time or the time of arrival at the destination
  • Pick up time and location for the return trip
    • All return trips, other than medical return trips, must be scheduled in advance for a specific time
    • Metro highly recommends scheduling a minimum of 1.5 hours between trips
  • Type of mobility device used
  • If a PCA will travel with the rider
  • If an animal or companion (other than the PCA) will travel with the rider

Trip Scheduling Hours

• 6 a.m. – 7 p.m., Monday-Friday
• 7:30 a.m. – 7 p.m., Saturday
• 7:30 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sunday

Trip Scheduling Phone Numbers: 402-341-0800 or 402-341-0807 (TDD)

MOBY provides complementary paratransit service to origins and destinations within corridors with a width of three-fourths of a mile on each side/end of each fixed route.

Note: Express Routes do not qualify for the MOBY service area.

If you have questions about the MOBY service area or if a location is within the service area, please contact:

• Customer Service: 402-341-0800 or 402-341-0807 (TDD)
• mobycert@ometro.com

Metro serves Council Bluffs (Iowa) with the Blue and Yellow routes. Council Bluffs Special Transit Service (STS) operates ADA complementary paratransit service for these routes, not MOBY.

More information is available online here. 

MOBY is available during the same hours and days as Metro’s fixed-route transit network. While there are no trip purpose restrictions, Metro’s fixed-routes run at different hours and frequencies, which may impact MOBY operating hours.

You can access Metro’s free Wi-Fi by finding your MOBY vehicle in your device’s Wi-Fi settings (ex. Metro_6008).

Accept the terms of service to connect!

MOBY riders who are granted unconditional or conditional eligibility must recertify their eligibility every 3 years.

Those with temporary eligibility must apply for recertification at the end of their respective term. 

Individuals granted unconditional, conditional, or temporary eligibility are required to periodically recertify in recognition that many factors might change over time that could affect the ability of individuals with disabilities to use fixed route transit service.

MOBY riders are required to submit a completed recertification application 90 days prior to the expiration of their current eligibility period. A recertification application will be mailed to each MOBY rider before the eligibility certification expiration date.