Winter Riding Tips
Plan ahead
- Check our Rider Alerts page before you start your trip. Winter weather can change quickly, and your route may have detours, delays or severe weather warnings.
- Plan ahead with MyRide OMA. If you need to find a new route or leave at an earlier time, MyRide will let you know your options. You can also use MyRide to track your bus’s location in real time.
- Consider catching an earlier bus to give yourself more travel time. Winter weather affects all traffic, including Metro buses. Safety is a primary concern for Metro’s operators, so they try to take their time on slick streets.
Dress warmly
- Dress in multiple layers of warm clothing. Winter road conditions may lead to slightly longer waits at the bus stop. Always try to wear gloves, a hat and warm boots, just in case.
Consider your visibility
- Wear reflective gear or light-colored clothing to help your operator see you — mornings and evenings in the winter can be very dark. It can also be helpful to carry a flashlight.
Be safe
- Give yourself extra time to get to the bus stop, station, or transit center. With possibly slick roads and sidewalks, it may be necessary to be cautious.
- Be cautious of ice or snow when waiting for the bus. It is the responsibility of the adjacent property owner to clear the sidewalk. We ask all adjacent property owners to also help clear a path from the sidewalk to the curb so riders can board safely.
- Take caution when boarding the bus. Please wait until the bus has come to a complete stop before trying to board. Snow and ice may make bus floors slippery, so please try to use the handrails when boarding the bus and finding your seat.
Bus Snow Routes
During inclement weather, Metro will sometimes have to put bus routes on detours called snow routes to ensure they can safely drop off and pick up riders. Below are drop down options for each bus route with its snow route options.
Check MyRide OMA News or call Customer Service at 402-341-0800 to know if any routes are on snow route currently.
Note: Routes 4, 15, 16, 18, Blue (41), Yellow (43), 92, 93, 94, 95, 97, and ORBT do not have snow routes at this time.
Route 3
Option A: Buses will travel on Ames to Fontenelle Boulevard, to Bedford Ave., to 45th – Buses will skip 42nd Street between Ames and Bedford to 45th.
Option B: Buses will travel on Ames to Fontenelle Boulevard, to Maple St., to 45th – Buses will skip the section of the route from 42nd & Ames to 45th & Maple Street.
Route 5
Option A: Buses will travel on Ames to Fontenelle Boulevard to 42nd to Sorensen Parkway to 52nd St. – Buses will skip 42nd from Ames to Curtis and will skip Curtis from 42nd to 52nd Street.
Option B: Buses will travel on Ames to Fontenelle Boulevard to 42nd to Sorensen Parkway to 52nd St. – Buses will skip 42nd from Ames to Curtis and will skip Curtis from 42nd to 52nd Street. Buses will travel on 90th from Burt Street to Dodge to Westroads Transit Center. – Buses will skip Burt Street from 90th to 96th Street to Nicholas St.
Route 8
Option A: Buses will travel on Ames to Fontenelle Boulevard to 42nd Street to Sorensen Parkway to 60th – Buses will skip 40th from Ames to Grand and Grand from 40th to Fontenelle Boulevard. Buses will skip Redmond Avenue from Fontenelle Boulevard to 52nd to Kansas Avenue to Henninger Drive to 60th St.
Option B: Buses will travel on Ames to Fontenelle Boulevard to 42nd Street to Sorensen Parkway to 60th Street – Buses will skip 40th from Ames to Grand and Grand from 40th to Fontenelle Boulevard; Redmond Avenue from Fontenelle Boulevard to 52nd to Kansas Avenue to Henninger Drive to 60th, and will not travel into Villa De Sante.
Route 11
Option A: None (regular route)
Option B: When leaving the Aksarben Transit Center, buses will continue eastbound on Mercy Road to Aksarben Drive to Pine Street to 67th Street to Pacific Street. – Buses will skip 67th Street from Pacific to Pine.
Route 13
Option A: Buses will travel on 72nd to Center to 67th Street – Buses will skip Spring Street to 68th Street
Option B: Buses will travel on 72nd to Center to 67th Street – Buses will skip Spring Street to 68th Street
Route 14
Option A: Buses will travel on Ames Avenue to Fontenelle Boulevard to NW Radial Highway to 52nd. – Buses will skip Bedford Ave. from John A Creighton Blvd. to 52nd to Radial Highway. Buses will travel to 108th & N Mill Road to Frontage Road/N 108th Ave and continue to the Westroads Transit Center. – Buses will skip the N Mill Road & Mill Valley Road loop.
