The Cincinnati Streetcar Is Failing

Mechanical failures and understaffing have contributed to plummeting ridership for the Cincinnati Bell Connector.

1 minute read

March 11, 2018, 7:00 AM PDT

By Casey Brazeal @northandclark


Cincinnati Bell Connector

RickDikeman / Wikimedia Commons

Ridership for the Cincinnati Bell Connector streetcar is half of what it was in 2017 according to reporting from writes Sharon Coolidge in the Cincinnati Enquirer. The system has problems with maintenance and staffing: "Streetcar vehicles built by manufacturer CAF-USA have so many problems – air compressors, heating, braking, propulsion and power failures – they likely need to be completely rebuilt," Coolidge writes. An already tight budget means the operator which is understaffed is unlikely to offer more attractive pay packages to relieve staffing issues. "Private operator Transdev can't keep staff on hand. The company's situation is complicated by the fact that its portion of the streetcar contract was bid at $3.3 million, less than what it's costing Transdev to operate the system," Coolidge writes.

No one seems to want to take on the issue. The mayor, John Cranley, has been against the project for some time, but was unable to block the project from completion. Agencies associated with the street car have been quick to point fingers at each other, "For instance when the streetcar wasn't operating SORTA directed the media to call the city's spokesman because the issue was related to the cars not working. The city spokesman then said the media should call SORTA because it manages the project," Coolidge reports.

Monday, March 5, 2018 in The Cincinnati Enquirer

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Looking out at trees on 4th Street in downtown Los Angeles, California.

LA’s Tree Emergency Goes Beyond Vandalism

After a vandal destroyed dozens of downtown LA trees, Mayor Karen Bass vowed to replace them. Days later, she slashed the city’s tree budget.

5 hours ago - Torched

White and blue Sacramento regional transit bus with one bike on front bike rack.

Sacramento Leads Nation With Bus-Mounted Bike Lane Enforcement Cameras

The city is the first to use its bus-mounted traffic enforcement system to cite drivers who park or drive in bike lanes.

6 hours ago - Streetsblog California

View of downtown Seattle with Space Needle and mountains in background

Seattle Voters Approve Social Housing Referendum

Voters approved a corporate tax to fund the city’s housing authority despite an opposition campaign funded by Amazon and Microsoft.

April 23 - Next City