RTS Transit Center FAQs

From the moment the RTS Transit Center opened on November 28, more than 20,000 customers have successfully gotten where they need to go every day.
Here are answers to the most frequently asked questions about the RTS Transit Center.

Riding To and From the RTS Transit Center

• Check the digital screens located over each gate, behind the Customer Information desks, and on the Welcome screens at each entrance. The screens display the route, gate and departure times within the next 60 minutes.
• You can find paper schedules for all RTS routes in the rack located between Gates 13 and 15 on the south side of the Transit Center
• Ask a Customer Service Representative at one of the Customer Information Desks.

How much time is allotted for customers to transfer?

Depending upon your route, there are generally 4 – 6 minutes between transfers. Please refer to the planned schedule departure times for your route, and locate the actual departure time on the digital screens for more information.

When it’s time for me to board my bus, the door at the gate does not open. I’m afraid the bus will leave without me.

The door will open 45 seconds after the bus arrives and all the customers have gotten off of the bus. All you need to do is walk up to the door after the 45 seconds, and it will automatically open. We are in the process of installing flashing green lights to let customers know when they can board the bus. If you have any problems opening the door, please reach out to an RTS Supervisor, RTS Bus Operator or Customer Information Representative.

Why do I have to exit through the back of the bus? It’s easier for me to exit from the front.

Customers are asked to exit at the back of the bus so new customers can begin boarding the bus from the front. Any customer who needs to exit from the front is allowed to—please mention it to the Bus Operator when you are boarding. Customers waiting to board the bus will wait until everyone has gotten off the bus.

How do I get real time bus departure information at the RTS Transit Center?

Digital Signs display planned schedule data for the next 60 minutes. Find them above the Customer Information Desk, at each gate and at the entrances on St. Paul Street and Clinton Avenue

• When a route on a digital screen is flashing in green, the bus will be departing in two minutes.
• When it’s flashing in red, the bus will be late and will be departing in two minutes.
• When the route color is in red (but not flashing), the bus is late from its scheduled departure time and the new departure time is indicated on the screen.

Security and Safety

What is RTS doing about safety in the Transit Center?

Safety is our highest priority and we have a comprehensive plan in place to ensure the Transit Center is a safe and secure environment for current and potential customers and the general public.

How will you provide security at the Transit Center?

We have multiple levels of security consisting of video surveillance, our own RTS Supervisors, an outside security firm, and the Rochester Police Department.

How will you manage harassment and offensive behavior?

Clear expectations and guidelines for acceptable behavior are posted on digital signage at the Transit Center. Issues that arise will be dealt with immediately.

How will you prevent people from camping out at the Transit Center?

The Transit Center is a transit hub—a place for purposeful movement and not a place to linger. The Transit Center will also close to the public at night.

What is RTS’ track record for customer and employee safety?

We provide safe and secure transportation for more than 18 Million customers per year in our eight-county region.

What if a customer has a heart attack or stroke at the Transit Center—how will you deal with that?

Transit Center Customer Service Representatives and some of the Transit Center Supervisors have had AED/CPR training.

Are there metal detectors at entrances or gates?

No.

Will RTS Security staff carry firearms?

No.

Are you planning on adding more employees to supervise inappropriate behavior at the RTS Transit Center?

We have several levels of security, and monitor and respond to unacceptable behavior in multiple ways. We’ll continue to assess the resources we have on site to maintain a safe and secure environment for all.

Mortimer Street

Why do some buses leave from Mortimer Street?

Most buses depart from the 26 indoor gates. The remaining buses leave from Mortimer St – designated as Gates 27 - 30. If your bus departs from Gates 27-30 on Mortimer Street, feel free to wait inside the Transit Center until 5 minutes before your bus departure time. The outside boarding area was part of the project from the start. The building's size was limited by its location. Mortimer Street provides ample space for use by our larger, articulated buses.

I’m worried that I’ll miss my bus on Mortimer St. because I don’t know what time it will leave. Where can I find departure information for buses on Mortimer St.?

The departure times for the buses are at each digital screen above the Customer Information Desks, the digital screens at each entrance, and above each gate. For the bus routes that leave from Gates 27-30 on Mortimer Street, the departure times are located on the screen near Gate 19 and on a digital sign on Mortimer Street.

In addition, when a route is flashing in green on a digital screen, the bus will be departing in two minutes. When it’s flashing in red, the bus will be late and will be departing in two minutes. When the route color is in red (but not flashing), the bus is late from its scheduled departure time and the new departure time is indicated on the screen.

Amenities

Are there WiFi or outlets to charge phones or laptops?

Given the short time most customers wait to board or transfer a bus, we do not provide charging stations.

Why isn’t there a place to get coffee or a snack?

We do have vending machines with soft drinks and snacks, but eating is not allowed on buses or at the Transit Center. We encourage customers to venture out of the Transit Center to seek out coffee shops and eateries in the neighborhood. Drinks with a lid or closed cap are allowed inside the Transit Center and on buses.

Why does the music seem loud at times? And sometimes the overhead announcements are not loud enough.

Sound travels through buildings differently depending on the density of people in the space. We are working on adjusting levels to everyone’s satisfaction.

Assistance for those Visually Impaired

I’m visually impaired—what assistance is available for me?

We partnered with the ADA to make sure the RTS Transit Center is in ADA-compliant and to help people who are visually impaired find their bus and access schedule information.

• We have installed gate numbers in Braille and tactile indicators on the wall.
• Large gates numbers are lit up in a white light in the background so they are visible.
• A large tactile map of the Transit Center is located inside the Transit Center at each entrance on St. Paul Street and Clinton Ave.
• There are also Text to Speech phones, located behind the Customer Information Desks, with scheduled gate information.

Note: if you are disabled or visually impaired, please contact your local disability organization for assistance about navigating the Transit Center. We are working with local groups to provide specialized training for customers they serve. Please contact RTS Customer Service at 585-288-1700 to learn more.

Additional FAQs

I would like to collect money for a good cause; (pass out flyers; display artwork; sell Girl Scout cookies, perform music, etc.). How do I go about doing this?

We do not allow flyers to be distributed or solicitations of any kind. Please email us at Monroe@myRTS.com or call 585-288-1700 if you have a specific request regarding displaying artwork or performing at the RTS Transit Center.

I would like to display my art in the RTS Transit Center's art cases.  How do I go about doing this?

Those interested in showcasing their art in the RTS Transit Center art cases should send an artist’s bio, description of their artwork, samples of the work they wish to exhibit, and their contact information to MarCom@myRTS.com. RTS will review the submission and follow up on the request.

Can I take photographs at the Transit Center?

The public is welcome to take photographs at the Transit Center, but we ask that customers’ privacy be respected. Professional photographers or those who plan to use photos for commercial use are requested to contact RTS Marketing and Communications (MarCom@myRTS.com) for permission.

Is smoking allowed at the Transit Center?

The Transit Center, the plazas at the entrances, and the shelters on Mortimer Street are RTS property and they are all smoke-free.