CINCINNATI – City of Cincinnati transportation officials, Transdev and first responders will participate in a full-scale emergency exercise for the streetcar beginning at approximately 11:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18. 

The exercise scenario will be a security-related incident that takes place within the fenced parking lot at the Connector’s Maintenance and Operations Facility (MOF) on Henry Street in Over-the-Rhine after the streetcar’s normal passenger service ends. 

Officials from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will be on site to assess the effectiveness of the participants and their procedures. Participants will include Cincinnati Police, operations staff and managers from Transdev, the city’s streetcar management team and public information officer.

The drill will focus on emergency response, communication, command structure, track and streetcar access and evacuation procedures.

This is the city’s first full-scale emergency preparedness exercise since taking over the Connector’s day-to-day operations from the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA) in 2020. Federal transit authorities did not require full-scale drills for safety certification in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

MEDIA NOTE:  Media are invited to observe the exercise from the sidewalk surrounding the MOF. Please plan to arrive by 11:30 p.m. The exercise will last approximately one hour.

About the Connector 
The Connector is an electric-powered streetcar that travels along a 3.6-mile loop connecting Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine and Banks neighborhoods via the Central Business District. It is free to ride. The streetcar operates 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Saturdays and 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Sundays. Read more about the streetcar.