Option B: Buses will travel on Ames Avenue to Fontenelle Boulevard to NW Radial Highway to 52nd. – Buses will skip Bedford Ave. from John A Creighton Blvd. to 52nd to Radial Highway. Buses will then travel to Military Ave & Templeton Drive, continue on Military Ave to Fort Street to 90th Street. – Buses will skip Templeton Drive. Buses will then travel on Fort to North Oaks Blvd, on to North Oaks Blvd to Military and then on to Military to 108th St. – Buses will skip Fort from North Oaks to 99th, 99th from Fort to Military, and Blair High Road to Ida to 108th. Buses will then travel on 108th to Blondo to 102nd to Nicholas Street, to the Westroads Transit Center – Buses will skip 108th, Blondo to Dodge including the North Mill Rd loop and the 114th & Davenport loop.
Route 24
Option A: Buses will travel from the Metro College Transit Center to Ed Babe Gomez Ave to R Street to 27th Street to Y Street to S 30th Street back to the Metro College Transit Center. – Buses will skip 27th Street to Harrison to Y Street.
Option B: Buses will not travel south of the Metro College Transit Center and will layover at the transit center until the start of the northbound trip. – Buses will skip the 30th & Q Street to Harrison Street loop.
Route 26
Option A: (Clockwise) Buses will travel on Martin Avenue/Fontenelle Blvd. from Curtis Avenue to Redick Avenue – Buses will skip the 42nd & Curtis Avenue loop.
Option B: (Clockwise) Buses will travel on Martin Avenue/Fontenelle Blvd. from Curtis Avenue to Redick Avenue – Buses will skip the 42nd & Curtis Avenue loop. Buses will travel from Martin Avenue/Fontenelle Blvd. to 30th Street to Redick Avenue to 24th Street – Buses will skip the 24th & Titus loop and Minne Lusa Blvd.
Route 30
Option A: Buses will travel on Farnam Street to 28th Street to Dodge Street to N 30th Street. – Buses will skip Farnam Street to Park Avenue to Dodge Street.
Option B: Buses will travel on Farnam Street to 28th Street to Dodge Street to N 30th Street. – Buses will skip Farnam Street to Park Avenue to Dodge Street. Buses will make a U-turn on 30th Street at Ferry Street – Buses will not drive into the Ferry Street layover.
Route 35
Option A: Buses will travel on N 38th Street from Paxton Boulevard to Pinkney Street to N 40th Street – Buses will skip Pratt Street to N 40th Street. Buses will travel on Lake Street to N 33rd Street. – Buses will skip N 33rd Ave. Buses will travel on Park Ave to Woolworth Avenue to 32nd Avenue to Wright Street to Hanscom Boulevard to Vinton Street. – Buses will skip Park Ave to Ed Creighton Ave.
Option B: Buses will travel on N 38th Street from Paxton Boulevard to Pinkney Street to N 42nd Street to Lake Street to 30th Street to California Street. – Buses will skip Pratt Street to N 40th Street to Lake Street and N 33rd Ave. Buses will travel on Park Ave to Poppleton to 32nd Ave to Ed Creighton Avenue/Martha to 24th Street to Vinton Street to interline with Route 36. – Buses will skip Park Ave to Ed Creighton Ave to 32nd Ave & Vinton.
Route 36
Option A: Buses will travel on the regular route from downtown to Vinton Street & 24th and connect with Route 35 at 32nd & Vinton (Route 35 is on snow route Option A).
Option B: Buses will travel on the regular route from downtown to Vinton Street & 24th and connect with Route 35 at 24th & Vinton (Route 35 is on snow route Option B).
Route 55
Option A: Buses will travel on “I” Street from 110th to 108th Street – Buses will skip the 110th to “J” Street loop.
Option B: Buses will travel on “I” Street from 110th to 108th Street – Buses will skip the 110th to “J” Street loop.
Route 98
Option A: Buses will travel on the regular route to Fort Street and 90th Street, turning right on 90th Street to Taylor Street – Buses will skip the portion along Parkview Drive, Terrace Drive, and Maplewood Boulevard.
Option B: Buses will travel on Fort Street to 90th – Buses will skip the section of the route from Fort & Parkview to Maplewood & 90th.
Bus Stop Clearing
Metro staff is responsible for clearing transit centers and shelters, while sidewalks are the responsibility of adjacent property owners/tenants, as stated in the Omaha Municipal Code. We ask them to also clear a path from the sidewalk to the curb so riders can board safely.
To report uncleared sidewalks near your bus stop, call 402-444-5283 or email hotline@cityofomaha.org.
To report any snow or ice at a Metro bus shelter, ORBT Station, or transit center, please call Customer Service at 402-341-0800 or use our online comment form.