Santa Claus is coming to town aboard the RTA’s Holiday Bus

(DAYTON, OHIO) – Santa Claus is coming to town aboard the Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority’s (RTA) 2022 Holiday Bus. The bus will make its debut on Friday, Nov. 25, during the Dayton Holiday Festival’s Grande Illumination and Dayton Children’s Parade.

The 2022 bus is covered in holiday spirit with designs featuring several religious celebrations, including Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. There are also images of Santa Claus and his reindeer.

It showcases the RTA’s 50th Anniversary logo with a reminder about the agency’s ride promotion of free rides after 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, until Dec. 30. This is in addition to the RTA’s free weekends every Saturday and Sunday running through Jan. 1, 2023.

The bus will make its debut after Thanksgiving Day on Friday, Nov. 25, during the Dayton Holiday Festival’s Grande Illumination and Dayton Children's Parade. This coincides with the RTA’s 50th Anniversary public celebration.

Due to the parade, Wright Stop Plaza will be closed from 7-9 p.m., and buses will be boarding and dropping off passengers on Third and Jefferson streets. Riders should ask a transit ambassador if they need assistance finding their bus during this time. The following bus routes will experience bus stop closures downtown and will be rerouted during the parade: 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 9, 12, 14, 43.

The Flyer will also be rerouted due to the parade from 4:30 p.m. to midnight. All bus stops on Main Street, north and southbound, will be closed, as well as Fifth Street southbound between Patterson Road and Jefferson Street, and Monument Avenue at Jefferson Street. If you plan on taking The Flyer to the parade, the temporary bus stops are as follows: northbound at Jefferson and Fourth streets, northbound at Jefferson and Second streets, southbound at St. Clair and First streets, southbound at St. Clair and Second streets, southbound at St.Clair and Fourth streets, and southbound at St. Clair and Fifth streets.

After the parade, RTA’s Holiday Bus will circulate along a different RTA routes throughout the holiday season from Dec. 1 to Dec. 31. A complete schedule of the daily routes for the Holiday Bus can be found at iriderta.org/holidaybus.

Santa will make special appearances on the Holiday Bus throughout the season. To see Santa's schedule, visit: https://www.iriderta.org/holiday-bus. If you visit with Santa, share photos with the RTA on social media by tagging @iriderta on Facebook and Instagram, or @GDRTA on Twitter.

MEDIA CONTACT:  Kristi Newton (937) 425-8379, Communications and Community Relations Manager